What I love is when I'm in the theater with audiences and I hear them laugh. That's such a relief to me. They're going on the ride and they're allowing themselves to enjoy it, even though we're traversing some dark waters.

The test for me, when I read other people's scripts, is whether I feel like there's something about me that is the best person to tell this story. I have a pretty high bar for myself. There's a lot of scripts that I read and think, "Oh, this is great, but I think there are 50 other directors who could bring this to the cinema."

The more personal you get, the more universal a story you end up telling.

What I love is when I'm in the theater with audiences and I hear them laugh. That's such a relief to me. They're going on the ride and they're allowing themselves to enjoy it, even though we're traversing some dark waters.

Casting is very instinctual. I really like to meet people. To me, it's about their essence more than their audition.

If you're gonna take people on a journey that deals with some pretty heavy themes, I think you best have a sense of humor, here and there.

I think hope is key, in life and in art.