Al Pacino has always played the Hollywood game by his own rules, and the 74-year-old actor has done a new interview with The Daily Beast, discussing his past, current life and future film plans.

Speaking at the Toronto Film Festival to promote The Humbling, the veteran actor also gave some insight into his desires to continue acting and his connections made over the years.

I have been looking forward to losing the desire! I am trying not to do anything that doesn’t appeal to me. There’s stuff out there that still does. As Shakespeare says, the play’s the thing. And if you find that play, and assuming it’s good, it ignites you, it stimulates your imagination. You think I haven’t done that. Or, That’s territory I haven’t been in yet. I am at an age now that I can speak to this in some ways. You can get kind of turned on by it, and you say “Gee, I thought I wasn’t going to work for awhile but this is here.”

When asked about how it feels to be involved with such iconic films like The Godfather and Scarface, Pacino explained that it’s an honour, although he didn’t grasp what it all meant at the time.

Well the truth is, I still sort of don’t [talk about them]. I must say, I am very grateful that I was around, especially in the ’70s, which were kind of a renaissance. But man, I have no memory of the ’70s! You have to understand, I was in another world! I didn’t know what was going on. But I am glad it worked out.

Pacino also said he can’t take some of the negative criticisms to heart throughout his career, and he has learnt to deal with the bad by balancing it with the good.

How do you not pay attention and then how do you pay attention, is the question. Because you get a sense of things and you get a sense of where it’s going. That’s why you try to just keep going. I have always been aware [of the bad reviews]. It’s not wise to stick [with them]. Unless you can find good criticism, which is hard to do, because you get too subjective.

Check out the full interview with Pacino on the Daily Beast.