[Maigret Sets a Trap] was always going to be the first film, and it seemed to be quite a nice story. But of course it meant that here I was playing this new character for the first time, in a place where he had been a relative failure, as all these people had been murdered and the pressure was on. Rather than starting optimistically with his pipe in front of the fireplace, he was in quite a difficult place.
Rowan AtkinsonLord, thy one-liners are as good as thy tricks. Thou art indeed an all-round family entertainer.
Rowan AtkinsonThe Maigret stories are all very different in terms of the content and the way that the stories are told. They're not what I would call formulaic.
Rowan AtkinsonIn TV, and in particular in commercials, you don't really need to explain very much at all - you just say he's a spy and he's a little bit theatrical and overblown and smug and he's not very good at his job.
Rowan AtkinsonFor telling a good and incisive religious joke, you should be praised. For telling a bad one, you should be ridiculed and reviled. The idea that you could be prosecuted for the telling of either is quite fantastic.
Rowan Atkinson