In England, it's now Sir Ben. Mister has just disappeared. It's not even on my passport anymore. They've taken Mister away from me.

The many many imponderables come together when a film opens and for all sorts of reasons it may or may not succeed.

You want to know what I want? I'll tell you what I want. I want back what Bobby Fischer took with him when he disappeared.

As an actor there's no autonomy, unless you're prepared to risk the possibility of starving.

I think if I were to go back on stage I might be in great danger of acting.

I didn't go to drama school because, from the first refusal I then, as I said, a couple of weeks later, was offered a professional job, where I am immensely grateful to the journey.

You don't go to a town to present the play and have applause at the end of it, but that's benign conquest. It's a glorious way of exploring other landscapes and other cultures in a very life-affirming way.