Mike Leigh

Given the choice of Hollywood or poking steel pins in my eyes, I'd prefer steel pins.

But films should be voyeuristic. What else is a film if you're not snooping into somebody else's lives?

My work requires acting at its most committed - it demands actors of enormous resilience, but also intelligence and wit. It doesn't work for narcissistic or selfish actors.

I think for any actor, for the roles they deeply, truly want? They always have to audition for them.

I love Hindi films.

I had one day with him, and he was asleep in the scene, but I told my entire family that I was in a scene with Michael Caine.