Dennis Quaid has spent more than five decades building a Hollywood career. However, the 72-year-old actor now approaches work very differently from the ambitious young man who arrived in Los Angeles. Instead of constantly chasing the next milestone, Quaid says he now follows projects that genuinely interest him. Looking back, he recognizes how much pressure he placed on himself during his twenties.
Dennis Quaid confessed he spent his twenties frantically chasing Hollywood fame
Speaking exclusively with People, Quaid compared his current mindset with the early years of his Dennis Quaid career. “I have more enthusiasm for what I do now than I did back in my 20s,” Quaid said. At the time, he felt like he was “always trying to get somewhere” in life.
Now, however, Quaid chooses roles because they sound interesting or fun. “Why not?” has essentially become part of his decision-making process. That shift follows decades of Dennis Quaid movies across several genres. His credits include Breaking Away, The Right Stuff, The Big Easy, The Parent Trap, and Great Balls of Fire!
More recently, Quaid played Harvey in The Substance, opposite Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Meanwhile, another of his movies, A Dog’s Purpose, recently returned to Netflix. His career also continues to expand. In fact, Quaid will lead AMC’s upcoming NASCAR drama Thunder Road as racing patriarch Duane Whitlock.
Additionally, he narrates the documentary Water Wars, which premieres on Prime Video on Sept. 4. Quaid also continues performing music with Dennis Quaid and the Sharks. His personal life has entered a new phase as well. Recently, Quaid sent his 18-year-old twins off to college, making him an empty nester.
Still, the biggest change may be his attitude toward success. Rather than measuring each job by where it might take him, Quaid now focuses on whether he actually wants to do it.
For Quaid, the Dennis Quaid regret appears less about one missed role and more about the frantic pursuit of career advancement. Today, he seems far more interested in enjoying the work itself.
