I've lived in New York when I've had nothing, and I've lived in New York when I had money, and New York changes radically depending on how much money you have. It's the texture of life.

Even in comedies, you've got to feel safe for things to just happen in a way that is natural and free, and recognizable as human.

I have no sense of time, and I'm a dreamer.

People are expecting me to be a certain way all the time. It's not like if I come in here with a totally different personality and right before the camera starts they see this new character. It confuses everything. Life has a consensus reality to it and if you use that to your advantage it makes it much easier.

Sometimes I'm kind of spacey. I'm like Ferdinand the bull, sniffing the daisy, not aware of time, of what's going on in the real world.

(Sometimes when) someone's directing for the first time, they're afraid to include everyone - they have to prove they're the director.

The secret of my success is my hairspray.