[Having monologue] are talking to somebody even if it's just to yourself, convince yourself if that's what you're trying to do.
What's a celebrity anyway? Paris Hilton's a celebrity. I'm just a working actor.
That's where you can find things and modulate your performance and give the other actors something fresh to respond to. We've probably all worked with actors who when it's suddenly your close up, they get sleepy. I don't like that. It's selfish acting, and I won't tolerate it.
I've worked with children all my life.
[My father] could see as far as he could see and my mother wanted us to go to college so it was a very real part of my life.
I think that if there can be considered racism it's to do with the lack of opportunities for writers and producers and the people behind the camera.
In the movie I realized, I had the luxury of getting to see how the other person feels.
I always say the time to worry about flying is when you're on the ground. If you don't trust the captain, don't go.
Come on, I know bad acting when I hear it.
As the filmmaker, yes, I have to look out for everybody. But I don't have to know everybody's approach.
Dakota Fanning is a child, but she is a wonderful actor. I don't know what a child actor is. She's an actor who's a child.
We rehearsed for two weeks [in "Fences"], and we taped out the whole house in the front, and the rooms, and we stood it up like a play. We tried to get off book and gave people small props.
I think the bottom of the totem pole is African-American women, or women of colour. I think they get the least opportunities in Hollywood.
[Russel Crowe] has been through a lot and had a lot of success. No one knew who he was when I worked with him 12 years ago. He's just come off a great film in Australia- Romper Stomper - and so it was good to see him again. Obviously, I'd seen him since.
In fact, someone was telling me that Gladiator was the one film where Ridley Scott didn't take a producer's credit. And it won. But this guy changed the industry twice; with Aliens which was a whole new way of looking at things and Blade Runner that was also a whole new way of looking at things.
After directing the first film it feels kind of tricky being back to being in front of the camera, because I've always got one eye over there, kind of thinking of what they are doing, and how the shot is being composed. I think it takes a couple of films to just get back to just being an actor.
It's strictly business. If I loan you $25 million, I want my money back. I don't want to hear about the social impact. That's great for you, but now I'm $25 million in the hole, so next time you come to ask me.
[Fences] is just a great play to bring to the screen.
You don't know when you're being watched. That's one of the weird things about celebrity. It's my least favorite part of acting, celebrity.
I never tell anyone what to take away from a movie.
In 2009, Scott Rudin sent me August's [Wilson] original screenplay [Fences] and asked me what I wanted to do with it. He wanted to know if I wanted to act in it, direct it or produce it. I said, "Well, let me read it first."
I have a new respect for filmmakers, that's for sure, 'cause it's not easy. If I'm allowed to, I'll be directing for the rest of my life. I love the process.
I worked with Sidney Lumet years ago, and we had a long rehearsal process, and he would tape out the entire set on the stage, so I stole that from him.
Years ago, even prior to 9/11, I did a movie called "The Siege." I did a lot of research with the FBI and the CIA. And I was amazed at that time (I guess we might all know it now) how little information they shared with each other. So after that, I'm not surprised by anything.
I'll be working with Ridley's [Scott] brother, Tony, again, someone who needless to say we've had a great amount of success together. I trust him - so I won't have to think about it or I'll try not to.
"It's important for us to tell our stories."
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