Quote Of The Day: Lily James On Happiness

Lily James kickstarted her career with 2010’s “Just William,” the BBC One adaptation of Richmal Crompton’s eponymous book series. She went on to play Lady Rose Aldridge in “Downton Abbey,” which led to her breakthrough role in 2015’s “Cinderella,” a live-action adaptation of the classic fairytale.

James went on to play a string of notable roles, including Natasha Rostova in the TV adaptation of “War & Peace.” She also starred in “Baby Driver,” “Darkest Hour,” “The Dig,” and “The Iron Claw,” and appeared in “Rebecca,” “Relay,” and “Swiped.” In 2022, she earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Pamela Anderson in “Pam & Tommy.” 

James’ charismatic screen presence goes hand-in-hand with her dedication to her roles, which is why she is today’s quote of the day.

“Happiness doesn’t mean what you think is going to make you happy. It is so constantly in flux and so hard to achieve. That’s the mystery behind it. I have a friend who is so optimistic and it’s taken a while but she really knows what her truth is. She doesn’t try to adapt or bend to other people and there is a real brutal honesty to that. You can’t be living your life with other people’s happiness all the time, you know, you have got to put yourself first.”

The above quote is from Lily James’ 2017 interview with The Talks. James spoke at length about happiness and safety, and why she prioritizes these sentiments over traditional accomplishments. Happiness is such an elusive emotion, so it can be hard to figure out what will make us definitely happy while staying true to ourselves. James also emphasized the importance of putting ourselves first instead of catering to other people’s idea of happiness. 

Expanding on her quote in the aforementioned interview, James stated that actors must find a balance between making everyone in the collaborative process happy and staying true to one’s creative vision. 

“Actors need a director or a filmmaker to thread the story together, but it can be so frustrating when you are being told to stand here and just do that and there is no give and take,” James said.

Mindlessly catering to expectations can make an actor “lose direction,” which is why it’s important for collaborators to communicate. 

“I find that usually your instinct about a particular moment or a particular character is right because you’re the one that has lived with that character and explored everything,” she added. While this can be a delicate dance, James said she tries to listen to her gut while embodying a character.

• “My inner critic is loud and I deal with it by remembering that the voices in your head aren’t fact. I learnt that recently; it was groundbreaking. And it’s so obvious: ‘Oh, the things I tell myself aren’t true, necessarily’.” — from a 2020 interview with Harper’s Bazaar

• “But it’s such a gift to be involved in all aspects of the filmmaking. With ‘Swiped’ being in the edit was extraordinary. Understanding how you weave the story together, and the difference an extra breath makes at the end of the frame or when you choose to stay with the character or come away from a character — I love that side of it. But navigating it all, producing and compromising and building a story, beyond just showing up and acting, is a lot.” — from a 2025 interview with Defined Magazine

• “I think every actor is typecast. You have to remind yourself, I can do this for a long, long time, and there’s so much time to reinvent yourself or move in a totally different direction … I’ve just had this feeling that I can’t get rid of recently — and sometimes what you think is right for you is total nonsense anyway — that I’ve wanted to step away from playing characters that feel quite honest and open. There’s a goodness to them that I want to get away from.” — from a 2018 interview with Allure