I have my own peculiar yardstick for measuring a man: Does he have the courage to cry in a moment of grief? Does he have the compassion not to hunt an animal? In his relationship with a woman, is he gentle? Real manliness is nurtured in kindness and gentleness, which I associate with intelligence, comprehension, tolerance, justice, education, and high morality. If only men realized how easy it is to open a woman's heart with kindness, and how many women close their hearts to the assaults of the Don Juans.

I firmly believe we can make our own miracles if we believe strongly enough in ourselves and our mission on earth.

The most indespensible ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for.

Until you lose your mother you don't know what it is.

Everything you see I owe to spaghetti.

It [winning Oscar] is the most important event in the career of an actor, an extraordinary moment, beautiful. Some people live their whole life just to win an Oscar.

My mother was so beautiful, she really was a a wonderful person. Always walking like a queen. Like she owned the world. Maybe I took something from her.