I like to think of myself as a fairly educated human being but I'm a very uneducated actor when it comes to movies directors producers actors for that matter.

Everybody gets typecast in movies but you have to make wise choices. I'd say around 90 percent of movie casting is about the way you look so you have to fight that. If producers had their way I'd only be in action films but I'm interested in a more varied career than that.

I've found that if you wear a beret people think you're either a cabdriver or a producer of dirty movies.

I don't watch the movies I make so I haven't seen 'Footloose' since it came out. You see this young hungry actor it's pretty fun. I was the only one they screen tested. It was an attempt by the director and producer to talk the head of the studio into hiring me because they didn't want me.

I've been on so many movies. Generally I haven't gotten to be on the ground level. As of two years ago in 'Dear John ' I got to really be on the ground floor. I wasn't a producer. I felt like I put the work in and I did have a lot of sway on what got fixed reshoots so on and so forth. It felt really good.

I don't want to criticize any other designers but I have to say that many of the people involved in this industry - directors and producers - are trying to make their games more like movies. They are longing to make movies rather than making videogames.

I don't like begging money from producers.

If I have enough ego to say I'm a writer a director a producer and an actor I should have the energy and the knowledge to write a scene for this great actor named Henry Fonda and direct him in it and have it work.

As a young man I went to Paris and soaked up many hours of film knowledge from Robert Hakim in my efforts to become a producer.

Since we launched the original 'Pop Idol' in England I've remained close with Simon Fuller. Working as executive producer on 'American idol' for its first seven years not only was an inspirational journey into the heart of American pop culture it opened my eyes to the untapped potential of the incredibly dynamic young people in this world.