I think you have an obligation to be an optimist. Because if you're not, nothing will change

But why should I run for office and lose what little influence I have?

I had no desire from an early age to be on the stage.

I saw and I met a lot of people who were in the field. It also provided a context in which I came to respect what the actor did, because I saw how difficult it actually was to do.

Acting is not about knowing all this stuff; it's about character.

Nobody has a franchise on what is good.

Anyone who devotes time and attention to what makes people tick, to me, is a smart person.