How Danny DeVito Got Into Acting

How Danny DeVito Got Into Acting

From Hairdresser to Hollywood Icon: The Unlikely Rise of Danny DeVito

(By Carmichael Phillip)

Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. was born on November 17, 1944, in Neptune Township, New Jersey. Raised in the neighboring town of Asbury Park, he was the youngest of three children in an Italian-American household. His father, Daniel Sr., owned a small business, while his mother, Julia, was a homemaker. Though his childhood was modest, it was filled with love, tight-knit family traditions, and a deeply rooted sense of humor.

Growing up, Danny never pictured himself as an actor. In fact, acting wasn’t even on the radar. In interviews, DeVito has often spoken about how distant Hollywood felt from his life as a kid in New Jersey. “We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had plenty of character,” DeVito once said in a Rolling Stone interview. “I never thought I’d end up in the movies.”

What he did know was that he had a knack for entertaining. Even as a child, he could make people laugh, and he loved being the center of attention—though not in an egotistical way. It was simply who he was.

After finishing high school, DeVito wasn’t quite sure what to do with his life. His sister suggested he consider cosmetology because it offered a steady income and he could work with people. Taking her advice, Danny enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York—not to act, but to study makeup.

However, something unexpected happened. While studying makeup, DeVito began to find himself fascinated with what was happening on stage rather than backstage. His curiosity grew, and he began watching acting students rehearse their scenes, observing how they transformed into different people.

Eventually, he auditioned for the acting program on a whim—and was accepted.

“I took a chance,” DeVito said in a 2016 interview with NPR. “I went in for makeup and came out an actor. That’s the twist in the story.”

Danny studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and graduated in 1966. Although the experience opened his eyes to the craft and discipline required for acting, it didn’t instantly launch him into stardom.

In the years that followed, DeVito worked odd jobs to make ends meet, including working as a car parker and a janitor. He took any small theater role he could land, frequently performing in off-Broadway productions and experimental plays. Despite the lack of recognition, DeVito remained committed.

“I wasn’t thinking about fame,” he recalled in an interview with The Guardian. “I was just trying to pay rent and learn something new every day.”

His height—just 4 feet 10 inches—also meant he had to work harder to prove himself. Hollywood didn’t always embrace actors who didn’t fit the traditional leading-man mold, and that reality made DeVito’s journey all the more uphill.

In 1975, DeVito landed a role that would become his first big break: Martini in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He had previously played the same character in the stage version, and when the film adaptation went into production, he reprised the role.

The film, starring Jack Nicholson, was a major success—winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Though DeVito’s role was small, his performance stood out.

“I didn’t have many lines,” DeVito said, “but I knew this was my shot. I just tried to be real, to bring humanity to Martini.”

His work in the film caught the attention of casting directors and producers in Hollywood, and doors slowly began to open.

In 1978, Danny DeVito was cast as Louie De Palma in the television sitcom Taxi. The role would define the early years of his career and earn him both fame and critical acclaim. Louie was brash, rude, scheming—and absolutely hilarious. Audiences loved to hate him.

“Louie was a monster,” DeVito laughed in a retrospective for TV Guide. “But he was a lovable monster.”

DeVito’s performance earned him a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award. More importantly, it made him a household name.

“Taxi changed everything for me,” he explained. “I wasn’t just a guy doing theater anymore. I was a TV star. It gave me financial stability and a platform.”

After the success of Taxi, DeVito began receiving film offers. He starred in hits like Romancing the Stone (1984), Ruthless People (1986), and Throw Momma from the Train (1987), the latter of which he also directed. His directorial debut was met with praise and revealed yet another talent: he wasn’t just funny—he had vision.

In the 1990s, he continued his success with roles in Batman Returns (as The Penguin), Get Shorty, Matilda (which he also directed and produced), and Twins, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Danny’s ability to play both villains and heroes—often with a comedic twist—helped him carve out a niche that was entirely his own.

“When I direct, I think about characters more than shots,” DeVito said. “And when I act, I think about how I’d direct the scene. It all blends together.”

In 2006, Danny DeVito joined the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Frank Reynolds, a role that redefined his career for a new generation. The show was known for pushing boundaries, and DeVito’s arrival added an unexpected layer of chaos, humor, and depth.

At the time, it was surprising to see a seasoned actor join such a young, offbeat cast. But DeVito saw something in the project.

“My daughter showed me the pilot, and I thought it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen,” he recalled. “I called my agent and said, ‘I want to be on that show.’”

His decision paid off. It’s Always Sunny became a cult hit and eventually one of the longest-running live-action comedies in U.S. television history.

Danny DeVito never set out to be a Hollywood icon, but his authenticity, talent, and work ethic brought him there. His height, once seen as a possible barrier, became a defining trait that made him instantly recognizable. But his heart, timing, and instincts made him unforgettable.

Over the years, DeVito has remained grounded despite his success. He’s been open about his struggles, his joys, and his gratitude. In a recent interview with Esquire, he said:

“I was lucky, yeah. But I also showed up, worked hard, and tried to be a good guy. That’s the real secret.”

His contributions to both comedy and drama, acting and directing, stage and screen, have made him a beloved figure in entertainment history.

Danny DeVito’s journey into acting was never conventional. He didn’t grow up dreaming of stardom, he didn’t look like the typical leading man, and he didn’t follow a straight path. But perhaps that’s what makes his story so compelling.

He found his way into acting not by chasing the spotlight, but by being curious—first about makeup, then about performance, and eventually about storytelling. His success wasn’t overnight, and it wasn’t handed to him. He earned it, role by role, laugh by laugh, shot by shot.

In the end, Danny DeVito reminds us that talent comes in all shapes and sizes—and that sometimes, the best actors are the ones who never planned on acting at all.

“I’m just a kid from Jersey who got lucky,” DeVito once said.
“But you make your own luck. You’ve got to believe in the story you’re telling—even if it’s your own.”

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