Peter MacNicol Quotes

United States, Actor
April 10, 1954

Peter MacNicol (born April 10, 1954) is an American actor. He received a Theatre World Award for his 1981 Broadway debut in the play Crimes of the Heart. His film roles include Galen in Dragonslayer (1981), Stingo in Sophie's Choice (1982), Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II (1989), camp organizer Gary Granger in Addams Family Values (1993), and David Langley in Bean (1997).

The hardest thing I do on stage is to self-induce amnesia. I want to go on every night and say, 'I've never sat in this chair. I've never been in this room.'

Peter MacNicol
- Night
I spent two years at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, and then some New York types saw me there as Benvolio in 'Romeo and Juliet.' They sent me some enticing letters - about why didn't I come to New York? - and since it was well below zero that winter in Minneapolis, it didn't take much to get me to leave.

Peter MacNicol
- Why
- Winter

The Guthrie Theater is a beast. It has 1,300 seats, and I couldn't act there. I always felt I was acting too small. I'd always have to fight to get the gumption to act bigger. There's a weird trick to it. You don't want to overwhelm the first six rows. You don't want to starve the back. I could never get it.

Peter MacNicol
- Small
- Weird
Acting is about covering up traces of who you are and just being the character. I think it's easier to accept people in roles if you don't know a lot about them.

Peter MacNicol
- People
- Up
- Character