I grew up watching a lot of old movies, so getting to ask about making movies in the '70s and people he was friends with, like Orson Welles, Lillian Hellman and Charlie Chaplin, and hearing a first-person account was pretty incredible.

My parents weren't involved in show business but my parents would show me. We'd watch old films in the house.

Whenever you hear somebody else is auditioning for something, you sort of assume they're going to get it. You should try to just ignore it. I don't find it very helpful to know who else is going up for stuff, generally.

But even a kid, directing was something that I did. I made short films in school. I feel like I've been in the best film school in the world.

I've had that experience many, many, times - when you don't get roles. I'd developed a good muscle for shaking it off.

That is sort of the eternal question for people who go to Hollywood...what will be the straw that breaks the camel's back, and forces you to think about doing something else? When do you throw in the towel?

I remember pretending to be the characters in the movies when I was a little kid.