I'm not a big shopper. I'm a pretty simple dresser, and that's not my pleasure go-to thing, looking for clothes.

I think that one of the strangest things about being an actor is, it's almost freelance work.

As an actor, I always feel you basically have to be able to delude yourself.

People think memorizing lines is hard, when that's the last thing you worry about. You get that done, and then you've got to worry about the internal stuff, which is the challenging part.

Films can be entertaining without shying away from exploring something. They can be magical and have fantasy, but also can have enough reality that you can be really emotionally invested.

I mean, to feel in good hands as an actor... it's the best feeling.

I would not take a girl to a club on a Thursday. I would not take her to a really noisy, swanky restaurant.

I am baffled by good writing.

In 'There Will Be Blood,' my character was someone who was an actor himself almost. He had a rehearsed quality about him. He was a performance artist in a way.

I think the idea is to try and understand everything about the characters and where the character is coming from, from their point of view, why they say what they do. And not, 'Oh, but I would never say that. Why does the character say that?' But then making it as personal as possible.

The idea of writer's block or not having inspiration is totally terrifying to me.

I don't like tight pants on guys.

A lot of people think I must be weird because of the films I've done. I get that.

I don't really know what kind of actor I am.

I really don't want to go to work every day convincing myself of what I'm saying. I want the material to make me a better actor; then I try to return the favor to the material.

I think 'American Pie' is great.

I volunteered at a homeless shelter in preparation for 'Being Flynn,' and when I'm walking along the Bowery, that's the first thing that comes to mind. That's a nice memory.

Have I seen any plays that I've been in? Uh, you know, might be a little weird.

'Looper' was a wonderful script. Rian Johnson is the real deal and a really talented filmmaker.

When I'm not excited, it makes acting very hard for me.

I used to write a lot of songs. I was an English major in college. I was a deluded poet for a year. Totally deluded.

When I'm not acting, I like to go home and be really normal. So I usually grow out my hair until I get the next part.

It's a lot of fun to be a part of films that you don't exactly know how they're going to turn out.

I like listening to my playlist on the iPod. I don't want radio with commercials.

You look at the part in '12 Years A Slave,' you finish that script - I mean, it's a powerful story. You go, 'Man, I have to play a bad character in this.' And then you go, 'Well, do I want to play a bad character and contribute to a good story?'

I think it is important to make sure that I have my real life as well, because Hollywood can certainly seem like an alternate reality sometimes.

Some projects go as you hope or imagine, and some change or reveal themselves in a different way; it depends.

I approach every role from scratch.

I feel like, once you're doing a job, you shouldn't talk about it.

I've definitely been in ruts, and I think having some kind of perseverance is important.

You try to get to know your character as best as you can before you start filming - what's written and not written.

I sort of grew up doing theater. And that's how I got into film, actually.

The way Hollywood works, you're never sure if their first thought is to make a great film and honor the material or just another business property.

I can obviously relate to a character who is an artist, because the creative process is a big part of my life.

I think was overly empathetic for a while in my life.

The whole being-in-a-room interview thing, at a junket or a film festival, is very inhuman. You meet the person, have five or 10 minutes to talk, and it's not like a conversation.

I remember going to the theatre when I was little and the lights going down and just getting really scared about what was going to happen up there.

Everything you do, every experience that you have, enlightens you a little bit or worsens you.

One of my favorite films is 'Dumb and Dumber.' I'd love to do some really silly comedy someday.

Being actors is a strange job.

It's a funny thing. You sort of never figure it out with acting. You're always learning.

As an actor, the toughest thing is being subject to circumstance. Meaning: What scripts are out there that are available?

People have asked me about playing outsiders. I don't consider myself an outsider. Maybe that's why I'm interested in that. I'm not really sure.

I don't want my learning curve to be stunted by just all of a sudden doing work all the time and not being careful about the work that I'm doing.

I've seen people, where if they have to wait around the set for three hours, and they call you at the wrong time, and they're not ready for you, some people don't like that.

I love filming in New York. I love New York movies, too. I just like it when people can take New York and make it their own, because there are so many different New Yorks.

Theater is hard.

Certainly, being on stage is a rush.

I don't know that praise is always a good thing.

Nobody is a perfect actor.