If I was being perfectly honest, which I'm not going to be, I think the movie touches on a lot of things that we all went through... the first kiss, which was more than a first kiss for Harry [Eden], and those electrifying moments when you're a teenager that form who you are as a human being. I think those, for me, are what Baillie captured so well.

I genuinely was just such a fan of the books. When I heard that this was on the cards, I've got to do this; I've got to get involved with this. I'm such a Philip Pullman fan and actually his philosophies, morals and the way he looks at the world. He does what he does brilliantly as a writer. He writes children's stories with major adult themes and major ideas about making the right choices.

The bad reviews get to me, believe me.

I don't say: 'can't do that', 'won't do that'. I've never thought in that way about work. The genuine truth, and I do think about this a lot, is that I'm one of the least competitive people you'll ever meet. Except with myself.

I can't really dress rock 'n' roll any more because I'm the wrong side of 40, but I want that to be the fashion.

I stopped worrying about being desired a long time ago.

I'm not James Bond. There's your headline! It's very clear to me that he's the furthest from my character that it's possible to be. It's somebody I play.