I find it strange the way human nature wants heroes and yet wants to destroy their heroes. It's a kind of mass insecurity people want something to look up to and get a buzz off but at the same time want to destroy it because it makes them feel insecure.

It's so great in Hollywood now. You have people past 40 sitting and talking about serious stuff writing and making movies and TV but there's laser pistols and superheroes and alien monsters involved. It's viable and mainstream.

I grew up when I was 15 when I had my first opportunity in movies. I watched every great movie for a year and a half and since then I've asked myself how I can emulate such artistry. That's really my motivation. I want to do something as good as my heroes have done.

What people adore about superhero movies is the signal quality of the Christopher Nolan films - their complete lack of irony when it comes to the portrayal of heroism and the need for heroes to confront evil.

I look at my father. He is one of my heroes. He is such an incredible classy man. He was such a great father and such a great husband in so many ways and we lived through some pretty tough times losing my mom. When I see all that he did I think 'Wow that's a really wonderful man.'

Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly as we wake or sleep we grow strong or weak and at last some crisis shows what we have become.

I think superheroes are heroes with flaws and in their flaws there is a sense of humor.

Athletes tend to have less of a sense of humor than most people. They are heroes to so many. That might be part of it.

You know in my hometown of Hope Arkansas the three sacred heroes were Jesus Elvis and FDR not necessarily in that order.

Our flag honors those who have fought to protect it and is a reminder of the sacrifice of our nation's founders and heroes. As the ultimate icon of America's storied history the Stars and Stripes represents the very best of this nation.