“I did a lot of acting at school and university, then I went to drama school. It was quite a normal route.”

Sherlock being the most prevalent, and they’ve been really good fun.

I was never geeky about anything.

Sometimes being away, on location, I feel like I’m away for much of my own life. I want to be better at staying connected.

Upper class to me means you are either born into wealth or you’re Royalty.

This is an odd profession, and sometimes people get jealous, but I haven’t really experienced any of that. Everyone’s been really happy for me, which is really, really great.

Even the cerebral characters I play seem to have physical quirks. They’re all “physically inhabited,” for lack off a better expression. For instance, Sherlock Holmes has very particular physical gestures which are drawn out in such detail.

I like to think that we’re revolving on this planet and revolving through the galaxy. I love having context that’s so much bigger than I can fathom. It’s fantastic to realise how insignificant you are.

I understand from those who adore him, he [Julian Assange] has a great sense of humor which rarely gets an airing because he’s dealing with such serious issues.

My mum and dad had worked incredibly hard to afford me an education.

[on BBC’s Sherlock] It’s a rare challenge, both for the audience and an actor, to take part in something with this level of intelligence and wit. You have to really enjoy it. It’s a form of mental and physical gymnastics.

[ Stephen Strange] is less strange than other characters I’ve played. He’s lost the power to love, which doesn’t make him a nasty person. I just think he’s closed-off.

Because reading is one of the joys of life, and once you begin, you can’t stop, and you’ve got so many stories to look forward to.

It’s always important to have the blessing.

I’ve never been front and centre as an iconic American character [like in Doctor Strange]. Day to day, you know you’re painting on a very big canvas.

I really cannot get over the generosity of our Tibetian teacher. He said, “Don’t punish yourself. You’re going to be a student at a university in the north of England. You need to have your experiences and have your fun, and not judge yourself. Don’t live in guilt and regret.”

Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame.