Personally I don't believe in bad people. I think there's always a reason for people acting badly.

I'm constantly embarrassed at the level of attention actors get and the level of money that we get. It's completely disproportionate.

A character on screen that's the 'good guy' or the 'bad guy,' they're never interesting. There's got to be an internal struggle, the duality is important to find.

In movies we tend make things black and white: you're either this, or you're that.

In terms of jobs, I'm an actor. There's gotta' be depth there. I'd never say yes to something just to play the hot guy. That's not what I'm interested in.

I don't want to ever think that I don't know what to do. I want to deal with my own things, to perform my own roles, to be like, "I did this."

I've lived in California for six years and I've never surfed.

TV is a very sensitive thing. If you're not happy with what you're doing, I don't think you should do it because you will do it for awhile.

I come from a family of pacifists, so it's not like I was going to join the war. Sweden is not like the States or England where you might get sent to Afghanistan next month.

Sweden is a small country and, well, our family's pretty prominent in that world, I guess. And I really didn't like the sound of just being 'the fourth acting Skarsgard.

I have three older brothers, and each one of them has chosen one of my parents' education. Two of them are actors, and the third is a doctor as my mother is.

I have supported civil rights activity in my state. I have done my job with integrity, equality, and fairness for all.

What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?

Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there.

In terms of political contributions, the free speech rights of corporations I dont think deserve the same protections as the free speech rights of real living, breathing, voting humans.

I can play, and I know it; I'm not looking for any pats on the back. I don't have to be endorsed by anybody. I make enough to live and eat, and I'm happy with my music-and that's all I need.

Amateurs in professional situations make me very impatient.

A real jiu-jitsu fighter does not go around beating people down. Our defense is made to neutralize aggression.

Ethical maxims are bandied about as a sort of current coin of discourse, and, being never melted down for use, those that are of base metal are never detected.

I was shot in the wrist when I was a kid. Deliberately.

Not every movie has to serve as every audience member's need for completion.