Even though people may be well known they hold in their hearts the emotions of a simple person for the moments that are the most important of those we know on earth: birth marriage and death.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations all pride all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death leaving only what is truly important.

Dating is really hard because everyone puts on a front. It's really difficult to see who is who so it is important to be yourself.

I'm much more interested in what an actor has to say about something substantial and important than who they're dating or what clothes they're wearing or some other asinine insignificant aspect of their life.

It seems essential in relationships and all tasks that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important.

No one was more important than my mom and dad. I know they are watching from a place up in heaven here today to make sure all their kids are doing good.

Dad was a chemistry professor at Saint Olaf College in Minnesota then Oxford College in Minnesota and a very active member of the American Chemical Society education committee where he sat on the committee with Linus Pauling who had authored a very phenomenally important textbook of chemistry.

There was nothing more important I could do than be supportive as a dad.

But my father was also the one who told me I needed to clean up my mouth or I'd never find a man. What's very important to him is manners. Show up on time. Always send thank-you letters. He is one of the more thoughtful humans I've ever met. He's a great man and a very good dad.

My background is basically scientific math. My Dad was a physicist so I have it in my blood somewhere. Scientific method is very important to me. I think anything that contradicts it is probably not true.