I am a very judgmental person. Of myself and other people. I recognise it's a great fault, but I have no power over that.

Always have an answer - even if you change your mind five minutes later.

Time and time again I was told that I would never make the film on time and never make it on budget. That kind of criticism tends to turn me into a great big motor of efficiency.

Well, it's true that I've never been solitary, although I spend a lot of time alone. I've never felt lonely or been shy.

When an actor asks you to read his script, your heart sinks. The number of scripts I've been given by actors that are so unbelievably terrible!

My father died prematurely at the age of 52 when I was 24, and it is a recurring regret that he never lived to see me succeed beyond university and drama.

It always depresses me when people moan about how commercial Christmas is. I love everything about it. The tradition of having this great big feast, slap bang in the middle of winter, is an essential thing to look forward to at the end of the year.