Top 18 Donald Sutherland Quotes

What the nation’s built on is discussion, contradiction and growth, and at the moment you can’t discuss anything. If you do start to discuss it, you get criticized. If people hate us, you have to find out why and try to solve that problem.

I was at my dermatologist, and she asked me what I was doing next. I told her I was about to do something called ‘The Hunger Games.’ She gasped and started calling everyone into the room, and they all came running.

You have a little bit of talent, a certain amount of good fortune and a lot of hard work in pursuit of whatever truth you can find in it, and if you are really lucky, a terrific partner and I have that and those four things worked out for me.

I have never planned anything. I have been doing this job for over 50 years. I have been paid to work with some wonderful people and it has been a huge gift, to me.

Vietnam was a lie but at least there was a political agenda. It was the domino theory. Iraq is about nothing but George Bush’s ego laced with imperialist ambitions. And it was helped by your government.

At my age, you sort of fart your way into a role.

I don’t think I’m an actor who takes their characters home with him. But I certainly do take the preparation home.

The only thing I feel passionate about is my wife.

Not too much, though there’s a certain amount of rancour and bitterness when someone tries to fire you.

I don’t want to give up living, because I enjoy it so much, and I love working – I don’t expect I’ll ever have to stop. But Alzheimer’s or something like that would render me pretty useless.

But no, I love acting, it’s a wonderful job.

I love grabbing my wife and going to a distant location to film.

I was obsessed with not knowing what happened after you were dead. And I sat or kneeled for a whole day with my head against the wall, trying to figure it out. But I couldn’t, and I just said, ‘Okay.’ And then it was nothingness.

I am so glad my wife tolerates me. And we have three wonderful sons.

But even with no money you could still go to places like the Scotch Club and, you know, John Lennon might be sitting right over there, but I was certainly not a part of any of that circle. I was truly peripheral.

I have been able to play a lot of guys and they have kept me working.

No, I’m not rich. I had a tax problem in this country, curiously enough, and my accountant said the British government was patently wrong in taxing me, and they were, but we couldn’t persuade them and it cost me everything I had.

I would look a little silly playing Casanova now.