My entire life had been this long, pressured conversation about the family I represented. 'When you walk out the door, you represent us. You have to dress well and make sure your hair is combed.

You have to emote much more to get what you're trying to get across to come through a quarter inch of latex that's superglued to your face.

I have about as much control over how I look as the guy who's short and looks more like a character actor - we both have the same drive to be actors and we both have the same drive to assume these different characters, it's just harder for me to get the chance because they look at me and say, 'Oh, he's this type,' and they stamp me.

My great-great-grandfather Julius founded the Communist Party in New York.

I mean I would still love to be in Mel Brooks' movies; he's great.

It's something that I think I'm going to have to fight against for most of my career, for people to take me seriously as an actor as opposed to a good-looking guy. It's not what I want to be known as.

I couldn't be more blessed.