I just love real characters; they're not pretentious, and every emotion is on the surface, they're regular working people. Their likes, their dislikes, their loves, their hates, their passions; they're all right there on the surface.

There's nothing better than an actor who is really, really hungry to show everything they've got.

David O. Russell's best films are thrilling high wire acts that run the moment to moment risk of tumbling to the ground. In his latest, "Joy," Russell has more trouble than usual keeping his balance on the wire.

The romance is essential. I love the love. I don't love just people struggling. I love what people are struggling for. That moves me. I love watching people be loving, and I find it enchanting, magical and transporting. It's one of the reasons that I go to the movies, and that's why I like putting it in movies.

Bush was in a shithole on September 10th. 9/11 was the best thing that ever happened to him.

If you just work on your craft hard, that's your only hope of doing anything worthwhile.

The idea that anyone would think their religious ideas make them morally superior is just preposterous.