Writing a screenplay is like writing a big puzzle, and so the hardest part, I think, is getting the story.

I acted for so many years and sat on a million sets and worked with a million different directors so that is to me some of the best training you can get.

Writing a screenplay is like writing a big puzzle, and so the hardest part, I think, is getting the story.

You really have to get out of an actor's head to write because actors only care about their part and it revolves around their part so "This is the important part because this is the part where..." .

There are times when you work with directors on set, and things are a bit rudderless, and those can be good directors.

I didnt want to be 50 or 60 and auditioning for a three-line role.

The Ides of March was a fairly cynical film.