"Dating is a capitalism or acquisition thing: to get a boyfriend, get married or get that person, or ..." — Celine Song

Part of why I wanted to make 'Past Lives' as a movie is because I know what's required in theater. The thing about theater is that its relationship to time and space is very different; in theater, time and space is figurative, it can be as small as a light change or the way an actor turns and looks at someone.

I learned so much about leadership from Rafe Judkins. I learned everything about leadership when you're running a show, or in my case, running a film. So much of it is about responsibility. He taught me about the responsibility of the chief creative person, to make sure that it's good. I learned so much from that, as an artist, holistically.

Even though maybe, of course any kind of life is going to involve some unhappiness and some happiness, but I think to be properly in a happy moment in your life, I think you really do need to feel empowered, to be in charge of your own life.

It is so much easier actually to fantasize about having that guy who is in finance, 6'5'', blue eyes, than actually dreaming of a true love that makes all of those criteria feel meaningless.