The 5-minute Interview: Chris O'Donnell, Actor

'I feel I get pegged as a choirboy'

The Golden Globe-nominated actor Chris O'Donnell, 37, shot to fame with a string of 1990s big-screen hits, including 'Fried Green Tomatoes', 'Scent of A Woman' and 'Batman Forever'. His latest film, 'The Company', is out next week.

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Getting out more of the Christmas decorations. My kids are all over me. The lights aren't out on the trees yet. It's a big occasion for our family. My kids are at the age now where all the holidays mean so much.

A phrase I use far too often is...

"You know what I mean". Way too much. I've got to stop saying it.

I wish people would take more notice of...

The need for people to just get along. I guess John Lennon had it right: give peace a chance.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

I don't get surprised very often to be honest. I'm the kind of person who you couldn't throw a surprise party for because I'd figure it out.

A common misperception of me is....

Because I'm married and have kids, I feel like I sometimes get pegged as a choirboy or something, but I wouldn't exactly describe myself that way.

I am not a politician but...

I think that as far as American politics goes, the next election is going to be very interesting. I'm glad I'm not a politician.

I'm good at...

Procrastinating. I go online, I start surfing on TV.

I'm very bad at...

Reading scripts as fast as I could. I tend to get scripts and leave them for a while. I can normally tell when a script's good.

In moments of weakness I...

I look to my family for my support. I'm fortunate to have a big family.

You know me as an actor, but in truer life I'd have been ...

On Wall Street. I always had an interest in finance.

The best age to be is...

I used to always think 17 was the best age, but boy there's new stuff that creeps up all the time.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this:

To thine own self be true.

Toby Green