Breakout Performance Quotes

My definition of a character actor is - they never get the girl.

If somebody was to ask me who is the best rookie, I would tell them I was.

The other actresses, who are called my contemporaries, they started with a megastar. They were superstars overnight and are the same even today.

The excitement for me lies not so much in interviewing the hard-to-get famous person, but the person whom you are about to discover. You know, like maybe the character actors who are just coming into their own and you're realizing how great they are.

The first week Banks was with us, we knew he was going to be a star.

Being able to work on a film like 'Crazy Rich Asians' as your first role is phenomenal.

The point at which we worked with some of these actors, they weren't really stars yet. Nicolas Cage was not a big star when we did Raising Arizona. A lot of these people were also virtually unknown, too, when we worked with them first.

Nobody ever pegged James Gandolfini for a leading man. Least of all James Gandolfini.

Inside every TV star is a movie star screaming to get out, and Donna Frenzel, with whom I'm guessing you're not instantly familiar, made George Clooney a movie star once and for all in the first ten minutes of his fifth feature, 1998's 'Out of Sight.'

When we did 'The Last Picture Show,' the whole cast was unknowns, and we all got careers from it. Well, I don't think this could be done now.

Many fans were surprised when they learned that the little girl in drama 'Stairway To Heaven' was me.

Marion Cotillard is one of my favorite actresses. Not only is she so supremely elegant, but her choices are remarkable. I also admire Margot Robbie. She's been working in film for a long time and is not the kind of actress who had instant breakout success.

I was brought to Hollywood by Gene Roddenberry and Michael Eisner, chosen from 600 hopefuls to star in the original 'Star Trek' motion picture. The success of the film, coupled with the allure that I had shaved my head for the role, put a spotlight on me.

Every city you go to has television and radio talk shows that are dying to give young comics a showcase. They all want to be able to say that so-and-so started here, got his first break on this show.

Saoirse Ronan is just remarkable.

It's never been important to be a huge star or to have some breakout role. If you're the lead, you get a lot more screen time and you get a lot more chances to develop that character more thoroughly than you would if you do it in a little supporting part.

I would say people remember me from 'Life Goes On' more than anything.

Your life can change in one year. You can go from a nobody, not even getting any playing time on a college team, to being one of the most highly touted quarterbacks coming out of college for the draft.

I think it's actually a misperception that I am a comedic actress. I do more drama than comedy but very little of it has been seen. When you are in big funny movies and they do well and your little part in it kind of explodes people perceive you as a comedian.

I played varsity in high school as a 9th grader. I came off the bench during the first game of the season and had 25 points. Well, I became a starter after that and in the second game I scored 53 points.

Everybody knows when you've got a role in a Spike Lee movie, you're gonna blow up. But I happen to be the only person who's had the lead in the two Spike Lee movies nobody saw.

It only happens once - that an actor is suddenly recognised as the star they are.

I'm such a fan of Shailene Woodley, so I'm super excited to see all her stuff. She's an awesome actress.

I've always been a big fan of Rachel McAdams. I saw her for the first time in 'Mean Girls,' then I saw her in 'The Notebook.' I've always wanted a role like 'The Notebook,' this heartfelt love story. I think Rachel's so incredible.

Even though 'Heathers' didn't make a lot of money, I really was able to transition into a situation where people thought I could play an attractive role because of it.