Miles Davis, my one and only real hero of my life. I met him [because] every time I had a movie interview, I would shift the conversation to jazz. Miles, when I finally met him, he knew he had a sucker walking in the door. Because his people told him, “This guy plays the trumpet and every freakin’ interview he has ever given, he’s talked about you.”

There is a good news and bad news about a remake. When you remake something, if you futz with the theme, you are in danger. Because people get it - they get the theme. They know what is galvanizing, what is energizing.

The goals are not about the sweet smell of success as much as it's about enjoying a damn day on the movie set... I live in a complete state of grace.

I'm finishing my Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance history.

I'm just gonna be real grateful to be on any freaking movie set for the rest of my life.

I steer away from episodic TV; it burns you out.

I went to North Texas State, one of the great jazz schools. When I realized I wasn't going to be Miles Davis, I switched my major to English and theater.