---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is…"
description: "\"Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is what you do with success that will dog you.\" — Christopher McQuarrie"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg"
---

#  Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is what you do with…

![“Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is what you do with success that will dog you.” quote by Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg)

> “Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is what you do with success that will dog you.”

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Success alone isn’t enough; how you handle it determines your fate.

**In simple terms:** Use success wisely to avoid downfall.

Key Takeaway

Manage success responsibly.

Themes

success responsibility consequences

Mood

cautious inspirational

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- business leadership
- personal finance
- creative projects

Key Concepts

ethical decision‑making long‑term planning humility

Questions to Reflect On

- How will you stay grounded after achievement?
- What safeguards can you set?

A Different Perspective

Success can breed complacency if not checked.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hollywood/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/)

## Related quotes

> [Success is so bad for everybody, period. Especially a certain kind of success, when people practically give up their identity. They forget who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dunphy/success-is-so-bad-for-everybody-period-especially-a-certain-kind-of/)

Jack Dunphy

> [I had that perfect deadpan ... for these commercials. Within the first eight months I had eight national TV commercials. I'm a true Hollywood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/i-had-that-perfect-deadpan-for-these-commercials-within-the-first/)

[Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/)

> [I'm a true Hollywood success story - knew no one, had no connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/i-m-a-true-hollywood-success-story-knew-no-one-had-no-connections/)

[Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/)

> [I've seen a lot of good things and a lot of the bad of what Hollywood can bring. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-sidora/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-good-things-and-a-lot-of-the-bad-of-what-hollywood/)

[Drew Sidora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-sidora/)

> [Some of the scripts I hear are completely useless. Sometimes, they're copies of very bad Hollywood films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/some-of-the-scripts-i-hear-are-completely-useless-sometimes-they-re/)

[Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/)

> [Everyone has a warped vision of Hollywood and what success in Hollywood is like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/everyone-has-a-warped-vision-of-hollywood-and-what-success-in/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [“I marveled at the speed with which she’d acquired that essential accessory to Hollywood success, a permanent sense of dissatisfaction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-patrick/i-marveled-at-the-speed-with-which-she-d-acquired-that-essential/)

[Renee Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-patrick/)

> [In Hollywood, if you have any success, you have this fear: What do you have to do to hang onto it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-caruso/in-hollywood-if-you-have-any-success-you-have-this-fear-what-do-you/)

[David Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-caruso/)

> [What matters is not publication or success (success is bad for your prose) but the practice of the imaginative act. Our damaged values depend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-burroway/what-matters-is-not-publication-or-success-success-is-bad-for-your/)

[Janet Burroway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-burroway/)

> [That propaganda is good which leads to success, and that is bad which fails to achieve the desired result. It is not propaganda’s task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/that-propaganda-is-good-which-leads-to-success-and-that-is-bad-which/)

[Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/)

> [When you want success as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/when-you-want-success-as-bad-as-you-want-to-breathe-then-you-will-be/)

[Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/)

> [Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/good-habits-are-the-key-to-all-success-bad-habits-are-the-unlocked/)

[Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/)

> [You just want fame so bad. You want success so bad. You just believe anybody who conjures up a pretty contract and they're telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-lennox/you-just-want-fame-so-bad-you-want-success-so-bad-you-just-believe/)

[Ari Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-lennox/)

> [I was never one who looked at success as bad. For me, success was always good. I loved it, and still do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-was-never-one-who-looked-at-success-as-bad-for-me-success-was/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [A writer's life is so hazardous that anything he does is bad for him. Anything that happens to him is bad: failure's bad, success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/a-writer-s-life-is-so-hazardous-that-anything-he-does-is-bad-for-him/)

[E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/)

## More by Christopher McQuarrie

> [I love traveling around promoting different movies because I'm always looking at different places, and I always walk around to see the city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/i-love-traveling-around-promoting-different-movies-because-i-m-always/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [I used to be a die-hard defender of physical film, which I still am. I love shooting on physical film and I think it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/i-used-to-be-a-die-hard-defender-of-physical-film-which-i-still-am-i/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [The challenge in most car chases is you're trying to hide the fact that it's not the actor driving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/the-challenge-in-most-car-chases-is-you-re-trying-to-hide-the-fact/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [Directing has completely changed the way I write and watch films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/directing-has-completely-changed-the-way-i-write-and-watch-films/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [A lot of books, if you take them at face value, they're just not gonna work as films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/a-lot-of-books-if-you-take-them-at-face-value-they-re-just-not-gonna/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [“Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Söze.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/well-i-believe-in-god-and-the-only-thing-that-scares-me-is-keyser-s-ze/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [I always feel like an outsider. I'll always feel like the nerd at the party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/i-always-feel-like-an-outsider-i-ll-always-feel-like-the-nerd-at-the/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [To me, the ultimate crime in an adaptation is the crime of reverence. A novel is one form of media, a screenplay is another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/to-me-the-ultimate-crime-in-an-adaptation-is-the-crime-of-reverence-a/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [If you're surrounded by good people and you're really honest with yourself, you'll be delivered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/if-you-re-surrounded-by-good-people-and-you-re-really-honest-with/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [Evil is a really tough concept for me. The idea of a villain that is bad for bad's sake seems kind of absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/evil-is-a-really-tough-concept-for-me-the-idea-of-a-villain-that-is/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [With 'Rubicon,' Mark Long and Dan Capel have created the perfect environment for an intense action franchise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/with-rubicon-mark-long-and-dan-capel-have-created-the-perfect/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [You know that certain things that you use in the film are going to be shown to audiences five hundred times before they ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/you-know-that-certain-things-that-you-use-in-the-film-are-going-to-be/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [The truth of the matter is movies are a reflection of life and violence is a real part of life. I don't think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-movies-are-a-reflection-of-life-and/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [There is no 'Top Gun 2' in which Maverick is not the starring role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/there-is-no-top-gun-2-in-which-maverick-is-not-the-starring-role/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

> [Knowledge is death in my experience. The more I know about film, the harder it is to create freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/knowledge-is-death-in-my-experience-the-more-i-know-about-film-the/)

[Christopher McQuarrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

[Explore all 47 Christopher McQuarrie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/)

## More Bad quotes

> [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/)

[Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/)

> [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/)

[Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/)

> [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/)

[Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/)

> [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/)

[Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/)

> [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/)

[Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/)

> [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/)

[Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/)

> [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/)

[Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/)

> [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/)

[Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/)

> [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/)

[Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/)

> [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/)

[Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/)

> [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/)

[Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/)

> [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/)

[Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/)

> [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/)

[Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/)

Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is what you do with success that will dog you.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher McQuarrie"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is-what-you-do-with-success-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bad"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is-what-you-do-with-success-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fb/christopher-mcquarrie-14283_bad_success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is_1696352.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Success is never bad in Hollywood. It is what you do with success that will dog you.” — Christopher McQuarrie",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Christopher McQuarrie",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcquarrie/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Success is never bad in Hollywood....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is-what-you-do-with-success-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcquarrie/success-is-never-bad-in-hollywood-it-is-what-you-do-with-success-that/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
