My personal feeling is that audiences are crying out for stories they can invest in and feel. I see a lot of big movies that leave me feeling rather numb.

People just want to know something, anything. It's all the stuff you never want to talk about, the private stuff.

Cate's absolutely spellbinding. She was like that just eating a sandwich. I knew at the time I was privileged, but since she's become God's gift to actresses I realise exactly how lucky I was.

I appreciate a slow-burn romance. In most movies, everyone is just tearing their clothes off in the first scene.

Give us a break! I've hardly done anything but independent films.

Americans are a lot more open, of course. There's something more declamatory in the way you express emotions. It's a stereotype but it's true. British people can appear repressed in expressing emotions. Not very good at self-evaluating, or affirming situations, touching, anything like that.

It's a big chip on my shoulder that I have not been to any of his parties - P. Diddy, Diddy Puff. But he was super nice to me. And he does look sharp, that guy. Doesn't ever go wrong with a suit.