The saying ‘success comes to those who wait’ is relevant for many celebrities in Hollywood who have ridden the wave of failure to achieve stardom. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is an actor whose career followed a similar path. While the star was the toast of the town on television in the 2000s with shows like The Walking Dead and Supernatural to his credit, his journey to the big leagues wasn’t easy.
Despite entering the industry in the 90s, Morgan spent many years auditioning for that one big break which eluded him constantly. Even when his manager who no longer believed in his talents dumped him, the charismatic star proved that perseverance always pays rich dividends by proving her totally wrong.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Gave A Fitting Reply To His Former Agent Through His Success
Being a celebrity in Hollywood is no bed of roses, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan knows this more than anyone else. The actor who is an instantly recognizable face for his marquee roles in Supernatural, The Walking Dead, and Grey’s Anatomy, has been a constant presence in the industry for many years.
While he was seen in many small and supporting roles in the 90s, Morgan was still struggling for that one big break that would open up bigger opportunities for him in Hollywood. This led to a period where the star auditioned for a number of roles but failed to bag any of them.
The challenging period further augmented when his manager at the time washed her hands off the responsibility and left him with scathing words that Morgan continued to remember for many years. In a 2015 interview with Moves, the Supernatural star elaborated on his agent’s opinion of his future, and how it galvanized him to work even harder.
“I’m expendable, that I’m too old, whatever it was, that I didn’t have the talent. It was crushing. But I remember thinking, ‘I’ve got no other option, here. What the? I can’t give this up now.'”
As it turned out, Morgan signed on with a new manager and succeeded through his steadfast determination, and eventually became a hugely popular star in films with roles in Watchmen, PS, I Love You, and Rampage, apart from his blockbuster television shows.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Almost Gave Up On His Acting Career After This Role
While everyone knows Jeffrey Dean Morgan for his roles in Supernatural and The Walking Dead, the actor also featured in the 63rd episode of Star Trek: Enterprise titled Carpenter Street. Though he is no stranger to long and strenuous hours on set following his gig on Supernatural, the Heist star was not prepared for the physical effort that was required for his appearance in the space saga.
Morgan, who played a Xindi-Reptilian named Damron who was part of a group seeking to wipe out the human race, discovered that this character was no small feat. The role which required lengthy hours in the makeup chair, also proved to be extremely tough in terms of handling the various physical requirements.
In addition, Morgan was also under pressure to make a name for himself as an actor while trying to make ends meet during a difficult period in his career. The star confessed to Entertainment Weekly that his vulnerable emotional state almost made him give up.
“I had to pay my bills. I knew I’d play some guy saying some stuff. Then I got a call saying I needed to go in for a prosthetic fitting. I remember them dripping goop on my face, and I had straws sticking out of my nose. I couldn’t eat lunch. I was claustrophobic. I’d go home in tears. This was the job that made me want to quit acting.”
Despites the hardships he faced during the show, Morgan persisted with his dreams and went on to gain a lot of success in his future projects.