This great imperialistic world called the United States has made us believe that an Oscar is the most important thing in the world for an actor. But if you think about it for five minutes you realise it cant be.

I'm not the kind of actor that gets crazy with [directors'] names, what draws me toward a project is the material itself.

I've played people that are on the line of evil and good, but that's life. We are always playing with the good and the bad. I see them as people. I don't see them as caricatures. I try to not make them caricatures. Maybe I fail, but I try to see what' behind them. Would I play the hero? A superhero? I don't think so. But, I play good guys. There are some there, but you have to look.

The good thing about being an actor, and the gift of being an actor, is that you are beautifully forced to see the world with different eyes.

[That night] I was sitting by Jack Nicholson with my long list of thanks, and I said, `I'm so nervous. I don't know what to say if I go up there.' He said, `Don't get emotional, drop the names, and dedicate it to your mother.'

I do respect people's faith, but I don't respect their manipulation of that faith in order to create fear and control.

I was raised not to be afraid to show emotion or imagination.