Caroline Knapp Quotes

Going to school and working for good marks, indeed working for very good marks, was a serious business.

When I was growing up, I'd study for days trying to get good grades. When I'd get an 'A,' I'd feel elation for about 30 seconds, and then a feeling of emptiness.

For me, acting was a reward. I had to get good grades in order to act, in order to be on TV. I had to do well in school so I could work. To me, it was like an after-school activity, something to look forward to.

I had to get good grades and do well in school - my mother was an assistant principal and my father was a teacher - and they took this very seriously.

My parents don't press it but, you know, they're into good grades.

Anytime you get rewarded for all the work you put into this game, you're going to be happy about it.

My whole life, I've been trying to make people proud.

I'm not a huge award type person, that's not really what lights my fire.

I feel great when people say good things about me. But what's important is that I have to show it on the pitch.

I don't work for awards; they're just an icing on the cake.

I don't get tired of hearing that somebody liked my work.

If we were the team that won out, then life was good and we felt that we were worth something.

It really hit home that my parents felt as though they didn't have to worry anymore. They realized if you could win an Oscar, that was a good sign.

When you're a child, no matter if you're doing show business or sports or school or anything, you just want to make the adults happy.

My stage successes have provided me with the greatest moments outside myself, my film successes the best moments, professionally, within myself.

I don't think I ever expected anything like an Oscar ever, to tell you the truth. That is not my motivation when I do these roles. I really am motivated by being able to work with great people and create a body of work that I can look back and be proud of.

I do have at home the most ridiculous number of awards for what I have done, which is nice in terms of being patted on the back, yet it does cure you of caring about what other people say about you. Ultimately, you must have your own standard of what is good enough.

You always want your people to be proud of what you have accomplished.

Trophies and medals have never meant much to me. I've had amazing experiences, which let you feel like you've accomplished something.

It's nice to walk into a club and see your picture. Then you know you've done something good.

When you put a lot of hard work into one goal and you achieve it, that's a really good feeling.

You know sometimes it's not the bigger roles that give you the most satisfaction, yeah?

It makes me feel good that I can now sit there and go, I've worked with Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, all the great actors that I've worked with... Sir Ben Kingsley.

And winning is a huge thing for me.

My literary success meant nothing to me.