I've always had this idea that I wanted movies to make people better not worse.

I'd like to be Dakota Fanning when I get young.

It's a tough trick to be able to create an intelligent movie that has socio-political commentary, and also has the emotional and moving stuff, at the same time.

I have, in some ways, saved characters that have been marginalized by society by playing them - and having them still have dignity and still survive, still get through it.

In a weird way, that's the beauty of being an actor. You get to live out things that you're afraid of, and you get to say, 'Well, maybe I can get to the end of it and survive it intact and I can be the hero of my own story.' It's kind of a way of exorcising fear.

I'd always need a creative outlet. But sometimes, I do fantasize what my life would be like if I weren't famous.

It's hard to get personal films off the ground, and it's hard developing them.