Quotes from Steve Buscemi

When I was in pre-production for Trees Lounge, I was hearing the cinematographer talking with the production designer about colours and this and that and feeling like I was losing control.

It's not like I'm looking for things that I can direct that I can also act in, but when it's right, I feel like the actor side of me wants to have that opportunity.

Growing up, yeah, I had a magic kit with learn tricks and learn card tricks, but I was never... I used to watch whatever magic special was on as a kid, but then, it's not that I lost interest, but to be a magician, you really, it's really hard work. Learning lines is hard enough; learning sleight of hand, that's real practice.

I never did improv professionally, but that was certainly in my training as an actor. I like it.

Relationships are interesting to me. Not just between men and women, but fathers and sons, brothers and sisters and friends.

My greatest hope was to get discovered as a comedian and get on a sitcom.

I usually get freaked out if I'm in a situation where a lot of people recognise me at once.

I like character-driven stuff. It doesn't matter, the size of the part.

The director I had most involvement with was Alex Rockwell. He gave me a lot of responsibility as an actor.

The trend now is to shoot in Canada because it's cheaper, and they don't care what the location is.

What's "God"? Well, you know, when you want something really bad and you close your eyes and you wish for it? God's the guy that ignores you.

Just because people want to eat the burger doesn't mean they want to meet the cow.

I never made a daring rescue, which is the story people want to hear. I did go to my share of fires.

Bob Altman had this relaxed but serious attitude. Everybody loved him. I wanted him to adopt me.

Communication is the key, and it's one thing I had to learn-to talk to the actors. I was so involved with the visual and technical aspects that I would forget about the actors.

I've always tried to have a healthy take on the characters I play; they are only characters I play.

I didn't really like the aloneness of doing stand-up. The comedians by nature weren't very - I mean, they were sociable, but they hung out in cliques, and it's very hard to get accepted; lots of competition.

When I was doing stand-up, I was about twenty, and I really think that that's a little too young. I didn't have a whole lot of life experience to draw on.

I never know what I'm going to get. A 'Sopranos' fan is very different from a 'Big Lebowski' fan.

My favorite review described me as the cinematic equivalent of junk mail. I don't know what that means, but it sounds like a dig.

I'd say that the director I had most involvement with was Alex Rockwell in 'In the Soup'. It was one of my earliest leading roles, and he gave me a lot of responsibility as an actor.

My dad had a temper. I have a temper. Most people I know have a temper. And I think it comes out mostly with your family. I don't think it's unique to the Buscemis, but it's something I've been able to tap into when I play certain roles.

Usually, I only get to work a few weeks on a movie, or I often don't make it to the end of the movie because I'm disposed of.

I hope I don't make it sound like it's this big to-do, but even putting on real cufflinks takes work.