The problem with the British film industry is the nervousness and insecurity about - and genuflection toward - Los Angeles.

I hope I make films where you walk away . . . with work to do, arguments to have, things to worry about, things to care about. In that sense, I would regard what I do as political.

The problem with the British film industry is the nervousness and insecurity about - and genuflection toward - Los Angeles.

The delineation between the actor and his part is a practical matter. When the camera runs, you want the actor to be the character.

My job apart from anything else is to build an ensemble composed of actors who all come from a secure place so that they can all work together to make the film.

There are plenty of bad actors and there are plenty of bad directors. There are actors who will always be bad and there are good actors who you cry for because they're being badly directed or the material isn't good enough.

It's an unhealthy habit to say that life is what you make of it, and if you want to be happy, then you can be happy. That's just rubbish, basically.