8 Actors on Books and Reading
The latest The Giver casting news got me thinking about some of my favorite literary adaptations, which in turn made me think about their stars, who seem ubiquitous in Adaptation Land (which seems to be Hollywood’s unofficial name these days). For book lovers, it’s bittersweet that every other movie these days seems to be based on beloved (or not-so-beloved) books. From the latest Nicholas Sparks to The Book Thief, adaptations are here to stay. And some actors have, in our minds, become natural choices for good books on film. Those same actors also have some great quotes about reading.
Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement)
Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Harry Potter)
“I think books are like people, in the sense that they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them. After my father died, the book that sort of saved my life was Gabriel García Márquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. Because of that experience, I firmly believe there are books whose greatness actually enables you to live, to do something. And sometimes, human beings need story and narrative more than they need nourishment and food.” (O magazine)
Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Hamlet)
Oh, Picard.
For many, he is the definitive Mr. Darcy.
Colin Firth (Pride and Prejudice, Girl with a Pearl Earring)
“When I’m really into a novel, I’m seeing the world differently during that time – not just for the hour or so in the day when I get to read. I’m actually walking around in a haze, spellbound by the book and looking at everything through a different prism.”
Emma Watson (Harry Potter, The Perks of Being a Wallflower)
“I like books that aren’t just lovely but that have memories in themselves. Just like playing a song, picking up a book again that has memories can take you back to another place or another time.”
Meryl Streep (The Hours, The Devil Wears Prada)
This applies to reading.
Image: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images. Quote via interviewmagazine.com
Kate Winslet (Sense and Sensibility, Revolutionary Road)
I think sometimes when you’re young, and even when you’re older, purchasing a book for yourself or anyone else can be terrifying. I left school when I was 16, and I always felt—actually still do in some ways—intellectually insecure. (O magazine)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone, The Hunger Games, and [in my dreams] Tampa)
This picture of Katniss Everdeen Jennifer Lawrence reading Harry Potter says it all.
Got any favorites, dear commenters?
_________________________
Sign up for our newsletter to have the best of Book Riot delivered straight to your inbox every two weeks. No spam. We promise.
To keep up with Book Riot on a daily basis, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, , and subscribe to the Book Riot podcast in iTunes or via RSS. So much bookish goodness–all day, every day.
