"I also care that the public are getting their 12 dollars' worth when they go to a movie, and that they're not coming out not wanting to ever see a movie with me in it again. I don't care what people think of me as a person, but I do care what people think of my work, and whether I'm investing enough into it"
About this Quote
The subtext is a defensive professionalism. Worthington came up in the weirdest possible stardom lane: the post-Avatar era, where you can be globally ubiquitous and still not feel culturally beloved. In that context, caring about “work” over “person” reads less like purity and more like survival. If you’re not going to be the internet’s favorite boyfriend, you’d better be reliable on screen.
The repeated “care” does a lot of work, too. He’s not claiming indifference; he’s choosing what kind of pressure he’ll accept. It’s an actor’s version of craft talk with a box-office edge: invest enough, take the job seriously, and don’t leave the audience feeling cheated. Underneath the pragmatism is a quiet anxiety about staying power - not being liked, but being re-hired, re-watched, re-trusted.
Quote Details
| Topic | Work Ethic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Worthington, Sam. (2026, February 18). I also care that the public are getting their 12 dollars' worth when they go to a movie, and that they're not coming out not wanting to ever see a movie with me in it again. I don't care what people think of me as a person, but I do care what people think of my work, and whether I'm investing enough into it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-also-care-that-the-public-are-getting-their-12-65633/
Chicago Style
Worthington, Sam. "I also care that the public are getting their 12 dollars' worth when they go to a movie, and that they're not coming out not wanting to ever see a movie with me in it again. I don't care what people think of me as a person, but I do care what people think of my work, and whether I'm investing enough into it." FixQuotes. February 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-also-care-that-the-public-are-getting-their-12-65633/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I also care that the public are getting their 12 dollars' worth when they go to a movie, and that they're not coming out not wanting to ever see a movie with me in it again. I don't care what people think of me as a person, but I do care what people think of my work, and whether I'm investing enough into it." FixQuotes, 18 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-also-care-that-the-public-are-getting-their-12-65633/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
