Michael Pena Quotes

'War on Everyone,' I think... the script was hilarious to me, but it's very dark, dark humor. It's super dark.

- Michael Pena

Think, I Think, Very, Hilarious

When I watch movies with my kid like 'Shrek,' I'm like, 'Wow, this is pretty funny.' That's why I wanted to start doing movies like that - so my kid would laugh at my jokes.

- Michael Pena

Doing, Pretty, Like, Shrek

I'm an American, and I live pretty well. But go down to Mexico, and a lot of people really don't. So what, we're going to blame them for trying to get out?

- Michael Pena

Go, Pretty, Going, Mexico

There's a bigger percentage of good cops than bad cops. But the bad cops should be penalised like regular people.

- Michael Pena

Bad, Cops, Regular People, Percentage

I guess people recognize me, but I'm not a household name. Two out of every five people who come up to me know my name. The one thing I don't want is to be followed by paparazzi.

- Michael Pena

Me, Two, Out, Paparazzi

'Tower Heist?' That is a movie that it's hard not to name-drop, but, it's a crew of five, and it's Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, me, Matthew Broderick, and Casey Affleck. And we're like, on a heist.

- Michael Pena

Movie, Like, Matthew, Casey

I remember I used to think my dad was really cool working at a factory. He used to make buttons. I used to brag, 'This button here, My dad made it.' There was this sense of pride. It's knowing your dad is doing something cool.

- Michael Pena

Doing, I Remember, Here, Brag

I used to love those movies, back in the day, like 'A Nightmare on Elm Street,' 'Friday the 13th,' 'Rosemary's Baby' and 'The Shining.' I really liked those kind of movies, and I wanted to be a part of one of those kinds of movies.

- Michael Pena

Love, Kind, Like, Shining

When I was a kid, I lived in a poor part of Chicago, and I remember my brother and me using towels as capes. My son does it, too.

- Michael Pena

Kid, I Remember, Using, Towels

I wouldn't say I have comedy chops. I guess you get lucky with good writing because I don't think I'm a comedian by any stretch of the imagination.

- Michael Pena

Think, Comedy, Lucky, Chops

I came to L.A. when I was 19, and my two roommates were blue-eyed, blond dudes. I helped coach them, and they both landed pilots.

- Michael Pena

Pilots, Them, Blue-Eyed, Blond

I don't think people are experiencing superhero fatigue. Do you hear people complaining that there are too many action movies? I think it's good entertainment.

- Michael Pena

Think, I Think, Hear People

I'll read, like, ten scripts, and then sometimes if I'm lucky, there will be two or three scripts that I like, and sometimes they'll all be dramas, or they'll all be comedies, or there will be two dramas and a comedy, and then I'll go for whatever. If I have to audition, I'll audition. If it's an offer, great.

- Michael Pena

Lucky, Sometimes, Two, Dramas

I feel lucky. I feel blessed. If you get blessed with some ability, I think you have to work hard at it. Michael Jordan was a great basketball player, but he wasn't the best shooter, even though he had the skill, and he had to work and work at it.

- Michael Pena

Lucky, Some, Michael Jordan, Jordan

I was a quiet kid - I didn't think I needed to be the funniest guy. I was always more of a listener. I went to 12 different schools, and I wasn't the charismatic dude, but I was captain of the track team and wrestling team.

- Michael Pena

Think, Always, Needed, Dude

A good director is like a good coach. You want to play for him. You want to really show him your good stuff. You don't want to let that person down. Ridley Scott is one of those guys.

- Michael Pena

Play, Director, Like, Scott

The joy of 'Crash' was that it was all about the work. It was my first real part. Before that, it was a line here and there, maybe a scene. 'Crash' was five scenes, a beautiful arc, a little vignette of my own. It really meant something.

- Michael Pena

Here, Maybe, Before, Arc

I think writing is the most underrated thing in Hollywood.

- Michael Pena

Think, I Think, Most, Underrated

I'm just an actor. If it's drama, I add as much humour as the part will stand. And if it's a comedy, add as much drama as you can, so it balances out; you don't wanna be too serious.

- Michael Pena

Comedy, Will, Add, Balances

It feels good, pouring your heart out over something, and then all of a sudden people are getting inspired.

- Michael Pena

Over, Feels, Sudden People, Pouring

'Spider-Man' seems to have a different tone to the pure Marvel stuff, but I really enjoyed the 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' and 'Iron Man' movies. I love the special effects and how it seems very real, but at the same time, it still lives within the realm of Marvel. That's got to be a lot of work.

- Michael Pena

Love, Special Effects, Very, Guardians

I never wanted to be in a gang. I didn't want to follow anybody's orders.

- Michael Pena

Never, Gang, Wanted, Orders

The only time that I really go on Twitter is to promote, because what sucks is there's some weird trolling going around. Even if you are well-intentioned, there's some mean people behind a keyboard.

- Michael Pena

Behind, Some, Around, Only Time

Every time I said, 'Man, I'm doing CHiPs,' 100% of the time they would ask, 'Is Erik Estrada going to be in it?'

- Michael Pena

Doing, Chips, Going, Every Time

When I did 'Crash,' to be honest with you, it was just another acting job. I just wanted to do as good as I possibly could.

- Michael Pena

Good, Could, Another, Possibly

You know, one of my favorite movies that inspired me and got me started was 'Dead Poet's Society.'

- Michael Pena

Dead, Inspired, Started, Favorite Movies

One of my favorite movies is 'Broadway Danny Rose.'

- Michael Pena

Movies, Broadway, Danny, Favorite Movies

I have really good managers and agents who are very selective in what they send me.

- Michael Pena

Me, Very, Selective, Agents

I was in L.A., like, four months, and I got my first part. Then I was like, 'OK, I'm staying.'

- Michael Pena

Like, Part, Months, OK

I remember my seventh-grade chemistry teacher told me I'd never amount to anything. I thought, 'Hmm. OK.' That gave me motivation to prove her wrong.

- Michael Pena

Chemistry, I Remember, Prove, OK

I'm living in Hollywood, and I'm making movies, but it goes beyond me. If my family is not doing very well, or even OK, you want them to be better.

- Michael Pena

Doing, Making, Very, OK

I've tested for I-don't-know-how-many pilots, and I didn't get any of them. I would always try to go off the top and make it as spontaneous as possible, but acting in sitcoms is such a skill set, and I didn't have it. I wish I did back when I was younger.

- Michael Pena

Wish, Back, Tested, Spontaneous

When I first set out to do it, I wanted to be a working actor, and now it seems like it's superseded even my dreams.

- Michael Pena

Dreams, Like, Set, Working Actor

I grew up reading the newspapers, mostly the sports section. I was a wrestler and would check to see if I was ranked.

- Michael Pena

Sports, Reading, Mostly, Wrestler

The reality that everyone is stereotyped - every one gets typecast, so you have to work to get out of that.

- Michael Pena

Work, Everyone, Get, Typecast

I'd love to work with Woody Allen.

- Michael Pena

Love, Work, Allen, Woody

I feel really comfortable with going for the reality of the drama, but I'm not much for the comedy of it. You have to make people laugh, or you have to be true to the character in such a way that makes people laugh. It's a whole different thing.

- Michael Pena

Drama, Feel, Whole, Such A Way

I was in really good shape after I finished this movie, 'End of Watch.'

- Michael Pena

Watch, Movie, Shape, Good Shape

Kicks to the legs, they're not very cool. They're brutal.

- Michael Pena

Legs, Very, Brutal, Kicks

It was an event whenever 'CHiPs' would come on in my house. There wasn't a lot of Latin people being hired to star in TV shows or movies back in the day. Not only was it a fun show, there was a Latino starring in it - so we thought it was extra cool.

- Michael Pena

Thought, Chips, TV, Extra

There are not too many times when a movie's not cynical, you know what I mean?

- Michael Pena

Movie, Times, Too, Cynical

I'll do anything to make my kid laugh.

- Michael Pena

Kid, Anything, Make, Laugh

I saw Gosling just kill it in 'Blue Valentine.' I thought he was just amazing at that, and I wouldn't mind maybe doing something like that.

- Michael Pena

Mind, Thought, Doing, Valentine

Paul Rudd has a very specific brand of humor.

- Michael Pena

Humor, Very, Paul, Brand

Sometimes it's good to be naive.

- Michael Pena

Good, Sometimes, Naive

I'm into looking at things from the other point of view. And if you look at who votes in the Oscars, mostly older Jewish guys, they're going to vote for stuff they relate to. Do they relate to NWA? I doubt it.

- Michael Pena

Point Of View, Other, Mostly, Vote

I used to tour with this band. I was a drummer. I would tour a bunch for about 10 months out of the year and act for about two months. I would make what I needed from acting and would stretch it out.

- Michael Pena

Year, Needed, Months, Drummer

My understanding, when I think of immigration, is like... you know, this country was built on immigrants: the German, the Polish, the Italian, the Jewish, the Russians, the Eastern Europeans. So, all these people came in, and I don't know who decided like, 'No, that's it! There's a cap on it! No more people.'

- Michael Pena

Country, German, Russians, Cap

I think nerves stop you from doing things. Make you stop and maybe make you withdraw. Then there's excitement where you can't wait to do it.

- Michael Pena

Doing, Think, Wait, Excitement

My first ten years in Hollywood were really tough. I'd be coaching friends who came to me for acting advice, and then they'd make it before I did. I'd still be helping them while they were on movie sets and I had four lines on a TV show.

- Michael Pena

Hollywood, Movie, TV, Coaching

My brother and my father both got laid off around the same that I was starting to do this movie 'Chavez.' And at the same time, it was when all the bailouts were happening.

- Michael Pena

Father, Movie, Laid, Starting

As a kid growing up in Chicago, I've been shot at before. I remember I very calmly went down on the ground. Afterwards, you're like, 'Omigod.' You just don't have time to think.

- Michael Pena

I Remember, Been, Very, Calmly

I remember seeing 'Dead Poet's Society,' and it made it appealing in a way that I actually went to prep school.

- Michael Pena

Dead, I Remember, Made, Prep

I went to a prep school in Chicago, and my dad and mom worked really hard - even though we lived in the ghetto - to get me to there. A lot of it had to do with 'Stand and Deliver' and 'Dead Poet's Society.' It does help you. It inspires you. It definitely did for me.

- Michael Pena

Mom, Deliver, Dad, Prep

I am not afraid to play Latin roles - that was a big part of my life.

- Michael Pena

My Life, Play, Big, Latin

I don't know if I'm necessarily a role model, but hopefully I can inspire any artist - Latin or otherwise - to do this thing for a living.

- Michael Pena

Living, Role, Otherwise, Latin

There's something about coming up with something out of nothing. I work with somebody else's creation already, and I just try to make it better.

- Michael Pena

Work, Nothing, About, Creation

I grew up in the ghetto, and the thing is when there were problems, I knew when to get away.

- Michael Pena

Away, Knew, Were, Ghetto

I didn't realise I lived in the ghetto until we moved out.

- Michael Pena

Realise, Moved, Until, Ghetto

Seth Rogen told me to read 'Preacher,' and 'Preacher' was amazing.

- Michael Pena

Amazing, Me, Read, Preacher

I want to find my own rhythm and style. That's probably the harder way to approach it, but I think it will pay off in the long run.

- Michael Pena

Think, Will, I Think, Harder

When I started wrestling, I sucked. I hated losing, so I started doing pushups and more squats, and then I did summer wrestling and learned different styles.

- Michael Pena

Doing, Different Styles, Hated

I usually joke around, especially on set.

- Michael Pena

Around, Set, Joke

There's a certain weird something. I'm always nervous when I spar. You learn it's going to hurt, but it's only going to hurt for a little bit. It brings out the animal in you to an extent. You learn what you can take.

- Michael Pena

Learn, Always, Extent, Hurt

Regardless of whatever job you do, you want to see the importance of it or how it can be important. I think by inspiring the people that I come from - if I inspire anyone - would be worth it.

- Michael Pena

Think, I Think, Importance, Regardless

I've always noticed that girls cry way easier than guys do.

- Michael Pena

Always, Than, Noticed, Easier

I've been an actor for 20 years, and I think the first 14 years, it was all struggling. At first, it was all gangsters.

- Michael Pena

Think, Been, I Think, Struggling

All the guys at Marvel are really passionate, and they love entertaining folks, and they really think about the story, and there's a lot of thought that goes into that.

- Michael Pena

Love, Passionate, Think, Folks

You can think you know somebody. But when they're trying to punch you in the face, you really know somebody. You learn their tendencies.

- Michael Pena

Learn, Think, Tendencies, Punch

A shootout is a shootout. You go in and get the bad guys.

- Michael Pena

Bad, Go, Get, Bad Guys

Some of the best bad guys in movies are funny and charming.

- Michael Pena

Movies, Bad, Some, Bad Guys

Play the role as a human being... human beings are three-dimensional.

- Michael Pena

Play, Human Being, Role, Beings

I think about where I grew up and how I grew up: my dad was making $25,000 a year. Taking a chance wasn't really taking a chance. It was like you were going for something better. To me, there wasn't that much risk involved.

- Michael Pena

Year, I Think, Dad, Risk

One of my first real parts was 'Crash' - that won the Oscar.

- Michael Pena

Real, Won, Oscar, Parts

A good comic explores the imagination, but it's always got to have those notes of truth running through it.

- Michael Pena

Through, Running, Always, Comic

I don't know about you, but for me, if I got to present any kind of award, I'm shaking in my pants.

- Michael Pena

Kind, Pants, About, Shaking

I was on 'The Shield' for a year before 'Crash' came out, and it was like doing an independent film every week.

- Michael Pena

Doing, Week, Shield, Crash

I just wanted to be a part of something that's a horror movie that scares you.

- Michael Pena

Horror, Wanted, Scares, Horror Movie

It would be great to play Cesar Chavez. That would be an interesting role for me.

- Michael Pena

Play, Role, Would, Chavez

Some of my favorite actors are Gene Wilder and Eddie Murphy back in the day - that's mainly what me and my brothers watched when we were kids.

- Michael Pena

Some, Brothers, Gene, Watched

I want to do more sci-fi films. I want to play half-alien, half-illegal alien.

- Michael Pena

Play, More, Films, Sci-Fi

I usually just try to do whatever's on the page because I've done research before - including a lot of analysis - but you end up with conflicting data. To me, the script is king.

- Michael Pena

Data, Before, Including, Script

Every script always goes through rewrites so that everyone loves it.

- Michael Pena

Through, Always, Everyone, Script

When you finish a drama, you go, 'I can't wait to do a comedy.' When you finish a comedy, you go, 'I want to do a dramedy, dark humor.'

- Michael Pena

Comedy, Wait, Want, Finish

I loved WWF as a kid.

- Michael Pena

Loved, Kid, WWF

Some horror movies are just for shock value, so it doesn't really feel scary.

- Michael Pena

Feel, Some, Horror, Shock

I don't know why - I have a ton of books: five full cabinets of them.

- Michael Pena

Know, Why, Books, Ton

The reason I love Lollapalooza is because it's a great music festival.

- Michael Pena

Love, Reason, I Love, Festival

Drama is basically what I do, so it's a compliment that people think it's hard for me to get back to drama.

- Michael Pena

Think, Drama, Get, Compliment

Marvel just does things differently.

- Michael Pena

Differently, Things, Does, Marvel

I'm envious of writers.

- Michael Pena

Envious, Writers

It's so interesting to watch Ben Stiller work because he just knows what's funny.

- Michael Pena

Work, Interesting, Watch, Ben

Actors love the big speeches and love to be the center of attention. I mean, that's why we do it.

- Michael Pena

Love, Big, Mean, Speeches

I think, in any debate, you have to respect the other person's point of view, if you agree or disagree.

- Michael Pena

Think, Other, I Think, Disagree

I'm super grateful, and whenever somebody offers me something, and I'm doing it, I always try to give 110%.

- Michael Pena

Grateful, Always, Offers, Whenever

'End of Watch' was 98-percent written, and I work really hard to make it look like it's the first time I'm saying it.

- Michael Pena

Work, Look, Like, First Time

There's an immigration problem in every country that has money, in that people there have a problem with immigration.

- Michael Pena

Money, Problem, Country, Immigration

I've been seeing superhero movies as long as I can remember. I don't think they're going anywhere.

- Michael Pena

Think, Going, Been, Superhero

We all want approval.

- Michael Pena

Want, Approval

You have to make your choices however you see fit and just keep your integrity as best you can.

- Michael Pena

Integrity, See, However, Fit

For me, when I do my best acting, it's mainly imagination. Then I really have a lot of fun with it.

- Michael Pena

Best, Imagination, Then, Mainly

I'm clearly not a writer, but I'm always a fan of them.

- Michael Pena

Always, Fan, Them, Clearly

There are certain people you don't have to worry about on set.

- Michael Pena

Set, About, Certain, Worry

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