Would like my next film to be a musical; Kate loved musicals, Suri loves them.

I was 18 when I saw Akira Kurosawa`s Shichinin no samurai (1954). After about 30 seconds, I realized that this was not just a cultural thing, it was universal. Years later, I read Bushido. It talked about many things that I strive for in my own life: loyalty, compassion, responsibility, the idea of looking back on your life and taking responsibility for everything you`ve ever done. I`m fascinated by the samurai and the samurai code - it`s one of the main reasons I wanted to make The Last Samurai (2003).

Saddam has committed many crimes against humanity and against his own people.

SAT (exam) scores have gone right down the toilet. The parents are blaming the teachers, the teachers are blaming the parents and the psychs are putting everyone on drugs.

Talk is over-rated as a means of settling disputes.

Because I grew up in so many different places, I was used to rumors [about me]. You know, I didn`t have the right shoes, I didn`t have the right clothes. I even had the wrong accent.

I`ve never agreed with psychiatry, ever. Before I was a Scientologist, I never agreed with psychiatry. Here`s the problem. You don`t know the history of psychiatry. I do.

I love what I do. I take great pride in what I do. And I can`t do something halfway, three-quarters, nine-tenths. If I`m going to do something, I go all the way.

Have you ever gotten the feeling that you aren`t completely embarassed yet, but you glimpse tomorrow`s embarrassment?

I look at the Samurai because they were the artists of their time. What I think struck me when I read Bushido is compassion. `If there`s no one there to help, go out and find someone to help.` That hit me, because I try to lead my life like that.

I believe in life. I know that life comes in at your heart and it doesn`t matter if you`re an actor, a filmmaker or a gentleman on the street, it comes at you. What Scientology gives me is the tools to deal with that, to better enjoy my life and to be able to contribute more.

I didn`t become an actor to have power, but it just happens that I have it and so I have a lot of opportunities.

I don`t really keep counsel with others. I`m the kind of person who will think about something, and if I know it`s right I`m not going to ask anybody. I don`t go, "Boy, what do you think about this?" I`ve made every decision for myself - in my career, in my life.

I`ve gotten very good at scheduling my life, scheduling the scene and preparing myself for knowing, saving the energy, consuming the energy, knowing when to go for it and having the available reserves to be able to do that. You have to think about that, because it`s endurance.

Nothing ends nicely, that`s why it ends.

[on the relationship with Katie Holmes, about other people thinking it`s a publicity stunt] It`s amusing at first. It`s funny. But then you sit back and realize how sad it is that there are people who can`t even imagine feeling like this. But my friends are happy for me. The people who know me are happy. My mom is happy. My family is happy.

I love kids. I was a kid myself, once.

I`ve had a very interesting life. There are ways of handling the complexities. I`m willing to take on responsibilities as a father, as a producer, as an actor - and I enjoy that. I`ve always been changing and evolving and growing. There`s no pinnacle of power where you can sit back and rest.

I`ve never done work for money ever. If your choices are based on grosses and the film doesn`t do well, what does that mean? It leaves you with nothing.

[on the invasion of Iraq] Personally, I don`t have all the information President [George W. Bush] has. But I believe [Saddam Hussein] has committed many crimes against humanity and his own people.

When I first started out all the attention could be a bit unnerving, especially when people stared. Now I find the best thing is to just relax. Being recognized is just something you have to get used to.

Every single time I start to do a picture, without fail, I feel as if I don`t know what I`m doing.

I`ve learned to relax more. Everybody feels pressure in what they do, maybe mine is just a little different because there doesn`t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish what I want to.

The thing about film-making is I give it everything, that`s why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It`s not that hard. Sign your own cheques, be responsible.

As a young actor, people were trying to define who I was before I really knew that for myself. But I still remember thinking, "This is what I love doing, and I hope I`m going to be able to do it forever."

Nic [Nicole Kidman] and I don`t talk publicly about custody but, definitely, both of us share the kids back and forth. They`re amazing kids.

I`ve never made a film that I didn`t believe in, you know? However the picture turns out, I`ve always given everything to it. That`s kind of how I approach life. I can`t help it. There`s no part-way with me on anything in any area of my life.

The exciting part of acting, I don`t know how else to explain it, are those moments when you surprise yourself.

It`s well known I`m a Scientologist, and that has helped me to find that inner peace in my life and it`s something that has given me great stability and tools that I use.

I disagree with people who think you learn more from getting beat up than you do from winning.

[about Eyes Wide Shut (1999)] We knew from the beginning the level of commitment needed. We felt honored to work with Stanley Kubrick. We were going to do what it took to do this picture, whatever time, because I felt - and Nic [Nicole Kidman] did, too - that this was going to be a really special time for us. We knew it would be difficult. But I would have absolutely kicked myself if I hadn`t done this.

I remember getting through high school and thinking, "Boy, I`m glad I got that behind me!" Then, when I was 19, I got Risky Business (1983), and I realized, "Ah, so this is life - it`s a little bigger than I thought!"

[to Jay Leno regarding his topless Vanity Fair cover shoot] I don`t drink but I had a beer that night and they only did one setup like that. I`m a cheap date. What can I say?

The thing about filmmaking is I give it everything, that`s why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It`s not that hard. Sign your own checks, be responsible.

I want a world without war, a world without insanity. I want to see people do well. I don`t even think it`s as much as what I want for myself. It`s more what I want for the people around me. That`s what I want.

I`m passionate about learning. I`m passionate about life.

What I find sometimes that is tricky is if actors are using too much of their own life in a picture, in a scene, they get locked into a particular way to play the scene, and it lacks an immediacy.

When I work, I work very hard. So I look to work with people who have that level of dedication. And I depend on that from everyone. From the director to my crews that I work with.

I have cooked turkeys in my day but when Mom`s around I let her do it.

[on his role as the hit man in Collateral (2004)] I`ve never played a character like this before. Vincent interested me because he is such an anti-social personality, bringing destruction and chaos with him wherever he goes. He`s a force of nature.

The important thing with a child is that you love them, you protect them and you help them to grow and find out who they are. And as a parent, it`s my responsibility to help them to become independent and get all the knowledge and a broad view of the world and life. I know that Nic [Nicole Kidman] absolutely agrees with that. And that`s what`s important: being there.

Awards are wonderful. I`ve been nominated many times and I`ve won many awards. But my journey is not towards that. If it happens it will be a blast. If it doesn`t, it`s still been a blast.

I`d like to be with a woman who goes [he switches into a woman`s voice], "I`ve reviewed your schedule, and I`m going to set up this motorcycle trip for you, because you`ve been working really hard. And I`m going to go with you. We`re going to go riding together. And I`ve already been working on it for a couple days so it can be special."

I always look for a challenge and something that`s different.

I would live with all of my sisters if I could. We`ve always been very close, my sisters and me.