When you're involved in those big-budget movies, there's a lot of hype: 'Oh this is gonna be a big hit!' And 'A Christmas Story' wasn't. It came and went and was a big disappointment at the box office.

I stopped acting a long time ago and my primary career has been producing-directing film.

I think you always win in storytelling when you let the best creative ideas guide you.

When you're a child actor and play the precocious kid, the temptation is to wear leather pants or a cutoff shirt to redefine yourself. But I never felt the need to randomly reshuffle the deck and say, 'Don't call me Peter. Call me Pete.' I just figured you evolve naturally, and you'll be recognized for what your successes are.

I'm generally not a fan of remaking great films.

An actor can come in with a specific energy and get it on film over several days or weeks, but as the producer, I'm responsible for the overall trajectory of the project.

You have to pace yourself. As a producer, you start with a concept and shepherd it through the script to the delivery of the film. It's a very long journey for an hour and 40 minutes of movie.

It's a difficult world for lots of child actors, and it's difficult to be a teenager under any circumstances. Add to that notoriety and fame, and things can go really wrong. But I had a terrific family and grew up very normal in Phoenix.

I've always been self-motivated, but I can't take a ton of credit for any success I've had.

You're going to spend a long time with the stuff you work on; you might as well like it.