I never had any ambition to be a star, or whatever it is called, and I'm still embarrassed at the word.
I have lots of favourite memories but I can't say that I have a favourite film.
I'm not really a big musical fan. I enjoyed 'West Side Story' when it came out, but it gets a bit tired in the end.
Acting is an imaginative leap, really, isn't it? And imaginations prosper in different circumstances.
Half the stuff I have done which has been successful would never have been made if it had been shown to focus groups.
The difference between anger and deep remorse - remorse is much fatter. It's a deeper feeling altogether. Anger is too easy an escape for my money.
For everything that you find dreadful, there's usually something that is rather marvelous as well.
I like entertaining. I adore it. I feel I'm in the right place. Without question.
As Beckett said, it's not enough to die, one has to be forgotten as well.
Nudes are the greatest to paint. Everything you can find in a landscape or a still life or anything else is there: darkness and light, character dimension, texture. I painted heads too, of course.
I can't say that I wouldn't prefer to make small films, basically because I think they are probably more interesting in terms of the material. But every now and again, it's quite good to do a big one.
Everything that came to me, in terms of the ritzier side of performing, was a plus.
I've been incredibly lucky with the directors I've worked with.
We are all racing towards death. No matter how many great, intellectual conclusions we draw during our lives, we know they're all only man-made, like God. I begin to wonder where it all leads. What can you do, except do what you can do as best you know how.
I remember once when I told Lindsay Anderson at a party that acting was just a sophisticated way of playing cowboys and Indians he almost had a fit.
The things that I've enjoyed most are not really science fiction. They are not much fun to make because there are so many toys involved. They are fun for directors who like toys, like Ridley Scott, but they are not a lot of fun to make. A lot of hanging around, changing this and that.
I've done a couple of conferences where you sit and sign autographs for people, and then you have photographs taken with them and a lot of them all dressed up in alien suits or 'Doctor Who' whatevers. I was terrified of doing it because I thought they'd all be loonies, but they are absolutely, totally charming as anything. It's great fun.
Parents are the worst teachers, if they are good at it and you're not. My father thought I was the densest offspring he could have produced.
I knew I didn't want to pursue an academic career at all, which, of course, my father would have loved me to have done. I didn't want to go to university. The only other thing I could do was paint, and so I went to art school because they couldn't conceive of how one would be an actor.
I like the physical activity of gardening. It's kind of thrilling. I do a lot of weeding.
I find it hard to imagine that anyone could be intimidated by me.
I think fame makes people a bit nervous.
I've lived publicly and never hidden behind closed doors. Therefore, if I have gone over the top sometimes, it has been visible.
Picasso was hugely innovative, and, wow, did he have facility, amazing ability, but I don't think he painted a masterpiece.
I think people should be protected from being made to feel that they want to know what somebody famous had for breakfast.
I'm not interested in awards. I never have been. I don't think they are important. Don't get me wrong, if somebody gives me a prize, I thank them as gratefully as I know how, because it's very nice to be given a prize. But I don't think that awards ought to be sought.
I don't care about the length of anything I play, as long as it's a good character.
Everyone I've ever played has been flawed.
I say you play a part, you don't work one.
The English National Opera does have some terrific productions, which are accessible, and they're not too ridiculously expensive.