I was the youngest child and got a lot more freedom than my brother and sister. I used to wander, doing my own thing under the radar, but I didn't get in bad, bad trouble.
— Paul Giamatti
I mean, I'm not going to play the hero of something.
I never thought I would have any particular career in movies at all.
I get tired of myself pretty fast.
I find that the crazy narcissists, the selfish loons are often the most fun to be around, weirdly.
I've very critical of myself, and film has been an adjustment for me.
I don't consider myself a very interesting person. I have the mentality of a supporting actor.
You are absolutely free to describe me as a turtle or something.
Well, you know, when people say stuff about you, it's always really flattering. But does it mean anything to me? It's not really real to me; there's no reality to it.
Academia is a rarified culture, especially an Ivy League academic background.
I like playing weird, kind of shady people.
I don't mind talking about acting. I don't have anything interesting to say about it, but it's interesting talking about it.
I'm not a big wine guy. And bars, I never go to bars anymore. It's such a drag, man.
I always would be happy to make a character even more unlikable, but you know, there's a limit and if you go there, you get into a very different kind of movie, man.
I definitely have a tendency to only see the blemishes of things, and see lots of things about my acting that I don't like.
Acting can be a really silly thing. It's like playing dress-up.
This whole business feels kind of intense, like a bad fit. Round peg, square hole. But whatever, I'll take it.
Am I really cool? You're telling me I'm cool? Well, that's good to hear.
It is because my dad died suddenly that I became an actor. I thought, I'm going to make money doing this thing I enjoy.
Somehow whatever I play ends up being sleazy.
I like to work - I probably work too much.
Sometimes, I think I may be more recognizable because I'm character-looking.
I don't mind being stereotyped in some way and playing certain kinds of guys, but if I can find something to occasionally get a break from that, that would be nice. And I feel like I manage to.
Lead roles are fun, but I'm especially happy other, more colorful supporting stuff has come along.
I've got to be the geekiest guy in the world in a lot of ways. I'm like a zeta male.
It'd be disingenuous to say I don't like attention - I'm an actor for God's sake - and it's flattering and all, but attention was never my big goal. I just like to work and have a good time.
