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At 81, the “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star remains a fixture in Hollywood, both on-screen and behind the scenes.
Key takeaways
- Danny DeVito credits steady effort and curiosity for a lasting career.
- Producing and directing grew from lessons learned watching filmmakers at work.
- Family, creative projects and new challenges continue to motivate him daily.
Summary
Danny DeVito reflects on a career shaped by persistence, curiosity and a willingness to take on new challenges in Hollywood. He shares how early experiences on sets such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and success with Taxi helped build his confidence and interest in work behind the camera.
The actor also discusses producing Pulp Fiction, embracing the unconventional spirit of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and staying engaged through editing, meetings and reading scripts. Alongside his professional work, DeVito says his children and grandchildren are among the biggest reasons he gets out of bed each day.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full transcript
[0:00] Non più scuro della mezza notte.
[0:02] My mother used to say it all the time.
[0:04] “Never gets darker than midnight.”
[0:09] I always had a feeling of, like, no matter what I was doing, I could do it.
[0:13] Everything you do gives you a little notch up.
[0:16] I mean, I’m fortunate enough to be in this business, and I pay attention, and I try to get it right.
[0:24] You wanna do another take?
[0:26] Let’s go.
[0:26] Wanna do it a different way?
[0:27] Let’s go.
[0:28] Getting behind the camera is great.
[0:31] When Milos was doing Cuckoo’s Nest, which was a big thing for me, I’d stay and watch, be on the set.
[0:38] I was there all the time.
[0:40] Taxi, which God love it, we had five years of bliss.
[0:44] Everybody on it is the best in the world, and our show is a big hit.
[0:50] One day you can go out, next day you can’t go out.
[0:52] You’re Louie, Louie De Palma.
[1:09] I remember reading Reservoir Dogs and really wanting to do that movie,
[1:15] but Stacey [Sher] said, “Quentin’s a friend of mine and, and they’re making that movie already.” And I said, “God, I’m, I’m sorry we missed this one.
[1:23] Can I meet him?” So I met him, and I said, “Look, I don’t know what you’re gonna do next, but I wanna do it.
[1:32] I wanna produce it at my company.” And he said, “Well, I got this story about these intertwining characters.” And I said, “I don’t even wanna hear it right now.
[1:41] I just wanna make a deal with you.” So that’s how I made
[1:46] the deal for Pulp Fiction.
[1:56] I love doing It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
[1:59] Now, everybody said, “What are you gonna do this little crazy show?
[2:04] You were on an iconic television show, Taxi.
[2:07] You’ve done Cuckoo’s Nest.
[2:08] You’ve done all these things.” I said, “This is why I’m in this.
[2:12] It’s why I’m doing it, because I wanna have something that’s,
[2:15] like, outrageous, off the charts, that I’ve never done before.”
[2:19] We just finished our 18th season, and it’s really good.
[2:27] I love work.
[2:28] Yesterday I spent all day editing.
[2:30] Today I’ve got writer meetings, I’ve got other stuff I gotta read.
[2:34] That gets me out of bed.
[2:35] My kids get me out of bed.
[2:38] My grandchildren get me out of bed.
[2:41] Boom.
[2:42] I had a Zoom with my, with my 1-year-old eating oatmeal this morning.
[2:46] You kidding me?
[2:47] 6 o’clock , 6:30. That boy gets up early, man.
[2:52] Oh, I just want it to keep coming.
[2:55] Stay healthy.
[2:57] Stay close to family and your friends.
[2:59] And just, I hope the flood gates are open now, and it just keeps coming.
