I have a love-hate relationship with New Orleans, which is the strongest sort of relationship. I've had some extraordinary, beautiful, poetic experiences in this city and I've had some terrible experiences in this city. I'm drawn to New Orleans, in many ways feel I grew up in New Orleans, even though I'm from the West.

'Knowing' is one of those movies where you're going to get the spectacle, and you're going to have the entertainment in the grand science fiction tradition. But also, it will perhaps stimulate some discussion to help you sort out on your own where you might choose to go in terms of your own needs. Now, I say that without preaching.

My definition of a father is someone who empowers their children.

God bless my father, but he always spoke in this continental, literary accent, probably because he was a professor of comparative literature and he made the decision to speak with distinction.

I always wanted to find a way to apply my acting in a big mad monster movie where I was transforming into this scary entity.

I think that if you go about making movies to win Oscars, you’re really going about it the wrong way.

I've always maintained that I see myself as a student. There's always something to learn and be challenged by and hopefully grow from.