Quotes

I remember watching 'A Streetcar Named Desire' when I was quite young, I was about 12, or 13, and I watched it, thinking, 'Wow. That is pretty cool. I'd like to do something like that.'

I always used to pretend to be different characters - cowboys, that sort of thing. I used to think that the Indians lived over the mountains that I could see out of my bedroom. As I grew up, I started to understand that acting was actually a craft, and there was no question about it, that was exactly what I was going to do.

I came from a very, very small valley in the middle of South Wales. I grew up there with my father, who's a coal miner, and my mother worked in a normal factory.

I used to just daydream all the time about being in movies, from the age of, like, four onwards. I would sit down and watch movies with my father and my grandfather, and always pretended that I was in the stories.

Richard Burton is my number one idol. One, because we come from very similar backgrounds and two, because of his fantastic talent.

The biggest thing about me, as an actor, is I'm never a finished product, you know? I always want to try something or be in a new genre because, one, it's much more fun to do that because you're not doing the same thing over and over.

I do my own stunts; that's something I'm very passionate about. I spent a lot of time on boats as a kid, so it's just nice to be able to put that into use in the job that I do.

I like being on a set where you can make decisions and everything is involved and are happy to work together to make the best work. For me, it's all about making the best work and creative people working together and all being respected and all having their opinions of what gives it the best quality is important.

I never like to stick to one media; whether it's a TV series or feature film, I enjoy it and I like changing constantly.

When I was a kid, I used to pretend to be Bond; I used to make up scenarios and irritate my sister and annoy my mother and father pretending to be someone else, so I kind of was already acting when I was a child. I just didn't really know it.

For me, every opportunity is a golden opportunity, so I just need to work as hard as I can to maintain credibility and respect and hopefully people enjoy watching me as an actor.

If I played Bond, my dad probably wouldn't know what to do with himself. He'd probably put his shoes on the wrong way for the rest of his life!

[2013] I try to look after myself but I don't think it's a good thing to be obsessed with body image. I wouldn't want a son or daughter of mine to feel manipulated by that, it's the wrong message. It shouldn't be all about muscles or models, there has to be room for interesting people.

[on being voted Wales's Sexiest Man of 2012] An honour... but embarrassing!

[2017] It was painful for me but Iwan Rheon has finally destroyed me in snooker! 3-1 and may I say he finishes well! Big epic game player!