When I work on a movie, I never aim for records, collections or the number one position. I always concentrate on my work and look for ways to improve my acting abilities. I also advise my co-stars not to concentrate on these pretty issues and just focus on acting.
The bikini scenes in 'Billa' were vital because they showed me as a seductress. I'd like to say here that outfits define a character and help an actor, say, 30 per cent, the rest depends on one's histrionic skills.
I have been a fan of Yoo Ah In's for a long time. Every time I watched one of his films, I would think to myself, 'How does he act like that?' and greatly admired his acting abilities. I felt that I would be able to learn and improve a lot as an actor, just by observing.
I never try to pander to an audience, and I'm really not concerned with my image. I'm far more interested in stretching my abilities as an actor.
I think the emotional toolbox I have is healthy for an actor, as far as the intensity of emotions go. It's other things I have to hone. I can swim in that comfortably.
I've always just admired women who were able to navigate through dramatic and comedic waters and sort of do it all.
Doing 'Comedy Bang! Bang!,' you have to play at the top of your abilities, so it is so fun to get that opportunity. I've grown a lot as a performer just working with those guys.
Those are more universal things than some of the characters I play, who are slightly sociopathic. I keep reminding people I can do ordinary.
I know that people who have been to RADA and LAMDA can smash accents and do Shakespeare: all those things that I never really trained in.
Over the years, I've had a slight ebbing and flowing of confidence in my non-comedic role abilities.
As an actor, you always dream of having material that showcases what you can do.
I could play a lot of things. And it's hard for people and logically hard and understandably hard for people to think of me for certain roles.
I can always do theater; I can do Ibsen, I can do Macbeth, I can do Chekhov, I can do Moliere, Othello, I can do Richard III.
Frances McDormand is my favorite actor. I don't know if that's relevant. But she's a person who plays people. In other words, not everything has to be an over-the-top Broadway musical to get my attention, but it certainly helps.
A lot of the shows I have done, I'm often the only black guy and I have often had to play second or third fiddle. It isn't necessarily a bad thing if it is a strong ensemble cast. But I feel people have overlooked my abilities.
Very few ideas are better than Catherine O'Hara's ideas when it comes to acting.
There are more things to worry about in the world than a messed-up audition. It's out of your hands. So often, it's not down to acting abilities but something an actor has no control over. So go in, be prepared, do your job, and go and enjoy the rest of your day.
You can sing at 65, and you can act at 65, but you can't kick your legs at 65.
In terms of my development as an artist, playing Professor Sprout wasn't all that important because she is well within my capabilities as an actress. But in terms of marketability, it made an enormous difference.
As an actor, you know there are things you get asked to do that you do quite well, with less effort.
I would love to work with Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Abishek Bachchan and a lot more... even Imran Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Ranbir Kapoor are damn good with their acting.
I don't consider myself much of an actor. I have a face and a voice that allows me to do certain things, but there are people who are way better at it than I am.
The actor is too prone to exaggerate his powers; he wants to play Hamlet when his appearance is more suitable to King Lear.
There is a misperception, if you will, in critical response or even in Hollywood, that I can only do exaggerated characters. Or what they would call over-the-top performances. Well, this is completely false.
I think that different actors bring different qualities to the character.
