: Can I have a character make a quote from a real life figure? Can I have a fantasy character make a quote from a real life figure? For example, can I have a villain make a statement spoken

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At least in US, the answer is - "Yes you can, but prepare to get sued"

The biggest question is whether quoting falls under "Fair use" concept. Generally, you are not protected if you are using other's words in your own work of fiction. However, if you are using only well-publicized phrases, a chance to get sued is really, really low.
janefriedman.com/the-fair-use-doctrine/
You should also consider how this quoting can affect your story. If a character from fictional world starts reciting real life figures, reader would immediately starts wondering about connections between the worlds. And you better have a good explanation for it.

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Of course you can. It comes under "fair use". Huge chunks of modern dialogue are based on samples. You will use expressions that you've no idea of their origin.

Notwithstanding that a huge proportions of modern language originate from Shakespeare hundreds of quotes are unoriginal and re-quoted regularly.

"Now I am become death . . ."

"Float like a butterfly . . ."

"Ask not what your country can do for you . . ."

"I have a dream . . ."

"It's one small step for me . . ."

Even advertising slogans fall into common usage.

"Just say no."

"I've fallen and I can't get up."

"Have a Coke have a smile (and STFU).

Of course if you dump 27 pages of somebody's speech into your story the copyright holder may take issue.

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Can I have a fantasy character make a quote from a real life figure?

Leaving aside the legal aspect of it, why in a (secondary) world would you want to do that?

Joe Abercrombie often pre-pends his book parts with quotes from real-life politicians and philosophers (even the titles of The First Law trilogy are partial quotes from Homer, Heine, and Louis XIV). I do enjoy his stories, but I feel extremely uncomfortable every time I see the direct quotations with the proper attribution to their authors, for they immediately kick me out of the world he is building.

So, couldn't you just write something else?

What @RobtA said...

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