I was gearing up for it. I took some singing lessons. And I opened my mouth, and Atom promptly said, 'That's not going to happen. We love your voice, but maybe we could use some of your English wit.' He had doubts about it from way back. For starters, we weren't going to be doing the Italian-American crooning thing.

I don't know if there's a problem with original ideas... I think a healthy film industry should have a good supply of good, original writing.

I was delighted to become a popular-culture reference point. I'm still delighted about it actually, and I still find it to be weird.

I have a kind of neutrality, physically, which has helped me. I have a face that can be made to look a lot better - or a lot worse.

We've always been involved with America - I have a son who lives there and it's a big part of my life.

As much as the next person, I want to be approved of, but I'm not greedy for that stuff.

Comedy - particularly the frothy and frivolous - is notoriously neglected by festivals and awards. But it's bloody hard to get right.