I wish I'd never been an actor. I'd rather have been a streetwalker, selling my body, than selling my tears and my laughter, my grief and my joy.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Kinski compares acting unfavorably to prostitution, suggesting both involve selling oneself but acting feels more exploitative of emotions.
- In plain terms
- Kinski feels selling his emotions as an actor is worse than selling his body.
- What can you take from it?
- Artistic expression can feel like a violation of self.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When does work feel like self-betrayal?
- How do artists value their labor?
Another view
The comparison is hyperbolic and may not reflect actual working conditions.
More from Klaus Kinski
'If you always need money like I do, then you can't be selective about movies. They're all just one big heap of nonsense.'
Permalink to quote #4 Making Movies is better than cleaning toilets.
Permalink to quote #6 I need love! Love! Non-stop! And I want to give love because I have so much of it. No one understands the sole purpose of my whoring is to spend myself totally.
Permalink to quote #3
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