Melissa Leo Quotes

I've been giving interviews for the last 25 or 30 years, more often than not answering the same questions over and over again, ad nauseum.

But unfortunately, I have to say, one out of every 100 interviews I do, I get a real journalist.

Documentaries are a form of journalism.

I love documentaries. I love the format. I've been doing them for a long time.

A journalist finds out things by asking questions of people who know.

I don't give you editorial control. I want to meet you. I want to interview everybody who's ever known you. I want to see your correspondence. I want to see your bank statements. But you will have no control over what I write. That's why I really believe in the unauthorized biography.

I coauthored my first nonfiction book by the time I was 25. I have been involved in nonfiction documentaries, newspapers, TV and internet since that time.

For 'Seabiscuit', I interviewed 100 people I never met.

I have an interest in getting government officials to talk to me about National Security affairs. You know, that's my bread and butter; that's how I make my living.

My lady, Deborah McNaughton is doing a documentary on me.

What I love - and I'm a journalist - and what I love is finding hidden patterns; I love being a data detective.

You know there's some great folks, great story telling at 'Dateline,' and I'm glad to be a part of it.

The first step in good reporting is good snooping.

I love researching, I love interviewing.

When I left 'American Morning' in 2007, I'd focused on doing documentaries. But I thought 'Starting Point' was a great opportunity to be involved in the zeitgeist.

What I do for a living is ask questions.

I'm looking for human stories to do.

You can't be a reporter using Google. It can be a tool. But you have to get out of the house.

You do nonfiction, you get to meet people you would not normally meet.

In the normal course of things, journalists want their story, and as soon as they are through with it, they pack their cameras and go. That was never the impression that David Astor gave when you were interviewed by him. It was far deeper than that.

I never wanted to do a documentary or write a book.

I did a few documentaries as co-director and cameraman. I started off shooting a film about the war in Rhodesia. Then I did a film about an 'around the world' yacht race with a friend, and we spent nine months on a yacht. The film was about how people get on in confined spaces under extreme stress.

I was no stranger to risk myself, having made documentaries in dangerous conditions in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Africa.

Interviews are difficult.

I try to ask the questions I think fans want to hear and just have a good, relaxed conversation.