I was a pretty shy, lonely kid. I blossomed about age 17, when I went to college.

I gladly, I voluntarily gave up the kind of commercial film career I had going as soon as I had enough money to finance my own films. I didn't make that money necessarily from the film business, but I eventually made a lot of money and that's what I do. Of course, I consider myself unbelievably fortunate, and I'm pretty content with my life.

I remember in The Conversation, they brought all these coats to me, and they said: Do you want him to look like a detective, Humphrey Bogart? Do you want him to look like a blah blah blah. I didn't know, and said the theme is 'privacy' and chose the plastic coat you could see through. So knowing the theme helps you make a decision when you're not sure which way to go.

The most adventurous thing I've done is learn how to fly a helicopter in the Philippines. One night we landed on a beach and slept on it.

My talent is that I just try and try and try and try again and little by little it comes to something.

If I have to be remembered for something, I want it remembered that I really liked children and was a good camp counselor.

I just admire people like Woody Allen, who every year writes an original screenplay. It's astonishing. I always wished that I could do that.