I think first impressions are important when you pick up a script.

I read the script and try not to bring anything personal into it. I make notes, talk to the director and we decide what kinds of shades should be in the character.

Writer-directors are a little bit more liberal, rather than having just the writer on the set, because I think sometimes the writer becomes too precious with the words. If you're a writer-director, you can see what you're doing and see your work in action, so I think you can correct it right there and still not compromise yourself.

Do whatever you're directed to do, and leave the rest of that technical stuff up to the director.

There's a whole catalogue of actors that never went to acting school.

I've tried writing. Two days later I'd go visit it and say, Jesus Christ, who wrote this crap?

I love England and the historical aspect of it.

I don't like to be talked into anything. I don't want to be cajoled.

When I was a kid going to the movies, we'd go because Bogart was in the movie, or Cagney, or John Wayne. We didn't know what the story was about or anything.

You cant act for the editing. You just go in and do the scene the way you think is right.

In a sense, all actors are character actors, because we're all playing different characters. But a lot of the time - and I don't know, because I'm not a writer - but writers a lot of times write second- and third-tier characters better than they write primary characters. I guess they're more fun.

I have a home in Arizona. I go a couple months a year, but basically Chicago is my home.