We're at risk of losing this iconic species for all time. Once it's stripped of its natural instincts, it's no longer a tiger. But there's a lot of species like that. The more intriguing thing, throughout Asia, a lot of these countries are selling off their jungle-and-forest rights for oil and for paper-and-pulp companies.

We were both [ with Russel Crowe] hand-plucked to do [The Quick and the Death]. He had done Romper Stomper and I had done Gilbert Grape and so we were hand- plucked to do this big budget film. So we were both very bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

I've managed to keep a clear head and remain sane in this business because I remain a kid off-camera.

To put a lot of hard work and effort into a project or character and for it to be recognised, how can it not be nice?

At first glance, you read something on the page and it can seem one way, and you can have your decisions before you wind up on set about what that set is supposed to mean, but until you're actually there doing them, there's really no way to understand it.

It was closer to manual labor than shooting a film. I always think of something Michael Caton-Jones told me: 'Pain is temporary. Film is forever.'

I sometimes have to look back and say, "Wow, this is amazing what has happened to me. I have been able to fulfill a lot of these dreams that I had when I was very young." It's a pretty amazing feeling. But at the same time it becomes addictive!