When I was a kid I was very interested in the idea of the will, finding out what you're capable of. I liked those kind of challenges.

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.

Every morning tell the sun that you are magical, helpful, and beautiful like the sun.

It happened to some people, that obsession with throwing their clothes off at an age when it would be best to keep them on.

Jealousy smells like the water in the bottom of a flower vase after the flowers have died.

The things I'm making and doing I really like and think are interesting; I'm drawn to them.

It takes only one child to raze a village.

Always endeavor to really be what you would wish to appear.

I can't live one day without hearing music, playing it , studying it , or thinking about it .

As an actor you accept that you have to publicise what you do, but as for the whole personal life thing that people sometimes choose, no, that's not for me.

Hopefully someone on their team addresses it, because, uh, I'm not saying I'm going to do it, but something might happen to him if he continues to be that cocky.

No one should have to dance backward all of their lives.