Acting attracts shy people and show-offs.

You need to keep on doing things you have never done before in your career. You have to have a go.

When you play someone who is an iconic figure you can't go into it lightly.

I don't tell everyone my life history because if everyone knows your inside-leg measurement, how can you surprise them?

Mostly in life people are trying not to have emotions.

I've had very close relationships with some twentieth-century writers.

I've never lost a grown-up child, but I have known loss.

The trouble with anyone when they're unhappy or in a relationship they recognize is not working but don't know what to do about is that they can't see farther out than that. If the relationship is not working, if what was there isn't there anymore, you have to do something about it.

I have spent my whole life educating myself.

You don't go to a comedy and try to laugh. You laugh in spite of yourself. You don't just come on stage and cry. Something has pushed you to cry.

I am drawn to characters that go on journeys, characters that are real people, that have life.

Some people will never change.

I love the drive from York to Whitby over the moors - one of the great journeys, in my book.