I'm empowered to stand here thanks to the ensemble of actors, men and women, who I shared the screen with and who in ways they will never understand made me a better actor.

Being an actor is in your hand. But to be a star, you need people to love you.That happens to very few people and I feel really fortunate.

I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by great coaches and fantastic teammates who showed me the ropes.

I am one of only a handful of actors in this country who are not just talented, but have taken the trouble to learn the best ways of making any role they are cast in as real as it can be for the viewers

I was actually just blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful veterans and people that I had great chemistry with and that were just open to me.

Thank you. If there's one thing that actors know, other than that there weren't any WMDs, it's that there is no such thing as best in acting. And That's proven by these great actors that I was nominated with as well as the — as well as the Giamattis, Cages, Downey Jrs., Nicholsons, etc. that were not nominated. We know how great all of you were. My daughter Dylan and son Hopper find it presumptuous and embarrassing to write a speech, and so I'm gonna give it a go without. God, I really thank Clint Eastwood professionally and humanly for coming into my life. The great, great cast that I had to work with, my friends. Where do you go? Dennis Lehane, Brian Helgeland, Ma. Dad. Robin, for being an undying emotional inspiration on this rollercoaster I'm learning to enjoy. Thank you all very much.

Working with a great director is wonderful for an actor because it means that you're not forced to take the advice of an idiot.

Playing off of people that great was great for me.

I’ve been blessed to work with a lot of incredible directors, and having a lot of guidance and mentors and people that I look up to, who inspired me to be on that storytelling level. I’ve been quietly watching and putting together these folders of things that I wanna try, for quite some time now. I was just waiting for the right opportunity to step up and get behind the camera.

I’ve been given so much support by the people who do what you do.

I surround myself with the best people. I know the best people.

Actors are so filled with wonder and imagination and they get it so quick, no matter how strange something is. They get it, and their talent is to make it real from a deep place. When that happens it's really, really beautiful.

I think it was Alfred Hitchcock who said 90 percent of successful moviemaking is in the casting. The same is true in life. Who you are exposed to, who you choose to surround yourself with, is a unique variable in all of our experiences and it is hugely important in making us who we are. Seek out interesting characters, tough adversaries and strong mentors and your life can be rich, textured, highly entertaining and successful, like a Best Picture winner. Surround yourself with dullards, people of vanilla safety and unextraordinary ease, and you may find your life going straight to DVD.

I love working with directors who have acting experience, because I do believe there’s a connection there that they’re able to speak to that not everyone fully understands.