“I love good film, whether it’s an independent or studio film. The independent films, I think the good ones aren’t necessarily eccentric ones but they’re the more specific ones.”

What’s the biggest compliment is if I read a review and it’s exactly what I wrote down in my diary before ever filming it. That’s really cool. That’s the biggest signifier of closing the gaps.

The challenge for me as an actor is if you become a celebrity, you don’t meet strangers anymore. And strangers are where we have our anonymity. And I believe it’s essential for the soul to be anonymous, especially if you’re going to be an actor.

I’m not arrogant enough to look back on my career and criticize my choices. It’s really not my place.

Don’t say you can do something when you really can’t.

I’m a golfer, and what are the two sports you can do till you drop? Golf and surfing. They’re great for you limber-wise, they’re great for you health-wise, and they put you in sweet locations.

I’m for gay power, straight power, male power, female power; everybody should feel empowered without oppressing anyone who’s different.

See, ‘A Time to Kill’ was the one I got famous off of. Big ka-boom, over one weekend. After that, I did films that I really wanted to do.

If you want your hair to be thicker, cut it when the moon is about to be full – a heavy, full, waxing moon. Do not cut it when the moon’s waning.

There’s a gap between what I want to do, what I do on camera, and what gets edited. Right? So the goal is to try and close the gaps.

A creep is someone who claims he’s one thing but he’s actually another.

I’m one of the most adaptable guys I know in as much as travelling is my favourite thing to do in life. With every place I go.

I have my own vocabulary. I love linguistics. That surprises people.

My rule is to break one sweat a day.

You want to be a writer? Start writing. You want to be a filmmaker? Start shooting stuff on your phone right now.

At the same time, when I can go off with a backpack or off on a surfboard or even off on a run somewhere in the woods – that’s where I’m really happy.

I don’t dabble and spend much mind or time dealing with, I don’t know, people’s perceptions of me. I truly don’t.

I’m totally independent. I don’t bear any responsibility to any system.

I was in the most restricted prison in China, the most tough. The design of the prison is modeled for internal crimes of the Communist party, so it’s like a mafia family’s law. It’s independent to the law this nation openly applies.

Maybe [success] is because I’m in China and I’m more open. Maybe it’s my independent behavior, or because I participated in certain projects. I have no idea.

I don’t think my father had a direct influence on me, but I do think, more or less, I was influenced by his independent individualism.

If there’s the right condition, I always want to express the concept or ideas in a very independent way.

The importance of elections, transparency, legal procedures, an independent army, and the judicial system is not regarded as highly in China. These core values are the most important evidence of the health of a society, quality of life, and security.

Now you have the equal opportunity to equip yourself through information and knowledge and express yourself as an independent mind.

I’d like a relationship that was like two tree trunks side by side, strong but independent.