Winning an Oscar ain't about performance. There's a lot of politics involved.

Actors should shut up about politics. They tend to be ill-informed finger-pointers who just cosy up to some flavour of-the-month liberal.

The tension between the Christians and Muslims goes back to the Crusades, doesn't it? It's too easy to blame everything on one guy. These are unpredictable, dangerous times, and I don't think that anyone really knows quite what to do.

It's the formulaic studio movies the make money, and when they do, the actors in them are automatically movie stars.

A couple of guys won Academy Awards for the things that I turned down. Today, after coming to terms with everything, after being in therapy for a long time-there are areas where I will compromise.

I love the first Godfather movie, part one. And two.

If you look closely at some scenes in Diner, my eyes look like Dracula's.

I spent a lot of years trying to beat the system and, in the end, the system kicked my behind good.

I always knew I'd accomplish something very special -- like robbing a bank perhaps.

It's no fun being a loser. Trust me.

I thought my talent would transcend my outspokenness. I was wrong.

Acting was never my first choice as a profession, but I came to terms with it when I decided I better buckle down and be the best I can be at it.

The acclaim I'm getting for 'The Wrestler' means everything in the world to me. But it also means I can't take my foot off the gas pedal.

I grew up in a gym in Miami, the one where Muhammad Ali trained. I had 142 amateur fights and lost three.

To me, everything's competition.

A lot of those who let you down are those who seemed the closest to you.

When I was like 12 or 13,Muhammad Ali gave me a pair of his trunks that were white satin with gold stripes. They were full of blood, and my mother threw them away. I think it's the first time I ever cursed at my mother.

People are always afraid of the truth.

I wanted to change my name to Romeo Florentino. Romeo Florentino -- that's a good fighter's name.

I'm an old broken down piece of meat and I deserve to be all alone.