Michael Pena Quotes & Sayings

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

I think writing is the most underrated thing in Hollywood. — Michael Pena

I took a year and a half off, when my kid was born, because I didn't want to be one of those dads where the kid doesn't know who his dad is. — Michael Pena

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

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

You can have a kid and just be off at work all the time, and it's all mom. But, I spent a lot of time with him, so now, every time I see him, he's like, "Dada!" — Michael Pena

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

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

In the beginning, I was always playing some kind of gangbanger and the token Mexican dude who didn't have a lot of lines but was in the entire movie. At the same time, everyone gets typecast, and I decided that if I was going to play a stereotypical role, I was going to play it like a three-dimensional character. — Michael Pena

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

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

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

There is always pressure in any movie set. If you think about it, there is something that you memorize and it is almost like public speaking every day, all day. There is a crew of people, there are monitors and if you mess up, you have to do it until you get it right and then sometimes, you would go blank. — Michael Pena

I think that when you're doing a comedy and it makes you laugh, there's a certain ... like you can reject it, and it's okay. It's not promoting it or making it seem cool. I think that's when you get into hot water. — Michael Pena

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

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

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

What happened happened. What's gonna happen, is gonna happen. — Michael Pena

I lived in Chicago, in a shady part of town, and the cops would always stop me since I'm Mexican and I look like the other dudes. Style played a part in it. You're not really going to dress in a suit in a tie. — Michael Pena

Eddie Murphy is just so off-the-cuff and can make anything funny. You hope that someday you'll acquire that skill, but maybe you're born with that. — Michael Pena

I love documentaries and I watch documentaries to no end. — Michael Pena

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