Quotes

What's important to me is the longevity. I want to create a body of work that is entertaining and speaks to people for a long time. Longer than my life span. They're the real goals for me as an actor, not the fame side of things.

I like the ideology of there being no such thing as perfection. But I'm of the opinion that I have witnessed perfection at various times, especially in art.

[on playing Cook in Skins (2007)] I think out of the characters I've played, me and Cook are the most similar. I don't know whether he changed me; he helped keep me on the straight and narrow for a bit, ironically, because I could focus any troublesome incentives of mine into a very productive line of work. If he changed me, it was for the better... There is a significant amount [of fan mail], and it comes from all over the world; it's so humbling to know that Skins (2007) reached out on a global scale, from something we were just fucking around with in Bristol.

[on his acting influences] Growing up, Gary Oldman has been a big role model of mine. Also Tim Roth, I've always loved his performances. A more recent example would be Tom Hardy. He decides to do what he does for his reasons, but I like the way he's been able to stay as Tom. He's not been warped in any way.

[If you could go back in time, where would you go?] I'd go as far back as possible, just to have a look.

[What is the most important lesson life has taught you?] Not to think of the past, not to think of the future, just the here and now.

[What do you consider your greatest achievement?] Not many actors come from where I am from. I am quite proud of that.

[What is your greatest fear?] Big spiders.