Interestingly, when you do films, sometimes you have conscious reasons, things that you were looking for, or stuff that you were trying to do. And then, you see the film and you think, "Wow, it ended up being something totally different!"

With 'Taxi Driver,' I had this eureka moment. I realized that acting could be much more than what I had been doing. I had to build a character that wasn't me.

Most actors don't really have a director's sensibility. They have an actor's sensibility.

I like to nap. I do like to sleep. Sometimes I sleep in between takes.

Now apparently I'm told that every celebrity is expected to honour the details of their private life with a press conference, a fragrance and a prime-time reality show.

I love the way L A. leaves you alone. I can go home, read all day, and nobody bugs me.

I really did feel like I was surrounded by family members. I didn't have a dad, and I remember there were all these guys - in the old days, there were no women, except a makeup artist or, occasionally, a script supervisor. So there were just guys who taught me how to, you know, whittle wood, or how to pull focus, and what the camera was doing. And if I was being bratty, they'd sit me down and tell me. There were lots of rules about not being late and making sure that you didn't spill anything. So it felt a little bit like I was in a family.