Films and acting

"I wouldn't want to play a bank manager or something like that. I like fantasy roles, I like making believe."

-on his preferred types of roles

"Why do I always have to be such a baddy? Why can't I have a nicer side?"

-Damien, in Spice World

"They like to say that looks aren't terribly important, but they are. I get the roles I get because I look frightfully thin and cadaverous. The nice thing about that is, the older I get, the worse I am bound to look, and perhaps I'll be even more employable. 'He looks even worse than he did yesterday . . . that's great . . . '"

-on playing the types of roles he plays

"The producer admitted that they had had a talk with the boys and asked them who'd they like to work with  in the last episode. They'd all said me --- because I was the most fun on the set! I thought that was great. I was expecting them to say it was because I was a fine actor (laughs). I was actually 'stroking' the producer to get something back about my acting 'skills.' Instead I got the real reason, which I guess is really not a bad reason for being employed!"

-on his unexpected return to Robin of Sherwood

"I dislike the idea that actors are somehow more important than anybody else on the set."

- on the Hollywood machine

"I have to say that I never really understood Jubilee. I saw Derek Jarman and told him as much. He said 'We're having a screening, come and all will be clear'. So I went, and, of course, it still didn't make any sense."

-On 'Jubilee'

Question: "Do you have any insights on working with the Spice Girls?"
Richard: "Stay mono-syllabic."

-Good advice. ;-)

"Anyone who says acting is hard work is LYING"

-on acting