I’m quite proud of some of the films I’ve done, but less for the acting than for the fact that they’re unpretentious and entertaining. I’m proud of having made unpretentious choices.
Well, you know I have an office, my film offices. So I know that syndrome. I fancy offices, so there must be something wrong with me. Even the window cleaner intrigues me. It’s a very sexy environment.
I quite like Pilates now. I have a Pilates girl in every city.
Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of acting: character acting and lead acting. And in my life, to begin with, in the 1980s, it was all character acting. And then when, by fluke, through ‘Four Weddings’, I got into doing lead parts, it’s a completely different thing.
Strangely enough I’m better on a stage. I love that I feel like I blossom in front of a whole bunch of people.
Plus, teaching brings home to you very fast that you actually know nothing. I didn’t realize that before.
I’m very unrelaxed doing a newspaper interview.
I get more satisfaction out of comedy stuff. I’m a laugh tart. I make no secret of that fact.
And film acting is incredibly tedious, just by its nature. It’s incredibly, mind numbingly slow.
The only reason my work seems to be eclectic up to a certain period is because I was a failure as an actor.
It’s really frightening, American food on the whole. That’s what always strikes me, coming from Europe: There’s just so much of it! Then you plop down in front of the TV and watch ads for Weight Watchers. ‘Lose weight now!’ Well, eat less!
I’m horrible in the mornings. I’m grumpy.
I frequently dream of having tea with the Queen.
Love scenes are extremely difficult. You’re always within a millimeter of sentimentality and ‘yuck.’
If you have a smothering parent, the effect it can apparently have on a child is to give them, in equal doses, a sense of too much self-esteem, because they are mummy’s little princess or prince, and low self-esteem. It affects future relationships.
I think marriage is only necessary if you’ve got children. It’s quite nice for them.
Courage is soldiers fighting on the front line, or people living on the bread line.
Comedy is probably a way of dealing with anxiety. Sometimes it’s a way of dealing with pain.
I’ve always dreaded the sea – in fact, I get terribly seasick.
If it’s a choice between doing a film and not doing a film, I’d rather not. But then, you remember that you’re supposed to be earning a living and that it’s your career.
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