---
title: "4 Material Quotes By Michael Hirst"
description: "4 Material quotes by Michael Hirst. Plus more from Michael Hirst and more Material sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/michael-hirst-19597_also_the-key-for-me-with-historical-character_53330.jpg"
---

> [The key for me with historical characters is they're interesting because they're human beings. A little bit of Hemingway goes a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/the-key-for-me-with-historical-characters-is-they-re-interesting/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/michael-hirst-19597_also_the-key-for-me-with-historical-character_53330.jpg)

> [With 'The Tudors,' I had a huge amount of material, I mean so many books and so much stuff about what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/with-the-tudors-i-had-a-huge-amount-of-material-i-mean-so-many-books/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/857/michael-hirst-19597_about_with-the-tudors-i-had-a-huge-amount-of-m_621240.jpg)

> [I've found that using historical material and being rooted in historical material is liberating because I always think to myself, 'Well, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/i-ve-found-that-using-historical-material-and-being-rooted-in/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52f/michael-hirst-19597_actually_i-ve-found-that-using-historical-materia_945388.jpg)

> [With 'The Tudors,' I had a huge amount of material - I mean, so many books and so much stuff about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/with-the-tudors-i-had-a-huge-amount-of-material-i-mean-so-many-books-2/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/786/michael-hirst-19597_about_with-the-tudors-i-had-a-huge-amount-of-m_3159141.jpg)

## Other authors on Material

## More by Michael Hirst

> [The key for me with historical characters is they're interesting because they're human beings. A little bit of Hemingway goes a long way here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/the-key-for-me-with-historical-characters-is-they-re-interesting/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [For 'Vikings,' we have to do so much outside shooting, and it's normally - I think with American shows, it'll be 60 or 70…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/for-vikings-we-have-to-do-so-much-outside-shooting-and-it-s-normally/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [You have to create characters - certainly in series TV - who people engage with. They don't have to be nice; you don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/you-have-to-create-characters-certainly-in-series-tv-who-people/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> ['Downton Abbey' is just one cliche after another, and it is a really, really poor piece of drama. But that's only me talking. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/downton-abbey-is-just-one-cliche-after-another-and-it-is-a-really/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [People love cliches. If you can give people cliches, that's very good TV, then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/people-love-cliches-if-you-can-give-people-cliches-that-s-very-good/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [With 'The Tudors,' I had a huge amount of material, I mean so many books and so much stuff about what they really said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/with-the-tudors-i-had-a-huge-amount-of-material-i-mean-so-many-books/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [I couldn't give 'Vikings' away - I mean, I love these people. And I'm not sure anyone else writing it would necessarily have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/i-couldn-t-give-vikings-away-i-mean-i-love-these-people-and-i-m-not/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [The Vikings certainly didn't write anything about themselves; it was not a literate, but rather a pagan, culture. So what we get was written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/the-vikings-certainly-didn-t-write-anything-about-themselves-it-was/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [When I did 'The Tudors,' there was massive information available and a ready-made market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/when-i-did-the-tudors-there-was-massive-information-available-and-a/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [My instinct is to absolutely recoil when talking about writing in a mechanistic way. Nothing could be dumber than writing a film or TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/my-instinct-is-to-absolutely-recoil-when-talking-about-writing-in-a/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [I've found that using historical material and being rooted in historical material is liberating because I always think to myself, 'Well, this actually happened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/i-ve-found-that-using-historical-material-and-being-rooted-in/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [People offer me loads of stuff, and some of it I like, but I just can't do it because I can't write it all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/people-offer-me-loads-of-stuff-and-some-of-it-i-like-but-i-just-can-t/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [The American obsession with 'Downton' amuses me slightly because it's such a fiction. I've always been questioned about my historical veracity, and 'Downton' just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/the-american-obsession-with-downton-amuses-me-slightly-because-it-s/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [I wasn't setting out to write a documentary; if I had, I would have done it in a completely different way. I was asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/i-wasn-t-setting-out-to-write-a-documentary-if-i-had-i-would-have/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

> [With 'Vikings,' I had the task of making these people interesting and, to a point, sympathetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/with-vikings-i-had-the-task-of-making-these-people-interesting-and-to/)

[Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/)

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