I'm a failed pop star. I always sneak a song into everything I do.

The service in L.A. is the best. You don't get sarcastic, surly, fed-up waiters and waitresses like you do in England. They're good at their job and they're there for the customer. The only depressing thing is a lot of them have written more screenplays than me.

I think that's the fundamental thing - you can go anywhere you like as long as you're following a character that the audience likes and understands.

Avoid employing unlucky people - throw half of the pile of CVs in the bin without reading them.

The next time someone is critical of you, just take a moment to consider their life. Then smile to yourself.

It will be great to play a short, fat sweaty loser for a change.

I remember the first check I got for 'The Office,' and it made me feel sad. It ruined it. ... Because there was sort of a nobility in poverty.