--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified…" description: "\"Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified that Martin Scorsese didn't think we were very good - and if he didn't think we were very good, that was it. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/john-heard-29955_scorsese_griffin-dunne-and-i-were-both-terrified_2792345.jpg" --- # Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified that Martin… ![“Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified that Martin Scorsese didn't think we were very good - and if he didn't think we were very good, that was it. That was the end of the line. If Martin Scorsese thinks you stink, you stink.” quote by John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/john-heard-29955_scorsese_griffin-dunne-and-i-were-both-terrified_2792345.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/john-heard-29955_scorsese_griffin-dunne-and-i-were-both-terrified_2792345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/276/john-heard-29955_scorsese_griffin-dunne-and-i-were-both-terrified_2792345.jpg) > “Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified that Martin Scorsese didn't think we were very good - and if he didn't think we were very good, that was it. That was the end of the line. If Martin Scorsese thinks you stink, you stink.” [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of judgment from a powerful figure can cripple confidence and career prospects. **In simple terms:** Being judged by a famous director can end a career. Key Takeaway Seek validation from within, not just authority. Themes confidence career authority selfworth Mood anxious determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - job interviews - creative collaborations Key Concepts impostor syndrome power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain self‑belief when criticized? - What steps can you take to prove your worth? A Different Perspective Even if a respected figure doubts you, personal growth continues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martin-scorsese/) [Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scorsese/) [Scorsese Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scorsese-didn-3389799/) [Scorsese Thinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scorsese-thinks-3389798/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinks Stink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinks-stink-3389800/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) ## Related quotes > [Whatever, man. Scorsese thinks I’m awesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah/whatever-man-scorsese-thinks-i-m-awesome/) [Jonah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah/) > [Martin Scorsese was very much the actor's director. We were all very in awe of Martin Scorsese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/martin-scorsese-was-very-much-the-actor-s-director-we-were-all-very/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [ \[Martin Scorsese \] basically works just like any other director. You work the scene, you try to find what's best in it and make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/martin-scorsese-basically-works-just-like-any-other-director-you-work/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [I said to Martin Scorsese, 'When are you going to make another film with a woman at the center?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-said-to-martin-scorsese-when-are-you-going-to-make-another-film/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Within the space of a year, I worked on three TV shows, and the first one was directed by Martin Scorsese, the second one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-dacosta/within-the-space-of-a-year-i-worked-on-three-tv-shows-and-the-first/) [Nia DaCosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-dacosta/) > [We were the only ones interested in comedy. Everybody else wanted to be Martin Scorsese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-stone/we-were-the-only-ones-interested-in-comedy-everybody-else-wanted-to/) [Matt Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-stone/) > [When I was filming 'The Outsiders,' my idea of success was getting the next Martin Scorsese movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/when-i-was-filming-the-outsiders-my-idea-of-success-was-getting-the/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [I mean, being shot in slow motion doing cocaine by Martin Scorsese is, like, maybe every actor's dream. Nothing will compare to it. Except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/i-mean-being-shot-in-slow-motion-doing-cocaine-by-martin-scorsese-is/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [There is really no one who hasn't made mistakes in their career. I'm always shocked that people would be so surprised that I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/there-is-really-no-one-who-hasn-t-made-mistakes-in-their-career-i-m/) [James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/) > [Working with Martin Scorsese was an absolute minute-by-minute education without him ever being grandiose about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/working-with-martin-scorsese-was-an-absolute-minute-by-minute/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Hollywood is a wonderful machine for making big movies. In France, we make smaller and more personal films, but if things keep changing, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludivine-sagnier/hollywood-is-a-wonderful-machine-for-making-big-movies-in-france-we/) [Ludivine Sagnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludivine-sagnier/) > [Producing, for me anyway, it's coming up with material. It's sitting down with you know the likes of Martin Scorsese, Johnny Depp, Michael Mann…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-king/producing-for-me-anyway-it-s-coming-up-with-material-it-s-sitting/) [Graham King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-king/) > [Martin Scorsese and I first met over Zoom; then I met with both Marty and Leonardo DiCaprio, but I never read the script with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/martin-scorsese-and-i-first-met-over-zoom-then-i-met-with-both-marty/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [It's tough to get any film made, even if you're Martin Scorsese. It's just hard to get films made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sherman-palladino/it-s-tough-to-get-any-film-made-even-if-you-re-martin-scorsese-it-s/) [Amy Sherman-Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sherman-palladino/) > [Leo couldnt deliver Mr. Martin Scorsese his Oscar with The Aviator, but I will go on record to say I will do so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/leo-couldnt-deliver-mr-martin-scorsese-his-oscar-with-the-aviator-but/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) ## More by John Heard > [The look of the movie and the music, which was by Jack Nitzsche, is what really stands out to me. I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/the-look-of-the-movie-and-the-music-which-was-by-jack-nitzsche-is/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Cutter's Way was a real test of my stupidity. Every day, it was like, who did I think I was? But people put up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/cutter-s-way-was-a-real-test-of-my-stupidity-every-day-it-was-like/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [I remember one afternoon when we were out on a golf course somewhere, and Lauren Bacall, James Garner, and Jack Lemmon were sitting there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/i-remember-one-afternoon-when-we-were-out-on-a-golf-course-somewhere/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Denzel Washington was so great at The Great Debaters, so focused and talented. That was just an honor to be cast in that, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/denzel-washington-was-so-great-at-the-great-debaters-so-focused-and/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [That show, The Sopranos put HBO on the map. So there I was - and then there I wasn't. Too bad. The same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/that-show-the-sopranos-put-hbo-on-the-map-so-there-i-was-and-then/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Paul Schrader, he's a... son of a gun. He's a very feisty, very straightforward guy. He's your auteur director. He sent me to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/paul-schrader-he-s-a-son-of-a-gun-he-s-a-very-feisty-very/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Nastassja Kinski is a sweetie. She's very quiet. But smart. I hung out with her mother more than Nastassja. I think Nastassja was more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/nastassja-kinski-is-a-sweetie-she-s-very-quiet-but-smart-i-hung-out/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Rip Torn had, like, lessons in everything he said, and one of them was, "I know that an actor can undermine anything a director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/rip-torn-had-like-lessons-in-everything-he-said-and-one-of-them-was-i/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [When my agent called me up and said, "Do you want to be in a movie called Sharknado?" I said, "What is it about?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/when-my-agent-called-me-up-and-said-do-you-want-to-be-in-a-movie/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [There were a lot of things in it that were important at the time to me. Cutter's Way movie was very relevant. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/there-were-a-lot-of-things-in-it-that-were-important-at-the-time-to/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [I did a film about child abuse with the great producer-director Richard Donner, Radio Flyer. Again, I was replacing somebody, but Lorraine Bracco was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/i-did-a-film-about-child-abuse-with-the-great-producer-director/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Martin Scorsese was very much the actor's director. We were all very in awe of Martin Scorsese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/martin-scorsese-was-very-much-the-actor-s-director-we-were-all-very/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [They killed me in The Sopranos. I went to David Chase, and I said, "Why me? I'm a detective! You can use me forever!"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/they-killed-me-in-the-sopranos-i-went-to-david-chase-and-i-said-why/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [Television is fast and loose. You have two or three takes to get your part right, and if you have a problem, well, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/television-is-fast-and-loose-you-have-two-or-three-takes-to-get-your/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) > [After The Sopranos, my mother said, "Couldn't there be some raft floating under the bridge when you jumped? Or couldn't you have a twin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heard/after-the-sopranos-my-mother-said-couldn-t-there-be-some-raft/) [John Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) [Explore all 18 John Heard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heard/) ## More Scorsese quotes > [Leo couldnt deliver Mr. Martin Scorsese his Oscar with The Aviator, but I will go on record to say I will do so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/leo-couldnt-deliver-mr-martin-scorsese-his-oscar-with-the-aviator-but/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [I've always been drawn to a certain kind of dark aesthetic in cinema and in film, to what's abjected or considered abject. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-yelchin/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-a-certain-kind-of-dark-aesthetic-in-cinema/) [Anton Yelchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-yelchin/) > [It's tough to get any film made, even if you're Martin Scorsese. It's just hard to get films made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sherman-palladino/it-s-tough-to-get-any-film-made-even-if-you-re-martin-scorsese-it-s/) [Amy Sherman-Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sherman-palladino/) > [Martin Scorsese and I first met over Zoom; then I met with both Marty and Leonardo DiCaprio, but I never read the script with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/martin-scorsese-and-i-first-met-over-zoom-then-i-met-with-both-marty/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [Producing, for me anyway, it's coming up with material. It's sitting down with you know the likes of Martin Scorsese, Johnny Depp, Michael Mann…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-king/producing-for-me-anyway-it-s-coming-up-with-material-it-s-sitting/) [Graham King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-king/) > [Scorsese would talk to me about this movie 'The Heiress' with Olivia de Havilland. We were talking about this scene in it, and suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/scorsese-would-talk-to-me-about-this-movie-the-heiress-with-olivia-de/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [Hollywood is a wonderful machine for making big movies. In France, we make smaller and more personal films, but if things keep changing, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludivine-sagnier/hollywood-is-a-wonderful-machine-for-making-big-movies-in-france-we/) [Ludivine Sagnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludivine-sagnier/) > [In Goodfellas they have this one scene where the camera goes down some steps and walks through a kitchen into a restaurant and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/in-goodfellas-they-have-this-one-scene-where-the-camera-goes-down/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > [When Scorsese or Coppola cast celebrities in their work, it goes without question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-taylor-johnson/when-scorsese-or-coppola-cast-celebrities-in-their-work-it-goes/) [Sam Taylor-Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-taylor-johnson/) > [Movies I liked growing up were like Francis Ford Coppolla movies and Scorsese movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-wilson/movies-i-liked-growing-up-were-like-francis-ford-coppolla-movies-and/) [Owen Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-wilson/) > [Bill Viola is worth ten Scorseses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/bill-viola-is-worth-ten-scorseses/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) > [Working with Martin Scorsese was an absolute minute-by-minute education without him ever being grandiose about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/working-with-martin-scorsese-was-an-absolute-minute-by-minute/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Really, what I'm doing is an attempt to continue the best work of the people I adore: Francis Coppola and Scorsese and Robert Altman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/really-what-i-m-doing-is-an-attempt-to-continue-the-best-work-of-the/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [There is really no one who hasn't made mistakes in their career. I'm always shocked that people would be so surprised that I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/there-is-really-no-one-who-hasn-t-made-mistakes-in-their-career-i-m/) [James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/) > [Cinema is a visual language, and you're always looking for visual metaphors for things. You know, if I was writing a play about Howard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-logan/cinema-is-a-visual-language-and-you-re-always-looking-for-visual/) [John Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-logan/) [Browse all 134 Scorsese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scorsese/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Griffin Dunne and I were both terrified that Martin Scorsese didn't think we were very good - and if he didn't think we were very good, that was it. That was the end of the line. 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