I think the American justice system has a lot more issues than the European justice system, especially the Scottish justice system. We have a really nice mix of European codified law and the traditional English system of common law, which is what the American system is based on.

When I was 12, I was in Oliver! at a theater in Glasgow.

The chance to be both artistically appreciated and commercially appreciated... That's what you hope for.

You know that every bead of sweat falling off your head, every weight you've pumped - the history of that is all in your eyes.

When I start a movie, I already feel like I'm in it. I'm not a jobbing actor anymore; most of the films I do, I'm involved with development. Some, I've taken from scratch, and worked so heavily on the script, I'm embodying a lot of the character by the time I even get close to filming, because I've asked so many of the questions that I do. There is nothing better than being able to ask all the questions, do all the work. It's when you let it go that you fly.

Of course when you spend four hours in prosthetic makeup and you really are looking at yourself and you see how revolting you've become in a way, it obviously adds another strand and helps you... a little bit more.

The Scots will do anything to beat the English or just to see them lose, but I've never bought into that really.