John C. Reilly Quotes

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John C. Reilly

Profession : Actor

Birth : May 24, 1965

I considered a lot of different jobs as a kid. I thought about becoming a priest or a lawyer. My father had a big linen-supply business and I considered working for him. What dawned on me was: 'If I'm an actor, I get to do the fun parts of every job!' Without having to go to four years of law school.

John C. Reilly

To me, it doesn't make any sense to pick your work based on the size of the budget of the movie.

John C. Reilly

Acting's all about the confidence you exude, especially on film. I mean, nervousness isn't attractive in anyone, but a film camera will seek it out and punish you.

John C. Reilly

God forbid you got seasick because there was no option to go back. So that really did force us to be a group.

John C. Reilly

I try to take things that challenge me either physically or mentally, or I have to learn a new skill.

John C. Reilly

I view my strongest competition as myself. You're always trying to top yourself, rather than worrying about what other people are doing.

John C. Reilly

Surprising people is the key to career longevity for someone like me.

John C. Reilly

You know, the truth is that us actors would all like to believe we re-invent the wheel, every time we play a character. But, we're human beings and our instruments are not violins, they are our bodies and our consciousness and our collective life experience.

John C. Reilly

Kind of the exhausting thing about doing pure comedy, or something that's broader, is you're kind of a slave to the laugh. If it's not funny, then there's not much point in doing it. The kind of ueber-objective is to make people laugh. You always have to have that in the back of your mind, 'Eh, I've got to figure out a way to make this funny.'

John C. Reilly

I would love to do a western. I would love to play an explorer. That is always something that has really captured my imagination since I was a kid, like James Cook or Magellan or Earnest Shackleton.

John C. Reilly

I was never a very dependable employee for anything. Perfect for the actor's life!

John C. Reilly

Whenever I work on something, I try and throw everything I have at it. Then if the director finds it useful they use it, and if not, they ignore it!

John C. Reilly