Dennis Quaid: ‘I’ve got more fire in my belly now than in my 20s’

Dennis Quaid has claimed that he has more ‘fire in his belly’ now that he’s older as he isn’t out to ‘prove anything’.

The Hollywood actor, 63, who stars in new family film A Dog’s Purpose, first made a name for himself in 1980s film including The Big Easy and Enemy Mine and is ‘grateful’ to still be working.

“What’s really great now is that I’m not out to prove anything or trying to build something,” he told the Standard. “I’m just enjoying what I’m doing.”

Quaid plays a man who is reunited with his childhood pet in Lasse Hallström’s new film, which co-stars Peggy Lipton and newcomer KJ Apa.

“I’d really like to try as many different types of things as possible, I love doing that and I have more fire in my belly now for it than I did in my 20s. I think I appreciate it more.” he said.

Quaid claimed that his appreciation for the job is why he is still getting work, while some of his contemporaries have fallen by the wayside.

“For one thing, I’m still grateful to be here, that does mean a lot. I look around and a lot of people I started out with… where are they? ,” he said.

“They either lost the fire in the belly or maybe the business wasn’t good to them or bad luck and I don’t think I appreciated that as much back then. When you’re young you think that everything goes on forever.”

The actor, who has starred on the big screen in films including The Day After Tomorrow and The Frequency, said the secret to success is ‘getting up off your ass’.

“You have to nurture it, you do have to nurture it. You have to get up off your ass and do something about it rather than complaining about it. It’s never somebody else fault or responsibility, it’s always mine. Having a good time is a decision.”

Quaid has been mixing things up in recent years, having just shot the new series of hit Sky show Fortitude.

But he couldn’t resist playing taking on the role as Ethan in the big-screen tear-jerker as he’s a huge ‘dog person’.

“It’s a story about unconditional love. When you watch it you are crying but then it makes you laugh right through your tears 10 seconds later,” he said.

“I wouldn’t describe myself as sentimental… if I cry in a theatre I won’t cry about sad things, I’ll cry about beauty. Beauty brings tears to my eyes, something beautiful, a beautiful act or something like that.”

A Dog’s Purpose is in UK cinemas on May 5.