My mother worked for a woman, Maria Ley-Piscator, who with her husband founded the Dramatic Workshop, which was connected to the New School. My mother did proofreading and typing and stuff or her, and as part of her payment, I was able to take acting classes there on Saturdays when I was 10.

Somebody steals from me, I'm gonna say you stole. Not talk to him for spitting on the sidewalk. Understand?

When you are working hard, you don't have time for anything other than what you are doing in the scene and what the director wants.

The director respects what they've hired you for and chosen you for: to do the part and respect what you're doing.

Loneliness has been following me my whole life.

I spent lunchtime in a grave during the filming of 'Bloody Mama.' When you're younger, you feel that's what you need to do to help you stay in character. When you get older, you become more confident and less intense about it - and you can achieve the same effect.

Some day a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets.