"Of course it's difficult to turn anything down when Mike Nichols calls you personally"
About this Quote
Martin’s intent is smartly double-edged. On the surface, she’s complimenting Nichols with the kind of warm, self-deprecating humility actors are trained to deploy in public. Underneath, she’s pointing to a truth insiders recognize: choice is often an illusion when opportunity arrives wearing the face of authority. “Difficult to turn anything down” isn’t about weak will; it’s about knowing the cost of saying no in an ecosystem where access can be fleeting and memory can be short.
The phrasing also lets Martin sidestep ego. She doesn’t claim she was indispensable; she frames herself as the lucky recipient of attention from someone whose taste and track record made the call feel consequential. It’s a neat cultural snapshot of an era when directors like Nichols functioned as brands, and being wanted by them meant you were, briefly and unmistakably, wanted by the culture.
Quote Details
| Topic | Movie |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Martin, Andrea. (2026, January 17). Of course it's difficult to turn anything down when Mike Nichols calls you personally. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/of-course-its-difficult-to-turn-anything-down-63782/
Chicago Style
Martin, Andrea. "Of course it's difficult to turn anything down when Mike Nichols calls you personally." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/of-course-its-difficult-to-turn-anything-down-63782/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Of course it's difficult to turn anything down when Mike Nichols calls you personally." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/of-course-its-difficult-to-turn-anything-down-63782/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.




