Top 44 Dan Stevens Quotes

But even writing the column for the ‘Telegraph,’ that idea of working to deadlines, which as an actor that’s not something you have to do in the same way. It’s excited me into wanting to do a bit more.

I’m lucky to be married to someone who entirely gets what I do. She is totally sympathetic to the actor’s life. Her own mother was an actress, so she sort of grew up with it.

Soap opera seems to be a dirty word, but actually they are the most popular shows we have.

You can be romantically interested in someone and love them and still, I think, be really interested in things and a certain lifestyle that person might provide.

I always wanted to be an actor.

We take so many of our freedoms for granted nowadays – I can travel where I like, I can have a baby when I like, I can do any job I want – but I do think chivalry has been lost a little bit.

I don’t think many people get to play big emotions in life.

When it is good, theatre takes a lot of beating both to watch and perform.

Everything’s so accelerated now.

I was never very happy at school.

As long as I am given the opportunity to keep performing and keep exploring in whatever medium, I’ll be happy. As long as I get to spend time with my family, I’ll be happy. As long as I can write in some form, I’ll be happy. It is the essential things like that I equate with happiness.

I never quite toed the line.

What was interesting was talking to older gay men about what it was like being gay in the Eighties.

I don’t see money or a particular status as an actor as a goal, but I want to do the best work I can in as interesting a range of roles as I can.

Not a lot of people would think that I spent most of my early years totally rebelling against anything I could, getting suspended from school, going on demonstrations.

I haven’t done as many films as I would have liked.

I have only recently got interested in film, and it is a strange way of working in many ways. But actually, when it is at its best, it’s quite an extraordinary way of working between a director and an actor, to really explore an inner life.

Coming back to theatre is something I’m keen to do for the rest of my life. It recharges my batteries, so to speak.

The female attention I have to struggle hardest with is from my two-year-old daughter.

At 13, in my first year of Tonbridge, I went up for the part of Macbeth. I was up against the 17- and 18-year-olds, but for some reason I got the part. It made me incredibly unpopular with my peers, but it was the English and drama teachers who stepped in to save me when others wanted me kicked out of the school.

I’ve been a lucky boy.

In the 21st century, I think it’s fair to say, homosexuality is more accepted in Britain and it’s wonderful that my generation has been able to grow up with that.

I’m a huge fan of Eighties music.

I was a pretty difficult teenager.

It’s head and heart. I like to feed both. I always wanted to be an actor. But the cultural-intellectual side of things has always excited me. I wouldn’t want to let it go.

Oh, it is quite possible that none of us in ‘Downton’ will ever again get the ratings this has had. But from a career point of view, it has opened so many doors.

I never quite toed the line. I was a bit disruptive. All my early school reports from the age of 5 were ‘Daniel must learn not to distract others.’ And now, that’s what I do for a living.

Soap opera seems to be a dirty word, but actually they are the most popular shows we have. People want to know what happens next, people hate the villains and love the lovers. It’s good, fun TV. But I wouldn’t call ‘Downton’ a soap opera as such.

I’ve had to learn when not to tweet. Like, you learn how to keep your mouth shut? Learn to keep your tweet shut.

I’m sure I wouldn’t have been asked to judge the Man Booker if it weren’t for ‘Downton.’

People look at me, they know I’ve appeared in costume dramas and they automatically assume I must be a Tory, I must be a certain type of person.

The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity; moving beyond it necessitates intuition, which in turn configures new perspectives and conquers fears.

At the age of 11 I was about 6 ft. tall and my voice had completely broken. That caused problems. I was this gangly, spotty, very unattractive kid. I wasn’t cool and I wasn’t a nerd. I didn’t even want to fit in with anyone.

I’m shocked at being recognized.

I’m shocked at being recognized. You go to places you don’t think you would be and still, you are. Taxi drivers often recognise me… but I haven’t got a free ride yet.

I’ve never tried to find my real parents. I’m very grateful to my mum and dad for adopting me – they’re completely incredible people. It was my dad who encouraged me to question everything, to forge my own path, to think, to read. I always felt it was my right to question everything.

I would like to do something modern and possibly funny.

Theatre, when it is at its best, takes a lot of beating – the live experience and the shared collective experience of live storytelling is really special when it is good. Particularly here in New York because the audiences are amazing, very vocal and very engaged, and that makes theatre very exciting.

I’m amazed by just constantly – there’s not a week that goes past where there’s not someone in Ulan Bator or Rio De Janeiro suddenly says, ‘Ooh, ‘Downton’ started this week.’ You completely forget it’s staggered across the world.

I don’t think there’s ever a right time to have kids. I’m actually pretty glad it’s happened quite young.

I saw Mercury Prize-winners Alt-J for the first time recently, touring their debut album ‘An Awesome Wave,’ and I’m still riding the high: they’re the most musically dynamic and exciting band to have poured tune into my lug holes live since Bellowhead.

None of us had any idea of how successful Downton was going to be. I thought I was signing up for another period drama that had a slightly modern feel. It had a freedom about it because it was coming out of the head of Julian Fellowes. Anything could happen and generally did.

I want to spend as much time as I can with my family, yet I’m aware of having to bring home the bacon.

I’ve never been a fan of directors who clutter a piece with all sorts of crazy preconceptions or weird ideas.