Emmys Season: The Stars’ Best Quotes (So Far)

This story first appeared in a special Emmy issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Jessica Lange: “I even thought about, ‘What if I went and became a falconer?’ “

The American Horror Story: Freak Show star, on what she would do if she ever retires from acting, a step she’s been considering “for the last 30 years.”

Kit Harington: “I wanted to be a war correspondent; I grew up wanting to be Jon Snow. Crazy thing happens in my life, and I end up going to a different sort of battle as this Jon Snow.”

The actor, on his childhood admiration for a legendary British newsman who shares a name with the character he’d eventually play on Game of Thrones.

Gina Rodriguez: “I’m a brown girl. I have to cross all the lines just to be known.”

The Jane the Virgin star, on the challenges she faced as a Latin American actress trying to break through in Hollywood.

Thomas Middleditch: “I guess we’ll cave again, and throw a dog on.”

The Silicon Valley star, joking that the HBO comedy — which addressed complaints about its lack of female characters by adding several to the second season — will do the same for animals.

Lee Daniels: “I hate white people writing for black people. It’s so offensive.”

The Empire executive producer, on why he staffed primarily African-American writers on the hit Fox series. Daniels’ co-creator, Danny Strong, is white.

Elisabeth Moss: “They were like, ‘What do you want to listen to?’ And I was like, ‘ “Stayin‘ Alive,” obviously.’ “

The Mad Men star, on shooting a key scene in which she struts down the halls of her new employer, McCann Erickson, in sunglasses with a cigarette dangling out of her mouth.

Viola Davis: “I had to do a couple of sex scenes in How to Get Away With Murder — one where I was thrown up against a wall, and I’m like, ‘I don’t want to get thrown up against a wall anymore!’ I threw my back out.”

The actress, on the physical demands of some of the rougher love scenes on the ABC drama.

Lily Tomlin: “I’ve never had that problem.”

The Grace and Frankie star, who is gay, reacting to co-star Jane Fonda saying she knows what it feels like to be “defined by a man.”

Ruth Wilson: “I wanted to get in my contract ‘equal orgasms’ — for every female orgasm there has to be a male orgasm.”

The star of The Affair, bemoaning a double standard that makes it more acceptable on TV to show a woman climaxing than a man.

Emilia Clarke: “I’m like: ‘Oh my goodness, I’m talking to that dude on my telly. I’m nervous. Butterflies. This is huge.’ “

The Game of Thrones actress, on what she was thinking while shooting her very first scene with Peter Dinklage — five seasons into the HBO series.

Anna Chlumsky: “Veep has been a real blessing — not just for us, but, to get a little grandiose about it, it’s a blessing for our country.”

The actress, praising the “probing genius” of the show’s creator, Armando Iannucci, who is departing the series after serving four seasons as its showrunner.

Taraji P. Henson: “I hate that bitch Cookie — she has stolen my identity. I’m getting called ‘Cookie’ everywhere. My friends don’t want to talk to me unless it’s about Cookie.”

The Empire star, joking that her breakout character has overtaken her life.