Bruce Dern Quotes

I was only a leading man for a minute; now I'm a character actor.

I would rather be called a character actor than a star.

To be the leading man it's about the celebrity and the looks, and it's tough to do that. People who do it great are people like Tom Cruise and Will Smith - they're built for that. I ain't. I'm more of a character guy.

How did I end up in films with people like Keira Knightley... all these beautiful leading ladies and me - it's kind of shocking.

I don't think many people can say they've been the lead in a Spielberg film and still been able to live their normal life that they had before.

I was a theater man, so I was never in the situation of being a handsome Hollywood leading man, and then having to age.

I guess I've never really had a great desire to be a leading lady, or be seen as an ingenue.

Some of the biggest movie stars in the world are essentially characters.

I don't want to be in Terminator. I don't want to go to Hollywood.

I think every leading man wants to be a character actor, and every character actor wants to be a leading man.

I see myself more as a character actress than a celebrity.

I think Hollywood is interesting. As an actor, Hollywood would be a horrible place to go if you weren't actually invited.

I don't really have aspirations to be Tom Hanks.

When I went back to New York with somewhat of a name, they didn't want movie actresses.

The fact is, I never wanted to be a movie star.

I've wanted recognition; I wanted success; I wanted appreciation; I love the perks of being in the movies. I love the fame that comes with it - but that's why I became an actor.

I think that, in the beginning, you think, 'I want to be the biggest movie star in the world.' And then, with the more movies you make, you are like, 'I don't know if I want to be that anymore. I think what I am looking for is something different.' I like acting, but a lot of times, stardom comes with a lot of strings attached.

I wouldn't say no to becoming a Bond girl. Making it in Hollywood has been my dream ever since I was little, watching Marilyn Monroe movies. To star in a Bond movie would be bliss on a stick.

I stopped courting Hollywood a long time ago.

I think there are always actor parts, and then there are movie-star parts, and an actor's always an actor until he does a movie-star part.

The film business is absurd. Stars don't last very long. It's much more interesting to be a proper actor.

I am going to be the next Ryan Gosling.

I have an older brother who is an actor as well.

I'd rather be Vincent Price than a red-neck character actor. You can't predict what will happen.

If your goal is to be the biggest movie star in the world, a 10-movie contract is gold. It was never my goal. Up until now, I made movies - and I have a nice house, a nice car. I'm fortunate, happy and grateful. Life is good.