What I was really overwhelmed with by Africa was its tremendous natural beauty; I got to go to some pretty amazing places. Every other weekend we got a day or two off and go on a safari or the natural wonders of Africa and if anyone gets the opportunity to go there, it's something you have to do in your lifetime.

It's always great to do a movie that you find is entertaining, but also can give some sort of political or social message.

Samurai culture did exist really, for hundreds of years and the notion of people trying to create some sort of a moral code, the idea that there existed certain behaviors that could be celebrated and that could be operative in a life.

There is something universal in the theme of a man trying to save his family in the midst of the most terrible circumstances. It is not limited to Sierra Leone. This story could apply to any number of places where ordinary people have been caught up in political events beyond their control.

I never thought about that ever throughout the entire course of my career about choosing a specific role because it would make me seem more man-like.

You do these movies, you give it out to the world and you really have no idea how people are going to react to you.

There is a segment of the American population that has been excluded from the national myth, and that should be redressed.