Danny DeVito says he asked ‘who wrote this sh**’ when he auditioned for Golden Globe winning role

Danny DeVito has shared the unexpected way he went about securing his role in the acclaimed comedy Taxi.

When the sitcom began its search for its ensemble cast before production commenced, DeVito was an actor whose time mostly consisted of looking for work.

He had just appeared in the critically acclaimed film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest when a casting director for Taxi got in touch about a new role.

It worked. The beloved actor and director starred in the hit sitcom about a group of New York City taxi drivers, their everyday lives and their abusive dispatcher for all five seasons between 1978-1983.

DeVito added: “And from that moment on, like when I was in the audience, I mean, anything I said, they found funny.

“So it was really a cool way to get a part.”

DeVito won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role in Taxi, which he said felt ‘great’ to achieve so early in his career.

It wasn’t just DeVito who was recognised for his role on Taxi, the show was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for a total 31 Emmy Awards and won 13, including three consecutive years winning the Outstanding Comedy honour.

Taxi featured a cast who would go on to have success in other projects including Judd Hirsch, Tony Danza, Back to the Future star Christopher Lloyd, the late Andy Kaufman and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt alum Carol Kane.