If you actually have to engage with somebody who's superior to you and actually battle with them, struggle with them, I think it's more interesting, and funnier for the audience.

I knew Richard E. Grant, and I went to him and said "Would you like to [play Kafka in the film]?" and he said yeah, and then suddenly I had all these people who were happy to come along. We got a little bit of money from Scottish Screen to pay for it. I got so many favors because I knew people in the business. I was in a remarkably good position. I got so many favors from people. I got the Monty Python technical people.

I found American actors quite scary because they're brilliant actors and brilliantly funny, and they never stopped once you wound them up... off they went and they just deliver fantastic stuff.

A girl once came to my beery flat in Kensal Green, opened the blinds and cooked me breakfast. I married her.

I suppose I just like being arty. That's all. Arty.

My family has to be very patient living with me, if you're playing a part that's not you. You have to get it right.

It's weathered many a storm, but the British film industry is, thankfully, still afloat.