I remember once imagining what my life would be like, what I'd be like. I pictured having all these qualities, strong positive qualities that people could pick up on from across the room. But as time passed, few became qualities that I actually had. And all the possibilities I faced, and the sorts of people I could be, all of them got reduced every year to fewer and fewer until finally they got reduced to one - to who I am. And that's who I am.

I don't want a perfect character, I want a character who has, as strange as it sounds, some humanity, some flaws, some needs.

When you have 400 people watching you making a movie, it doesn't go where you want it to go. It's a lot of pressure.

There were two movies that asked me to go to Australia or New Zealand for long periods of time. One was 'Lord of the Rings' and one was 'The Matrix.' But I was actively involved at that time raising my family, and I couldn't really take that time out.

If you're really special, meaning you're doing something unique and original, it could scare people.

I'm not a trained actor. I'm someone who is autodidactic and learned on my own.

I'm an enormous admirer of Christopher Lee. He's somebody, along with Vincent Price, who I celebrate, and I wanted my movies to show that celebration and that honoring of these great film stars that were unafraid to go into horror and Grand Guignol and the macabre.