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.

You can ruin your life wanting to be an actor.

I wanted to be a journalist, I thought it was glamorous and that I'd meet beautiful women in the rain.

I'm not a financial expert. The Robin Hood tax seems to me a very simple and beautiful idea. I don't see the problem.

I used to think that prizes were damaging and divisive, until I got one, and now they seem sort of meaningful and important.

I don't want to associate myself with any specific group of politicians.

When people warned me there would be long periods out of work if I became an actor, I couldn't keep a straight face because that was exactly what I had in mind.