Sean Penn

When I was growing up and somebody like Robert De Niro had a movie come out, it was a cultural event. Because he had such a confidence and a single mission that was so intimate.

In my teens, I fell in love with the movies.

I am a limousine liberal.

I just want real creative freedom without worrying about, you know, car payments.

I've always operated under the notion that audiences don't always know when they're being lied to, but that they always know when they're being told the truth.

The major studios are by and large banks, and they give you what is by and large a loan to make a movie. Like banks, they want their money back plus.

I think that I've still not been successful at playing the role of the retired actor, and I'd like to work on that.

At this stage, what would be rewarding would be for audiences to want to watch.

I think you start to prepare the minute you read something.

I don't have any particular excitement about working with any specific director or actor at this point.

I've never really been one to get what they call stage fright so much.

I think life's an irrational obsession.

Marriage ain't easy, but it's great most of the time.

I'm not a breakfast eater.

What happens is things come to you - director, script - and if you respond to it, it's because it's tapping into some part of what's inside you, and different roles tap into different parts.

On any movie I'm involved with, I say what I think.

Oh, I'm a big-mouth. I said a lot of things.

Well, look at all of these summer blockbusters. You can't help but laugh a little, because you've already seen a lot of these movies 482 times.

You try to do your best at what you're getting paid for.

It has nothing to do with the emotional demands of a role; I've done comedies that are as draining to me as any drama.