Whenever a really passionate, talented filmmaker seems to have an interest in me, I take it very seriously because I like to work.
I can’t tell you how many times in the ’90s I’d meet somebody, we’d be having a nice time, and they’d sigh and go, ‘This is exactly like Before Sunrise.’ And I’d have to get up and leave.
We all have this fantasy of finding our one true love who’s going to be the perfect fit. It’s just not a reality.
And the best films feel like a fist punching you in the solar plexus and all elements of the filmmaking process – the acting, the design, the cinematography, the music, is all working to one end.
Oh, I like going down the rabbit hole. You know, that’s kind of my job. When you play Macbeth, you gotta dive down that one. The trick is figuring out how to do it with love and a sense of humor so you can pop back out again. But, kind of the actor’s job is to go down the rabbit hole.
I don’t think Emma Watson needs any advice. She’s an incredibly smart young woman who knows what she wants out of life and she has some great parents.
It’s certainly an interesting moment to try to talk about, ’cause you could make a great show about the police force right now, with all that’s happening in the news and Ferguson and all of it.
I’m always trying to look for how I can find human stories that aren’t just dramas.
My favorite stories are human, so I’m always looking for.
Few years ago I did a movie, Good Kill, about drone pilots and for four or five months I’m obsessed with the Air Force.
One of the hardest things about my job is that there kind of is no one rulebook that applies to all situations.
I’ve turned down good directors before because I knew the part didn’t speak to me and I’ve worked with less talented directors before because the part I had such passion for.
And the joy of my job – and it’s really true – is that it’s constantly evolving and changing.
You don’t need other people to affirm that you’re a valuable person.
People are conditioned to just you know, like, you know we’re like little birdies going to the bird feeder you know, or the little cows going to the salt lick. We just like what we’ve seen before.
The most creative and most periods of my life that were, had the most growth, were the ones where I was perceived to be failing. Perceived success is a, is really hard ’cause it doesn’t really, it’s not asking you to grow, see failure is asking you to grow.
The writing process was some of the most exciting and rewarding moments of my life. It felt a lot like being in a band.
My goal is to tell good stories. And to try as best I can to do something new with acting. To learn from the past and to be a relevant artist. To make stories that are interesting and contemporary and to tell some kind of emotional truth.
Sometimes in the life of an actor you’re not getting offered any jobs that speak to you. The trouble with acting is that you’re only as good as your opportunities.
I did this movie, Predestination, and it’s one of my favorite movies I’ve ever made, because sci-fi really lets you talk about ideas in a way that’s not pretentious.