If you look at Shakespeare's history plays, what the setting of monarchy allows is this extraordinary intensification of emotions and predicament.

American cinema tends to express a patriotic relationship to national identity on a regular basis.

A British villain never loses their sense of humour.

Sometimes your body language is enough for an actor to know that you're not happy. And you don't really need to say it out loud if you deal with actors you know very well. And I don't think you really need to be explicit.

Some of my most special shooting experiences have been at weekends.

Thank you to my wonderful actors, the triangle of man-love which is Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and me.

I appear to be drawn to iconic characters and what they reflect back to our cultures.