Being an actor, imitating to the point of inhabiting the lives of others, may simply be a way of continuing to do what I learned to do as a boy - to travel, mentally and physically.
With any character I have played there’s infinite possibilities for how they might behave, depending on who they are talking to or how they react to things.
It's amazing to me that Glenn Beck can be on the cover of 'Time,' and there can be a whole article about him basically saying, 'Well, you know, he's controversial.' It's like, 'No, he's a dangerous idiot who needs the help of a good psychiatrist!'
When I make a movie, I don't break it down and analyze it. I could but it would get in the way of doing a job - on instinct based on all the research we did going in. you want to trust yourself and your director and your acting partners in the circumstances you're shooting. I don't like to have any kind of overview.
Looking at acting, in the movies or the theater, and the way I like to look at it, it’s just an extension of childhood play… Kids play and imagine in a very intense fashion and they don’t need any director telling them “You really have to believe in it.” They believe in it completely.
A little recognition is not a bad thing because it means people appreciate your work. The only problem is when you can't walk down the street or have a meal without people looking at you. I want to be the one looking at people.
I try to avoid conflict. I don't want people to be unhappy.
Pinochet and Barack Obama both have the same primary goal, and that's to be president and stay president as long as allowed.
Saying you are a patriot does not make you one; wearing a flag pin does not in itself mean anything at all.
The best thing an actor can be is flexible, because all directors are different and all actors are different.
You can't really go back to where you came from. I don't think any of us can.
The first decade of your life is really important; it's formative.
What art does is it makes you feel alive and makes you feel like you're connected.
I've never had a problem with people paying attention to what you're doing and say they find that they liked it.
When I land in a country and they ask for 'occupation,' I always just put 'artist.' I think that covers all of it.
When I was a little boy, I rode, but I didn't own horses.
You see people on the street yelling and think they're crazy, but maybe they're just happy and expressing what they feel at all times.
I don't think Adam Sandler or Will Ferrell fear competition from me in their arena.
Sometimes you look at a movie and you can see that the actor or actress said, 'I'm taking this onboard because I'm making a ton of money, and not because it's going to be something special.'
Most movies are lucky to have one moment, one shot that you look at and you always remember that moment and that scene.
To be honest, I don't really care about any pope. It's not something I think about much, to be quite honest with you.
Awards for arts, where you make comparisons, don't make much sense.
For 'Hidalgo,' I just spent as much time around horses as I could, which made sense.
I don't like the 'must', the 'always', and the 'never' words. I don't like 'no' either.
I don't think you get to be pope without making some enemies, like you do when you're president.
