Stage is much more intimidating than going before the cameras, because you can really screw up, and can't do a retake.
No. I am not a royalist. Not at all. I am definitely a republican in the British sense of the word. I just don't see the use of the monarchy though I'm fierce patriot. I'm proud proud proud of being English, but I think the monarchy symbolizes a lot of what was wrong with the country.
I sort of try to read the books when they come out impartially and not make up my mind, but the fact is when I was reading the sixth, 'Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince', there were bits in there where I was going, 'God, I would love to do that because it's so good'.
It's very rare that I get stopped or get asked for an autograph or anything - none of which I mind - but people don't really care that much.
My favorite phrase, that a friend of mine who worked on the Potter films and was a lot older than me would use in front of me, and I picked up from him many great phrases - the English have a lot of great idioms for sweating. I don't know why that is. But that's what we do. I feel like it's particularly our country; probably everywhere has a lot of idioms for sweating. He always said, "I'm sweating like a glassblower's asshole," which I always found an incredibly strange and yet vivid image.
Obviously, I've been very lucky in general in my career, but I feel that I've been very lucky in terms of having directors come along at the right times who have taken me to the next level of where I needed to be.
Ironing boards are a classic example of something I find horrible about modern society: the excitementation, for want of a better word, of mundane things.
When you're seventeen to early twenties, that's the time you're trying to work out who you are. If you're trying to make some kind of artistic or creative impact, that's the age when you start to figure out how to do that.
I basically have the diet of a 19th-century Irish navy, apart from the litre of stout a day. It's meat and potatoes and bread and cheese: those are my four food groups.
It's mainly about working hard and proving to people you're serious about it, and stretching yourself and learning. The mistake a lot of actors make, particularly young ones, is allowing themselves to feel that they're the finished articles, the bee's knees, and it's not true.
I was having a hard time at school, in terms of being crap at everything, with no discernible talent.
My preparation is mainly just knowing the lines and getting in and knowing where your character is, knowing what it's about and having ideas that you can put in on the day.
I just moved into the world of Xbox Live. And I've discovered that everyone on the Internet is a lot better than me. I spent half an hour the other day designing a boxer, and I got knocked out twice in the first round.
I had to smile when stories emerged questioning whether I was gay. Obviously I knew I wasn't but people were curiously desperate to suggest I was ... when you know a gay guy has a crush on you, it's the most flattering thing.
I have described myself as being 'gently eccentric.'
I'm not looking for sequels, but when something comes to you, and you're already a fan of that world, you have the desire to do it your way.
I like the idea of not having to do stuff for the money, and if I want to, I can pick indie projects for the rest of my life and be quite happy doing that.
I think it speaks to the fact that other people are as excited about originality as we are. I think the thing that has been wonderfully communicated in the trailers and all the promotion for the movie [Swiss Army Man] is that it isn't like anything else you've ever seen, and we're not just saying that. I think that excites people.
I want to write and direct, but I don't think if I did it for 100 years I would ever come close to putting something out there that gives a feeling of all-encompassing and joyous.
I might like to be an actor, but there are loads of other things I'm interested in as well, like music and writing and sports. I want to keep my options open.
I've always had philosophy, which has been really helpful for me, getting into the business. I didn't have any connections. I didn't know anyone. It was just about my work.
The stories I'm interested in are challenging ones, and maybe that requires a little bit more of you. I love my job and I want to earn the right to do it every single day.
When actors aren't filming they just go to their dressing rooms and relax.
Paul [Dano] was amazing at carrying me around [in Swiss Army Man]. I wanted to be there as much as possible but didn't want to hurt Paul's back, but Paul often chose me over the dummy many times on the set. But yeah, to be honest, a little bit of preparation I did with my friend in my flat could never have prepared me for quite the level of physical reliance we would have on each other.
As an actor, I think sort of relish the chance to take a leap and sort of put yourself out there. You know, it's, like on any film, you just have to be willing to embarrass yourself, because otherwise you are not going to really reveal anything that you have. So I think it's exciting.
