It's very difficult to make comedy work; I think it's a very underrated genre.
It's very difficult to make comedy work; I think it's a very underrated genre.
The goal is always just trying to stretch yourself as an actor.
The goal is always just trying to stretch yourself as an actor.
If one story becomes too hot, then you can't forget it. As an actor, you want to remain fluid.
If one story becomes too hot, then you can't forget it. As an actor, you want to remain fluid.
It sounds maybe a little old fashioned, but the parts I want to play and I do play, you don't want t...
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It sounds maybe a little old fashioned, but the parts I want to play and I do play, you don't want to inject too much of your own personality. What you sacrifice then is a slight mystery.
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'Serious acting' is the kind of acting that I don't ever respond to.
'Serious acting' is the kind of acting that I don't ever respond to.
He has lived in London for the past decade with his partner, who is "sort of" in the business. "And ...
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He has lived in London for the past decade with his partner, who is "sort of" in the business. "And that's all you're getting." He clams up. "It sounds maybe a little old fashioned, but the parts I want to play and I do play, you don't want to inject too much of your own personality. What you sacrifice then is a slight mystery."
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One of my favorite parts of acting is the clothes that you get to wear, because it's very important.
One of my favorite parts of acting is the clothes that you get to wear, because it's very important.
I do sometimes play characters that are a bit ambiguous. You've got to be brave about that sort of s...
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I do sometimes play characters that are a bit ambiguous. You've got to be brave about that sort of stuff. I like the sense of people not feeling too secure, not immediately knowing what they have in front of them.
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[From an interview with the Sunday Mirror (London, England) from Oct. 8, 2000] I had a girlfriend in...
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[From an interview with the Sunday Mirror (London, England) from Oct. 8, 2000] I had a girlfriend in Dublin but I've been on my own for three years now.
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It's a thrilling world, and people really like stories about secrets, which is the essence of a spy ...
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It's a thrilling world, and people really like stories about secrets, which is the essence of a spy drama.
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People get distracted by box-office figures and take jobs because they think it will advance their c...
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People get distracted by box-office figures and take jobs because they think it will advance their careers.
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I want to keep everything balanced. That's why it's important not to have too much fanfare.
I want to keep everything balanced. That's why it's important not to have too much fanfare.
Never, ever wear three-quarter length trousers. Even in the summer.
Never, ever wear three-quarter length trousers. Even in the summer.
I'm not a big guy for research. You've got to take a risk.
I'm not a big guy for research. You've got to take a risk.
Life's too short.
Life's too short.
I've played all these extreme guys, but playing an every man type has its own challenges.
I've played all these extreme guys, but playing an every man type has its own challenges.
I think in my job, it's quite difficult to find work on television... you don't necessarily want to ...
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I think in my job, it's quite difficult to find work on television... you don't necessarily want to get a profile for something that you don't fully believe in.
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Audiences like to be challenged and to be actively involved and try to guess an outcome.
Audiences like to be challenged and to be actively involved and try to guess an outcome.
[when asked about fans] You get the occasional odd person.
[when asked about fans] You get the occasional odd person.
I can totally understand why people say: 'I'm going to do this T.V. series so that I can buy a flat'...
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I can totally understand why people say: 'I'm going to do this T.V. series so that I can buy a flat'. But you've got to see what's of value to you as an actor.
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I don't like it when people ask actors to work for free - on the fringe - as if it's some kind of vi...
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I don't like it when people ask actors to work for free - on the fringe - as if it's some kind of virtue. That annoys me - actors should be paid well.
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[Speaking about how he learned a Russian accent for Legacy, and his homosexuality] There isn't a hug...
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[Speaking about how he learned a Russian accent for Legacy, and his homosexuality] There isn't a huge amount of footage of Russians speaking English as a second language, so I started looking at Vladimir Putin videos on YouTube. But then Putin introduced anti-gay legislation this summer - so, being a gay person, I switched to Rudolf Nureyev videos instead. It was another Nureyev defection of sorts!Scott is low-key on the subject of his sexuality. "Mercifully, these days people don't see being gay as a character flaw. But nor is it a virtue, like kindness. Or a talent, like playing the banjo. It's just a fact. Of course, it's part of my make-up, but I don't want to trade on it. I am a private person; I think that's important if you're an actor. But there's a difference between privacy and secrecy, and I'm not a secretive person. Really I just want to get on with my job, which is to pretend to be lots of different people. Simple as that."
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People get distracted by box-office figures and take jobs because they think it will advance their c...
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People get distracted by box-office figures and take jobs because they think it will advance their careers. Of course, it's nice to get a big cheque and be able to buy a massive house, but my view is that we're not here long, so why not do something of value?
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I find any sort of acting that doesn't have any humor in it is mind numbingly boring.
I find any sort of acting that doesn't have any humor in it is mind numbingly boring.
I like clothes.
I like clothes.
The kind of actors I admire move through different characters and genres.
The kind of actors I admire move through different characters and genres.
I am a private person; I think that's important if you're an actor. But there's a difference between...
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I am a private person; I think that's important if you're an actor. But there's a difference between privacy and secrecy, and I'm not a secretive person.
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I'm an enthusiast for people, and I don't want them to become the enemy. I've seen that happen to co...
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I'm an enthusiast for people, and I don't want them to become the enemy. I've seen that happen to colleagues who are disturbed the whole time, but there's a certain degree of control you can have if you keep yourself to yourself. The kind of actors I admire move through different characters and genres. That's the kind of actor I try to be. If you want that, you have to be circumspect about your private life.
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