At the Oscars, if you didn't vote for '12 Years a Slave' you were a racist.

How do you remember all those lines? By forgetting everything else.

It's funny: I'm a lifelong musician, but because I principally play the piano it's been a solitary thing.

My passion and energy get mistaken for anger.

The thing a drama school can't give you is instinct. It can sharpen instinct but that can't be taught, and you have to have intuition. It's an essential ingredient.

Whats fascinating is that when you write a script, its almost a stream of consciousness. You have an idea that it means something, but youre not always sure what. Then when you get on the set, the actors teach you.

Wanting to be a good actor is not good enough. You must want to be a great actor. You just have to have that.