When I was 16, I made some little 35mm documentaries about the poor in London. I went round Notting Hill, which was a real slum in the 1950s, shooting film.

I'm never bored, never ever bored. If I've got a day off I'll sit in a cafe and watch and observe. I'm a great observer.

A successful swindler has to be a great salesman even more than a great actor.

Deep inside, I am desperate to do comedy.

I don't really want people to see me. I'm not into stardom.

I love music, especially classical like Verdi; it's a great way to relax.

I am very traditional as a man. I am not modern and never have been. I think I was born 50 years of age and out of my time.

Although I'm a very emotional man, I just can't have blind faith, I have to find out for myself.

I was a typical teen growing up in the 1960s, when everybody was into gurus and meditation.

I became fascinated by the fact that people write to give away rather than write to be read. It's the difference between playwrights and novelists.

I'm really not interested in showing me or playing me. My gift as an actor, given to me, is to be able to become other people.

Gratitude is the key to wealth and abundance, so learn to be grateful in all things.

Life is lie, Living is the truth.

Pandora's Box could not be unopened, no one could return to Eden.

When you healed this tree, I felt like the leaves waved and made gentle sounds. Maybe the tree was saying thank you.

In terms of fitness and battling through cancer, exercise helps you stay strong physically and mentally.

Man is an ignoramus athirst for knowledge.

Casting is everything. I put a huge amount of work into casting, and consistently across my career, I am most proud of my bold choices I made in casting.

Authority is not power; that's coercion. Authority is not knowledge; that's persuasion, or seduction. Authority is simply that the author has the right to make a statement and to be heard.

Religion is a fascinating black hole to me.

I have never been comfortable being the front man.