Animation is a great way to work. No early morning call times, no make-up chair. In live action, you're always fighting the clock; the sun is always going down too soon.

I actually envy actors who have a persona: ‘This is the way I am. This is the part I play.’ And do it over and over and over. To me, that’s a lot easier than trying to reinvent yourself every six months.

I’ve never been someone who’s been given work because of the way I look or because I have some box office appeal. I get work because people know I’m swinging as hard as I can, trying to connect, giving it my level best. I have a face for radio, but here I am doing what I do.

There’s so much joy in doing comedy work, and that’s one of the reasons I like to do it – because it’s just a hilarious day at work.

I hear actors complain about being stereotyped, and a lot of the time, you have yourself to blame. Just don’t take the part if you feel like it’s a stereotypical part for you. You have control over your life. We don’t have the old studio system, where you have to do what they tell you.

It’s true that the skills required to be a conman are the same as those required for being an actor. Though those skills are in the service of something a bit more noble with acting, I hope.

Despite not looking like a matinee idol, I feel like I have a lot to give. I’ve never had any trouble with women. People are always surprised with the romantic aspect of my movies.

In Chicago it’s really a case of the play’s the thing – people are just so happy to be acting, you know? We were all actors – not like in New York or Los Angeles, where everyone says they are actors but they are actually waiting tables and hustling for spots in commercials.

I really enjoy my time off. If I’m going to go to work, it has to be something I really believe in, or else it’s totally tedious.

I love to improvise, but I always thought “Man, it’s like the final frontier for improvisational actors, to really go for something emotional, something that’s not just chasing the laugh.”