Matthew Modine on Ted Kennedy | Big Think

Matthew Modine on Ted Kennedy

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Service is how Matthew Modine describes the life of Ted Kennedy.

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Matthew Modine:

Matthew Modine is an actor who has starred in major films including Streamers, Full Metal Jacket, Married to the Mob, Pacific Heights, Any Given Sunday, and Notting Hill. His recent television work includes Showtime's hit, Weeds. And he recently wrote, directed and starred in the short film "I Think I Thought" about a man who cures himself of over-thinking. He lives in New York.

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TRANSCRIPT:

Question: I just, you know, when I think of Ted Kennedy, I think, of public service, you know, that the… I think of, you know, the big road bump in his life was an accident. You know, it was something that happened and I think about all the times that the mistakes that I have made in my life, you know, the bad choices that I made in my life that I didn’t hit a bump or I didn’t get caught and that had I, that my life would have gone in a different direction, you know. And how important, I would rather be judged in my life by people who’ve slipped and fallen, by people who’ve made mistakes then people who haven’t. And the road bump in his life was an accident. How many people in our country, you know, have been behind the wheel of a car and had too much to drink and got home safely or didn’t run somebody over when they were driving. Didn’t get in a car accident, you know, that we all. But when somebody does do that and we… so quickly jump to blame and judge, you know, instead of looking in the mirror. Before you point the finger and say you’re the bad guy, you made a mistake, have a look in the mirror and look at your own life and say like how many mistakes have you made in your life that you just didn’t get caught, that you didn’t… You know, have that accident, you know, and I think, of his life and I know that Ted Kennedy at the end of his life, have to be able to put his head on the [pillow] and say I’m a good man. That I fought for people who didn’t have a voice. That I was a good man and a good father and, you know, a good uncle that he… grandfather, you know