Lincoln is me. He is America. He is what makes us a great nation and a dangerous nation, all wrapped up in one man.

Abraham Lincoln was a melancholy man, so he had a dark side that appeals to horror fans.

Take every job. Learn everybody's name. Show up early. Know who you are and know who you're not. Stop dreaming and start trying.

If someone asked for advice on being an actor I'd say "Don't. It's a hard life." And if they walked away I'd be happy to have spared them years of misery.

The live audience is a blind date. The camera is a hungry lover. One wants to be wined and dined and seduced and then decide where the evening will go. The other knows how it wants to be touched, wants it now and can damn well tell if you are lying about it. Both are fickle. Both feel good. Depends on your mood.

I love swimming in the darker seas, so even if I play a noble guy (well, like Lincoln for instance) I am pre-disposed to try and show the conflict; the regret; the less-than-perfect choices that any human faces. That's what I like and it seems to be what the camera likes to see me do.

Ask questions. Listen. Be quiet. Be willing to make a fool of yourself. Be willing to be completely exposed and to give all you've got and to be rejected for your troubles. But expect magic to happen. It just might. And don't worry about winning the audition, just win the room.