“I’m not interested in a good man’s life. I’m interested in contradiction.”

I personally think if something’s not a challenge there’s no point doing it because you’re not gonna learn much.

I’m terrible. I’m the wrong person to talk to, I really don’t know a thing.

I think for me with theater, I need to take a break and then fall in love with it again. And then go do it again.

It was very much about performances, the whole ensemble thing was just great – everybody working together. Sometimes it didn’t feel like a film set. It wasn’t technically driven, it was very, very enjoyable.

I don’t have a burning passion to live in America per se but I would certainly like to work there.

My wife can see always how a part affects me personally because she has to live with it.

I’d probably have been wealthier if I had stayed with law, but pretty miserable doing it.

I’m interested in pressure, I’m interested in duress. All the great works of art, or film or literature, in my opinion, have elements of those in them.

Having started out in theatre, I feel an impulse to do it as much as I can.

I will always love film, the romance of film, sitting in the darkened room with strangers and watching a story for two hours – that will always remain and never be eroded by television.

You need to be as clean of a slate as you can be, as an actor. You have to try to be open to every experience.

That’s what acting is about, Funny wigs and voices, that’s what we do.

I loved The Fall; I was kind of obsessed with that show.

Two weeks ago we couldn’t pronounce your name, but you were in the lead in a film that made millions, so we’re sending you all these scripts.

I like the little bit of distance that London affords me and I like living in a world capital. I like having the culture at my fingertips.

I’ve always felt kind of safe on stage, protected. I’ve talked to other performers about this and they feel the same things, particularly in the live arena. I never get nervous going on stage to do a play. Doing film or television I’ll have more butterflies.

As the old saw says well: every end does not appear together with its beginning. It’s impossible for someone who is human to have all good things together, just as there is no single country able to provide all good things for itself.

He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars; General Good is the plea of the scoundrel, hypocrite and flatterer: For Art and Science cannot exist but in minutely organized Particulars.

I would take a bad script and a good director any day against a good script and a bad director.

That’s my only goal. Surround myself with funny people, and make sure everyone has a good time and works hard.

It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones.

I have eyes like a bullfrog, a neck like an ostrich and long, limp hair. You just have to be good to survive with that equipment.

My motto is more good times.

You cannot look at a person and tell whether they’re good or bad.