“I like the anonymity that directors can have about their films.”

As long as your intentions are solid and about growth and progression and being productive and not being idle, then you’re doing good in my book.

We all know we have a finite period of time. I just feel if I’m going to be alive, I want to be challenged – to be as immortal as possible. The path to that isn’t an easy way, but it’s a rewarding way.

People are just afraid of things too much. Afraid of things that don’t necessarily merit fear.

My grandfather was smart and had a whole lot of pride. He didn’t speak a terrible amount, but you could tell there was a ton on his mind – like a quiet acceptance of how life had turned out.

I hope not to define myself by suffering.

I’ve been thinking about forever.

I play piano every day. I enjoy that.

When you write a song like ‘Forrest Gump,’ the subject can’t be androgynous. It requires an unnecessary amount of effort.

I never think about myself as an artist working in this time. I think about it in macro.

When I did have some success, it further emboldens you to be like, ‘No, I’m just going to write what I feel I should write.’

If someone breaks your heart, just punch them in the face. Seriously. Punch them in the face and go get some ice cream.

Some people focus more on sonics. Some people focus more on story. I focus on both sonics and story.

The Internet is just another experiment showing us more sides of us.

Boys do cry, but I don’t think I shed a tear for a good chunk of my teenage years.

I guess I’m just inspired to tell stories.

I just don’t trust journalists – and I don’t think it’s a good practice for me to trust journalists.

I really hope someday in Hollywood, some producer or director will hire me only to do drama.

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.