Joel Grey Quotes

It doesn't matter even if I am slow or fast as long as my films are honest and carries my integrity.

I get very picky. There's sort of a line you have to walk between working and doing something you actually want to be a part of, as opposed to just working for the work. That often puts you in a place where you have to choose whether or not you want to wait for good material to come along.

I've always been really picky about roles and make a point of reminding myself that it's not about the money - because, obviously, there's a lot of money to be made in this business if you're willing to do anything.

But i think it would drive me more crazy to just go do a movie that I didn't believe in, you know?

It would have shown people that I was prepared to do that kind of work, although I find myself in a position now where I don't really need to and I could pick and choose the kind of characters I'd like to do.

I've turned down shows offering large amounts of money.

I still take work if I think it's good. If I like the script, I'll do it. If I don't, I won't.

I wouldn't say no to other kinds of musical opportunities. I guess that it just depends on what it was or what it required me to do, and if I felt that it compromised my own soul.

I don't want to be in somebody else's movie, and then they make all the money. I've gotten offers to do the movies, but I won't sell myself short and be in somebody else's movie, like 'Boyz N the Hood.' I don't think I woulda done that.

I never wanted to look back on my career and be embarrassed about work that I chose to do.

I am completely open to doing a romantic comedy, but I will never do something just for the sake of doing a specific genre or because it's the time or place to do a different type of movie. I think that would be a huge mistake.

I decided to do whatever I could to make sure the business side of music didn't intrude on the creative part.

I've made movies where I was not happy, and I'd rather not work for a year than do a bad film. It takes a long time for me to recuperate when I do that.

I just never want to do anything that's going to compromise what I do. It would have to be a song where there would be honest discussion about something.

I have refused money sometimes for a film. I have refused films when I felt that it was not for me. When it was just a job or just about making money, I said no. I wanted to make every film count, and when you are true to yourself, this gives you a certain integrity and a certain reputation.

I don't want to take anything that's coming in for the sake of work. I want to choose carefully, as I have done since leaving 'EastEnders.'

I've always been really selective. I just didn't have the right to be as selective in other years, I guess. It's very difficult to commit so much of your life to go shoot something that you think sucks, so I'd rather do nothing than go work on something that I really hate. Obviously, there are moments where you have to take jobs for money, everybody needs to pay their rent or whatever.

I don't want to move over to Beverly Hills. My goal is to make the movies I want to make and support the people I want to support. That's it.

I don't want to ever say to somebody, 'You don't have to see it. It's not good.' I'm done with that. I'd love to just do things that I respect. That being said, I do have two children to put through school, so we'll see if I can put my money where my mouth is, but I would love to just work with people I respect.

I would rather fall flat on my face than try to just make a quick dollar by making music that fits into the radio format right now. It does nothing for me.

And I would never accept a film because of the money. I have enough money.

If I want to, I can sign 20 films for ridiculous amounts of money, but I really want to do different kinds of cinema. I want creative satisfaction.

If I wanted to work financially, I would have made a series of different choices. I do get offered lots of movies which you could make a lot of money out of. And I always say, 'Why would I do that, when someone else could do it much better than me? Why would I want to do an action picture? Why?'

I've never made a record that I'm ashamed of.

I don't believe that I should just do A-movies, I just do the work as an artist.