Eric Bana Quotations

About Himself

"Just a little over 6-foot-2, around 200 pounds. Brown hair, brown eyes. Likes the outdoors."

"My fears are not taking risks. So as a result, I think that I do have fear, but I like to think that I don't. Because, really, what are the consequences of failure? It doesn't manifest itself in anything other than how you perceive yourself or how you think others perceive you, which is completely irrelevant."

"I had quite a satisfactory and normal childhood, a wonderful one really. My brother, who's three years older, and I got along really well. We got into a few fights occasionally, but there wasn't much choice, as he's been 6ft 8in ever since he was 12. He always just warned me, 'Punch me and I'll punch you back twice as hard."

"I think my mum and dad have always been a bit worried about me. I think it was a huge relief to them when I said I was going to be a stand-up comedian. I think most parents would have gone, 'Oh, what?' But I think my parents went, 'At last, something that he wants to do. A career! He could make 60 bucks a week! That would be incredible. He'll move out of home'."

"I learned a lot about women through my wife, actually, so I was a bit of a late bloomer in that respect. I've always really loved the company of women, I quite often find them more interesting. Men spend a lot of time playing games with bravado and bullshit whereas I think women can be far more honest."

"At the age of 16, I enrolled in a co-ed school. Before that I'd studied in schools exclusively for boys. So there I was, a solitary guy suddenly surrounded by 30 to 40 girls, pretending to be cool even when I was breaking into a sweat. I guess I could never stop acting."

"But home is where the heart and the family are. I'm fortunate that my wife Rebecca and children enjoy travelling. Wherever I am working, at the end of the day, I need to be with family, like a bird returning to its nest every evening. We have two kids; I'd hate the idea of them telling me later in life that I did not give them the care and attention they deserve. Call me square if you like but I believe parenthood is another word for responsibility."

"Then when I'm home I'll decide what to do next. I realise that working this way isn't the conventional thing to do, but I don't ever want to work back-to-back. I have a couple of kids and it's really important to me that they spend time at home and that I spend time at home. That's where I live my life. I want to indulge in my life, my family and my friends. I want to indulge in my hobbies - tinkering with the car, motor racing and motorcycles."

"I'm trying to keep Klaus sheltered from The Hulk. God forbid, I hope it's a long time before he actually sees me transform from [mild-mannered scientist] Bruce Banner to The Hulk. Unfortunately, he's already seen a glimpse of the trailer and he was very confused about how and why my eye was green."

"I spend every moment at home, other than when I'm working. We live at home in Melbourne, Australia. So before I started on Troy, we were at home for nine months after this film finished. And basically, I just like being at home. Home is home, and I get back there is often as I can and do all the things that I like doing in the spare time."

"My last three shoots - 'Black Hawk Down,' 'Hulk' and 'Troy' - have been big and long, and my family's been with me. Obviously, I can't imagine going eight, nine months without them there."

"I think there's a potential for experience to help you. I think there's also the potential for experience to be a hindrance. It is one of the reasons that I didn't want to, when I was young, attend drama school. I think sometimes too much knowledge can be a hindrance. And I've found that myself as you go through more and more productions, there are some things that can weigh you down. I actually find myself reverting more than anything else and try to tap into primal instincts that haven't been tapered."

"You know what is essential for us to survive in Australia is to have talent. It's not like you're going to get cast in something because you've been in an underwear commercial. The competition is just as hot back home, because there's so little opportunity, so you really do have to be good to survive. Then when we come knocking on these doors and hopefully it means that we've made a few of our mistakes back home already."

"I have a theory, the public should only ever see you when you're in the middle of promoting a film, otherwise keep out of their face. I know it's odd and I know it's weird because I'm in this industry and I'm in these huge movies, but at the same time I'm the last person in the world to want attention, you know?"

"Acting has never felt like a chore at all, it's not as much of a stretch as it looks. If you're earning five and six figure salaries, you'd better be all there. Sure, if you have to get into the action mode, you have to train yourself in martial arts, gymnastics, boxing, swordfighting - the works. I enjoy action, drama, and if I'm asked to do a take-off on someone, then the comedy bit is like icing on the cake."