Rob James-Collier Quotations

Working on 'Downton Abbey' is amazing, but there's an ensemble cast of between 18 and 21 actors. With 'Love Life,' there are two couples and a few other key characters. As a smaller unit, you've got to take more responsibility - at the same time, you can have more ownership of the direction it's going in.

My dad doesn't watch 'Coronation Street.' But my mum is a massive fan. I'd like to think my dad will watch it for a few token episodes, as I'm in it.

Obviously, I play a villain in 'Downton Abbey'. As an actor, you want to get a variety of roles, so to be offered the part of Joe, it was perfect.

I got into acting for the different scenarios and roles and meeting different people.

I went to Huddersfield University Business School. That's where I learned my trade.

Particularly with internships, you have to work for a year with no money. How on Earth are you going to finance that?

People identify with being heartbroken. We've all been heartbroken, haven't we? I've been dumped, and it feels horrible.

I would like to do theatre because it scares me, and I think you should do things that scare you.

You know if something is good because you remember the lines because it is written so well. The rhythm of the speech is spot on.

When people accuse me of being really posh, I think, 'Hang on a minute - no, I'm not!'

The reason I'm an actor and am trying to make my way in drama is to move people, to affect people, to gain a response - so these people who come up to you in the street are your audience.

Beverly Hills is too intimidating. Everyone's got lovely teeth, so you don't want to smile. Everyone's ripped, so you start working out at 4 in the morning and eating egg white omelets.

I'm a working class lad. So at 25, and with no-one in our family having any theatrical inclination, when I said, 'I'm going to scratch all that and become an actor,' I may as well have said I was going to be a Premiership footballer for the chance I'd have.

If you rile a tiger, he's going to show his claws.

Being in 'Coronation Street' is only going to make me a better actor.

Before 'Coronation Street,' I was a jobbing actor, and after it, I'm a jobbing actor again.

Because you've done the horrible jobs, it gives you an even grittier determination to succeed.

I can't watch myself on screen without dying a little bit inside. And there are lots of moments when I think, 'What am I doing as an actor? I can't act!'

My girlfriend is a great support, and I've got a big circle of mates who keep my feet on the ground.

And there are lots of moments when I think, ‘What am I doing as an actor? I can’t act!’

I’m quite flirtatious with anyone. Some people, because I’m playing a gay character, get quite nervous. And I have to reassure them. I’m like, ‘I’m not gay. I’m not coming on to you. Yet.’

I just want to say thank you to everyone who watched and tuned in and loved my evil gayness.

When you're kissing a woman and you want it to look realistic, you're thinking, 'Am I taking advantage of her? Is her boyfriend going to think I'm over-stepping the mark? Whereas when you are kissing a man, those thoughts don't cross your mind. I'm more scared of it looking false, so I went for it fully to make it look real and hopefully I've achieved that.

If I had a comfort blanket, I wouldn't have been as passionate and driven.

Most actors will tell you that villains are the most interesting to play.

There's definitely a wave of Brits doing great work on American television, and I wouldn't mind being one of them!

It's hard being gay in Edwardian times.

You don't buy evil characters lattes. That's not normal behavior.

America does not like people being not nice to dogs.

I'm proud of the fact that Downton Abbey was born in a recession, at a time when ITV had dropped a lot of drama programmes. And I know that because I was out of work at the time!

I'm a working class lad.

Sometimes people can be guilty of not working at relationships and if it's not working, oof, that's it.

I think because of my background - I went through university and did an academic career and fell into acting - I've never had a game plan for my career because I got into it quite ad hoc.

It's not just modern-day society that is liberal.

Because youve done the horrible jobs, it gives you an even grittier determination to succeed.

If youre going to kiss a man, let it be a beautiful man like Ed Speleers.

My mom and dad put my brother and sister through university and they were very keen for us to have an academic background just to give us a chance.