Roy, the guy I play in 'The Grifters,' is a guy who had a very bleak life. His mother had him at 13, and then when she was 17 or 18 and he was 4 or 5, they were trapped in a small Texas town somewhere, and she was ready to do anything to get out.

I just love the process of working with other actors. It's like jamming with a musician, except it takes a little more effort to get to that place as an actor, because you have the cameras and lights and everything. But I love jamming with these people.

Radical Islam and US exceptionalism are in bed with each other. They're like lovers, methinks.

I feel close to Lloyd in 'Say Anything'. He was like a super-interesting version of me. Only I'm not as good as him. Whatever part of me is romantic and optimistic, I reached into that to play Lloyd.

I think any actor can probably identify with being a professional liar. You don't always look at yourself that way, but I know a lot of days I do.

I feel like I'm a filmmaker; I don't feel I need to yell 'action' and 'cut.'

New York's like a boxing match. In Hollywood, it's like a Fellini movie or something.