I lived in Hollywood and, ironically, I didn't know you could just go out and get an agent and go on auditions and try and become an actor, I thought it was like a Masonic thing, like a blood line you had to belong to – until I was 13. Then I realised what you had to do. It is the one thing I know I want to do for the rest of my life.

It's a hard concept for me to wrap my head around to completely sacrifice any sort of love in your life, to never experience that on a personal level.

Portraying emotionally ill characters gives me the chance to really act.

That's the magic of moviemaking. You clearly identify one scenario with the other, and it's a completely different experience.

I have no problem playing anyone who has different politics than me. In fact, I don't take that into consideration at all. You have to find something sympathetic in a man. It's that common ground you need to connect with someone.

A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.

When I grew up, I lived in the ghettos of Hollywood; it was the most disgusting place to be. I was known as the crazy little kid. I did impressions. Then I realized that's not what I want to do. I don't want to be a comedian to please other people.