Gary oldman

People have an idea that one is in control of a career, a lot more than you really are. You can engineer things to an extent. But you are at the mercy of what comes in across the desk.

Over the years, I have been asked to play these sort of scary frenetic characters that express their emotions physically.

I'm rarely asked to play the smartest man in the room.

Change is vital to any actor. If you keep playing lead after lead, you're really gonna dry up. Because all those vehicles wean you away from the truths of human behaviour.

I didn't do drugs. It wasn't my thing. But the drink was terrible. Today when I look back, it's like I was another person. You could call it a coping mechanism, but that would be an excuse. I just...

I wanted to play Dracula because I wanted to say: 'I've crossed oceans of time to find you.' It was worth playing the role just to say that line.

I'm still a member of the Empire! Although I sometimes feel like an American with a British accent - you get contaminated after so long.

My big love was the Beatles. I was more into music.

I can't imagine childhood without 'Planet of the Apes.' I was nine or ten when the first one came out.

Culturally, politically, everywhere you look... Read the newspaper. Go online. Our world has gone to hell.