Despite a career spanning more than four decades, Alfred Molina admits he's contemplated walking away from acting more times than he can count. Appearing on the August 24 episode of the Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko, the 73-year-old actor was asked point-blank whether he'd ever thought about quitting. His answer was immediate: "Loads." Molina explained that the urge tends to surface during moments of professional frustration rather than as any kind of considered decision.

He traced some of that self-doubt back to the very start of his career, recalling blunt advice from the dean at his drama school, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. When he left drama school, the dean told him not to be surprised if he didn't start working until his 30s, essentially telling him he wasn't leading man material. Molina noted that such criticisms stick with a person, though his thoughts of quitting have always remained impulsive reactions rather than actual plans.

Discussing the psychology of performers, Molina offered a broader theory about actors and anxiety, suggesting that self-doubt is baked into the profession itself. He joked that actors might have a "gene missing" and that the desire to perform is an attempt to fill that psychological gap. He added that the stories actors share most fondly are rarely about triumphs, but rather about disasters, humiliations, and failures.

Molina began his career on the West End before making his film debut in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Over a distinguished career, he has earned acclaim for stage and screen roles including Frida, An Education, and his iconic portrayal of Otto Octavius, or Doc Ock, in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Despite the fleeting thoughts of walking away, he continues to work and embrace new creative projects.