“On 'Half Nelson,' I was credited as the director, we both co-wrote it ...” — Ryan Fleck Quote

“On 'Half Nelson,' I was credited as the director, we both co-wrote it and Anna was the producer. We didn't know too many directing teams working at the time except the Coen brothers and that seemed to be the model, and people always know that they're a team, whether the credit reflected that or not.”

“You have to follow the logic of your characters while you're writing.”

“Anytime you actually finish a film, I think it's a success. And to have that film seen and liked by audiences is the ultimate.”

“There's this joke that Anna Drezen wrote for Melissa Villasenor, where Melissa plays every teen-girl murder suspect on Law & Order.' And there's this joke in there that is like, We stabbed her as a joke, but she took it the wrong way and started bleeding!'”

“I've looked up to Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova. I followed their matches when I was little.”

“The truly great books are always novels: 'Anna Karenina,' 'The Brothers Karamazov,' 'The Magic Mountain.' Just as with 'Shahnameh,' I browse these books from time to time to remember how a great book works on us or to teach my students at Columbia University.”