Filmmaking for me is always aiming for the imaginary movie and never achieving it.

To get an Oscar would be an incredible moment in my career, there is no doubt about that. But the Lord of the Rings films are not made for Oscars, they are made for the audience.

Remember, pain is temporary; film is forever.

As a filmmaker, you are going to manipulate the character as you need to make the scenes work.

I was bullied and regarded as little bit of an oddball myself.

To me, fantasy should be as real as possible. I don't buy into the notion that because it's fantastic, it should be unrealistic, because I think you have to have a sense of believing the world that you're going into.

I mean, I didn't have a huge upbringing with movies, I guess.