“Unfortunately, in Hollywood, there are those directors that have some contempt for actors. We’ve all experienced that, in one way or another.”

I’ve been auditioning since I was 7 years old.

It’s like you have a child and you think, ‘Everything that I’ve done up until this point is insignificant in comparison to being a father.’ It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.

Filmmaking is such a collaborative piece of art that you can’t look to one person – you couldn’t look to me, you couldn’t say, ‘Because Vin’s in it, it’s this or that.’ It’s really all of us coming together for that period of time to try and make magic.

You get a timeless cool card in New York.

Of course, I don’t act in an extreme fashion in my day to day life. I don’t think any of us live do. I think we all have that reserve somewhere and we pull upon it when we need it.

I grew up with all kinds of people.

It’s really bizarre because no one knows this, but elephants have killed more animal trainers than any other animal.

I was the oldest of the children in my family. I had to do a lot of diaper-changing and lunch-making. I was taking my little sister to ballet, picking up my brother, sort of being a super-nanny.

I started acting when I was seven-years-old. By the time I was 17 I would say: “If I’m not a star by the time I’m 18, I’ll get out of the business.”

I used to feel guilty about owning a console.

That’s what I love. I love thinking about the film, the project and committing myself as much as possible.

The whole year I was in LA I got into telemarketing and learned how to make money. Five years later that skill helped me make my first film.

I’m not disciplined enough to be a writer consistently. I write when I have to.

Deal-making goes on with any job.

I love women more than anything.

Choosing the car you drive is like choosing your wardrobe, maybe even more important.

“A good director is one that lets you improv,” that’s ridiculous. There’s some actors who should not be improving and there are some scripts that should not be touched. I think it’s just a case by case basis.

I operate the camera, I always do it when I’m the director, and I like to approach it as a documentary, finding the images based on what happens, as it happens.

I think a lot of good directors listen to music while they’re working. The songs just don’t become a part of the film. They’re replaced.

There are some directors, lesser in confidence or skill, who make the actor feel very uncomfortable because you feel you’re auditioning for them, every day, and that’s a terrible feeling on the set.

In the studio the director controls the actor’s every move, every inflection, every expression.

The producer, director and stars are the geniuses who get the hosannas when it’s a hit. Theirs are also the heads that are mounted on spears when it’s a flop.

My big break was becoming the spokesperson for Texas Instruments. Casting directors really started giving me a chance to read for projects.

[Fifty Shades Darker director] James Foley directed Fear. And that’s what I love about this film, because it has a real sexy thriller element about it.