“As an actor, I don’t feel like it’s necessary to watch a great deal of films. In fact, I think it can lead to imitation and unhealthy competition, which just isn’t needed.”

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.

It’s about pursuing it rather than waiting to see what comes along. That’s partly because I found myself getting typecast, as everyone does unless they pursue roles that are very different from what they’ve done before.

Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that is base.

It is good to have competition.

Growth is not a competition.

Don’t be afraid to smoke the competition, because you are the only competition.

And while the law of competition may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department.

It is easier to make progress on mega-ambitious dreams. Since no one else is crazy enough to do it, you have little competition.

My goal is to continue to learn, grow, and elevate my competition with every fight.

The best competition I have is against myself to become better.