MICHAEL IRONSIDE

When I was in art college, I would be painting, and I would create something on a canvas that was actually quite attractive. But if I got frightened and tried to protect that, that canvas would die.

People are either enamored with me or wonder if they can take me.

I ended up an actor, did my first professional union gig in 1974, and I've been doing it ever since.

One of the young production assistants (on 'Terminator: Salvation') stepped over to my chair and said, 'Mr. Ironside, are you any relation to the Ironside who was in 'Top Gun'?' And I said, 'I am, yes.' And she grinned and said, 'I knew it! Talent must run in your family!' And she walked away. And all of the producers and directors kind of looked at me uncertainly, and I said, 'What are you guys so uncomfortable for? That's an incredible compliment. I do look like the father of that guy, for Christ's sake!'

I took acting lessons when I was 19, 20, and I had my writing.

I want to make smart television.

I basically was a precocious little kid.

I'm never going to be the lead actor guy. I'm real quiet and real happy and real fortunate to keep working. It's what I do. It's like the circus. I ran away and joined it a long time ago.

I'm totally anonymous until I open my bloody mouth and people recognize the voice.

It's kind of a strange world when you can trust a game format or platform more than the network news.

I ended up an actor, did my first professional union gig in 1974, and I've been doing it ever since.

I took acting lessons when I was 19, 20, and I had my writing.

People are either enamored with me or wonder if they can take me.

I mean, I've been in a hundred and fifty films; I don't want to just sit around and talk about things.

If anything, I want to bring television back up to where it will entertain and engage a gamer.

People who get involved with the success of something have to be given at least some share of that success.

My M.O. over the years is that I make things better, where people give me that freedom.

I'm a director's actor; I'm a storyteller's actor.

I want to make smart television.

When I was in art college, I would be painting, and I would create something on a canvas that was actually quite attractive. But if I got frightened and tried to protect that, that canvas would die.

I basically was a precocious little kid.

It's kind of a strange world when you can trust a game format or platform more than the network news.

I'm never going to be the lead actor guy. I'm real quiet and real happy and real fortunate to keep working. It's what I do. It's like the circus. I ran away and joined it a long time ago.

One of the young production assistants (on 'Terminator: Salvation') stepped over to my chair and said, 'Mr. Ironside, are you any relation to the Ironside who was in 'Top Gun'?' And I said, 'I am, yes.' And she grinned and said, 'I knew it! Talent must run in your family!' And she walked away. And all of the producers and directors kind of looked at me uncertainly, and I said, 'What are you guys so uncomfortable for? That's an incredible compliment. I do look like the father of that guy, for Christ's sake!'

I'm totally anonymous until I open my bloody mouth and people recognize the voice.

Figuring things out for yourself is the only freedom anyone really has. Use that freedom.

I like to play bad guys, since good guys are always beaten up several times during the movie. Bad guys are beaten only once, in the end.