I love playing outsiders, I always do.

Life is just more comfortable if you're honest and open about everything. I spent so many years being in the closet about one thing or another.

The effort of learning. It's the same when you approach any new skill or technique, from a dance step to driving a car. The effort of learning stops you, at first, from doing it well.

Most of my career has been spent with the RSC doing Shakespeare, and the thing you learn from Shakespeare is that his historical plays don't bear anything other than a basic resemblance to history.

What drew me to acting in the first place was disguise.

I can feel the power of the words doing the work. Must trust language more.

I have a Woody Allen Jewish attitude to life: that it's all going to be disastrous. That it hasn't all been that way is simply down to some random quirk of fate.

It's good for actors to confront those things we have to act: panic, pain and death.

I don't believe in an afterlife.

I feel so sorry for younger actors who aren't able to have the opportunities that I had, starting out in repertory theatre. It's really tough on young actors now.

When I'm painting and drawing I only do people. Acting is obviously portraiture - and writing is as well.

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

With every single fiber of her soul, she wanted to be With every single fiber of her soul, she wanted to be

Employment is the surest antidote to sorrow.

I attribute my ability to maintain cool to God, self-esteem, and knowing my purpose in life. It can't be based on anything material or external.

Each man believes only his experience.

Actually, it would be assumed that the young lady had no such impulses at all, but I’ll tell you something: Chocolate melts on my tongue too.

Reading makes me happy.

Frankly, I got into the movies because I like the movies a lot.

To the extent to which we believe in this world, we are heir to the laws which rule this place.

You simply cannot hang a millionaire in America.