Every time you consider a job, you have to check in with your inner compass and say, ‘Does this fit in with how I see what the work is for? Is this going to be something interesting and valuable to contribute to the world?’

I feel as though the cardboard box of my own reality has been flattened and blown open. Now I can see the edge of the world.

The thing about playing gods, whether you're playing Thor and Loki or Greco Roman gods or Indian gods or characters in any mythology, the reason that gods were invented was because they were basically larger versions of ourselves.

The 60s had completely changed how people conceived of their lives and their habits and their identities.

Love your life. Because your life is what you have to give.

My father and I used to tussle about me becoming an actor. He's from strong, Presbyterian Scottish working-class stock, and he used to sit me down and say, 'You know, 99 percent of actors are out of work. You've been educated, so why do you want to spend your life pretending to be someone else when you could be your own man?'

I'm an eternal realist and the success rate for being an actor is pretty low.