Dennis Quaid, at 70, Is Having More Fun Now Than When He Was “Young and Hungry”

After Dennis Quaid accepted CinemaCon‘s cinema icon award during the closing night Big Screen Achievement Awards, host Kevin Frazier surprised the veteran actor with a birthday cake as the crowd inside the Colosseum sang “Happy Birthday.”

Quaid turned 70 on Tuesday, and it was a fitting celebration for the star, who was feeling particularly reflective about where he’s at in his life and career at this chapter. “I’m on my sixth decade in this wonderful business,” Quaid said in accepting the honor, which arrives as he has The Long Game in theaters this weekend and the release of Reagan on the horizon. “To tell you the truth, I really do feel like I have more fun. I enjoy it now more than when I was young and hungry — not trying to get anywhere. I do it because I love it and that makes me kind of the luckiest guy on Earth, to tell you the truth.”

He spent a bit of time taking a walk down memory lane, revisiting his youth and early memories of sneaking into movie theaters, which inspired a dream of becoming an actor. He credited Steve McQueen, Bonnie & Clyde and said the first movie he saw was Love Me Tender at the Paramount Theater in Austin. He was only 5 years old at the time “it was such an exhilarating feeling of freedom,” he recalled. “I was not going to be an actor. I was going to be a veterinarian and I’m really glad I changed my mind, although I could still go back to school if I wanted,” he quipped.

Quaid shared the stage with a roster of honorees that included Lupita Nyong’o (star of the year), Amy Poehler (vanguard award), Shawn Levy (director of the year), Geena Davis (Viola Davis trailblazer award), Joseph Quinn (breakthrough performer of the year award), Dan Stevens (excellence in acting award) and Ariana Greenblatt (rising star of the year). Coca-Cola served as the night’s presenting sponsor, while Entertainment Tonight frontman Frazier hosted the festivities.

Quaid also spent a chunk of time doling out thanks, notably to the theater owners in the audience, as CinemaCon represents the annual gathering of members of the National Association of Theater Owners. He thanked his reps — UTA’s Darren Boghosian and Brillstein’s George Freeman — and his “beautiful wife” Laura, “who makes every day heaven for me when I wake up.” He also offered gratitude “to my lord and savior, Jesus Christ, for blessing me well beyond what I deserve.”

In closing, Quaid promised, “I’ll keep making movies. You guys keep doing what you do. Thank you very much. God bless you.”

Cinema Icon Award winner Dennis Quaid thanks “lord and savior Jesus Christ,” recalls wanting to be a veterinarian (“I’m really glad I changed my mind”) and how Star Wars impacted movie business (“Everything took off”) during acceptance speech. #CinemaCon pic.twitter.com/gWTwBarvLU

— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) April 12, 2024