Breakthrough Role Quotes

My first movie role was a supporting performance in a Canadian film called 'Final Lady.' It was a great opportunity for me at the time.

David Lynch saw my picture in a casting agent's office in Seattle. I got a call to see him, and the rest is history.

Acting is a tough business, and the percentage of people who make it is very low - it's about 1 percent.

The music led to the acting. But movies aren't something you can just will yourself into. Someone has to choose you, and you have to be quite fortunate to be chosen.

I booked my first series when I was 13. Acting kind of took control because I was just going from part to part at that point.

My first year and a half in Hollywood, I did three films. Then in 1959, I was in 'Gidget,' 'Imitation of Life' and 'A Summer Place.' After that, I was a star. It was fun.

I'd maybe done about 12 movies when I decided that this was what I was going to do.

Up until the time I was cast in 'Star Trek,' the roles were pretty shallow - thin, stereotyped, one-dimensional roles. I knew this character was a breakthrough role, certainly for me as an individual actor but also for the image of an Asian character: no accent, a member of the elite leadership team.

If you're an actor, even a successful one, you're still waiting for the phone to ring.

Before that film, I was nobody. Each job I got, I was so excited. Each paycheck I got, I thought, 'Wow, I'm getting paid to act.' But 'The Matrix' gave me so many opportunities. Everything I've done since then has been because of that experience. It gave me so much.

I think it's a huge a opportunity for me, because I am part of a film that has stars like Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol. It will grab eyeballs and I will get noticed, too. I hope 'Race 3' opens more doors for me.

When we moved to L.A., I started going out for more commercials, and then one day they emailed me a movie script. The first thing I said was, 'No way. I love commercials.'

I am thankful for having got the opportunity to work in a film such as 'Pink' so early in my career.

When I first met the world, basically, or introduced myself to people, I was in 'Superbad,' and I feel the same way I felt promoting 'Superbad' in an underdog style that I feel promoting 'Moneyball.'

I found an agent midway through my year-long run at 'Grease' and just started to audition. I fortunately booked 'South Pacific' six months after 'Grease' was over, and I feel like that was a huge turning point in legitimizing myself in the Broadway community, and getting to do that was absolutely amazing.

I was a complete unknown when I did 'Karate Kid.' I'd just done a pilot for a TV show called 'Call to Glory.' And I sat down with John Avildsen and brought still pictures from the show. I brought pictures! At that point, I would've been happy to be in a dog-food commercial.

I got a call from somebody who used to be the president of Little Persons of America. She got called from some producers who wanted someone of a certain size in the John Hughes film 'Baby's Day Out.' So that was my big break, as the stunt double of a nine-month-old.

Six months after I moved to L.A., I booked the ABC pilot 'Commander-in-Chief' with Geena Davis. I played her son.

I went in the Marines when I was 16. I spent four and a half years in the Marines and then came right to New York to be an actor. And then seven years later, I got my first job.

If you go back and watch 'Saw,' I was very young. I'd never really done anything before.

I've done over 100 auditions, but I was lucky to stumble onto the Internet as it was growing. Because in film, people are not looking at casting completely unknown faces as lead roles.

Originating something is what every actor waits for. Usually, those opportunities are offered to people who already have a name.

I would die if Woody Allen ever called and said, 'Emma, I have a role for you.'

'Mad Men' was really my first television role, and it never feels like TV to me. It's done at such a high level.

I started in movies in 1963, and the first big one was 'Rosemary's Baby' in 1967. While you don't notice it right away, it finally dawns on you that 80% of the time, you're doing nothing.