You have to do things that excite you; you have to have a passion for your work. Otherwise you're just a face on the screen.

This is my trademark: I rip my T-shirt. I’m into the whole showing-a-bit-of-chest-hair thing.

Be a good-looking corpse. Leave a good-looking tattoo.

I grew up with it. As a young actor, I was always aware of the brilliant work of Shakespeare. We studied Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth in school. As a young actor, you're always mystified and intrigued by such brilliant work. To actually have the chance to be involved in this production was a wonderful thing for me.

You have to do things that excite you; you have to have a passion for your work. Otherwise you're just a face on the screen.

I was just doing bits and pieces of acting in the UK. I'd been in the film Breaking and Entering - Anthony Minghella gave me my start and I miss him dearly. Then I made the trip out to LA, during one of their pilot seasons, which was when they were developing Gossip Girl, and I auditioned, and things came together.

I bite my nails. I've been chewing on them for years. As long as you don't chew through flesh it's all right.