Wolfgang Petersen

“I come from the theater, and I love to direct actors.”

“For me, it is very important to believe in the characters, and to make them believable.”

“I'm a storyteller. That's the essence of what I do.”

“Casting is 80 percent of the job.”

“For a director, the most important thing is to have a vision.”

“I always try to find the human element in my stories, even in the biggest blockbusters.”

“I think it’s a director’s job to make sure the actors are comfortable and can do their best work.”

“'Das Boot' was the first time I had a big, big budget.”

“The audience is the most important thing. I can't imagine putting my ego before the audience.”

“It’s always the story. If you have a good story, you have a good film.”

“I am fascinated by people in extreme situations.”

“Every film is a new challenge. I am not a director who makes the same film over and over again.”

“I love water. I love to be on a boat.”