Actor

I wasn't aware of my dad being an actor when I was young. I remember there was an Australian children's entertainer on television called Ralph Harris and when I'd say my father was an actor, kids would say, you know, 'oh, is he Ralph Harris?' And I had to say no and then they would lose interest.

You get ideas from other people all the time.

I never lost an argument and my parents assumed I would be a lawyer. They cast me in that role.

One of the reasons why good actors are good is that they have poor impulse control. If you put them in front of a camera, they respond as if it was actually happening, in real time, rather than doing it after several takes.

I like challenges.

I remember thinking, 'I'll audition just once and if it doesn't work out I'll never think about it ever again.'

My father was a Catholic, but my mother wasn't. She had to do that weird deal you do as a Catholic - they deign to sanction your marriage and you have to bring your children up as Catholics.

You can't love someone unless they love you back.

I wasn't aware of my dad being an actor when I was young. I remember there was an Australian children's entertainer on television called Ralph Harris and when I'd say my father was an actor, kids would say, you know, 'oh, is he Ralph Harris?' And I had to say no and then they would lose interest.

The scariest monsters are human beings and what we will do to each other.

Matt Weiner is an amazing writer. He's one of the best, greatest writers that's ever written for television - or just written.

Moving outside of your comfort zone is one thing I learned from my training as an actor in England.

I thought if I went somewhere where I didn't know anybody and they didn't know me I could start all over again.

Male actors have to lie about their ages, too.

Here in England, my becoming an actor was considered unimaginative.

I've auditioned for normal characters. But I never get cast.

The person you're playing must have feelings, but if he's not able to show them, then just the subtlest rumblings and nuances can say an incredible amount.

It's odd, because 'Mad Men' was the first long-form TV thing I ever did. I'd done loads of independent movies, but after that, it was 'TV actor.' You go, 'When did that happen? Everything else has been erased?'

You can't love someone unless they love you back.

The person you're playing must have feelings, but if he's not able to show them, then just the subtlest rumblings and nuances can say an incredible amount.