I never used to get photographed and people asking for autographs. I don't mind the autographs, but the paparazzi I find weird. As an actor, you want to be able to regard the world instead of having it regard you.

When you're a young actor, and you're really fighting to have your place in the world - for me, anyway - it took a mental focus and energy and striving. It took a long time. And it was my whole life.

You really can have your dreams and at the same time have a family. But it has to be a really deliberate practice.

I've never Googled myself on the Internet.

I don't like to go to the gym very much if I can help it.

For the longest time, I was Scott Ruffalo's brother. I mean, he was the mayor of Beverly Hills. He was just so beloved there.

My mom was a hairdresser. My aunt was a hairdresser. My brother was a hairdresser. My sisters are hairdressers.

It's been up, down, and sideways for me, man. I could become a huge star, or I could get cancer tomorrow.

I don't have to be a leading man. I can be a character actor. That's really what interests me anyway.

Whatever we want to think about American business - work hard, tell the truth, have morality - it's a myth. There's a lot of graft.

Shakespeare does a great job of taking 5,000-year-old stories and turning them into modern pieces that are true to the original essence but are completely remade.

If you're not yelling at your kids, then you're not spending enough time with them!

'What Doesn't Kill You' is a really great movie that was little seen but, I think, is one of my personal favorites.

For some reason, my whole life has been, 'You can't do this, you can't do that.'

I want to do a western. Nobody does westerns anymore.

Certainly, it's very easy to fall in love with cash. If you're going to make all your decisions based on cash, you're going to have a pretty naffy career.

I never lie. I believe everything I say, so it's not a lie.

I never lie. I believe everything I say, so its not a lie.

Hopefully, we're still living in the land of second chances.

If I succeed in business but fail as a father, then I've failed.

I see a guy getting old. I try to not look in the mirror too much.

I don't enjoy doing nothing or sitting in my trailer watching ESPN.

Justin Bieber is like the white Tupac. Compared to a lot of people.

Tiger Woods is the only sports star who's worth every penny he makes.

I'm a peacock Captain! You gotta let me fly!

He's a legend and I respect his work, so I went down and paid my respects when Charlton was on the set. He was nice but I think he lied a little. He said it was an honour to be in a movie with me, but I don't believe it.

I was really inspired by the way people responded, and I wanted to tell that story [ 'Patriots Day']. It's never been more difficult or complicated for me to make a movie. It's about my home, my people, my community.

I don't think God's going to judge me based on my film work - although I hope he has a sense of humour and I hope he's a fan of movies because I've done some things that may be questionable in his eyes as an actor!

I always say one of my favorite things about making movies is finishing on that last day because I get to have my life back and let that go, and hopefully have a real sense of accomplishment at the end of it.

I like to talk to people. I've got one assistant, one Blackberry. That's my overhead. I don't text that much or email. I like to sit down face-to-face and have a conversation with you. I'm old-fashioned.

I work as hard as anybody will ever work and I like that. That's why I've been successful and that is when I feel good about myself. If I do my damnedest and don't succeed, I feel good about the effort.

Previously, I've worked with Bill Monahan on The Departed, he recently wrote American Desperado for us, and I just acted in a movie he directed called Mojave. So, yes, Jimmy, that goes without saying.

But no, I'm not political. My obligation is to pull the lever and elect somebody who's going to make life a little better for everybody, especially those who don't have as much good fortune as others.

I want to give my kids the world, but I also want them to appreciate everything, to succeed, to be good people, to enjoy life. This is my most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.

I don't intend to be insensitive to the victims and their families but, at the same time, as an actor, it's our job, and we are obligated to portray the characters in the most realistic way possible.

I just want to do the best possible job with everything that I do. But I'm far more concerned with being a good father as opposed to being a good actor because that's what's really going to matter.

Well, I would love it if they could take all the guns away. Unfortunately, you can't do that so you hope that good people in the world have them to protect the people who can't protect themselves.

When you go into a starring position and you're carrying a movie, it's important that people like it. So I only do things that I can connect with in some sort of way, or that I can identify with.

Andy Samberg is the only person I've ever seen do an impression of me, and I didn't think it was that accurate. I'd like to see somebody else impersonate me, especially if they can do a good job.

Well every moment, every project is different. I took a very slow approach to acting, trying to really work with people I could learn from. And I got something different out of each experience.

It's always been a dream of mine, and a childhood fantasy, to play a great champion. I would much rather haven been an athlete than an actor. This is like some second place consolation prize.

If I don't go to mass, necessarily, every day, but I definitely go to the church every day. That's how I start my day. I like to get in there for about 15 to 20 minutes and say my prayers.

Having two daughters changed my perspective on a lot of things, and I definitely have a newfound respect for women. And I think I finally became a good and real man when I had a daughter.

There are guys who want to look good, and there are guys who want to perform at their best. Being fit is about being able to perform at your best, not necessarily just looking your best.

I grew up in predominantly black neighborhoods and went to predominantly black schools. And hip-hop is what I grew up listening to in my teenage years. Basically I'm just being myself.

I don't like to eat in movies. I don't like props. Some people have always got to have a thing and they're doing this or doing that. I hate it. I just want to talk or fight. Or both!

The first thing I do when I start my day is, I get down on my hands and knees and give thanks to God. Whenever I go outside of my house, the first thing I do is stop at the church.

I'm proud to be white. I don't have anything against my color. But I don't think color matters, either. Just like I feel it doesn't matter that I'm a white dude doin' black music.

I'm much more concerned with being a good dad than a good actor, being there for my children, educating them and hopefully helping them avoid some of the mistakes that I've made.

When you think about the person responsible for creating the character and the dialogue, Bill Monahan, who's a Boston guy, obviously, his words roll off my tongue quite nicely.