I’ve always felt kind of safe on stage, protected. I’ve talked to other performers about this and they feel the same things, particularly in the live arena. I never get nervous going on stage to do a play. Doing film or television I’ll have more butterflies.
I like being at home with my music and my books. I’ve done all the partying, I’ve done enough partying for four or five people as a young fella. But now I like the quiet life.
I’d probably have been wealthier if I had stayed with law, but pretty miserable doing it.
I will always love film, the romance of film, sitting in the darkened room with strangers and watching a story for two hours – that will always remain and never be eroded by television.
I think there’s such a thing, as a performance gene. If it’s in your DNA it needs to come out. For me it originally came out through music, then segued into acting and came out through there. I always needed to get up and perform.
If you behave like a celebrity, then people will treat you like a celebrity, and if you don’t, they won’t. There’s not much to write about me in the tabloids.
All I’ve tried to do as an actor is follow the good writing. That’s been my main drive. It’s not always possible, so when you do come upon it, like when I came upon this, you realize pretty quickly this is something you need to be involved with.
I think it’s necessary to keep moving forward. I’ve always said that nostalgia is death, really for anyone creative.
There’s a lot of comedy in Intermission but it’s got this depth. It’s not comedy for comedy’s sake – it’s informed by something else. I like stuff like that.
I don’t think they’d ever make a movie about Chuck Baker but I’d love to play Chuck Baker.
It’s obvious that if you’re going to play a character you need to amass information about that person and about their environment or their era that they’re in and use as little or as much as necessary.
I’ve never done a film for the money.
I don’t have a burning passion to live in America per se but I would certainly like to work there.
That’s what acting is about, Funny wigs and voices, that’s what we do.
Two weeks ago we couldn’t pronounce your name, but you were in the lead in a film that made millions, so we’re sending you all these scripts.
I come from a long line of teachers. Not only did I not go into the family business; I had an aborted law career and I played in bands. ‘Disco Pigs’ was my first professional acting experience.
You’re an actor who’s Irish, not an Irish actor. And you shouldn’t be limited by your extraction.
My wife can see always how a part affects me personally because she has to live with it.
And once you’re unafraid with death, I think your capacity for violence is immediately increased. Once you’re unafraid of death, you are a very, very dangerous adversary.
The best roles you have to fight for. You have to really want to do it and you have to go after it.