# Mercedes Ruehl

Mercedes J. Ruehl (February 28, 1948) is an American screen, stage, and television actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, two Obie Awards, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards.

## Quotes

* I am not scared to death facing it. It will certainly give me a card to play with at the poker game of Hollywood. That can't hurt at all.
** Mercedes talk about Oscar award in 1992.
* It may have to do with my ego, wanting to be famous, wanting to be adored, wanting to be loved. ... Maybe I associated some sort of romance with the theater.
** Mercedes speak on attraction to acting in 1992.
* You have to keep pressing through despair.
** Mercedes speak about working for years in 2014.
* All the great roles are tough-cookie roles, They’re the women you meet and can’t forget. They’ve got stuff! They’re generally women who have met and not allowed themselves to be overcome by challenges.
** Mercedes describes roles of other women in 2017.
* When you’re suddenly in the limelight, you can make a few mistakes. Success has a way of distorting people: distorting your expectations, distorting your personality, distorting your sense of your own value. It takes a very strong sense of character to not let that happen or to notice that it’s happening.
** Mercedes speak about being in the limelight in 2017.
* I’m not sure I started out as a great mother. I think I learned how to be a good mother.
** Mercedes talk about being a mother in 2018.
* Obviously it’s very different because this is the great cathedral of nature, but it’s calming to my spirit and restful and refocuses you on what is beautiful and important.
** Mercedes talk about sculpture garden in 2018.
* And if you can stay open through a long run and not get too rigidly identified with how you're doing certain lines, the process of discovering goes on through the length of the performance of the piece.
** Mercedes speak on performance in 2018.
* I don’t like to go over territory that I’ve explored before. And I’d never played a peasant woman.
** Mercedes speak on role she played in 2018.
* I do occasionally read for things, and I have to say that I feel like every other young actor who is nervous before an audition. Even now, I still hate auditioning. I never liked auditioning.
** Mercedes speak on auditioning in 2020.
* It’s hard to get a job after that, People think you want more money.
** Mercedes talk about getting job in 2020.
* It’s from people seeing you even in classes and talking about you that eventually your name and what you do gets known, if you care passionately enough about the art of acting.
** Mercedes advice actors in 2020.

## Quotes about Mercedes Ruehl

* She's very open, very diligent and very gifted, she cared about the work of others, not just her own. It is not the usual ugly greed you find in some actresses today.
** Teacher Uta Hagen speak on the traits she admire in the actress in 1992.
* She told my son the story of 'Big' in a wonderful way, Then she told my husband and me that she was going to give it one more year and then quit. 'Big' saved her from that.
** The actress college classmate, Suzanne Hampton speak on her career choice in 1992.