James Byron Dean was an American actor who is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause. He was someone who wanted to dip into just about everything, and learning as much as he could. Inspiring James Dean quotes will give you some extra thoughts on your journey toward a life filled with achievement, success, and happiness.
If you’re searching for life quotes and sayings to share with the people you love or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of Frank Sinatra quotes about life, top Arnold Schwarzenegger quotes and beautiful Marilyn Monroe quotes and sayings.
Best James Dean Quotes
Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. James Dean
Only the gentle are ever really strong. James Dean
Being a good actor isn’t easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I’m done. James Dean
If a man can bridge the gap between life and death,if he can live after he’s died, then maybe he was a great man. Immortality is the only true success. James Dean
I’m a serious minded and intense little devil, terribly gauche and so tense I don’t see how people stay in the same room with me. I know I wouldn’t tolerate myself. James Dean
The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results. James Dean
You try to be yourself, do only what you’ve always done and like to do, and right away, you’re tagged as an oddball. James Dean
Take it easy driving the life you save may be mine. James Dean
Death can’t be considered because, if you’re afraid to die, there’s no room in your life to make discoveries. James Dean
Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse. James Dean
I want to be a Texan 24 hours a day. James Dean
There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are impaled on the crook of conditioning. A fish that is in the water has no choice that he is. Genius would have it that we swim in sand. We are fish and we drown. James Dean
Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have. James Dean
An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet. James Dean
The cinema is a very truthful medium because the camera doesn’t let you get away with anything. On stage, you can even loaf a little, if you’re so inclined. James Dean
Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have. James Dean
But you can’t show some far off idyllic conception of behavior if you want the kids to come and see the picture. You’ve got to show what it’s really like, and try to reach them on their own grounds. James Dean
You’re tearing me apart! James Dean
Only the gentle are ever really strong. James Dean
When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn’t acting. It’s following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. So the director’s task is just that to direct, to point the way. Then the actor takes over. And he must be allowed the space, the freedom to express himself in the role. Without that space, an actor is no more than an unthinking robot with a chest full of push buttons. James Dean
The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results. James Dean
I think there is only one form of greatness for man. If a man can bridge the gap between life and death. I mean, if he can live on after he has died, then maybe he was a great man. To me the only success, the only greatness, is immortality. James Dean
Trust and belief are two prime considerations. You must not allow yourself to be opinionated. James Dean
I can’t let in the light.It will destroy my performance like light destroys film. James Dean
Racing is the only time I feel whole. James Dean
Whatever’s inside making me what I am, it’s like film. Film only works in the dark. Tear it all open and let in the light and you kill it. James Dean
I don’t want anything seventy thirty. Fifty fifty’s always good enough for me. I don’t want to have to give anybody seventy; I don’t want anybody to give me seventy. I want fifty. James Dean
To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty; to interpret it his problem; and to express it his dedication. Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have. Being a good actor isn’t easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I’m done. James Dean
The only way to make a scene realistic is to do it the way you know it would really happen. James Dean
Am I in love? Absolutely. I’m in love with ancient philosophers, foreign painters, classic authors, and musicians who have died long ago. I’m a passionate lover. I fawn over these people. I have given them my heart and my soul. The trouble is, I’m unable to love anyone tangible. I have sacrificed a physical bond, for a metaphysical relationship. I am the ultimate idealistic lover. James Dean
You can do Hamlet while performing cartwheels as long as the audience sees your eyes you can make the performance real. James Dean
I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world is discovery. James Dean
An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet. James Dean
You are who you are meant to be. Dance as if no one’s watching. Love as if it’s all you know. Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. James Dean
To me, acting is the most logical way for people’s neuroses to manifest themselves, in this great need we all have to express ourselves. James Dean
The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results. James Dean
To my way of thinking, an actor’s course is set even before he’s out of the cradle. James Dean
The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results. James Dean
An actor should be judged by his performance only. James Dean
Only the gentle are ever really strong. James Dean
I also became close to nature, and am now able to appreciate the beauty with which this world is endowed. James Dean
My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society. James Dean
If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he’s dead, then maybe he was a great man. James Dean
My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society. James Dean
The only greatness for man is immortality. James Dean
If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he’s dead, then maybe he was a great man. James Dean
My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society. James Dean
I’m a serious minded and intense little devil terribly gauche and so tense that I don’t see how people can stay in the same room as me. I know I couldn’t tolerate myself. James Dean
To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty; to interpret it his problem; and to express it his dedication. James Dean
If I had one day when I didn’t have to be all confused and didn’t have to feel that I was ashamed of everything. If I felt that I belonged someplace. You know? James Dean
Studying cows, pigs and chickens can help an actor develop his character. There are a lot of things I learned from animals. One was that they couldn’t hiss or boo me. James Dean
An actor must interpret life, and in order to do so must be willing to accept all the experiences life has to offer. In fact, he must seek out more of life than life puts at his feet. In the short span of his lifetime, an actor must learn all there is to know, experience all there is to experience, or approach that state as closely as possible. He must be superhuman in his efforts to store away in the core of his subconscious everything that he might be called upon to use in the expression of his art. James Dean
There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are all impaled on the crook of conditioning. James Dean
Reality doesn’t have any preconceived ideas. You’ve got to learn how to smoke the cigarette, not act smoking the cigarette. You need to drink the drink, not act drinking the drink. You’ve got to do things and not show them. James Dean
I think the one thing this picture shows that’s new is the psychological disproportion of the kids demands on the parents. Parents are often at fault, but the kids have some work to do, too. James Dean
Take it easy driving the life you save may be mine. James Dean
When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn’t acting. It’s following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. James Dean
Being a good actor isn’t easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I’m done. James Dean
I used to fly around quite a bit, you know? I took a lot of unnecessary chances on the highways. And I started racing, and now I drive on the highways, I’m extra cautious because no one knows what they’re doing half the time. You don’t know what this guy is going to do or that one. James Dean
The only greatness for man is immortality. James Dean
There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are impaled on the crook of conditioning. James Dean
What better way to die? It’s fast and clean and you go out in a blaze of glory! James Dean
Only the gentle are ever really strong. James Dean
Whatever’s inside making me what I am, it’s like film. Film only works in the dark. Tear it all open and let in the light and you kill it. James Dean
The gratification comes in the doing, not in the results. James Dean
I have a fairly adequate knowledge of Satanic forces. James Dean
And above all, you must be honest with yourself. James Dean
If I can keep this up and nothing interferes with my progress, one of these days I might be able to contribute something to the world. James Dean
I wouldn’t like me, if I had to be around me. James Dean
Being a senior in high school means you’re not only getting closer to adulthood, but also ready to start thinking about your dreams and aspirations, whether that’s applying for college, joining the military, or seeing the world. It’s never too early to start thinking of your future, so use these high school senior year quotes about following dreams to inspire yourself and those around. Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today. James Dean
If I can keep this up and nothing interferes with my progress, one of these days I might be able to contribute something to the world. James Dean
An hour or two of learning from the masters is usually enough to recharge my artistic batteries. James Dean
An actual right is something that governments need merely to secure, not to implement. James Dean
I also became close to nature, and am now able to appreciate the beauty with which this world is endowed. James Dean
I have sacrificed a physical bond, for a metaphysical relationship. I am the ultimate idealistic lover. James Dean
To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty; to interpret it his problem; and to express it his dedication. Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have. Being a good actor isn’t easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I’m done. James Dean
I am trying to find the courage to be tender in my life. James Dean
At times there seems to be a million ideas worth painting. However, there are days when it’s a challenge to pull any idea together. On these days I go to my studio, leaf through an art history book, and tell myself that I am part of this great tradition. James Dean
You try to be yourself, do only what you’ve always done and like to do, and right away, you’re tagged as an oddball. James Dean
What do we need all that for? If a picture is psychologically motivated, if there is truth in the relationship in it, then I think that picture will do good. I firmly believe Rebel Without A Cause is such a picture. James Dean
If a choice is in order I’d rather have people hiss than yawn. James Dean
Studying cows, pigs and chickens can help an actor develop his character. There are a lot of things I learned from animals. One was that they couldn’t hiss or boo me. James Dean
I don’t want anything seventy thirty. Fifty fifty’s always good enough for me. James Dean
But you can’t show some far off idyllic conception of behavior if you want the kids to come and see the picture. You’ve got to show what it’s really like, and try to reach them on their own grounds. James Dean
Racing is the only time I feel whole. James Dean
To me, acting is the most logical way for people’s neuroses to manifest themselves, in this great need we all have to express ourselves. James Dean
If you’re not afraid, if you take everything you are, everything worthwhile in you and direct it at one goal, one ultimate mark, you’ve got to get there. James Dean
There is no way to be truly great in this world. We are impaled on the crook of conditioning. A fish that is in the water has no choice that he is. Genius would have it that we swim in sand. We are fish and we drown. James Dean
Without that space, an actor is no more than an unthinking robot with a chest full of push buttons. James Dean
I want to be a Texan 24 hours a day. James Dean
Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have. James Dean
When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn’t acting. It’s following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. So the director’s task is just that to direct, to point the way. Then the actor takes over. And he must be allowed the space, the freedom to express himself in the role. Without that space, an actor is no more than an unthinking robot with a chest full of push buttons. James Dean
And I’ve discovered that most young men do not stand like ramrods or talk like Demosthenes. Therefore, when I do play a youth, such as in Warner Bros. Rebel Without A Cause, I try to imitate life. James Dean
You’re tearing me apart! James Dean
An actor should be judged by his performance only. James Dean
When an actor plays a scene exactly the way a director orders, it isn’t acting. It’s following instructions. Anyone with the physical qualifications can do that. James Dean
The cinema is a very truthful medium because the camera doesn’t let you get away with anything. James Dean
I can’t let in the light.It will destroy my performance like light destroys film. James Dean
If a picture is psychologically motivated, if there is truth in the relationship in it, then I think that picture will do good. I firmly believe that rebel without a cause is such a picture. James Dean.
I think the one thing this picture shows that’s new is the psychological disproportion of the kids demands on the parents. Parents are often at fault, but the kids have some work to do, too. James Dean
You can do Hamlet while performing cartwheels as long as the audience sees your eyes you can make the performance real. James Dean
Being an actor is the loneliest thing in the world. You are all alone with your concentration and imagination, and that’s all you have. James Dean
Never knew James Dean had so many memorable quotes.