Jeffrey Dean Morgan says his ‘horrible’ role on Star Trek: Enterprise almost made him quit acting

Jeffrey Dean Morgan says his ‘horrible’ experience playing an alien on Star Trek: Enterprise almost made him quit acting entirely

He’s a consummate professional with years of experience on camera.

But Jeffrey Dean Morgan recently revealed one role that almost made him quit acting altogether.

The 54-year-old Walking Dead favorite discussed his career on the latest episode of popular YouTube series Hot Ones.

While in the hot seat, host Sean Evans asked the Rampage actor to revisit his awful experience playing a Xindi-Reptilian on a 2003 episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Looking back: Jeffrey Dean Morgan explained how a role in Star Trek: Enterprise almost made him quit acting while appearing on Hot Ones

Morgan explained why the job – which required heavy prosthetics and makeup – was a learning experience, saying: ‘It turns out I’m claustrophobic. 

‘I had a really hard time doing the makeup process, I had straws in my nose,’ he recalled. 

It was an exhausting experience for the actor, even causing him to reconsider his career choices. 

‘I’ve never been on a set where I went home at night and just thought, “What am I doing, I’ve made the worst f***ing decision of my life, I don’t ever want to be an actor again.”‘

Not a fun time: The actor, 54, said he found out he was claustrophobic after going through extensive makeup, revealing 'I had a really hard time doing the makeup process, I had straws in my nose' in order to play Xindi-Reptilian on a 2003 episode of Star Trek: Enterprise (above)

Not a fun time: The actor, 54, said he found out he was claustrophobic after going through extensive makeup, revealing ‘I had a really hard time doing the makeup process, I had straws in my nose’ in order to play Xindi-Reptilian on a 2003 episode of Star Trek: Enterprise (above)

Breaking point: The Walking Dead favorite told host Sean Evans that he had 'never' been in a situation where a role had made him want to give up his acting career

Breaking point: The Walking Dead favorite told host Sean Evans that he had ‘never’ been in a situation where a role had made him want to give up his acting career

‘I was sure that this was just wrong and it almost made me quit…it was horrible,’ the star went on.

Morgan previously described his experience in greater depth during a 2012 interview with Entertainment Weekly, where he noted that he had taken on the role to ‘pay my bills.’

The Seattle native said he was taking on whatever roles he could at during his early years as an actor and admitted that he was not prepared for what he signed up for. 

‘I knew I’d play some guy saying some stuff. Then I got a call saying I needed to go in for a prosthetic fitting. I remember them dripping goop on my face…I couldn’t eat lunch. I was claustrophobic. I’d go home in tears,’ he said. 

Taking care of business: In a 2012 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor noted that he had accepted the role to 'pay my bills'; he is pictured at the 2015 premiere of Ant-Man

Taking care of business: In a 2012 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor noted that he had accepted the role to ‘pay my bills’; he is pictured at the 2015 premiere of Ant-Man

Onwards and upwards: Morgan embarked on a successful career in film and television after taking on his role in Star Trek: Enterprise; he is seen with Katherine Heigl in a 2006 episode of Grey's Anatomy

Onwards and upwards: Morgan embarked on a successful career in film and television after taking on his role in Star Trek: Enterprise; he is seen with Katherine Heigl in a 2006 episode of Grey’s Anatomy

Although the actor had a difficult period during the earlier stages in his career, he went on to have featured roles in several high-profile television and film projects.

From 2006 until 2009, he portrayed Denny Duquette, who was Izzie Stevens’ fiancé for a short period of time, although he was later written off the show. 

Morgan also landed the role of Negan in the long-running horror-drama series The Walking Dead, where he has been a series regular ever since the show began its seventh season in 2016. 

Fan favorite: Morgan later took on the role of Negan in the long-running horror-drama series The Walking Dead, where he became a series regular

Fan favorite: Morgan later took on the role of Negan in the long-running horror-drama series The Walking Dead, where he became a series regular