Jeff Daniels

“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.”

“And regardless of the fact that in this country, certainly in the arts, we treat comedy as a second-class citizen, I've never thought of it that way. I've always thought it to be important. The last time I looked, the Greeks were holding up two masks. I've always thought of it not only as having equal value, but as the craft of it, being funny.”

“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.”

“On cable now, the writer is king. Any actor chases that.”

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

“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.”

“I'm the guy to call. Look at the resume. I have kids of my own. I have dogs.”

“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 it's a style of acting that you trust. You trust the instincts.”

“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.”

“I never starved. And you know, whatever talent I have, I've relied on that, versus image or star. I have just said, 'Hire me if you want somebody good.' I tried to be as good as I could be every time out, and that's kind of bridged the decades.”

“I have done all of the genres, and the dramatic role is my favorite.”

“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.”

“As an actor, you're always at the service of somebody else's vision. In a play, it's more of the director's vision, and he or she's got their hands on you all the way up to opening night, and if it's a film, there are even more people.”

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