My only memories of school are of being beaten, of being hit in the playground, of masters poking their fingers in my chest all day. – Michael Gambon
Every part I play is just a variant of my own personality. No real character actor, of course, just me. – Michael Gambon
I am a theatre actor, but the last ten years I’ve taken parts in movies because it keeps me in money. – Michael Gambon
I just hate the idea of being well known. I know that is almost impossible if you’re an actor who has done okay, but I’ve always fought against it. – Michael Gambon
When I was doing ‘Tales from Hollywood’ at the National, I was invited to dinner by the choreographer, Kenneth MacMillan. He told me I had the heart of a dancer and asked me if I’d like to come on at the end of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as a friar. I said I’d love to, but sadly, MacMillan died shortly after. – Michael Gambon
I’m an anorak. I’ve always been an obsessive collector of things. Richard Briers collects stamps. I collect cars and guns, which are much more expensive, and much more difficult to store. – Michael Gambon
Oh yeah, I’d love to be a comedian. I’ve done a lot, but always in the confines of plays. – Michael Gambon
Maybe that is why kids like Dumbledore: because he is funny rather than a miserable old sod with a long white beard. – Michael Gambon
You get used to being lazy doing films, but classical theatre’s going to finish me off. – Michael Gambon
Richard was in heavy, heavy costume, he could hardly sit, you know, and I turned up and they put me in two layers of silk, so I played him much lighter – you know, floating around in a pair of slippers, a bit of a hippy. – Michael Gambon
Television has dried up for my generation, so it’s plays and films. You get used to being lazy doing films, but classical theatre’s going to finish me off. – Michael Gambon
Paul Schofield said something like, ‘If I’m not acting in a play, I don’t really exist.’ Those weren’t the exact words, but he meant it’s only when I’m acting in a play that I’ve got something to say about the world. And then why should I talk, when people can come to see it? – Michael Gambon
I just play him as myself, I don’t ease myself into any role really. I stick a beard on and play me. – Michael Gambon
I’ve played quite a lot of crooks and killers, and that’s quite interesting. Then Dumbledore is the complete opposite, isn’t he? He’s a nice old man. – Michael Gambon
There are more important ways of earning a living, aren’t there? Like being a neurosurgeon. But some plays are very important, aren’t they? – Michael Gambon
I belong to quite a lot of learned societies. We collect firearms and discuss them at dinners and clubs and things. – Michael Gambon
I’m very flower-like. I love classical music. I go to ballet and I cry. There’s nothing so beautiful. – Michael Gambon
Yeah, I like causing trouble. It’s the teddy boy in me. I used to be a teddy boy. Feeling slightly inferior and wanting to cause a bit of bother and get some action going on in the room rather than get bored stiff. – Michael Gambon
There’s no subtext in ‘Harry Potter,’ really; it’s all magic – anything can happen. Why do I say this? Because it’s a magic spell. It’s quite nice in a way. There is a real freedom to it. Doesn’t say much for acting, does it? – Michael Gambon
I’ve always tried to be an actor who… I just plod on and try to keep my mouth shut, mind my own business. I find the whole thing about people’s lives… I can’t understand it. I’m always astonished that people want to know anything about me. – Michael Gambon
