Any questions I had about whether a redneck from Oklahoma could become a Brown Classical Philosophy professor ended when I met Tim [Blake Nelson].

I tend to relate to a character in terms of the arc: what's interesting is where he starts versus where he ends up.

As an actor, I don't have any politics. As an actor, I'm driven more by an authentic - I would say an obsessive-compulsive-disorder level-fixation on mimicry, tonality of voice, to literally imitate something until I can just disappear into it.

Popularity is the slutty little cousin of prestige, my friend.

I've always liked the idea of taking old dramatic ideas and devices and making them feel relevant or contemporary or whatever.

I thought Rounders was a comic movie in its way. First time I directed a movie, I wanted to do a comedy. I don't like things that are superficially one thing or another, mainly. My favorite comedies are really smart, too, and have a lot of levels to them as well.

People are worried about the degree to which corporate interest is starting to threaten human interest.