I approach every part I'm asked to do and decide to do from exactly the same angle: who is this person, what does he want, how does he attempt to get it, and what happens to him when he doesn't get it, or if he does?

I knew with Snape I was working as a double agent, as it turns out, and a very good one at that.

The point about a great story is that it's got a beginning, a middle and end.

The first time that I came to New York to work properly was the mid-'80s, but I was doing eight shows a week. You have no life. Going to a punk rock club - or whatever the music was at that time - would not have been on my agenda.

I love working in New York theater.

From my experience, I think that every actor has to make sure that they're in charge of their own career somehow or other.

I've never been able to plan my life. I just lurch from indecision to indecision.