I didn’t become an actor because I thought I’d make lots of money.

If you’re used to being a maverick, then people don’t get surprised when you start acting strangely.

I’m not interested in building wealth, which is kind of naive and probably frowned on, living in America. It’s something that people don’t necessarily understand, but if I die poor, I die poor.

I never like to go out of character when filming starts. I fear that if I do, I might not be able to pick it up again.

Some of the mail I’ve had has been weird. When I played Guy of Gisborne, a woman crocheted a mini-version of me.

Once you don’t smile on film, they say, ‘Let’s have that bloke who doesn’t smile.’

Adults will not necessarily laugh at the same thing as their children.

I went into musical theatre, which I’m not really cut out for – I’m not as skilled at it as other people.

You can’t reject anything in your life as an artist. Everything has its use.

I do believe in pensions.

In school, I was a beanpole with a nose I hadn’t grown into.

I’ve done an awful lot of skiing all over Europe: I’ve done Italy, Austria, France. I skied loads in New Zealand – I did pretty much every ski slope I could find.

I speak some dwarvish.

Someone told me a woman bought a dog so she could take it to the same park where I go running, but I’m hoping that’s rubbish.

As an actor, you’re like, ‘Yeah, I want that phone call from Peter Jackson saying, ‘You’re my first choice for Thorin Oakenshield.’

I wouldn’t want a tattoo at all. They’re difficult to cover up.

You know, to an extent, Method acting feels occasionally lazy.

I don’t really like making too much of a statement with what I’m wearing.

It is possible to work out of New York on film and television and still not lose your connection to theater.

It fills me with dismay sometimes when you look at the scripts that do come to you that are primarily focused on violence. There are so many other things to play around with.

I suppose I’m a bit mean. My face on camera doesn’t lend itself to happy nice guys. I think it’s just that my bone structure looks menacing.

Te Papa Museum is brilliant.

Do people really think that about my nose? I spent my whole life hating it, so it’s amusing that people like it!

I’d like a bit of a crack at some kind of anarchic comedy, but whether or not I’m skillful enough at it all, we’ll see.

You’ve got to have baddies that you can boo.

I don’t think actors need to go on pedestals. I don’t buy it.

Light, trivial comedy does not appeal – it is not something I go to see.

It’s bloody annoying being shy. I’ll spend a whole evening at a party asking everyone else about themselves. I’m not being self-deprecating; it’s because I’m too shy to talk about myself. So people come away...

I think if I had come out of drama school and been an instant Hollywood superstar, I would be taking long, leisurely holidays.

The interesting roles have only come since I got into my 30s. But I didn’t know that was going to happen.

Everyone loves a good baddie.

I’d like to act in a film without special effects.

Being thought of as sexy makes one employable, but it’s not going to last forever, so I try not to think about it. It’s like something that exists outside of me.

I feel like my imagination was crafted by Tolkien. He seemed to tap into that childhood intrigue of secret doors and hidden worlds.

Monet was like a conductor. He painted with quite a straight arm and used bold strokes.

My instruction to my parents is that I would rather they enjoy their retirement than leave me anything when they go. I am much happier watching them enjoying life.

I think insanity is the hardest thing to play.

There’s a very strong force in Tolkien’s characters.

Give me a character that has an heroic quality, and I’ll go there.

I’d like to live off-grid.

I confess I’ve got a yearning to go to Los Angeles, but I can’t work out if it is because a lot of British actors seem to go or because there’s this perception that the...