Chris O'Dowd

“What I think improv is great for is making dialogue more natural.”

“I come from a musical kind of family.”

“All of this talk of recession offends me. I am delighted that bankers have less money.”

“For some reason, I find that in the course of my career I've worked with more women than most men have.”

“Hey, I think comic actors are the best actors.”

“I grew up among strong women so I know what it's like to be loved and humiliated in a heartbeat.”

“I don't think the public here buy this idea that women and men speak different comedic languages.”

“In comedy it helps if there's a friendly atmosphere on the set.”

“Being at the genesis of the creative process is definitely something I want to keep doing. It's just such a great buzz.”

“Louis C. K. makes me laugh, I must say.”

“I cook rarely, but I've kind of got two or three dishes that I stick to. I do a great sweet potato and lentil curry.”

“I feel like I need to start wearing a T-shirt saying 'This is not a photo opportunity'. People are so lovely but you do find that when you're out you spend 40% of your time posing for photographs.”

“I definitely want to keep working in Ireland, and without being too worthy about it, if it's possible to bring work into the country, that's no harm.”

“The bottom line is that female writers aren't being given enough opportunities by male producers.”

“I never go to these showbiz parties. I avoid them with a 10-inch pole.”

“I'm a huge, huge believer in love. Huge!”

“Social media is great, I guess, but it feels like technology is the sapper of innocence.”

“Well, when you're the youngest of five, parents kind of lose interest more and more through the children. I think my eldest brother was under loads of pressure to do something amazing with his life, but by the time I came around they were like, 'Well, let's hope he doesn't kill a guy.'”

“Going out with other actors is never good; actresses are neurotic, and actors are horrendous egotists.”

“L.A. is fun, but it feels like one of those towns in the north of Scotland where there's an oil rig just off the coast and whether or not you work for the oil rig, everyone is connected to it.”