I have no illusions about my position in this world as an actor or anything like that. I'm very realistic. Reality is a very liberating thing.

My philosophy is: It's none of my business what people say of me and think of me. I am what I am, and I do what I do. I expect nothing and accept everything. And it makes life so much easier.

We are dying from overthinking. We are slowly killing ourselves by thinking about everything. Think. Think. Think. You can never trust the human mind anyway. It's a death trap.

Life's too short to deal with other people's insecurities.

No expectations. Ask nothing, expect nothing and accept everything, and life is very well.

A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.

I don't believe in nepotism. I don't much like the idea of parents who interfere.

Relish everything that's inside of you, the imperfections, the darkness, the richness and light and everything. And that makes for a full life.

The whole point of courage, to overcome your fear. That's the interesting thing, when courage bleeds through the fear.

I always liked to take the plunge, you know, I'd jump in at the deep end and hope that I'd find land somehow, or hope I'd float or survive. That's more or less the way I've gone through my life.

You're not more than one generation from poor white trash, are you, Agent Starling?

A person who has lost his power of love has become blind to the beauties of life.

Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation.

I think people can live a religious life and yet believe in things maybe outside the box a little bit.

You might want to lie down," Magnus advised. "I find that it helps when the crushing sense of horrible realization sets in.

After faith comes repentance, or, rather, repentance is faith's twin brother and is born at the same time.

From a pure heart anything can be accomplished. If you ask what the universe is doing, it is eavesdropping on your every desire.

The time is 'now' to do something - don't drag your feet.

Once you subscribe to an ideological dogma as a solution to certain grievances, it then frames your mindset.

I'm not Brad Pitt or George Clooney. Those guys walk into a room and the room changes. I think there's something more... not average, but everyman about me.

We don't often look into these unpleasant details of our great struggle. We all prefer to think that every man who wore the blue or gray was a Philip Sidney at heart.