“I always think it’s a sign of a truly gifted director when they can move seamlessly between genres.”

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.

And once you’re unafraid with death, I think your capacity for violence is immediately increased. Once you’re unafraid of death, you are a very, very dangerous adversary.

I really feel actors should try and do as much diverse work as possible to try and keep it interesting.

I want to really stress this, I am a director, an actor, producer, action choreographer, and I’m also an investor.

It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.

When I was a young stunt guy the director would say: “You’re useless” But I wanted to be the best, I wanted to be a super stunt guy. That’s how I built myself, because of martial arts and everything.

Every time I make an American film I just trust the American director and American writer. Myself, I would never make this kind of film. For me, those kinds of films are ridiculous. They don’t make sense.

My parents said, Oh, he’s going to be a director someday. I wanted to be an actor.

I have only one rule in acting – trust the director and give him heart and soul.

Oh, what the hell did I know? I went to the set the first day in full makeup and the director told me to take it off. So I did the film without makeup. I had nothing to do with anything I did. I never understood why I was so famous.

It’s scary being in a room with producers and saying, ‘Here’s my idea,’ when I’m scared to get shot down.