What I do regret is working too hard sometimes instead of really enjoying my youth. I'm trying to make an effort to stop and smell the roses now.

People have always had difficulty saying my name or were resistant to calling me 'Sir' even though my name starts with 'Ser.' Growing up, my family always called me Darius. They're the only ones that are allowed to. All my close friends call me 'Ser' or 'D' and on sets most people call me 'Ser'D.' I'm cool with that.

I wanted to be a doctor, that was the goal.

I always knew I wanted to act but I was really afraid to desire something that seemed so unrealistic and a long shot. I was a kid memorizing entire movies and TV episodes but I didn't take it seriously until I was about 19. Then I moved to New York and took it head on.

If you're playing a good guy, you show some darkness. If you're playing a dark guy, you show something different, like humor, that will mix it up and hopefully surpass the audience's expectations. What I'm battling all the time is complacency in the audience. I try to bring a little mystery to what might happen because that engages people more.

The word 'comedy' implies slapstick.

When it comes to comedy, it might be interesting to know why an airplane works, but really? Maybe it's better not to know why certain things work. Just fly the thing, and if nothing falls apart, you'll be fine.

The joke of our time is the suicide of intention.