Peter Vack Quotes

I think you should identify with your character, but plenty of people like themselves and hate themselves. You just have to find out what’s truthful for the person you’re playing. When people talk about that, I think what they’re saying is that as an actor, as Peter, you don’t want to make a judgment that comes from your worldview about the character. Your judgments should be coming from the place of the character, and within that space, sure, you could love or hate yourself or whatever you think is most appropriate.

When you’re watching yourself work, you’re not really an audience member for yourself. Even being confronted by your own image can be jarring sometimes. The experience of making a movie or a television show is this really full one, and sometimes you see it and even if it’s a great piece of work, it’s not the experience – i t’s almost sad because it reminds you of something that isn’t anymore.

When I step back from any moment of crisis that I’ve ever had, I’m always struck by how humor and tragedy can kind of live in the same moment, holding hands together. How life can go from the ridiculous to the sublime to the tragic all in one breath.

I was born in the West Village in New York, and then when I was about four my family moved to what they joke is the suburbs, the Upper West Side. I lived there for most of my childhood.

If you feel like you’re working with good people, you give them your humanity and just let it happen.

I took ballet for two years in high school and then in college on and off, and I went back into class. I’m nowhere near good enough to be a professional, but it’s great to be in that environment. The discipline is so impressive.

Seeing a movie you’re in is nothing like seeing a movie you’re not in.

What’s nice about writing and making films is that being able to see a film from the outside – from the inception through production and then completion – just informs what you’re doing when you’re an actor. And when you’re an actor, it informs the decisions you make when you’re making a film. It’s using two different sides of your personality.

It’s always nice to have a large role, but if it’s a great small part, those can be so much fun. Size is less important than quality, always.

My philosophy is that if you’re playing a moment truthfully, that it’s a funny moment, then hopefully it will be funny. I like to just go for a truth in the work as much as I can. There’s a lack of ego when you’re working with comedy that I really love. It’s hard to come up with something funny. It’s become a fun game in a way. Everyone is going for the gold, for that humor.

You would almost think it would be the opposite, but making a film sort of made me freer in my acting.

I did my friend’s film – this guy Harrison Atkins who’s a great filmmaker. He just makes movies with all his friends, and I think that’s all what we’re striving for – to feel like we’re among friends and people who care about each other. I’d like to think that good work comes from that – from a sort of loving and friendly environment.