I think Michigan keeps you sane and on an even keel through the ups and downs. In Michigan, I do fireworks, shovel snow and live life. Jeff Daniels More Quotes by Jeff Daniels More Quotes From Jeff Daniels Are we just pretending to be unhappy so that we can add drama to our lives, so that we seem more substantial? Jeff Daniels unhappy add drama Nothing seems to matter but ourselves. That's not how I was brought up. I don't recognize the country I live in anymore. Jeff Daniels matter seems country Working with Jim Carrey is an absolute gas. I have never laughed so hard for so long. Had he been on-board for the sequel of Dumb & Dumber, I would've jumped on, with no hesitation. Jeff Daniels boards dumb long Television in the last few years has been where all the great writers are going. TV now is what indie film used to be. Jeff Daniels lasts television years I never said, 'I'm going to be a big star.' I said, 'I'm going to be a good actor.' And that took the pressure off. Jeff Daniels actors stars pressure I think the American electorate should work a little harder at getting informed. That includes hearing, truly listening, to what the other side is saying. Whether you're left or right. Jeff Daniels listening littles thinking Give me good writing, and I'll play it all day. Jeff Daniels play writing giving I would love to [do theater], but there are go-to girls for theater. I am learning that, upon moving to New York and inquiring. There are go-to girls that will get the role any day of the week. It's true. Some people won't even let me audition. Jeff Daniels girl new-york moving Stars don't want to have flaws. Stars like to be likable. Jeff Daniels flaws stars want The biggest compliment I think an actor can get is I can't imagine anyone else in the role. Jeff Daniels roles actors thinking I learned a long time ago that the show you're going to see isn't the one you have in your head. As soon as you understand that, you're going to enjoy it a lot more. Jeff Daniels enjoy shows long Comedy is hard to do. All the cliches about it are true. Jeff Daniels cliche hard comedy On indies it's hard to do, but in rehearsals, you make mistakes in rehearsal. It's really hard rehearsing a play or what rehearsal you get on any movie. That's where you get to make your mistakes, and you make big ones. So when you shoot [the movie] or you finally get the play in shape and do it, the mistakes are out of the way. If you're not afraid to make mistakes, then there is no writer's block or actor's block. Jeff Daniels block play mistake I never starved. And you know, whatever talent I have, I've relied on that, versus image or star. I have just said, 'Hire me if you want somebody good.' I tried to be as good as I could be every time out, and that's kind of bridged the decades. Jeff Daniels stars kind want We're all capable of anything as human beings. Any emotion, any action. We really are. Jeff Daniels emotion humans action You can't rewrite nothing, but you can rewrite 90 pages of sh*t. Now you've got your sh*t on the page, you can go work. Jeff Daniels pages There is no best anything in art. Phillip [Hoffman] isn't better than Heath [Ledger]; Joaquin [Phoenix] isn't better than David [Strathairn] or Terence [Howard]. They aren't better than me. We all do different things. It's more of a celebration of a lot of great work than to give the gold to somebody. The underappreciated factor certainly has gone away. Jeff Daniels phoenix gone-away art There are so many projects that you go into hoping the story works, and here comes a new third act and that kind of thing. Jeff Daniels projects kind stories I also write plays, so I understand the writers mind, and how obsessed you can get writing. Jeff Daniels mind play writing The indie world changed when the economy went south. I was frustrated with doing something, then waiting for it to come out, and sometimes it never did, or would just play in New York for 50 people. So I really wanted to try something else. Jeff Daniels new-york play people