I'm More Critical Of The Films I

But, Actually, So Many Of The Clerics That I've Met, Particularly The Church Of England Clerics, Are People Of Such Extraordinary Smugness And Arrogance And Conceitedness Who Are Extraordinarily Presumptuous About The Significance Of Their Position In Society.

It Is Very Linear Storytelling, And I Think That's Not So Much The Fashion. I Was Watching A New Drama The Other Night Which Was Extremely Non-linear, Where You Flash Back And Flash Forward In Ways That Certainly Keeps You On Your Toes As The Audience. There's Not Much Of That Courage With The Storytelling In Our Maigret Film.

Although The Great Frustration About This [role] Is The Fact That There's One Thing Maigret Never Does, And That's Drive. He's Always Driven, Or He Takes The Train, Or He Gets The Bus. I Was Saying 'well, Why Don't We Ring The Changes For The 21st Century, And Stick Him In The Car?'. [executive Producer And Son Of The Author, John Simenon] Said, 'well, You Can If You Want, But There'll Be Lots Of People Who Won't Like It'. So He's A Non-driver ... But No, Top Gear Was Never A Consideration For Me; And Neither Was I Asked

People Think Because I Can Make Them Laugh On The Stage, I'll Be Able To Make Them Laugh In Person. That Isn't The Case At All. I Am Essentially A Rather Quiet, Dull Person Who Just Happens To Be A Performer.

If You're A Serious Actor, It's When You Know You're Going To Die Tomorrow That You Really Start To Feel It.