Unfortunately I don't have my grandparents, but Mum and I are working quite well together. That's candid, that's frank. Your grandmother is never going to lie to you.

It's never fun to be scared [about stage fright] but I think that it is important and it's healthy to always push yourself.

You always try to play it off cool, but even if I think I have a certain laidback body language when I'm meeting someone who I greatly admire, I still have this horrible tendency to go bright red.

I think booze is a good ritual. I think knocking back a shot of whiskey does calm the nerves and helps a lot.

There's a lovely freedom of will when you approach a character that no one has really come across before, because it is your own interpretation.

The honeymoon phase always ends, for everyone.

Graduating at the age of 21 was a wonderful age to hopefully start a career.

I don't really think it matters if you go into stage or TV as long as you do a bit of character work, really.

With big productions, you can sometimes get lost with the terminology and all the different departments.

I had the most fantastic time filming 'Downton.'

First and foremost, Scotland is my home, and I do consider myself Scottish, but I also feel very British, and I hope that Scotland stays within the Union. I have a real concern about independence.

It's strange how easily we assume that others must be going in the same direction as us.

What do you take me for, an idiot?

Vegans are the ONLY unique people on this planet who think outside of the box. They are the ONLY ones who reject society's norms, and live differently than the aforesaid groups and people.

I have two extraordinary daughters, who, I can say proudly, are doing very well in school and in piano. Daughters are a father's joy.

Burgundy makes you think of silly things; Bordeaux makes you talk about them, and Champagne makes you do them.

If your sin feels "too big," your vision of God is too small.

Discipline is just doing the same thing the right way whether anyone's watching or not.

There are so many projects that don't happen, just sometimes they don't get announced, so no one ever knows about them and you don't have to talk about them.

"Stop asking "What should I do now?" That question only brings up what others expect of you. Free people don't have shoulds. They have choices."

Red is our color. (on Liverpool)