The ugly duckling is a misunderstood universal myth. It's not about turning into a blonde Barbie doll or becoming what you dream of being; it's about self-revelation, becoming who you are.

It's pretty hard to get mugged in Manhattan.

Opera was the cinema of its time, so to bring back that popular appeal, you just need to unleash its visceral immediacy and excitement. Most productions don't manage that - but when an opera does do it, you never forget it.

Everything I make starts very personally.

When I was growing up you would see big American films that really mythologised their landscape, that really showed the vastness and the drama of their country.

I mean the future has become old fashioned.

Having grown up far, far away in a small country town in Australia, I was only slightly aware of hip-hop.