Of course you can find something exciting and dynamic in any character you want to portray.
— Dominic Cooper
In whatever work environment, whether we admit it or not, there is always a little part of us that has been or will be tempted by a lifestyle for the wrong reasons.
We want to pigeonhole things and people, but it is absurd to regard me just as a furry wig-and-britches actor.
I don't think there's ever a point when you turn to yourself and go, 'Yes, I've made a success of this career path.' You never feel like you've done your best work. You always think you could be better.
It's funny, I never think I'm doing that well. I've never, ever. I just constantly think, 'This isn't working out.'
You want to know if anyone's going to go see your film. You shouldn't worry about it or get hung up on it. So yea, you kind of monitor it.
I don't see myself as being a heart-throb at all.
Nobody should expect an actor to have these wonderful ideas and concepts about the world: they pretend to be other people for a living.
To a certain extent I suppose all actors are big kids.
It happens very rarely that your ears perk up about a certain project.
I had a really creative teacher at primary school. He used to get us doing things such as singing Spandau Ballet in drag in the choir, and I remember loving it.
Yes, I want children and I can't wait to have that closeness with someone - to bring someone into the world. But, I really don't know when.
You never know really what anyone thinks about you - that's why all my closest friends are ones I've had since my schooling days when I was 5. And I surround myself with people who I trust and who know me.
I have always worked from that place, that if you are going to inhabit someone and get under their eyes, you need to have empathy.
There's only so much you can do of trying, finding yourself very close to getting a part and then not getting it.
Especially with comedy, you take massive risks because ultimately you're trying to be funny. If you're not funny, then it's really embarrassing and you look stupid.
When you work with people who are so passionate about their product it's kinda inspiring.
Any son of a dictator, I'm sure, has major issues with their relationship with their father.
One of the exciting and enjoyable aspects of acting is being in the environment with another actor.
There is nothing I hate more than meeting someone who has forgotten the art of conversing.
I stupidly ignored education completely. I found it dull and I preferred to cause chaos and have fun. I regret this massively now.
I have a very easy life, I can wander around.
I'm not going to pre-empt anything regarding how my career's going to go because I'm always prepared for the worst.
I suppose there's an anger in all of us. Some hidden rage that you keep at bay.
There are probably only a certain number of people who can understand or tolerate how long a job will take and what demands it puts on you. And why should they? It breeds a strange kind of selfishness immersing yourself in a character for so long.
For the three years I was in school training to be an actor, I was told, 'It's very unlikely you'll work at all on the stage or in film', so I feel I have to take all the opportunities I can.
I feel very fortunate, always.
You never know what the public is going to respond to or relate to.
The people in Iraq lived essentially good lives. They had brilliant health and education systems. Saddam actually created an incredible infrastructure in a very difficult country, but they were a Mafia family. If you said anything against that regime or that family you would be killed instantly.
I like being in focus, in the moment, changing and adapting and creating and advancing a scene.
People are earning their living as 'celebrities' without actually doing anything.
I think skilled salesmen have the ability to work out who you are and pick out aspects of your personality. They almost manipulate you, in a way, to make you buy their product.
It's a good feeling to come away from a day's work feeling like you've achieved something. Tired brain is good.
Grief jumps out at you when you're least expecting it.
