I'm a huge fan of the films of the '70s and even into the '80s, Sidney Lumet, all those films that used what was going on in people's lives as drama. And not only are you entertained, but hopefully have a greater understanding of your world coming out of it.

I think my films kind of walk this line that I'm proud of, that they feel sort of like films of my youth, which were far more commercial.

When I'm writing a movie, it's usually pretty close to what the movie is going to be, which is just a luxury of being a writer-director.

When I have people around, I'm a chatterbox. But when I'm alone, I never speak. I don't talk to myself; it's just not my schtick.

I think the best thing that you can do with your kids is to talk to them like they're human beings, not like they're children and they don't know what they're doing.

I'd feel bad pretending my life was anything other than pretty good, so I do the role as well as I can and then I go home, have a cup of tea, see my family and friends, and appreciate what I've got.

My family was very unsure, and they told me to have a 'plan B' - until I did my publishing deal at 21 for over a million dollars. Then I tattooed my neck to prove I'll never become a lawyer.

I come from a family of fishermen. Fishing is very important to us. We don't hunt. We're not gun folk.