One of my great regrets, and I don't have many, is that I spent too long putting people's status and reputation ahead of their more important qualities. I learned far too late in life that a long list of letters after someone's name is no guarantee of compassion, kindness, humour, all the far more relevant stuff.

Opening a play is just tough. The idea that actors are weirdly protected from it is a myth. If you imagine yourself having to spend two and a bit hours cooking bolognaise, remembering a whole major work by David Hare and speaking it at the correct moment between chopping carrots and stirring the onions in front of an audience - the normal human response is 'Please, can I go to the airport?'

Jerry Bruckheimer says that he makes films that he would want to see, and it seems that that coincides with what a lot of people want to see.

I did pick up a guitar once, but the strings hurt my fingers so I put it down again.

I have nothing against romanticism. I'm all for it. I'm helpless in the face of romance.

I never go on the net or the web, or whatever it's called.

As you get older you feel you need to pay more attention to what is around you and relish it. I'm greedy for beauty.