'America' took at least five days of actual filming.
When I do a film, I follow the director.
My job, as an actor, is to give the director options. You can only hope that the takes that you thought were the best were chosen. But, then again, if I don't watch it, I'll never know.
Every time you do a take on a movie, you're not sure if it's going to succeed. Even if you have a great cast, like we had, every scene you're kind of waiting for the release. 'Oh, yes; it happened. We got it!' There's always the possibility that it's just not going to work.
Small screen or big screen my job on set doesn't really change. The only difference with TV is I get to be surprised with new information just like the audience every time I get a script.
It's good to be busy on a film set because there is a lot of sitting around, so if you've got two roles to play at one time, then that's great to do.
My biggest high is just to be in front of the camera and be on a film set.
When I watch a movie that I've been in, I'm watching it, but I usually remember what I was doing at that time, what was going on in my life.
Good actors, especially when they know their character, will come in and either tell you in advance that they have an idea, or in the middle of the rehearsal or the scene they'll let it loose and you go, 'Ah that's great.'
My favorite commercial I did was my Verizon campaign, which I filmed a series of three commercials. My favorite movie I have done was 'House Under Siege' because it was my very first movie at 5 years old. My favorite TV show I have filmed was 'The Night Shift,' which is one of my favorite shows.
There's nobody who loves being around actors working more than David Mamet, especially actors bringing his tremendous dialogue to life. I've never seen a movie director who was happier to be directing a movie than Dave.
I got to work with Cillian Murphy and my dad, Jim Broadbent and Jodie Whittaker on 'Perrier's Bounty.' It was a small part, but it was really special.
Though I have an idea about the climax, it always changes when we start shooting.
In filming, you're waiting - you're waiting for lights, you're waiting for people to set things up - and when you're not waiting, you're repeating.
I'm not the kind of actor that can go completely cold into an emotional scene. I have to transport myself emotionally by whatever means possible, and that basically means you carry the situation with you all week, all episode or all day beforehand.
Sometimes fake laughing is hard once you've done a scene 18 times. I don't want to brag, but I have a reputation for being very, very good at that. It's funny finding what's challenging about acting as you go.
James Franco is a Method actor. I respect Method actors, but he never snapped out of character. Whenever we'd have to get in the ring for boxing scenes, and even during practice, the dude was full-on hitting me.
I used to do small roles in Western films.
When I did that first movie, it was the introduction to all the set-up time and the waiting time that's endemic in motion pictures, and the repetition.
I remember the first reading of the script we had and everybody was sitting around the table. I was very impressed with the level of acting that was in the room, particularly with Jennifer who has so much responsibility.
I was mainly a stage actor. I found film acting mechanical, because it was so technical - there was so much technique with the lamps and the movements of the camera.
It depends who the director is you know, I mean Ken Loach for instance. I've done up to 32 takes with him.
Once you begin shooting, Bollywood actors get totally involved in their roles, and that gives you an edge in getting what you want out of them.
I played a doctor on 'Counterpart', so that was about studying and watching documentaries and reading and trying to learn.
My very worst day on 'Green Lantern' was nowhere near as difficult as my finest day on 'Buried.'
