I have a little studio in Chinatown, and I sometimes go there and rearrange my brushes. But I would have to stop acting altogether in order to become a painter. At the moment, I'm still interested and active as an actor and director. Besides, I rather think acting and painting are all part of the same creative urge.

I used to be the voice of Virgin Atlantic in America, and some people only know me for that.

You may be modest and un-egotistical in your life; I'm quite ordinary. But I play big egotistical parts.

Now, of course, we know there has been an end to apartheid in South Africa, but what excited me was seeing it in the context of history.

People very often say to actors that they admire their careers, and I rather think that what's implied by that is that we have a choice in the matter. When really, most actors, me included, do whatever comes along next.

The whole point is it's about getting as many people to come and see the play as you can.

I usually played comic lovers or losers - weak, ineffectual men.

'Merry Wives of Windsor' is a wonderful machine. It's one of the great farces, and it's astonishing to remember that this is written by the same man who wrote 'Hamlet,' 'The Taming of the Shrew' or 'Cymbeline.' It's so similar, and yet the form is so different.

I want to play King Lear, Macbeth, Benedict, Coriolanus. I wouldn't mind doing Hamlet again. Well, I'm a little old. Perhaps I can rub Vaseline on the audience's eyes.

In Tom Cone's work nothing is easy.

It doesn't seem Shakespeare works if you turn him into a religion.

The classical actor in England makes roughly the equivalent of a bus driver.

Most of my enjoyable times in the theater have been working in a group.

I'm really interested in the form, putting one piece up against another and finding something corroborative in another voice. I've done a lot of that.

Sometimes the most excruciating experiences in rehearsals and performances yield the most beautiful work.

In the Victorian age, actors played Romeo until they were 60 or 70 years old.

More people saw me in one episode of 'Cheers' than would ever see me in a play.

We did a black 'Julius Caesar' in which the predominant accent was Caribbean. This offends many people, you know. I also had a Chinese Marc Anthony. I also managed - this caused a great shock - I also got some white guys in it as well!

Everything happens every night for this audience, and it's a very special occasion to come to the theatre.

So, suddenly I was an actor. I don't remember being nervous. I learned to be nervous later.

When it was announced I had won the Tony Award, I was in Bangkok doing a movie with Judi Dench. I remember coming back from the location to the Oriental Hotel and hearing someone yelling across the reception area, 'You've won the Tony!' It was wonderful and strange to be halfway around the world.

I directed Bebe Neuwirth in 'Here Lies Jenny' at the Post Street Theatre. I was gobsmacked - the audiences were extremely knowledgeable, affectionate, interested, and not cynical.

I got out of this school and went to Camberwell College of Arts, a terribly prestigious thing to do. I was there to be a painter. And I sketched so well that, a year later, I was sent to Slade School of Fine Art, one of the great art schools.

It's wonderful to travel with somebody that you love and we never travel anywhere without one another.