Of course, I was completely enthralled by the space program as a kid - particularly Apollo 11 - and was glued to the television like most of the world. Then I stopped thinking about it too much. I was a little disappointed that they weren't going on to Mars at the time, but I didn't think much of it. I was more interested in becoming a director at that point in my life and falling in love, things like that.

I think the most important thing really was that you could take very personal ideas and present them to an audience in entertaining ways.

It was always hard to find stories that I felt were, in and of themselves, fresh enough and intriguing enough .

If I had to choose between a great acting job and a good directing job, I'd choose the directing job.

I think more and more scientists are becoming convinced that it's very likely that life forms of some kind exist all around the universe not so far from us.

Humor is unavoidable. It might not feel funny in the moment, but more often than not there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

I just don't think of myself as an actor much at all, so I don't lust after any particular roles.