Matt Dillon quotes: the actor’s most popular quotes.
“We get caught up in all the stress: ‘Got to do this, is this the right thing for me to do?’ But what about the thing you want to do? That’s what’ll keep you young. It’s empowering, not becoming a prisoner of some other person’s idea of what you should be.”
“One of my biggest [and] greatest fears is not being able to break out of a rut or change, to be caught in a never-ending cycle of sameness, of becoming a prisoner to my ways, unable to change course. I learned you can change your thinking. Growth is so important.”
“I don’t hide out. If you build a wall around yourself, it draws people to invade it. Fear is the enemy.”
“It’s important to air your concerns and fears with someone you trust. When you’re honest about how you can change and grow, and where your weaknesses are, then you open the door for improvement and change.”
“You only do what you can do. You do the best job you can, but you have no control over so many elements that are going to determine the outcome. I never pay attention to what happens after.”
“It’s really nice to be able to do something that you’ve never done. I think anytime you can do something you haven’t seen or done before, it’s always a great day.”
“I really like being challenged as an actor. I want to be challenged as an actor and do things where I can really do something creative. Those simple things make me more comfortable. I like my work; that’s where I’m happiest.”
“The challenge of doing something that’s kind of fresh or uncharted territory is always something that is what I’m looking for—and fully embrace the potential for failure because without that there can’t be freedom. If you’re so tight that you have to get it perfect, you don’t have the freedom to try something different.”
“Everyone’s entitled to an opinion, but at least base your opinion on the merit of the work itself.”
“You don’t judge yourself, you do it.”
“I like to take chances.
“I like to write. But it’s hard, it’s discipline, in some areas. The hardest thing is self-discipline.”
“I had acting teachers, and one of the things that was encouraged was to keep it fresh, to be spontaneous. I think what I’ve learned is to accept [that] those are the magic moments and that happens when you’re willing to be spontaneous and fresh.”
“I only hear my own voice. When you start hearing other voices, then it’s time to worry.”
“I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I’ve had my share of mood swings, believe me. But it’s a powerful thing when you realize that you have dominion over your behavior and your passions.”
“Well I can tell you that for me, generally speaking, that I think things that I deal with are all to do with not accepting things, not excepting life on life’s terms. My life becomes a lot easier when I’m willing to just accept. I don’t have to like circumstances as they are, but I have to accept them and that’s where I always seem to get thrown, when I try to will my way instead of accept things the way they are.”
“I’m ambitious. I do think you have a tendency to be less happy sometimes when you’re a seeker. You can be disenchanted because you’re not getting what you want, and you’re always striving and looking ahead instead of just being in the moment.”
“Fame is part of me and my life as an actor. I enjoy the creative aspects of my life as an actor. I enjoy directing and acting as well. But the bottom line for me is not prestige and power. It’s about having an exciting, creative life.”
“I never lived a sheltered life, so when I became a famous actor, I didn’t withdraw. I was going to hang out, so I continued to hang out with the same troubled kids I was hanging out with before. I just became more worldly.”
“Friendship is important to me, so you end up putting up with some things because you like these guys despite their shortcomings. They’re your friends. And then your brothers, obviously, blood is thicker than water.”
“I know this sounds kind of crazy, but I think we’re all actors.”
“In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. It’s not really true, but it is, you know.”
“There were six kids in our family, and I grew up fast. I had to do a lot of things on my own. I was a rebellious teenager. That’s why coming into the film business was good for me because it gave me some discipline. Once I became an actor, I had to grow up a little more.”
“Before I got into acting, I was really insecure. I didn’t have any idea what I was going to do with my life, and it scared me. Not knowing what kind of a career you want is a big worry for teenagers.”
“School hasn’t ever been easy for me, but I know education is important. If I had the time to just concentrate on it, I have the feeling I could be really good—maybe even make top grades.”
“I don’t pride myself on being self-educated because I don’t like to brag about the fact that I’m a high school dropout. My school wasn’t prepared to have somebody leave for three months out of the year to be in a movie. Graduating wasn’t in the cards in a conventional sense if I was going to continue acting.”
“I hope it will make me a better, more interesting person. I really love acting. I hope I can go on doing it forever and get better and better at it. But it all happened so fast. I know it could fade just as fast. So if I don’t make something better of myself inside, what will be left?”
“A lot of people say I’ve missed out on a lot because I started acting at such a young age. What’s so obvious to me is that I actually was really lucky. I gained a lot and I got a head start in what I wanted to do in life. A lot of people in their late 20s, early 30s are just beginning to figure out where they want to go.”
“I think the reason I’ve survived that long is because I’ve taken my work so seriously. Maybe sometimes too seriously, but it’s always been important for me to do my best regardless of the film. I think the biggest compliment I get is when people on the street stop me and say they’ve liked the choices I’ve made.”
“It’s tough when you started out as young as I did to look back and see how far I’ve come. I try to be easy on myself and go, ‘Look man, you were younger, you were learning; you learn, you grow.’ But I’m not my best judge. I always feel like my best work is still ahead of me.”
“I’m excited about the future. I really feel like I couldn’t be in a better situation from where I’m at right now.”
“Have faith but do the work. Live your life right. Don’t expect things to happen. Thats why I’m put off by magical realism.”
