"But I'm a great believer that, if you are a character actor, acting seriously is the same as acting funnily, " he tells presenter Mark Lawson.

BBC: Rowan Atkinson wins praise for 'serious' role

If you are feeling a bit trippy afterward, a few blocks east is the Actor's Gang ( www.theactorsgang.com), a theatre ensemble run by actor Tim Robbins.

BBC: Culver City, ready for its close-up

In your first answer, are you suggesting that Governor Romney is failing that challenge of being an actor on the world stage?

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing by Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest

If you are old enough to remember, when Ronald Reagan gave his first State of the Union, The Gipper, the old actor, stood up and appeared to speak for almost an hour, or so I recall.

FORBES: My Lunch With Lady Margaret Thatcher