To be called a genius at 17 or 18 years old can sometimes cause arrested development.
— Paul Dano
'Looper' was a wonderful script. Rian Johnson is the real deal and a really talented filmmaker.
I want to do some bigger films, so long as there's some sort of exciting creative element or a good filmmaker behind them.
In life, you have to keep certain parts of yourself in check because you want to be a decent human being. But one of the guilty pleasures of acting is that sometimes you get to let a little something out that you don't in life because it's not right.
I'm a sucker for period pieces. There is always great opportunity for research and to delude yourself into feeling like you are in a different time and place.
A lot of people think I must be weird because of the films I've done. I get that.
I've definitely had mentors, whether parents or friends or actors who I like.
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.
The idea of writer's block or not having inspiration is totally terrifying to me.
I don't really know what kind of actor I am.
I'm very low-maintenance.
Nobody is a perfect actor.
Theater is hard.
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.
You try to get to know your character as best as you can before you start filming - what's written and not written.
Homeless people really upset me when I was little. A lot of kids have this reaction, but I would get really worried or sad or concerned or cry.
With somebody like Harrison Ford, they're so commanding and confident, and you know, he does have a certain power or charisma, and those are things that are sort of ineffable.
As people, no matter what we are doing, your whole body is living and breathing.
I don't have any tattoos.
I'm a private person, but I don't feel afraid to walk out of my door or anything. I get recognised occasionally, but not overwhelmingly so.
I think that the Western went away for a while because part of its function was that it used to be America's action film.
I'd always been fascinated by people who allow themselves to be so rude and irritated and foul-mouthed and hostile, but usually you can sense there's something vulnerable beneath them - a shield they use to protect that vulnerable side. Finally, when they expose that soft spot, it's kind of touching.
I like the idea of finding parts that I know I can do but I don't totally understand them right away.
It's hard to talk about acting because I don't think it's quite as explicit as a lot of people might think. And that's probably the best thing about it.
I am baffled by good writing.
One of my favorite things I read was John Steinbeck's journals while he was writing 'East of Eden,' which was so cool.
I don't normally like getting dressed up, but when I go to events, I like to look put together. I've got to say, getting in a nice suit feels good.
When I'm not excited, it makes acting very hard for me.
I don't know that praise is always a good thing.
I sort of grew up doing theater. And that's how I got into film, actually.
I like movies a lot, and I feel really excited when I see a movie that moves me the right way.
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.
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'm not a person who needs to chit-chat between takes by any means.
As an actor, I always feel you basically have to be able to delude yourself.
There are maybe 100 actors I look up to, but my first two favourite actors were Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson.
I know I'd like to direct a film at some point, and maybe I'll write it.
I know I am always pumped, as an audience member, to go and see a Western.
New York is kind of a mythological city in may ways.
I grew up in Manhattan, and now I live in Brooklyn.
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.
The hardest thing about working with your partner is that the work starts to become first.
Some projects go as you hope or imagine, and some change or reveal themselves in a different way; it depends.
I don't like tight pants on guys.
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.
Certainly, being on stage is a rush.
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.
I've definitely been in ruts, and I think having some kind of perseverance is important.
I think was overly empathetic for a while in my life.
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.
