I have great respect for my parents. I got such beautiful things from both of them. It doesn't mean that we didn't have our rough times, but they were remarkable people who were open-minded, creative and hard-working, and had great senses of humor.

I have a great respect for the academics who are working with the source material. My hat's off to them.

People wrote the most beautiful things during the ugliest times.

I have great respect for directors who know what they're doing.

“Tell her she's beautiful, not hot, remind her the good things she's done, not her mistakes, hug her, don't hurt her, make her laugh, not cry, and when she feels worthless, make her feel like she's the most precious thing on earth.”

The Bible is very resonant. It has everything: creation, betrayal, lust, poetry, prophecy, sacrifice. All great things are in the Bible, and all great writers have drawn from it and more than people realise, whether Shakespeare, Herman Melville or Bob Dylan.