The best thing an actor can be is ready. Be flexible, be ready.

I was born William. My father was William. I came from a big family, I hated being called Billy. Willem's a nickname; it's a Dutch name, very common in the Netherlands.

The worst thing is to get involved with people who aren't passionate about what they're doing.

The English Patient' is about the coming together of a French-Canadian nurse, an English patient, a Sikh in a turban and me, Caravaggio, and each of us is seeking a resolution to our own problems.

Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.

I never act. I simply bring out the real animal that's in me.

Sometimes I think women are lucky because they can develop in ways men can't. The old-boy network may be oppressive to women, but it actually stunts men in terms of personal growth.

The mask can be a limitation, but you just deal with it. You do get superhuman strength and pumpkin bombs and all this other stuff to express yourself with.'

You have to lose yourself to find yourself.

Action breeds inspiration more than inspiration breeds action.

I guess they often cast me as the bad guy, because I'm not, er, conventional looking. I look sort of violent. I'm the odd one out, the outsider.

I do not know how it all started, but I would certainly play my part in how it all ends.

I did not want to be taken for a fool – the typical French reason for performing the worst of deeds without remorse.

Note: addiction diverts attention

Every time you think television has hit its lowest ebb, a new program comes along to make you wonder where you thought the ebb was.

What would you expect? Sin will not come to you saying, 'I am sin.' It would do little harm if it did. Sin always seems 'good, pleasant and desirable' at the time of arrival.

Destiny made a mistake and gave my fate to someone else.

I have a great respect for actors like Clint Eastwood, who's a wonderful director. I think two pictures that I directed were not successful, so I decided not to make any more.

In football you sometimes have beauty and cruelty together.

His movements could be called cat-like, except that he did not stop to spray urine up against things.

Oh, that's the beauty of the rose, that it blossoms and dies.