I try to educate myself as much as possible, as I do with the director and the designers and everyone I used to work with. It just helps, I think, with the frame of reference for who you're working with.

I would say acting on stage is my first love.

When I was six years old, my parents took me to this farmers' market with a petting zoo. They put me on a pony and, for some reason, it took off at a run and they had to chase it down. They tell me it was kind of traumatic.

And the thing is, every time you start a new show or do a new series, you're committing to another six years.

When you see Liana [Liberato], who at the time was 14, there is an inexperience and innocence that you can't act and you can't fake.

Directing takes a lot longer than acting. This was about seven years in development, and then two and a half years with pre-production, production, post and now the release. Not that I have people banging on my door to star in movies, but it takes me out of the acting game for a longer chunk of time.

I never say never, but I'm really enjoying the freedom I'm having right now.