Olivier Martinez Quotes

An actor cannot say no, it’s against his job. If he wants the part he has to say yes. [But] it’s very bad for you to say you can do something and then not do it, so you have to manage to do it.

Love is based on imagination.

But what I really like are old Hollywood movies. Very often I watch AMC.

I never analyze why I was with one woman instead of another.

When you're a foreigner, at the beginning you are far away from the culture. Then, little by little, you start to interact with people, have friends, have a life, and then you feel more comfortable.

The first time Adrian saw me was on tape. But you should know that this never works - never in the history of movies has someone been cast from a video.

When I was a kid, I was watching the movies my parents wanted to watch. I came from a working class family, not specifically educated, so we were watching popular movies. My dad liked cowboy movies, so we were watching cowboy movies. Some of them were amazing. It’s a genre of movie I like very much.

It's nice to have some distance with your family. As long as you're closer to them by love.

I don't want to dig in the truth all of the time. Let me dream.

I played a scene at the end of my first year, and that's how I was discovered.

I like Paris. My problem is I don't like Parisians.

I always say I was born too late in the world, too old.

If I had to fall in love with all the actresses I play with and live the situations I have to play, I would be lost ! I need to be solid and know who I really am to have fun in making something else. I noticed, while talking with other actors, that they often let ambiguity float. I don't like ambiguity, it's dangerous. I need distance. I also think that the result would prevent the audience from identifying to the characters. If you feel the things too strongly, you simply close the doors.

I'll always be a foreigner.

It's not only imagination, it's the distortion of the vision. You suddenly think, "This person is idealistic, this person is strong, this person has dreams", when you know better most of the time. You put what you want to see on people.

I see my friends, my family, my cousins work all day long for very little money, and if I have this problem of not being able to wall on the streets, it's not a big deal.

I wanted to become a champ - I was surrounded by champs in my family and in my neighborhood - and because of this stupid accident, I lost my opportunity.

Who knows what happens tomorrow? We'll find it tomorrow.

If you want to be happy, live discreetly. Does that make sense in English?

Also, I have found that I really like to work in English. It's very strange because it's exactly the opposite of what I thought it would be like.

Everybody has some talents - we all have an art side and some talent - but you have some areas where you are better than others. My area is acting, I guess. I hope.

I'm not a movie star like other actors in the way that I need to walk around with a bodyguard. My goal is just to get some interesting parts and make enough money to live free. Otherwise, to be a movie star, it's a lot of compromise and also a lot of headaches. You can't do what you want. You become a prisoner of your fame. This happened to me in France and I don't want it. I want to go to the terrace of a café, have a coffee. I have no problems with the fact that people recognize me, I'm very glad about it, but to be a movie star is kind of unreal for me.

But when you work with the director and the real person who is playing opposite you, it changes everything. You are almost in a working session. I was very comfortable, and that’s maybe what helped me to get the part.

It's like all the signs were telling me that I shouldn't be a boxer, so I quit.

People sometimes recognize me here, but they are very nice.

I don't have goals in life.

I quit after a bad car accident. The thing about boxing is that you can be a star for five or six years, but when you go back to the old life, it's tough.

Before, I was so stupid. But, you know, when you have friends who died on the street, you say, okay, let's calm down. It's not the kind of energy I want to have in life. I want to go slower, and longer.

My father was champion of North Africa and he beat the European champ. He was very good, a professional for 12 years. We're from a big family of boxers. My father has seven brothers.

I have an accent, I'm limited, I have to play foreign parts - I would love to play American parts but I can't because I have an accent. You are more limited as a foreigner in every area.

I really believe great actors, even with disease and age, can be great.

I don't feel restricted by the language: I feel more free.

Imagination creates some big monsters.

If you compare me to an actor, I'm probably one of the best boxers in the profession. But if you compare me as a boxer, I'm probably one of the best actors.

And I think it is the genius of actors to be able to escape whatever people are expecting of them. Otherwise you become like a factory worker.

I want just to be happy and peaceful. And that's not always the case when you're married.

I'm not a movie star like other actors in the way that I need to walk with a bodyguard.

Brave is good - especially when you are a soldier.

And what's more I've got no need for anyone to tell me how to do it. I am not interested. You act how you want to and leave me alone to do my own thing.

I was born and raised in a suburb of Paris by a working-class family.

It’s a matter of time; you adapt to the different culture and different way of life. Human beings are adaptable.

I like Brad Pitt; I just have nothing to do with him.