Q: So, in life, usually, one decision that you make in life can affect you for the rest of your life, sometimes. Depends on the...one decision for like a Counselor, he makes one decision and it changes a whole life. But in your real life have you ever had a moment, 'If I didn't make that decision that time, that maybe my life would have gone somewhere else?' or is there any you regret, or anything that you realize, that what you do consequences?
A: I don't believe in mistakes in life. I believe in choices and then what you learn from those choices, good or bad. Is there a time that I remember? Yeah, I remember there was a film that I was considering at the same time as Hunger and one of them was paying a lot, and it wasn't Hunger. And they were going to conflict, and I remember I said no to the other film and said yes to Hunger. So in terms of like a career decision, that seemed like a kind of crossroads at the time.

Q: But when you make a mistake, you said to yourself, "Oh this is a learning experience' and you can just go on?"
A: Yeah, obviously I'm going "Fucking Idiot." You know, you have a moment where the outcome isn't something that's favorable; you know you think 'I wish I didn't do that'. Of course I say that, of course I do, but I try to keep that philosophy of it's about what I do with the information now as opposed to living in that past moment of mistake. It's like 'OK, well hopefully I've been given the opportunity to not be totally crippled by that decision that I made', I mean for "the Counselor" it's different. What he does after he leaves Mexico, I don't know. Thankfully, I'm not in his position, and I hope not to be.

Q: Can I just ask you about the theme of the film, because obviously he's "the Counselor" isn't poor, he's got money. But you know, suppose we're talking about greed or what he thinks that the woman he loves wants. Can you tell me-
A: I don't think it's even that. That he thinks that she wants that.

Q: 'Cause she doesn't, does she?
A: Well she just wants, I think like anybody in love, to have a place to be together, to...I think it's a very valid point that you've brought up and one that was very important to me, is this idea of western capitalism, that I've been said…Which has sort of, well certainly for myself, I've been sold the idea of happiness and successfulness go hand in hand, therefore the objects that you attain sort of define you. So it's like, if I have nice things, I'm going to be happier, and people will respect me more and I will be...I don't know, more attractive perhaps? So the Counselor makes good money, as you say, it's a good job, but it always reminds me of that story...there was a lawyer here in New York, very successful, very well paid lawyer, one of the biggest sort of you know law firms around, private law firms, and he ended up being done for fraud and embezzlement, it was around the Madoff times so he kind of got overshadowed by Madoff, but it made me always think of him. This guy is surrounded by people with vast amounts of money and the same with the counselor. So he starts to be seduced by that, so that he definitely...the Bentley is out of his reach, that ring probably cost about $300,000 which he can't afford, and then his apartment, all these things...he's definitely a guy living outside his means. So that leads him into an area where he has to compromise himself, and obviously he's done it in the past as well because we get a little indication of that from Toby Kettle's character.

Q: Talking about Mexico, you speak the language. Did you know much about it? And given this character is overconfident because, I don't know anybody Mexico with that attitude. He doesn't seem to realize that everybody is like this in Mexico, it's like every single person.
A: I think by the time he gets down to Mexico he's a desperate man, but you're right, that was a problem for me, one that was one of the areas I had handle, was like 'If he's a Counselor, he's on the border of Mexico and he's dealing with criminals all the time, how can he be so naive?' So I had to play an arrogance there, because obviously he's a well-educated guy and so naivety isn't an option, so I had to put it down to arrogance and thinking that he's smarter than he is.

Q: Do you think this naivete kind of fall into this consumerism and this arrogance? 'Cause I thought that was a very philosophical thriller in the end, and he gets thrown philosophy at him that seems to tell him that he's in his infancy when it comes to that.
A: Yeah I know, and again, that was like...part of it's like 'How can he be so fresh?' you know, to it all. Like green to this whole scene, and again I had to sort of play it down that he thought he was one step ahead of everyone, and that it's not going to happen to him, it only happens to the lower-rung levels of this sort of trade. He's just investing some money, which will hopefully come back to him two-fold, three-fold. But again, I was basing it in the fact that he thinks he's smarter than he is, this guy, and that's like a major sort of downfall for him.

Q: It's a fairly efficient anti-crime movie that way, because at the end, you're like 'Oh, I'm not gonna even park the wrong way'.
A: I'm not even gonna park the wrong way? I don't know, I just think 'Stay away from drug cartels' I think that probably, and you know find....'cause that is the beautiful, the one thing with the relationship that he has with Laura, Penelope's character, you know that's beautiful, that's real, that's him at his best, because he really does love her, and you know, cherish those things in life and work on those things in life and stay away from Javier, you know Reiner

Q: What's it like coming back to work with Ridley again, and being in London so, which is kind of a recent home for you, and coming back to work with him?
A: Well it's great. You know, and again...seeing lots of familiar faces that work with Ridley and on his crew, they're excellent crew and they're just a great bunch of people, I miss them a lot actually. And Ridley, you know, love him to bits. He's got a great way with Actors and with his crew and we move fast and there's multiple cameras at work, so you really get to capture moments sort of for both characters. Say that we're doing a scene together, both of us would be recorded at the same time. That's great, I love that, and he's just fun and sort of inspiring, you know? It's something about that generation, Ridley's generation...Terrence Malick is the same, they're like 73 or thereabouts and they're like...I'm trying to keep up with them, their energy levels and their industrious nature is something that's...you feel like you have to bring it to work, you feel like you've got to bring your A game to the table, and that's like all the members of staff from the camera department, art department, writers.

Q: Do you believe in these intercultural love stories?
A: Yes, of course. I've had some myself, some intercultural love stories.

Q: How was for you just to shoot with Penelope and Javier, I mean, you're kissing Penelope and the saint Javier, so...
A: Yeah, Javier was in the next room with the headphones on. No, you know, they're two professionals at the top of their game, I mean they're...and they're really great people on top of it. And obviously I've been a fan of both of their work for years, so there's only the utmost respect there. Javier did joke around when we were doing rehearsals, sort of in the scene, we were there and he came back in the room and he's like, 'I forgot something'. And he was like keeping an eye on us...but no, both of them great, and you know just wonderful together, and so it was...you know those scenes are always awkward, it's always like, 'Uhhh..' you know, it's like...unless you're both really into each other and then...but you know, the thing is to always make sure that your partner in the scene is comfortable and that they don't feel like you're taking advantage of the space and situation, and so those things...yeah, I mean I always find them awkward, you know?

Q: This is based on Cormac McCarthy original screenplay that unlike any of the books that based on, so it's quite different. I was wondering, how is that impression of the script when you started using it, like what was your starting impression? I don't know how you ever... like other McCarthy works, like No Old Country, and...
A: I was aware of all of them. I never read any of them, I kind of started On the Road, I mean not On the Road, the Road in 2007 or 8, I picked it up and I started reading it and I got half way through and then of course the problem with me, and this is the case over the last few years, I haven't finished a book because the script comes and then I start reading the script and then another one comes and so forth, and then I gotta work on a script and I'm a slow reader on top of it, so unless I get through a book in a couple of sittings I don't actually...I'm not very successful in finishing them of late, which is kind of embarrassing. But I was aware of his work for sure, and when I read the script for the first time it was...I just was intrigued immediately, I was like 'God who is this writer? Character? Who is this counselor, and what is..' the original, the originality and the unusualness of this character and the way that he speaks, his choice of vocabulary and just as I'm sort of finding out elements about this guy and this scene, then I'm somewhere else. And again with the same magnetism I'm drawn into the next scene and also Cormac's choice of retaining information and giving us certain amount of information, I enjoyed that a lot as well as a reader. Hopefully it translates then as an audience, that you have to fill in the blanks yourself. That's what I really kind of felt...like 'This is an original piece.'

Q: Can you talk about the look of the Counselor, working with Armani...I mean you look so...I know you're used to hearing this, but it's like so sexy, sophisticated, beautiful, and be clothed...and know that he did...I think your clothes and Penelope's. How much did you work with him at all, or could you talk about the look and the clothes...
A: With Mr. Armani? Oh no I didn't work...

Q: He gave you, he...
A: Yeah, I mean there was Janty the costume designer who Ridley always works with. She's excellent, and he had the guy that works with Armani's people who I've sort of worked with in the past. So they came with the collection of stuff, and we had to sort of breakdown obviously of certain suits and then it was just a matter of trying different ones out and again, it was important as you say for the Counselor to show the vanity of him and how kind of particular he was with how he presents himself. Again, this idea of being respected through the clothes he wears and the impression that he wants to give, that was important.

Q: So you could've been wearing this...the fact that they are Armani is significant, because the Counselor would have worn Armani..
A: Yes, yes exactly.

Q: How do you feel about just being, your name sounding for the Oscars again, the receiving that you had in Toronto and how people are reacting to it...in a sense like you're touching in another level.
A: I saw the movie in Telluride and it's beautiful, and it's a really important piece. I think Steve has really made a masterwork. So, I'm just really proud of it and very privileged to be a part of it. Whatever else happens after that is a bonus, you know?

Q: You never think about awards?
A: I try not to. I mean they're there, and obviously the last time 'round I was involved in them quite, quite heavily and sort of promotion and everything else. But yeah, I try not to. All my work is done, you know? It's been done sort of last year when we finished in New Orleans. This is like an extra bit, and I hopefully...I can sort of try and verbalize what I was doing, but for the most part the work has been done, so everything else is gravy.

Q: Do you still go back to Ireland and what does Ireland kind of mean to you in terms of...you know like home? and being with your family...
A: Yeah, that's what it means really. Although London now, I've been there 17 years, so it's kind of like I left Ireland when I was 19, so they're kind of like...I'm getting old. Ah getting older. It's you know...they're kind of balancing out in the amount of time that I've spent in both places, but yeah, it's always great for me to get back and see friends there, and…cause I grew up in the countryside, I long for some countryside when I'm in the city for too long. But the great thing as well is my parents retired now so they come and visit me wherever I'm filming, they always sort of drop in, you know?

Q: Thank you very much! Thank you so much. A: Thank you! Cheers.