MAX VON SYDOW

Bergman was courageous in choosing people to do things that they themselves might not expect to play.

Ingmar Bergman had a great sense of humor, and he had a very special, characteristic laugh that you always recognized - if he went to watch a theater show, 'Ah! He is here tonight.'

The idea of working with Steven Spielberg was very attractive. He's such a master. He knows the language of the camera and of filmmaking, which gives him a great freedom.

Unfortunately, not all stories end positively.

It's important to me to work in my own language now and then. I love English, but you can never learn to master a foreign language if you're not brought up with it.

I began imagining scenes in public which some drunk would come up to me and slap me in the face. Nothing like that ever happened, but I often wonder if I would have turned the other cheek.

I admired Stephen Daldry very much; I think he's a brilliant director, and also, I feel close to him because he has a lot of theater behind him. He's also a man of great imagination and a lovely sense of humor.

Filming is repetition and many takes.

There are many documentary filmmakers who have a tough time because they don't really get what they need to do what they want. There are so many people with good visions that should be encouraged and helped. And they will deliver, I'm sure.

I owe Mr. Bergman so much.

My parents were brought up in families which believed theatre people weren't to be trusted. But they were nice people.

In a theater, the part is mine and I can control it as I want to. In the movies, I don't have direct contact, and I am fighting technical machinery.

I'm an actor; I'm not a director.

I accept a role only if it's something I really, really like.

In this country, you have movie actors and theatre actors and television actors.

All of us, we deserve to survive.

I don't have a philosophy for choosing roles. Sometimes, it's just, 'This might be interesting; that might be fun to do.' There might be interesting actors or directors in the project, even if the part is not important. And then sometimes, you need the money.

It often disturbs me, when I see a film set in a historical time, that the people are too modern.

I've never been in a barroom brawl in my life. I just don't do such things.

I've been the type of father who tries desperately to be perfect but doesn't succeed all the time.

Playing the role of Christ was like being in a prison. It was the hardest part I've ever had to play in my life. I couldn't smoke or drink in public. I couldn't.

We should look back now and then. Our politicians should look back every now and then.

I think the film you hear about the most is 'The Exorcist.' When people come up to me and say, 'Oh, you scared me!' I was the good guy in that film!

I find it very hard to take myself seriously.

The Devil, of course, must have been or must be a very charming person.