“I think trying too hard to be sexy is the worst thing in the world a woman can do.”

I always leave that for other people to decide, because some of the things I consider to be disasters are some people’s favorite movies. And that’s what I like so much, is that you never know. Something intrigues somebody and means nothing to somebody else.

Sometimes the truth isn’t good enough. Sometimes people have got to have their faith rewarded.

I have a fear of being boring.

We’re all conning ourselves, one way or another, just to get through life.

If everyone really knew what a jerk I am in real life, I wouldn’t be so adored in the slightest.

I never want to feel that I’m playing it safe.

I would have been very happy just cruising around and enjoying the unexpected. I’ve never been ambitious.

Research can be interesting, but it can be pointless as well. The realities of making a movie often are not conducive with that. I’m not knocking it. I love doing research myself, but I admit it doesn’t always add to the performance.

I tend to think you’re fearless when you recognize why you should be scared of things, but do them anyway.

It’s not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me.

Planning a career, I always find a tricky thing, because I don’t have much of a plan, really.

The interesting thing about a movie is the movie.

A teenager usually wants to try to get people to notice him in some way, to feel like someone gives a damn. Me, all that attention, I just wanted to fade into the background. Be invisible. Disappear.

After the modest success of my first film, I found it very daunting to have to live with that kind of burden of expectations.

There’s nothing like boxing for getting you in shape.

There are occasions when I’ve pretended to be in a firefight, and then there are people who have really been in a firefight. Clearly it’s absolutely ridiculous, and even disrespectful, to suggest that I understand what that is.

The man who prays is the one who thinks that god has arranged matters all wrong, but who also thinks that he can instruct god how to put them right.

I still don’t know if I can write songs. I don’t think anyone ever knows if they can write songs.

I think every group of black guys should have at least one white guy in it.

It means a great deal, I think, to start off on a foundation which one has made for oneself.

I think that I think, therefore I think that I am.

Campaigns are so much more expensive than people think they are. Just to keep the lights on is several thousand dollars a month.

I think an artist is anybody who does something well, like if you cook well.

Most people in America think Art is a man’s name.