My goal was for acting to become my main income. I would say to myself, 'I'm good enough'. That became my mantra.

As an audience member and as an actor I much prefer to find ambiguity.

The arts are very alive in Ireland, so that had its influence on me. But I consider myself European, really.

If you're dealing with heavy topic matter, sometimes it's good to have a lightness going into it because it allows you to be open to possibilities, rather than getting rigidly stuck into a certain mind-set. People are strange. When you break up, sometimes you end up laughing with one another, as opposed to crying. Things in life are unusual, and to find those things, it's best to be relaxed.

I keep everything very simple. I like telling stories.

I always approach film as a fan.

If there's friends around, I'll cook. Or if I have a girlfriend. But on my own I kind of fell out of the habit of it, and it's a shame really because I know it's good for me. It's something quite therapeutic.