Explore Quotes by Jeff Daniels

I love the theater, but if I had to choose, I would choose a film at this time in my life. Something meaty, to sink my teeth into.

I think the American electorate should work a little harder at getting informed. That includes hearing, truly listening, to what the other side is saying. Whether you're left or right.

Give me good writing, and I'll play it all day.

I always wanted to do films. I'd gone to New York early in 1976 and did a lot of theater, but I really wanted to chase the paths of people like Pacino and Lemmon and those guys. Alan Arkin. Film was where I wanted to go.

Television in the last few years has been where all the great writers are going. TV now is what indie film used to be.

Working with Jim Carrey is an absolute gas. I have never laughed so hard for so long. Had he been on-board for the sequel of Dumb & Dumber, I would've jumped on, with no hesitation.

There are so many projects that you go into hoping the story works, and here comes a new third act and that kind of thing.

I went to Walter Reed hospital a couple of times to visit wounded soldiers, kids with no legs and one arm. You start to question some things.

I just never did buy this idea that you have to live in Los Angeles to be an actor. I didn't see that as a requirement in my job description.

One of the more noble things the Oscars can do is pay attention to movies no one knows about. Blockbusters don't need much help.

Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I was brought up. I don't recognize the country I live in anymore.

I think we have the attention span of a gnat. You know, with cell phones and Twitter.

We're all capable of anything as human beings. Any emotion, any action. We really are.

The indie world changed when the economy went south. I was frustrated with doing something, then waiting for it to come out, and sometimes it never did, or would just play in New York for 50 people. So I really wanted to try something else.

Meryl Streep's brilliant, just brilliant. I've been fortunate to do two movies with Meryl. And for an actor to go moment to moment like she does, there's no one better. And she dances between moments. Each take is different because she's riding instincts, she's riding impulses. And she trusts that.

Our kids are in their twenties now, which is a wonderful time.

Every actor just wants good writing.

Well, the music industry is littered with actors who belatedly came to singing.

You see a lot of these movies that are really just 90-minute video games. The effects are incredible. I get it: There's an art to that, terrific. I'm not interested in it, but there's an art to that I suppose.

You know, it's really strange now with the Internet, with everyone having an unsolicited, anonymous opinion.

The older you get, and the more you're in this business, the more you kind of feel like, 'Why don't we just do it my way?'