Dennis Quaid on "Play by the Heart" and the Fascination of Human Nature

Working with a Writer-Director

• 💡 Dennis Quaid found the script for "Play by the Heart" to be special and different, making it an interesting project to work on.
• 🎯 He particularly enjoys working with writer-directors like Willard Carroll, appreciating their distinct vision and the strong foundation a great script provides.
• 🎭 Quaid found his character, Hugh, to be complex, embodying several different people and allowing for a wide range of emotional expression.

Exploring a Troubled Character

• 🧠 Quaid describes Hugh as a person who, like many, struggles to articulate issues in relationships and life, leading to acting out.
• 🎭 The character's elaborate lies are presented as a way of revealing his inner turmoil and what's going on with him.
• 🧩 Quaid found the process of playing Hugh so engaging that he even used the director's physicality to portray the final version of the character.

The Essence of Acting

• 🌟 Quaid's primary motivation for acting is a deep fascination with human nature and understanding what makes people tick.
• 🎭 He states he would pursue acting even without financial reward, emphasizing his passion for the craft and regional theater.
• 📈 As he has gotten older, Quaid finds acting more fulfilling, with more interesting parts and a greater depth of life experience to draw upon.
• 💡 He also notes a developing economy of the process that comes with years of experience in acting.