The knighthood was a tremendous honour, I don't dismiss it. But I feel embarrassed by the flowery, theatrical stuff that goes with being an actor.

On his Hannibal Lector mask: I've got it at home. I wear it to bed every night.

When you're younger you have a lot of ideas and you're probably more insecure, all those things. I work with young actors now and I see their insecurities and I make fun of them. I don't make fun of them but I make them laugh, because I know what they're going through. When you get older you think 'It's only a movie after all, it's not brain surgery.'

I like the good life too much, I'm not good at going on stage night after night and on wet Wednesday afternoons.

I've been very lucky. I've had my problems in the past, I've had my troubles, but you move on. I had a great life and I am really thankful for it.

I always distrust the word art when it is applied to acting.

The whole point of courage, to overcome your fear. That's the interesting thing, when courage bleeds through the fear.