Quote Of The Day: Michelle Monaghan On Staying Positive

Michelle Monaghan might be best known for playing Julia Meade in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise, but the “Gone Baby Gone” star has also made her mark in television.

After her breakthrough in the medium with 2003’s “Boston Public,” Monaghan went on to star in Season 1 of “True Detective,” for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film for in 2015. She also starred in shows such as “The Path,” “Messiah,” and “Echoes.” Her latest television role was in Season 3 of “The White Lotus,” where she played Jaclyn Lemon, whose seemingly generous personality hid some deep-seated insecurities.

On the film side, Monaghan’s prominent credits include “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “Made of Honor,” “Patriots Day,” and “Source Code.” She also appeared in “MaXXXine,” the third and final installment in Ti West’s “X” horror trilogy.

Monaghan has steadily built a robust career across mediums to consistently showcase her commitment to the craft, which is why she is today’s quote of the day.

“You have good days, you have bad days, and just let it roll right off your back. You can’t dwell; I don’t dwell. But just perseverance, I think that’s the most [important] in any field, especially in any creative field.”

The above quote is from Monaghan’s 2011 interview with Daily Actor, as part of the press cycle for “Source Code” at SXSW (South by Southwest). When asked to provide advice to actors, Monaghan identified perseverance as the most significant quality while pursuing one’s dreams, especially in the creative field.

Monaghan’s quote is contextualized against the challenging aspects of shooting “Source Code,” which features a “Groundhog Day”-esque plotline that demanded multiple renditions of the same scenes. 

“I sort of came up with an idea of how I wanted each ‘Source Code’ to be tonally,” Monaghan added, highlighting the proactive approach she took to work within such a tricky premise. 

Before becoming a part of a prominent franchise like “Mission: Impossible,” Monaghan had to contend with major career hurdles from time to time. 

After the actor played a half-demon named Ellie in Francis Lawrence’s “Constantine,” Monaghan’s character was completely cut from the movie to strengthen the film’s story and pacing. Although this was a major setback, Monaghan took it in stride and didn’t allow this experience to put a damper on her passion and enthusiasm for acting.

While it might be tempting to dwell on the negative things in life, the key to success in any creative field is to keep moving forward in spite of unfortunate circumstances. This attitude worked in Monaghan’s favor, as Lawrence ended up sharing her audition tape for “Constantine” with J. J. Abrams, which ultimately landed her a spot in 2006’s “Mission: Impossible III.”

• “There’s something great about moving forward and trusting the universe to keep you on the right path. Years later, while working on ‘Gone Baby Gone,’ I realized that I was writing the who, what, when, where, and why of my character, Angie Gennaro. At that moment, I knew that going to journalism school actually did shape my acting practice. Nothing is for naught.” — from a 2024 op-ed for Backstage
  
• “I’m very intentional about how and where I spend my time. I also have an understanding of the duties and responsibilities that I’ve taken on, and I have gratitude for that.” — from a 2026 interview with Reader’s Digest
  
• “It’s nice that people feel that they’re in an environment where they can talk about what makes them happy. Everybody should just do what floats their boat, to be honest … I think that the more that we’re privy to and the more that we can find the right things that work for everyone or for each other, for yourself, you can make informed decisions. I think that’s amazing.” — from a 2025 interview with Cosmopolitan