As an actor for hire, my job is to do some pre-production work for myself. Then my job is to show up and give the best performance I can.

I have some good friends of my own who happen to be gay, and when it comes to gay, straight, or whatever, I’m for anything life-affirmative. I’m for gay power, straight power, male power, female power; everybody should feel empowered without oppressing anyone who’s different.

Directors like William Friedkin (Killer Joe), Steven Soderbergh (Magic Mike) and Lee Daniels (The Paperboy) got in touch with me and wanted me to be part of their films. That was a whole new chapter for me. I didn’t chase any of those films and it made me think that I was right to take a chance, say no to the kind of thing I had grown tired of doing, and wait until something good came around. And it did.

I've never been a manipulator, even in my bachelor days. I never wanted to do things to people that could catch up with me later on.

I personally don't like to go see romantic comedies. But people do want to see them, and they seem to want to see me in them.

I’m a fan of the word selfish. Self. Ish. When I say I have gotten a lot more self-ish, I mean I am less concerned with what people think of me. I’m not worried about how I’m perceived. Selfish has always gotten a bad rap. You should do for you.

Life is not a popularity contest. Take the hill, but first answer the question: What is my hill?.