The reason my films work is because every actor on set is very secure. They're able to fly.
Mike LeighThe notion that acting is simply about intuitively responding to situations the way you feel couldn't be farther away from how I ask actors to work.
Mike LeighIt's important to be true to the events, but the most important thing is to get to the essence of the experience. Not to be bogged down in an academic way by a notion of the truth. First of all, the truth is an illusive and spurious concept.
Mike LeighThere 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.
Mike Leigh