John Hurt

I like entertaining. I adore it. I feel I'm in the right place. Without question.

The Naked Civil Servant' was as important for me as 'Easy Rider' was for Jack Nicholson. No question.

Essentially, I am an actor for hire. I am not a rarified creature. I do all these different things, and they all interest me.

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.

I turn up in Los Angeles every now and then, so I can get some big money films in order to finance my smaller money films.

I don't like it when people shout on stage without any particular reason. It carries no weight.

I've never changed the way I live. I still walk the streets; I don't give a damn. And everyone's very nice to me. But this new idea of being famous for no reason at all? I can't actually get my head round it.

I think fame makes people a bit nervous.

I think people should be protected from being made to feel that they want to know what somebody famous had for breakfast.

I find it hard to imagine that anyone could be intimidated by me.

Half the stuff I have done which has been successful would never have been made if it had been shown to focus groups.

I'm not accustomed to doing films without seeing the script.