Quotes

I wanted to be a mechanic. When I was 14, I wanted to quit school and go work on my car. But my dad said, "Son, you shouldn't do that. You should stay in school until your education is finished, and when you're done, don't make your hobby your job.".

I race historic muscle cars back in Australia. And I try to race home as soon as I'm finished a movie but don't tell anyone.

When I shoot, I'll take my family with me - one movie a year and then the rest of the time at home.

I wasn't a religious follower of comic book activity as a kid, but I was a fanatical fan of the television show with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. So my memories of "The Hulk" were very vivid.

I could become characters and to me that's what acting was - I didn't want to shroud it in mystery.

[on his influences to become an actor] Early, it was Richard Pryor. I did stand-up for 10 years before acting. And the movie Mad Max (1979). It cemented in my mind that I wanted to be an actor.

I already loved Orlando like a little brother before we started shooting. We did spend five months together in Morocco during Black Hawk Down (2001). And you have to take care of Orlando. He doesn't even know how to make coffee. (Starts imitating Orlando's voice) Do you want coffee, Eric? How is it done again? Do you put the coffee in the water? Or in the filter? Can you make the coffee, Eric?

The Hulk is definitely what I would categorize as un-fun. I don't think it always needs to be fun. It doesn't always need to be one big happy family. Everyone got along, but it was a difficult, hard shoot. And I think you see every ounce of sweat on the screen.

I love being at home, being with friends and family. I'm of European stock, brought up in Australia. I'm a passionate guy. I just love life.

I think I've been fortunate, and right now I'm in an incredibly fortunate position, which I'm totally aware of. I think luck gets you on to the stage. But it has nothing to do with keeping you there.

[on training for Troy (2004)] You couldn't have bluffed your way through. It takes a lot of bloody arrogance even with six months' preparation.

My favorite part of the interview is the 401 assumptions before you've even started speaking, based on what you're wearing, what you've chosen to eat, how the waiter looks at you.

When I go on the plane to fly home, I'm literally capable of forgetting what I do for a job. That also comes about because I choose to take massive breaks between projects, and because I choose to do this ridiculous thing of keeping home, home.

I wanted to be a racing driver but, you know - this will do.

I deliberately fly in and out of L.A. for as small a time as humanly possible.

I hate to break it to you but actors really do love each other. It's a crazy job and we put ourselves in vulnerable positions. I don't care if it sounds corny but it's true: you're part of a brotherhood, and protect each other.

[2009] I've always been someone that sets achievable short-term goals. I've never been someone that's had a five-year plan, or a three-year plan. That just seems to lead to a lot of disappointment, and doesn't give you the chance to be flexible. So I've just always been someone that's sort of reassessed where I'm at, and set goals that are realistic. And luckily, I've had plenty of chances to recalibrate and adjust, and good fortune has come my way.

My father endured a lot of racism. It was just that period in Australia. My dad is an unbelievably positive person, but I do know that he was called a wog, and probably had a hard time at work, and could speak very little "Inguish". My father battled on. I was probably on the cusp. I remember at school there were the Aussies and then there were the wogs. I was 50/50. Wog is such a terrible word. So I never really fitted into either camp, clearly.