Monologues – From Movies
Monologues have long been a powerful tool in cinema, allowing actors to captivate audiences with raw emotion and storytelling. Exploring these monologues and utilising them to audition can help you to harness the art of performance and make a lasting impression.
This collection of famous movie monologues showcases some of the most iconic moments in film where a single character’s words have completely captivated an audience. From heartfelt confessions to intense confrontations, these scenes stand out not just for their dialogue, but for the way they reveal the essence of a character or theme.
So in no particular order, here is our list of 9 of the most memorable and famous movie monologues performed on screen.
1. A Few Good Men (1992)
Colonel Jessup’s “You Can’t Handle the Truth” Speech
Delivered by Jack Nicholson, this intense courtroom scene is unforgettable, with Jessup fiercely defending his actions in a military tribunal.
“You can’t handle the truth! …Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.
You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.”
2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Jules’ Ezekiel 25:17 Speech
Samuel L. Jackson’s performance as Jules, delivering this chilling, Bible-quoting monologue before executing someone, has become iconic.
“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and goodwill, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”
3. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Sean’s “It’s Not Your Fault” Speech
Robin Williams’ heart-wrenching words to Matt Damon’s character provide a poignant moment of healing and vulnerability in the film.
So if I asked you about art, you’d probably give me the one about every art book ever written. Michelangelo. You know a lot about him. Life’s work. Political aspirations. Him and the Pope. Sexual orientation. The whole works, right? But I bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You’ve never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling. Seen that.
If I ask you about women, you’d probably give me a syllabus of your personal favourites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can’t tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You’re a tough kid. If I ask you about war, you’d probably throw Shakespeare at me, right? ‘Once more into the breach, dear friends.’ But you’ve never been near one. You’ve never held your best friend’s head in your lap and watched him gasp his last breath, looking to you for help.
If I ask you about love, you’d probably quote me a sonnet. But you’ve never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone who can level you with her eyes. Feel like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of Hell. And you wouldn’t know what it’s like to be her angel. To have that love for her be there forever. Through anything. Through cancer. And you wouldn’t know about sleeping, sitting up in a hospital room for two months, holding her hand because the doctors could see in your eyes that the terms ‘visiting hours’ don’t apply to you. You don’t know about real loss. Because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself. I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much.
I look at you, I don’t see an intelligent, confident man. I see a cocky, scared-shitless kid. But you’re a genius, Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine. You ripped my fuckin’ life apart. You’re an orphan, right? Do you think I’d know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you?
Personally, I don’t give a shit about all that. Because you know what? I can’t learn anything from you that I can’t read in some fuckin’ book. Unless you want to talk about you. Who you are. And I’m fascinated. I’m in. But you don’t want to do that, do you, sport? You’re terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.
4. Network (1976)
Howard Beale’s “I’m Mad as Hell” Speech
Peter Finch’s powerful rant as a frustrated news anchor telling people to rise up against the system still resonates as a call to action.
“I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It’s a depression. Everybody’s out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel’s worth. Banks are going bust. Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there’s nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there’s no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
We know things are bad – worse than bad. They’re crazy. It’s like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don’t go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is: ‘Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won’t say anything. Just leave us alone.
Well, I’m not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get MAD! I don’t want you to protest. I don’t want you to riot – I don’t want you to write to your congressman, because I wouldn’t know what to tell you to write. I don’t know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you’ve got to get mad. (shouting) You’ve got to say: ‘I’m a human being, god-dammit! My life has value!’
So,I want you to get up right now. Sit up. Go to your windows. Open them and stick your head out and yell – ‘I’m as mad as hell and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’ Things have got to change. But first, you’ve gotta get mad!…You’ve got to say, ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’ Then we’ll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first, get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take this anymore!’”
5. Gone With The Wind (1939)
Scarlett O’Hara “As God Is My Witness” Speech
While a short and sweet monologue, Vivien Leigh’s portrayal of Scarlett in this scene is impassioned and powerful and became an iconic moment in American theatre and film.
“As God is my witness, as God is my witness, they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this, and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folks. If I have to lie, steal, cheat, or kill. As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!”
6. Erin Brokovich (1992)
Erin’s “Two Wrong Feet” Speech
A popular movie monologue, this role also secured Julie Roberts an Oscar for her stellar performance of plucky real-life lawyer Erin Brokovich.
“Okay, look. I think we got off on the wrong foot here. That’s all you got, lady. Two wrong feet in f***ing ugly shoes. You’re trying to tell me that you didn’t know about this, that your colleagues didn’t know? How much is this gonna cost me personally, huh?
How much can you pay me to make me leave those people who live in Hinkley without any help? How much would it cost for me to sell their dignity, to sell their trust? I’m not a lawyer. I hate lawyers, because they’re snakes and they always take the highest bidder, but I’m not you.
These people need help, and I’m gonna give them that. I’m gonna drag your ass down to that tiny little town in Hinkley, California, and you’re gonna have to look those people in the eye, and tell them how sorry you are that PG&E got away with this for so long. And I swear to God, if you even think about low-balling me or doing some kind of a backroom deal, I will personally make sure that every news camera in this city has your number. Do you understand?”
7. The Dark Knight (2008)
The Joker’s “Why So Serious?” Speech
Heath Ledger’s unsettling performance as the Joker, explaining his chaotic philosophy in a terrifying way, has become one of the most remembered villainous moments in cinema.
“Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was… a drinker, and a fiend. And one night, he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn’t like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. He turns to me, and he says, ‘Why so serious?’ He comes at me with the knife — ‘Why so serious?’ He sticks the blade in my mouth — ‘Let’s put a smile on that face!’ And… why so serious?”
8. Barbie (2023)
Gloria’s “Woman” Speech
“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.
“You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean. You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men’s bad behaviour, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.
But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.
“I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.”
9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Red’s Parole Board Speech
Morgan Freeman’s character, Red, delivers a reflective and emotionally charged monologue on his own redemption and the futility of parole hearings.
“Rehabilitated? Well, now, let me see. You know, I don’t have any idea what that means. […] To me, it’s just a made-up word. A politician’s word, so that young fellas like yourself can wear a suit and a tie and have a job. What do you really want to know? Am I sorry for what I did?”
[Pause]
“There’s not a day that goes by I don’t feel regret. Not because I’m in here, or because you think I should. I look back on the way I was then: a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can’t. That kid’s long gone, and this old man is all that’s left. I gotta live with that.”
[Pause]
“Rehabilitated? It’s just a bullshit word. So, you go on and stamp your form, sonny, and stop wasting my time. Because, to tell you the truth, I don’t give a shit.”
Haven’t found the ideal monologue for your next audition in this roundup? Try browsing our broader collection in our Monologue Library. Good Luck!
Billy Milionis is one of the few Australians to have ever studied under the legendary master teacher, the late Sanford Meisner. Billy has also studied story structure and scene analysis techniques with John Truby and later at UCLA. He has also spent several years doing improvisation in Hollywood with the L.A. Connection. In addition, he trained in the technique of Stella Adler, Practical Aesthetics and Lee Strasberg’s method.