I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability.
Jack NicholsonRead
My whole career strategy has been to build a base so that I could take the roles I want to play. I'd hate to think that a shorter part might not be available because I was worried about my billing.
Interpretation
Focus on long-term goals rather than immediate gains to create opportunities for fulfillment.
Jack Nicholson's quote reflects the idea that a successful career is built on a foundation of freedom and opportunities rather than just financial gain or billing concerns. By emphasizing the importance of choosing roles that resonate with one's artistic integrity, Nicholson highlights the value of strategic career planning and the willingness to prioritize passion over short-term advantages.
In practice
During a motivational speech to young actors, this quote could inspire them to prioritize their passion in their careers.
I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability.
I sort of understood that when I first started: that you shouldn't repeat a success. Very often you're going to, and maybe the first time you do, it works. And you love it. But then you're trapped.
Almost everybody's happy to be a fool for love.
In my last year of school, I was voted Class Optimist and Class Pessimist. Looking back, I realize I was only half right.
I was particularly proud of my performance as the Joker. I considered it a piece of pop art.
It's a slight stretch of the imagination but most people are alike in most ways so I've never had any trouble identifying with the character that I'm playing.
You only hit a straight ball by accident. The ball is going to move right or left every time you hit it, so you had better make it go one way or the other.
People have an idol they want to be like and try to follow what the idols did. But when you do, you find out you're not very successful and you're not very happy. You try to copy these models, and it doesn't yield successful results.
Attitude is the first quality that marks the successful man. If he has a positive attitude and is a positive thinker, who likes challenges and difficult situations, then he has half his success achieved.
We were the first generation to have to deal with the modern stardom of football. Some handled it better than others.
I think when you've had success, publishers and reviewers and readers are willing to let you try something new if you've already proven yourself. They're excited about what you're doing, you have people interested in it, and actually waiting for it. It's empowering.
The best thing I ever did was when I was offered a million dollars to go play in South Africa and didn't take it. I was 21 years old, and part of it was like, 'Well, if they're offering me this obscene amount of money just to play one match, there must be something really wrong.'
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.