I happen to be a movie star, but I'm not saying, "Hey, I'm a role model. Imitate me."

In the business of acting, those are the actors that make the trains run on time, you know? There's nothing without them.

Francis [Ford Coppola] was on the cover of Time Magazine for One From The Heart and for owning a studio, and he was fresh off of Apocalypse [Now] and The Godfather films, so he was at the absolute top of his game and legend [in The Outsiders ].

Sam Seaborn is the best character that's ever been written for me, certainly. By far. And it's a timeless show [The West Wing], one that's having another resurgence now, with people so in an uproar politically.

You wouldn't want somebody in office who hasn't experienced life.

Anything that is stifled will eventually ferment or explode.

It's part of your job as an actor to put your personal problems behind you and work. Good actors can do that.