The thing about acting is that it's fairly random. At the end of the day you take what drifts past you or what's given to you.

I used to collect knick-knacks, like wizards, trolls and little buddhas, and arrange them like precious things on a shelf.

The thing I love about acting is that you can bring something very personal into the open and at the same time remain hidden because you're always playing a character in a story that someone else has imagined. You're always protected.

I was quite a shy child – not chronically, but I tended to blend into the background.

One of the things I find very difficult about theatre is the repetition - that something can slide away from your original intentions.

I love the characters I've had the opportunity to play.

Dustin Hoffman takes such pleasure in what he does and there's nothing tense about him. He exudes joy and passion for what he's doing and that infects everyone. It certainly put me at ease coming to work with him every day. I felt his confidence and freedom rubbed off. He doesn't censor himself or stop an idea because he thinks it might be wrong.