I learned discipline from my father. Not in terms of corporal punishment, but being determined in whatever you do, and sticking with it.

Making a mix CD - albeit slightly old school - is generally a pretty cool gift and something I like to receive, or giving someone a book that moved you. Writing an inscription inside makes it even better.

You always get that one customer that decides that your name is boy. Or something. It certainly reinforces a respect I already had for people that are in the hospitality industry.

There are so few surprises left in life. We've gotten so addicted to knowing. It's the Google generation. We want the answer to everything right now!

You have to really make sure that every moment means something, and that every moment, there's a purpose for it. And then you have to blend it all together without it looking like you're really focusing on it. That, to me, was the magic trick that was most difficult for the film [Buried].

Well, I came down to LA initially to join The Groundlings, which is an improv comedy group. I didn't get in, of course, becaue I'm not a part of The Groundlings. I just assumed that I could walk in and take over. So they said: "Hit the road Jack." And I ended up getting an agent instead. They sent me out on a couple of leads and I ended up on a sitcom and Van Wilder thereafter and then pantsless with Sandra Bullock.

Hollywood is so strange because a lot of times the battlefield is just a meeting. It's not necessarily like an audition. They've seen clips of you and they know that you can perform and it's a matter of "what is your take on a character"?