John Hurt

I've never felt that anger is a very powerful emotion.

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'm essentially the result of other people's imagination. And that's fine. Because of other people's imagination, I've played parts I would never have thought I could do. Still, I've never had a hankering or an ambition for any particular role.

Acting is an imaginative exercise. It would be odd if you didn't try to identify with the roles you play, but I think I can differentiate between where my imagination is leading me and where I actually am.

I like the physical activity of gardening. It's kind of thrilling. I do a lot of weeding.

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.

We're all just passing time and occupy our chair very briefly.

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

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.

You can see areas where maybe you got a bit lazy, perhaps, or you see when you were really on form. I think an actor is very like a sportsman in that respect. You have periods where you're in terrific form. Everything you touch seems to work and come right. And other times, when you're working really hard, it's okay, but it isn't scintillating.