MATTHEW MACFADYEN

The lovely thing about being an actor is being anonymous, it's never having to explain yourself. And that's what I find interesting about actors or painters I admire. I don't want to know about their lives.

I'd auditioned for the National Youth Theatre and I didn't get a place and it was terrifying.

Nobody's really unsympathetic, I think. People do good and bad things. If a character's totally unsympathetic, they're not real and I'm not interested.

I think it sits quite happily with me, the condition of being an actor. I see some people getting quite eaten up with it, with the insecurities. There are times when I long for continuity and stability, but I also love the idea of not knowing what I'll be doing next - or even if I'm going to work.

I don't feel like a romantic lead; I guess I feel more like a character actor.

I can't throw books away. My wife is always telling me to get rid of some.

It's a real skill to be able to publicise yourself.

Nobody's really unsympathetic, I think. People do good and bad things. If a character's totally unsympathetic, they're not real and I'm not interested. Even the real monsters have to have a spark of something you can relate to.

What's exciting is there's a curtain that divides the audience from this other world. You want to see behind.

I was quite a shy child. I would get terribly nervous and throw up before my birthday party. And then I would be fine. I feel the same now. I get nervous, then it's fine.

People like to think that actors are terribly worried about ghosts of other actors in the parts they play. But you just have to get on with it.

I think people ought to do what they feel useful at the time. If I do things because I ought to do them, I switch off.

I just loved the whole idea of being an actor.

As much as I long for a sort of security and consistency sometimes, I do enjoy sort of being busted around. I really don't know what's happening sometimes next week, let alone this year.

I have felt some twinges recently, about parts I wanted to play that I may be getting too old and fat to do. 'Hamlet,' for example - maybe that's gone. I would love to play Richard II.

There's always a concern as an actor that you'll be boring unless your character is swinging from a chandelier.

My vanity is I'm terribly romantic! But being married is lovely.

It must be odd, being recognisable. I would hate to lose that anonymity. It happened for a while with 'Spooks.' No one notices me now.

I love TV and I love making films and I love doing plays. I feel very lucky to be able to do all three.

I think I do have a good eye. It's quite liberating, being in a position to read a script and say, 'No.' It's really the only power you have, as an actor.

The actor in me would always like to be more dashing, or slimmer, or have nicer hair.

I wouldn't want to leave it so long before doing a play again, I get very stolid and sluggish if I do too much telly.

You never know how films are going to do and it is daunting if I think about it.

I've worried more and more as the years have gone on. The more you're seen to be doing well, the more stress there is. You feel you ought to consider things more, and be more fussy - there's further to fall. All these little worries.

It must be odd, being recognizable. I would hate to lose that anonymity.