When you work as an actor (or engage in any profession, really), it’s not uncommon to have career-related regrets. Even Kevin Bacon expressed remorse about not taking advice from others during his formative years, while speaking to CinemaBlend during a recent interview. It would seem, though, that there’s at least one star who feels contrition when it comes to having entered the industry in the first place. Veteran actor John Corbett is that person, and he didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts. He also dropped a few f-bombs while explaining his rationale.
63-year-old John Corbett has definitely seen his share of successes over the course of his nearly four-decade-spanning career. However, it would seem that “it’s been unfulfilling” for the star in some respects. He opened up about that while speaking with Dana Carvey and David Spade on the pair’s Fly on the Wall podcast. Considering that Corbett is now in the latter part of his career, or what he calls “the fourth quarter” of it, he seems to have found some perspective. When explaining why he believes he “picked the fucking wrong thing to do” with his life, he said the following:
So I can reveal now I picked the fucking wrong thing to do with my life. Have you ever sat in a fucking waiting room of a doctor’s office for like an hour and been like, ‘What the fuck?' For me, that’s what making a movie is like, because I’m not part of any creative process.
Based on what we can glean from the Volcano alum’s comments, he seems disappointed in the lack of creative input he’s had in the productions he’s starred in over the years. I can honestly understand why that would be frustrating for him. Collaboration heavily factors into movies and TV shows and, in many cases, actors have expressed delight about being asked for their opinions. So I’d imagine that it would be discouraging for a star when they’re not able to provide their thoughts on the work that’s being done. During his interview, John Corbett did acknowledge what he’s been able to gain from his career while also doubling down on his lack of contentment:
I’ve made a lot of money. I live in a beautiful home. People come to me at every restaurant I go in. I’m a friend of the world. But as far as a fulfilling creative work life, I didn’t write one fucking line. I didn’t write one joke that made people laugh. So it’s been unfulfilling on that level.
The West Virginia native has appeared in movies and shows, ranging from Tombstone and Raising Helen to Northern Exposure and Parenthood. However, he’s arguably most famous for his role as Ian Miller in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (which can be streamed with a Max subscription) and its sequels. He’s also well-known for his role as Aiden Shaw on Sex and the City (which is on Max and streamable for Netflix subscribers). Those aforementioned credits alone are impressive yet, to the star’s point, they likely represent instances in which the material was simply dictated to him.
Admittedly, the experiences shared by John Corbett – who nearly starred in an NCIS: LA spinoff – may be a major reason why so many actors are starting to wear multiple hats. John Krasinski, Olivia Wilde, Jordan Peele and more have been able to shift into the writing/directing space. Others have also become producers, like Camila Mendes, who was a first-time producer on the 2024 movie release Upgraded. And Margot Robbie was a producer on the Oscar-winning box office hit Barbie.
It’s unfortunate to hear that John Corbett hasn’t felt creatively fulfilled by his career as a whole. With what he’s feeling at this stage in his career, one would hope that he either finds some creative fulfillment within the business or discovers it by way of a different outlet.
