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" 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. "

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" 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

Action

Good

You

" 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. "

" 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

School

Mom

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

" 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. "

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

" When I first set out to do it, I wanted to be a working actor, and now it seems like it's superseded even my dreams.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

" 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

Name

People

" 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

Reading

Sports

" 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. "

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

Michael Pena

Give

Try

" 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

End

King

" '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. "

" 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. "

" You have to work on your own thing. You have to work on yourself, and you have to bring something to the game. "

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

" 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. "

" I thought of myself as an individual ever since I was little. "

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

" 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. "

" 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

Thought

Teacher

" 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. "

" 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

Compliment

Drama

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

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

" 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. "

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

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

" I'd love to work with Woody Allen. "

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

Michael Pena

Bad Guys

Get