Anthony Michael Hall Quotes

Donate a portion to reputable children`s and animal charities, donate a portion to churches and homeless organizations. (On what he would do if he had to spend a million dollars on someone other than himself)

I`ve been a working actor since age eight. It became my craft and career by high school. I did not go to college, but I`m an avid reader in the ongoing process of educating myself. (On why he never went to college)

Movies and TV are both incredibly gratifying. I treat the work the same. Music, specifically songwriting and music production, are very gratifying as well. (On working in all three mediums)

Playing a character that develops from within was very attractive to me. In playing this part, it is challenging to find the mind, body, and spirit for the role of John Smith. I do watch Star Trek episodes a lot more closely now! (on why he chose the character Johnny Smith, in "The Dead Zone" (2002))

Everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed.

(On Tom Green`s directorial style with Freddy Got Fingered (2001)): "Off-camera, he`s very quiet. He`d often be walking around quietly, twirling his hair while thinking about his next shot. I think the guy`s a genius. I think the guy`s a social hypnotist. I think he`s incredible. He`s on to something big-time and it`s not just stand-up comedy. If this doesn`t make $100 million, something`s wrong. I smell a sequel."

"I don`t want to go away as an actor."

"I grew up in the public eye. I can`t hide from that. I always embrace the work I`ve done before. I wouldn`t be where I am now if it wasn`t for those movies. I`m always baffled by actors who are like, `I`m not going to talk about the `80s.` What? You`re just forgetting that whole experience? I feel very fortunate to have been able to do those films. It gave me the tools I needed to be where I am."

I think that`s one of the things we pride ourselves on the show is we`ve gone in different directions and we`ve done different episodes.

I think my favorite, and Coppola and that whole thing. East coast Italian directors I guess.

It`s funny, like 15 years ago when I was a kid doing all the John Hughes movies, I remember Bruce Willis was the only guy who was transitioning from television into film.

Well, I`ve just gotten accustomed to just being in Canada for five and a half months a year.

In the years since I worked with John Hughes, there were many years where I literally had hundred of doors slammed in my face because I wasn`t that kid anymore, and I wasn`t a character actor, and I wasn`t a leading man, and I wasn`t whatever Hollywood was looking for.

Cutting edge, breakthrough, television. That`s what we want to do.

Movies are just ridiculously expensive.

You know, first of all, I have the highest regard for Canada and the Canadians, just in general; they are very gracious people and very humble.

I would say probably Pirates of Silicon Valley just because I`m proud of the work, playing Gates.

They all matter to me, whether I`m working on a Sam Jackson film for a week or I`m the star of my own TV series - I take it all very seriously, and I have a healthy respect for the work in general, despite the role.

But on this show, it`s a good question because in the 35 shows that we`ve done now, I`ve really made a consistent effort to really shadow the directors because in many ways they have to be more prepared than feature directors.

That, we encourage, and I think we`re doing a pretty good job with the website and also the DVD, like the first season came out and the second season`s being prepared now.

There`ve been many a season where I couldn`t get work, and I think that you learn character development and you learn how to really want what you do in life when you can`t really do it.

I think the obvious answer is I was raised in New York City, so growing up, not only myself but my family, like my father, we would watch a lot of Scorsese films.

You have film actors doing TV, rap stars doing TV, with everyone kind of crossing the line.

15 years later, it`s all the TV stars with the film deals, whether it`s the cast of Friends or That `70s Show now with Ashton and other people doing stuff.

We don`t want to show our hand to the fan base or give up too much too early.

So I think it`s fair to say it`s even more of a challenge for some of these actors that are coming up, because there`s such a pressure to look good, to be sexy and be palatable to people on whatever level.

I mean, before this, I would have said playing Bill Gates, because I`m playing someone obviously who is alive and is the richest man in the world. That was a heavy responsibility.

Obviously with the onset of cable and satellite, there are more opportunities for programming and original programming, so it creates more opportunities for actors and producers and directors and everything.

I think in both of those situations, it`s important as an actor to learn, despite the success I had as a kid, that it`s important to understand what it means to be a small fish in a big pond.

You want to do work that is remembered, you want to be a part of something that`s remembered.

Well, I`ve learned something from Michael Robison just about maximizing your shots. For example, if I`m shooting a scene and someone`s driving at the wheel, you could steal an insert in the same shot.

I think that obstacles lead to growth and ultimately, the most learning I`ve done in my life is between jobs.

First of all, it was in my contract. I knew I would be directing an episode.

I think it`s even harder because I think as always, Hollywood is sort of glamour central for the world, and the entire world looks to it for not only entertainment, but the whole idea of the youth factor and youth being sold to our culture via young actors and actresses.

Like any show, I think some episodes are going to be stronger than others, but I think it`s a good show that people enjoy and I hear the reactions too.

There are people who do De Niro and Walken impersonations.

You know, I`ve spent the last fifteen years, Paul, just kind of trying to be a forward thinking actor and try to just stay busy and active.

I mean, honestly, I personally have a strong faith in God, and I think that he`s been guiding me throughout it all in the last 15 years.