Browse Acting Monologues & Scenes

The Shawshank Redemption

by Frank Darabont

Andy Dufresne is on trial for the murder of his wife and her lover. He calmly recounts the events leading up to their deaths, maintaining his innocence despite the District Attorney's relentless and accusatory questioning. The scene builds tension as the D.A. tries to poke holes in Andy's story and paint him as a cold-blooded killer.

Succession

by Jesse Armstrong

Logan Roy ruthlessly berates his son Kendall after a failed business venture, questioning his competence and character. Kendall desperately pleads for his father's approval and a chance to prove his worth, only to be met with cold indifference and the demand for more ruthlessness.

War Horse

by Lee Hall, Richard Curtis

Albert prepares his horse, Joey, for a pivotal day of plowing, attempting to bond with the animal and calm its nerves. He demonstrates his loyalty by removing his own coat to face the cold alongside the horse, emphasizing their partnership and shared destiny.

Long Day's Journey Into Night

by Eugene O'Neill

James and Mary Tyrone discuss Mary's weight and Edmund's health, revealing underlying anxieties and tensions in their relationship. Mary expresses concern about Edmund's cold, while James tries to reassure her, hinting at her own fragile state.

The Apartment

by Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond

Bud and Fran share a flirtatious and witty exchange in a crowded elevator about Bud's cold and Fran's new haircut. The scene highlights their easy chemistry while subtly touching on the workplace dynamics and harassment Fran faces from other executives.

The Matrix

by Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Agent Smith interrogates Thomas Anderson, attempting to coerce him into betraying Morpheus by leveraging his double life as a hacker. The scene escalates from a cold negotiation to a terrifying display of power as Neo's physical reality begins to warp. Neo's objective is to maintain his defiance and demand his legal rights, while Smith seeks total submission and cooperation.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

by Koyoharu Gotouge

Zenitsu confronts his former senior disciple, Kaigaku, who has betrayed their master and the Demon Slayer Corps to become a demon. Zenitsu seeks retribution for their master's agonizing suicide caused by Kaigaku's betrayal, while Kaigaku dismisses his past with cold, narcissistic arrogance.

The Duchess of Malfi

by John Webster

The Cardinal, weary of his mistress Julia, decides to eliminate her by revealing his involvement in the Duchess's murder. After testing her resolve and forcing her to swear secrecy on a poisoned Bible, he watches her die as she confesses to having already betrayed him to Bosola. The scene is a high-stakes power struggle involving manipulation, lethal secrets, and cold-blooded murder.

Edwin A. Salt

by Kurt Wimmer

Taktaroff delivers a chilling voice-over narration detailing the brutal upbringing and indoctrination of a Soviet sleeper agent. The scene follows the subject from his parents' execution through a series of dehumanizing trials designed to create the ultimate weapon for the Cold War.

Jackie Brown

by Quentin Tarantino

Ordell explains his cold-blooded philosophy on survival and the distinction between the fear of dying and the lack of fear regarding killing. He asserts his dominance and justifies his lethal methods as a necessary means of self-preservation in the criminal underworld.

Looper

by Rian Johnson

Joe explains the mechanics of his profession as a 'looper,' a hitman who executes targets sent back in time by a future mob. He details the cold logic of the job and the inevitable 'closing of the loop' where a looper must eventually kill their future self.

Heat

by Michael Mann

A weary and injured Chris seeks refuge at Neil's minimalist apartment after a domestic dispute. Neil offers his cold, professional philosophy on detachment while Chris confesses his deep emotional dependency on his wife and child despite his gambling debts.

BURIED

by Chris Sparling

Trapped in a coffin in Iraq, Paul Conroy receives a call from his employer's personnel director, Alan Davenport. Instead of offering help, Alan cold-bloodedly informs Paul that he has been fired for a contract violation to ensure the company avoids paying out his life insurance to his family.

Moonrise Kingdom

by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola

Captain Sharp and Scout Master Ward contact Sam's guardians to report him missing, only to discover the shocking truth that Sam is an orphan and his foster parents are refusing to take him back. The scene shifts from a routine search protocol to a realization of Sam's isolation and the bureaucratic coldness of his living situation. The emotional stakes rise as the authority figures realize they have nowhere to return the boy once he is found.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

by Andrew Dominik

Jesse James wakes Charley Ford to confess to the cold-blooded murder of their mutual friend, Ed Miller. The scene is a tense psychological power play where Jesse uses the confession to intimidate Charley and probe for information about Wood Hite's disappearance.

The Accursed

by B. Marshall

Following a traumatic transformation, Marie weeps in a cold shower while Michael sits outside the curtain to comfort her. Michael recounts the story of the first time they met to remind her of her humanity, ultimately pledging his loyalty despite knowing the dark truth of what she has become.

American Gangster

by Steven Zaillian

Harlem crime boss Bumpy Johnson laments the loss of personal service and the rise of corporate monopolies in America shortly before suffering a fatal heart attack. His protégé, Frank Lucas, watches helplessly as the man who mentored him dies in a cold, impersonal department store.

Berliner

by Unknown

In a dark van, a cold interrogator named Dunham uses a sadistic game of 'Two Lies and a Truth' to torture information out of a captive known as The Turk. The stakes escalate from personal trivia to a shocking revelation about a target Dunham believed was already dead.

Measure for Measure

by William Shakespeare

Isabella pleads with the cold-hearted judge Angelo to spare her brother's life, arguing against the hypocrisy of men in power. She contrasts the divine mercy of Heaven with the petty, destructive authority exercised by mortal men who forget their own fragile nature.

Whiplash

by Damien Chazelle

Andrew coldly breaks up with Nicole, explaining that his obsession with becoming a world-class drummer will inevitably lead him to neglect and eventually resent her. Nicole forces him to confront his arrogance, leading to a sharp, clinical end to their relationship as Andrew chooses his ambition over human connection.

The Hollow

by Agatha Christie

Veronica, a glamorous actress, attempts to reclaim her former lover John, demanding they leave their respective spouses to start a life together. John firmly rejects her, realizing that his brief lapse in judgment the previous night has only solidified his devotion to his wife. The scene escalates from a cold negotiation of their 'future' to a venomous threat as Veronica vows revenge for being spurned a second time.

The Theory of Everything

by Anthony McCarten

A young Stephen Hawking receives the devastating news that he has motor neuron disease. The doctor coldly explains the physical decay he will face while confirming that his mind will remain intact, leaving Stephen to process a two-year life expectancy.

Sherlock

by Mark Gatiss

Sherlock Holmes reveals the elaborate mechanics behind his faked death to a skeptical and guilt-ridden Anderson. The scene explores the cold logic of the 'Lazarus' plan while highlighting the emotional manipulation of John Watson and the eventual dismissal of Anderson's fanatical theories.

The Life & Adventures of Nick Nickleby

by Joy Wilkinson

Nick approaches his estranged, wealthy uncle Ralph to ask for a loan to support his mother and sister after his father's death. Ralph coldly rejects the plea, revealing deep-seated resentment over family inheritance and challenging Nick's sense of entitlement. The scene culminates in a heated clash of values between Ralph's ruthless self-reliance and Nick's desperate familial loyalty.