An actor has to be very, very careful, as one of the most wonderful props – and actors love props – is a cigarette. There’s so much to do with it: you can bring it up to your face, play with the smoke. It’s just the greatest – ever since I was 16 and in acting school in England, I’ve been playing around with cigarettes.

Meaning of the quote

Actors love using props, like cigarettes, to help them act out a scene. They can do lots of interesting things with a cigarette, like bring it up to their face or make smoke come out. Melissa Leo, an American actress, has been playing around with cigarettes since she was 16 and in acting school in England. She thinks cigarettes are one of the best props for actors to use.