I've made the transition from star to character actor and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

I want to stick around with the big boys. I don't want to be in the old folks home.

There are loads of black actors.You can't say: I'm going to vote for him, he's not very good but he's black, [so] I'll vote for him. You've got to give a good performance.

I wouldn't make an anti-American film. I'm one of the most pro-American foreigners I know. I love America and Americans.

Someone said to me the other day: "Well, you're eventually going to live until 110." And I said: "Well, who's going to keep me? What age do I retire? 100?" How are you going to live all those years and who is going to keep you doing it? I have a couple of grandchildren now so I'm banking on them.

I am often asked which of my films has come closest to my own ideal of performance, and I always answer, 'Educating Rita.'

In England, I was a Cockney actor. In America, I was an actor.