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Being Irish, I always had this love of words.
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I saw Derek Jacobi play Hamlet when I was 17, and he directed me as Hamlet when I was 27, and I directed him as Claudius in 'Hamlet' when I was 35, and I'm hoping we meet again in some other production of Hamlet before we both toddle off.
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I started being interested in acting when I heard the voices of Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir John Gielgud and Sir Alec Guinness. I've had the great privilege of working with Sir Derek Jacobi and Sir Anthony Hopkins. These are people who inspire the work that I do.
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I'll tell you what I'm grateful for, and that's the clarity of understanding that the most important things in life are health, family and friends, and the time to spend on them.
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I remember the first book I bought, when I was about 11... Dad said, 'What have you got that for? What are libraries for?'
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For what it's worth, I enjoy 'Dexter,' 'Modern Family,' 'True Blood' and 'Breaking Bad.' I've enjoyed the wonderful 'The Pacific.'
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I love thrillers, and I always have.
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Shakespeare's always on my dance card if it can be.
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In the case of 'Jack Ryan,' it was a huge collaboration, and I enjoyed it very much, and most of all, I want the audience to enjoy it, too. I want them to feel immersed in this world.
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I do think that, for instance, we've been very lucky to have theatrical careers and be associated with Shakespeare which sometimes gives you a kind of bogus kudos.
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I'm by no means an opera buff.
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The Chinese say, 'It's good to live in interesting times.'
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I went to a comprehensive school and didn't go to university.
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The long version of the play is actually an easier version to follow. In all of the cut versions the intense speeches are cut too close together for the audience and the actors.
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I live in the English countryside, so I'm surrounded by magpies.
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I don't know that there is too far, actually. I think there's only too bad. If it's bad you've gone too far.
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I suppose, at 50, you value things in a different way. So you value connections, you value your friendships, you value your health, and you are much more aware of time passing.
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I'm very conscious of the fact the directing career has taken some odd turns. Maybe there's enough bulk where I'm now pigeonholed in the 'eclectic box.'
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Carrying a movie is both a great privilege, it's a great opportunity, but it can be a great pressure, and sometimes that can make people behave very oddly.
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Mozart had a tremendously fertile and creative ear for a catchy tune.
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I think in the wake of the domination of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, everyone is now looking for a grand plan.
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Shakespeare is rhythmic; he is musical in the sense that he likes poetry, and he's musical because he constantly refers to settings where there's singing and dancing.
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'Frankenstein' feels like an ancient tale, the kind of traditional story that appears in many other forms.
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If it's good art, it's good.