Quotes from Michael Douglas

I believe there is a spirit within us, which we nurture based upon our efforts and what we bring to the world. But it doesn't come from the outside; it comes from the inside.

I'm impressed with the people from Chicago. Hollywood is hype, New York is talk, Chicago is work.

If your work isn't exciting, doesn't stir the emotions, where's the challenge? Where's the progress if you always play it safe?

I met Michael Milken for the first time with Oliver Stone at the Drexel Burnham offices in Los Angeles.

I've taken blame about being a bad father - if being a bad father is working your butt off trying to create a career at one time.

I love kids, and I love having had this second chance to have a family.

My movies are usually about stripping off the makeup, getting down to the skeleton.

I don't know about Brad Pitt leaving that beautiful woman to go hold orphans for Angelina. I mean how long is that going to last?

My memories of Las Vegas were all with my father when I was, like, a teenager. He was best friends with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and we'd come up and see the shows and go backstage afterwards and have dinner together. It was one of my first educations about stars and how they really are back stage.

All the pictures I do are contemporary. I've sort of discovered I haven't really been into science fiction or period pictures. And so, in that vein, psychological thrillers play a big part.

The studios basically, besides developing some material, their strength is distribution. Distribution in any other business is a cost that you incur. You know, in a trucking business, you eat it. In a film business, distribution is a profit center.

Greed is good! Greed is right! Greed works! Greed will save the U.S.A.!

Everything's so repressive now - it's the No generation. You can't do anything, you can't eat anything, you have to abstain.

Like my father, like most actors, I was a pretty ambitious guy.

I thought I could never be the actor Dad was, so I avoided it for a while.

For a long time, I can't say I was one who really enjoyed acting. I was always censoring it, or editing it, or analyzing it, rather than just going with it.

I don't ever do those kind of epic, huge, green-screen movies.

The Cold War's end pushed disarmament down most leaders' agendas. It's a sophisticated issue, which I think is one reason why it is not so hands-on to many people. It's not visceral. It's not like a starving child.

There's nothing like a family crisis, especially a divorce, to force a person to re-evaluate his life.

There is something about seeing rhinos and lions running free that excites you. It's not that you feel afraid; it's more like you're liberated by seeing them.

Liberace was a lovely guy.

Actresses have more fear of being disliked. I, on the other hand, revel in it.

Being single is pretty good. It's a nice sense of irresponsibility.