Terry O'Quinn

“I was raised in the country. I haven't spent any time in the cities that people say are the best. I haven't spent much time in Chicago or San Francisco.”

“I have two concerns with my work: having good things to act, and getting paid. In that order. Although if you're not getting paid well, that order can change. But that's what I'm concerned about. Good scenes. Decent money.”

“I so rarely turned down a role, that I can't say I have any regrets in that regard. There were many roles that I would rather not have done, but having a home and family requires that we sometimes do things we would rather not.”

“I'd rather not be a roofer.”

“The normal state of an actor is unemployed.”

“It's funny to be discovered by a lot of people who didn't know you before. People always used to say, 'Do you shop at Home Depot?' or 'Does your kid go to such and such school?' They want to know why they know me, even if they don't know my name. I don't think that's a bad thing, by the way; I think it's nice to be kind of anonymously famous.”

“I think when you get to a certain age, older people become more emotional than younger people.”

“I can relate to somebody wanting to have something to believe in.”

“I know 'Lost' used to drive people mad trying to anticipate what was happening or what something meant.”

“I don't know much about cities. When I go places, I usually stay in the country.”

“It's amazing to me - what is this love affair we have with bad guys? With the bad boy in high school, with the anti-hero, et cetera, et cetera? Because I was always just a very nice boy. I didn't get it.”

“When I was in high school, I fell in love with Olivia Hussey in 'Romeo And Juliet.'”

“I can't start a fire with two sticks or hunt rabbits or anything like that.”

“I like New York in the spring and in the fall. It's one of the best cities to walk that I've ever been in.”

“Really, I think of fame as distracting; it's something you have to get around.”

“When I was growing up, it was a bad time to be in the military. It was the time of Vietnam, but I was never called up.”

“I developed more as an actor in the course of 'Lost' than I had in any period in my career before because they trusted me and allowed me to use the tools that I finally brought out. And quite honestly, it's only been since 'Lost' that I've had any sort of financial stability.”

“I spend a lot of time in Los Angeles, but I probably wouldn't say it's my favorite city.”

“It's amazing how you cross paths with people. You work intimately, and then you never see them again the rest of your life, or even speak.”

“I understand what 'Lost' was, and I count my blessings. I'm usually happy to talk to people. I don't think I've ever had anybody say anything negative to me about it except, 'I didn't get the ending. What the hell was that all about?' And I'm like, 'Talk to Damon Lindelof!'”