My parents have a strong work ethic, but their attitude to life, their philosophy, is: 'whatever makes you happy.'

You only do good work when you're taking risks and pushing yourself.

I sort of fall in love with every character I do; you have to understand how they became what they've become, whether they're the ugly kind or the very beautiful kinds of characters.

You think that adulthood will hit and you'll suddenly be more capable. But that doesn't happen, ever, does it?

My knees buckled. It's the last thing I expected

My feet are like something from another age - prehistoric and troll-like. I keep expecting them to talk, they have that much character.

I love acting but I also love writing, especially comedy.

You can't be a woman and not be a feminist, I don't think. If you care about the world and the world you exist in and your rights.

I'll try and get through as much as my voice and nerves and knees will let me.

I never come away from a film thinking I nailed it.

I love disappearing. That's what acting is. For me it's about putting on a persona, stepping into a pair of shoes. It's my face, but I'm using it as a tool for that spirit, that character.

Employees don't need to be best friends, but there does need to be a level of mutual respect and understanding.

The world will be saved by beauty.

We should not call a city happy because it attracts masses of citizens from everywhere; a fortunate city is one in which the race of the original inhabitants is best preserved.

I think music changes and it evolves.

The pen is mightier than the sword, but the tongue is mightier than them both put together.

The invasion of Iraq was simply a war crime. Straight-out war crime.

However, it is always nice to be expected, and not to arrive.

Fractures well cured make us more strong.

In the '80's my gut feeling was that airlines were crap. I hated spending time on planes. I thought we could create the kind of airline I'd like. So we got a secondhand 747 and gave it a go.

If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans.