The strongest moments in my life are when I'm filming. It's an adventure. As an actor I try to seduce someone, try to share something. The rest of my time is spent exploring experiences with women.

I always felt that with an Antoine Doinel film, Truffaut was taking a vacation, that Francois could relax when making a Doinel film. All of the language came to him very easily. 'The 400 Blows,' I felt, was a collage of all his childhood experiences. Every time he felt an Antoine Doinel film was necessary, he'd make one.

My mother is an artist, my father an entrepreneur.

I've been advised not to have any more children for medical reasons, so that's it - the shop has closed, even though I would have loved a daughter.

My parents come from that immigrant culture that places a lot of emphasis on doing well scholastically. Being a comedian or an actor is such an American thing. The Iranian culture is not about dreaming. It's about taking over your father's business, falling into line.

So many parents these days are totally cool with their kids living on the couch the whole time. It's like a new thing with families. But you've got to leave the nest and get out there.