Did you understand their mentality? It's not like it's a regular profession...

Philip Seymour Hoffman: Yes, it is. I would disagree with you. I think it's an incredibly well known, popular profession. Don't you? The Catholic Church is huge! You know what I'm saying? I think it's very common. A lot of people are priests. A lot of people have given themselves to the Catholic Church. A lot of people. Millions.

But these people live their job like few others...

Philip Seymour Hoffman: No, but I'm addressing the fact that you said it's not common. What I find interesting is that it's not so uncommon. That's what I find interesting. A lot of people commit themselves to the church. And I can understand that. I think there's a freedom in not having relationships in your life and not taking vows. You don't have a lot and it's just you. There's a certain freedom to being on your own and not having a lot. I always relate it to being young. When you're young, and you have no money, there's a certain freedom. It's uncomplicated. But you're also free to have that relationship with God, you're free to do your studies, you're free to give over to things. I can understand that. I think anyone can really understand that. I just relate it to being young and not having anything, and that feeling. You don't have much and you're struggling. You don't know what's going to happen. But there's a real joy at that time too. A real freedom.

Did any actor or person inspire you for role?

Philip Seymour Hoffman: I didn't have any role model for this.

Are you expecting a reaction from the Catholic Church?

Philip Seymour Hoffman: No-one from the Catholic Church has talked to me about it at all. The play's been running in this world for over two years. If the Catholic Church had wanted to come down hard on it, they already would've. It won a Pulitzer Prize. This play has been at every city in this country for three years. It's been performed all over the world.

How do you see the word 'doubt' in relation to recent US history?

Philip Seymour Hoffman: I think the 'doubt' was about the fact that if you had doubt about what was happening, about choices that the government was making, at a certain time you were considered unpatriotic. But that's what you were thought of as. Nothing happened to you. But people were scared, or rather intimidated, to speak out. But that changed a while ago. Probably around 2005 the country started revolting against the war. Definitely there was a majority forming, speaking out. It stopped being that if you had doubt, and were questioning the actions of the government, it was an issue - because people were doing it all the time. It changed about three years ago in my view, where it became the majority and Bush started having a hard time and now is one of the most unpopular presidents that we've ever had. So I think that doubt, that questioning something, was an issue for a little while. And people fought against that. There was a revolt against that. They didn't want to live and feel scared while questioning and doubting what was happening, because they were, and I do think this film does have that issue in a big way. I think that Father Flynn is talking about that at the top, saying, 'I don't want you to feel shame for doubting. I actually want you to bring it here. Let's come together on that topic - that being completely sure about what we believe in or what we think is an impossible thing, really.' You can only be sure for so long or eventually you'll start questioning what you're doing. I think so. I think that's what he's saying.