I'm not very good at relaxing. Reading's the main thing. On the bus, on the tube, on the loo. Literally all the time. I mean, I don't think there's a moment of the day when I wouldn't be if I was left alone.

We'll be back. I promise you that.

Most actors are socialists, aren't they?

I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.

It would've been hard to do something else, to as it were, run away from the circus and become an accountant.

If you play a part that's been done before, on stage for instance, you feel like you're carrying a torch and staggering under the weight of it for a bit and then passing it on to somebody else.

My one remaining professional ambition is to read the shipping forecast. I live in hope.