I am an actress. I am not a movie star.
— Luise Rainer
I was one of the horses of the Louis B. Mayer stable, and I thought the films I was given after my Academy Awards were not worthy.
The best imitation in the world is not half as good as a poor original.
Happiness lies in moments, and while you have it, you're not even aware; only afterwards do you know you were happy.
I was very thin, like a boy, and I was very un-sexy.
One can be more than once in love - that's the most important thing.
Once, I was a bigger star than Greta Garbo.
For my second and third pictures, I won Academy Awards. Nothing worse could have happened to me.
I had immense ambition to become a really valuable actress.
I don't believe in anything artificial. I don't believe in makeup.
In my acting, I have tried to do this - to present to audiences a living creature in whom they can recognise themselves or someone they know.
One of the biggest dangers in Hollywood is becoming typed.
I don't believe in acting. I think that people in life act, but when you are on the stage or, in my case, also on screen, you have to be true.
I feel best in nature or near nature.
I have never had a current state of mind. My mind changes a great deal. I am very affected by any sorrow or sad thing, and I am very affected by joy and beauty.
Some very beautiful things get lost and forgotten. Just as I got lost.
I know the good from the bad, also the in-between, but I was never political.
I always considered myself the world's worst actress.
I am sensitive to life, and somehow acting comes to me. I can't explain it.
I would much rather be a bad Luise Rainer than a second someone else.
The secret of a long life is to never trust a doctor.
I remember once Robert Taylor invited me to lunch. I asked him, 'What is your ambition?' He said, 'I want to have 10 very good suits.'
I admire people who are creative.
I felt very alone in Hollywood.
I should have done more. I did too little of everything.
Take a person like Julia Roberts: she does what she wants.
The Oscar is not a curse. The real curse is that once you have an Oscar they think you can do anything.
