I was opposed to doing TV for a long time because I thought the quality of writing wasn't very strong, as opposed to film, but there's been a shift in term of the quality of scripts. HBO has attracted a tremendous amount of great writing talent.

Maybe everyone is a little too reassuring that things are going to be OK to college graduates. It gives them a false sort of security.

George Martin is an incredible writer.

Being on television, playing the same character for many years, for me, I think that would get a little tedious.

I don't socialize. I'm kind of a hermit. The life of an actor can be very lonely.

I think if actors are successful at one thing, they paint themselves into a corner sometimes, and what's the fun in that?

I feel really lucky, although I hate that word - 'lucky'.