If no producer, no movie.

My philosophy is very simple. To feel young, you must work as long as you can.

The audience wants to be attracted not by the critics, but by a great story. You must deliver to the audience emotion - and when I say emotion, I mean suspense, drama, love.

I see my face in the mirror, and I said, No, my ambition is not to be an actor.

When I cook, my brain stops completely.

After The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, the audience would like to know where, when, and who arrests Hannibal Lecter for the first time. This is the story of Red Dragon.

I realized the exciting place was behind the camera with the producer, director and so on.

You have to kill the bad guy.

I always say my age is connected with three Cs. In here, cuore, which means the heart. Up here, cervello, which is the brain. And, of course, down here: the coglioni. I no feel my age, I tell you.

Making movies is all about instinct.

If you get a book which is 600 pages, you have to reduce it to a script of 100 pages. In two hours of film, you cannot possibly include all the characters.

Beauty exists, even in unlikely places. The key isn't to open your eyes but to open your heart.

It must be remembered that the forty hour work week until age sixty five was designed by governments and corporations and not the medical profession.

All paths are seen, through the prism of fate

Me in drag is kind of scary, actually. It's frightening. I actually look pretty good.

Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear

Of all footprints, that of the elephant is supreme. Similarly, of all mindfulness meditations, that on death is supreme.

Film is abstract, not definite. It is a dream.

You have the right to be offended or not to be offended.

I am not afraid to admit, though slightly ashamed that I Google myself and I see people writing things about me and I get really proud and happy.

As a politician who cherishes religious conviction in his personal sphere, but regards politics as a domain belonging outside religion, I believe that this view is seriously flawed.