Bette Davis Quotes

Some people get into this business and they're so afraid to lose anything. They try to protect their position like clinging to a beachhead. These actors end up making really safe choices. I never wanted to go that route. If I go down, I'm going down swinging.

For a very long time, I wasn't thought of as anyone with any credibility in the film world. Everybody is tramping through the swamp every day in this business. 'I'm worth it, I'm credible - believe me, give me a shot!' That's the way I feel on a consistent basis.

In the restaurant business, you never want to have enemies, whereas it seems that many politicians judge their success by how high their enemies are and whether they can show that they can hold their ground and give a punch for every punch they take.

I'm getting paid to do what I got in trouble for in the 7th grade. I absolutely love what I do and thank my lucky stars for twenty-five years of full-time employment in this business.

Learn to say no in situations where saying no can be difficult, where it could mean getting fired. Say no anyway, because it could lead you to greater opportunities.

There's definitely been moments in my life, even recently, where I've taken chances or spoken up about something where I don't know how it's gonna go, but it is true, or it is my truth. That's kind of that trusting life.

The nature of show business is people within the business feel that if someone else fails, they move up a notch.

I look at the people's careers who I want to emulate, like Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Bernadette Peters... They've all found the key to longevity in this business, and that is diversifying, doing as many things as possible to keep yourself relevant, and so hopefully I'm on the same track as all those amazing women.

I wish I had more guts when I was younger because then I would've said things to people's faces instead of just running away all the time.

With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.

You can never, ever worry about making mistakes or things like that. I'm going to go out and play ball, and that's what I do.

I have invested at least 20 years in business and my own reputation. I'm excited to come into public service, because I think I have something to offer and to contribute. In no way will I put myself in a position of undoing what's taken 20 years to build.

Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must be first overcome.

Sometimes you have to defeat your enemies—not just talk to them.

Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity

If my doing the right thing will cost me my seat, they can take this job and shove it.

When I realized that my big dream was going to come true - 'Night Shift' was a success, 'Splash' was a success, I got the job to do 'Cocoon' - suddenly, I was underway. And I knew my name was rising up the lists. I was going to have a career. I was going to be able to direct movies until I screwed it up.

You take any job that comes along, and if you're really lucky, the movie takes off.

I feel every day that everything I create - everything I do - I want it to be a risk.

You can't buy back your respect; you can't buy back your career. You only get one, so I don't want to mess that up.

I couldn't care less who is mad at me as long as the entrepreneur comes out ahead.

Sometimes you're going to be shoved into a corner, and even though it's against your principles, against the way that you like to play the game, you're going to have to protect your own players.

The smartest thing that an actor can do is embrace the thing that made them famous as opposed to run away from it or deny that it happened. That does a disservice to most actors. To me, it looks like you're ungrateful.

As soon as I came to L.A., things immediately shifted for me. I was now actually here with the people who were making the decisions; I wasn't out in New York sending in tapes to L.A.

I always want to take on the giants.