all creative writers need a certain amount of time when they're creating something where nobody should criticize them at all - at all. Even if the criticism is valid or good, they should just shut up, and let that person create. Because at a certain point you have to make it your own - not the world's, but your own.
Gena RowlandsWhen I was in Middle of The Night, MGM came and offered me a contract and I said that when I got out of the play, I'd like to try it. I didn't know anything about making movies but I was certainly finding it interesting.
Gena RowlandsBecause John Cassavetes was so terrific in live TV, a lot of his friends had not been able to participate in that yet and so they asked if he would gather with them at night when I was at the play and tell them what live TV was like, what you had to adjust to because it was its own medium - it had many things you had to be aware of.
Gena RowlandsJohn Cassavetes wrote A Woman Under the Influence as a play. He said, "Hey, I wrote you a play." And I said, "Great, let's read it." I read it and I said, "John, I couldn't do this every night and twice on Wednesday and Saturday".
Gena RowlandsSo I went home and I told my mom that I wanted to quit and be an actress and she said, โHuh, that sounds fascinating. Itโs wonderful!โ And I told my father and he literally said, โI donโt care if you want to be an elephant trainer if it makes you happy.โ
Gena RowlandsPaddy Chayefksy was writing and it was a time where everybody was happy to be there [on TV].
Gena RowlandsI only watch my movies that I make once, so I can just see how it hangs together, but after that, I don't watch them again. A lot of people have disappeared from Earth that you've worked with, and they make me sort of sad once in a while, and there's really no necessity for me to watch them. I've made them, and it's on film and that's that.
Gena Rowlands