The great thing about stage is that you have a live audience.

As an actor, to play someone who's at war with himself, that's so interesting.

As human beings, of course, we're all compromised and complex and contradictory and if a screenplay can express those contradictions within a character and if there's room for me to express them, that's a part I'd love to play, so much more than a character who is heroic and one-dimensional.

I used to have two double espressos a day. I gave that up, had headaches for five days but now I'm feeling great.

We're all outsiders in a way. We're all alone and can become very lonely

I still, by and large, make low-budget Australian films.

Having agreed to play Elrond, I realized how much had to be worked out about this character: the idea of portraying someone who is immortal, for one thing; plus the fact he is noble, wise, powerful, good - and beautiful! I began to think that he was altogether impossible to play!