I have got a reputation to protect.

Quite often I play roles that require quite a degree of emotional exposure, and they can be very difficult to do.

I've worked for more than 50 years on the stage and I have played great, great, great roles, but I haven't played a great Shakespearean role because they're all male. I'm actually very proud of it.

In some roles you do get into a mode of terror. It's always very frightening - the first audiences are frightening.

In comedy, it's very, very important to be able to open up so that people feel they're included.

What takes courage: no make - up. No make - up at all. Like The Matrix. I did the matrix and they had a rule all the characters in The Matrix, except the leads, of course, wore absolutely nothing on their face.

I have got a reputation to protect.