My very mild Asperger’s has helped me creatively. I sometimes hear a voice and think: “That could be a character I could do.” Of course there are many different grades, right up to the autism spectrum, and I am nowhere near that. But I sympathise with children who have it.

As I’ve grown older I’ve become less focused on show business. I am no longer writing and pitching scripts. I am much more picky about the movies I do. In the 80s and 90s I was away from my family a lot, so I am trying to make up for that by spending time with them now.

I don’t draw inspiration from my childhood. There are guys like Jim Carrey who had a miserable youth and created incredible comedy from that. But I had a great childhood in Ottawa, Canada.

James Brown showed me the responsibilities of being a band leader, with the rest of your group relying on you to keep the pay cheques coming in. Even if he was feeling down he didn’t let it affect his performance.

There is a universal life force that connects us all. I believe in an overhead cosmic godhead, a power that I draw on. But a church doesn’t have to be a church, it can just be one or more people in a room.

The death of John Belushi hit me hard. We had so much going on: a hit movie, a TV series. Suddenly I lost my partner. For a while afterwards I thought I might not come back from that.

Comedians today are more thoughtful than we were, and more grounded in real life. We did more absurdist stuff. But I love the younger guys – Jonah Hill, Will Ferrell, Melissa McCarthy. The torch has been passed.

I think of myself as a capitalist-socialist. I’m not very political, but if you had to take my leanings I’m left of centre. After Hurricane Katrina a lot of money was sucked away and never went to the rural police departments. My charity [the Blue Line Foundation] provides equipment and training – if you provide a car or a vest, you are tangibly making a difference.

My Harley-Davidson is a form of psychiatric therapy. You get on that and you don’t need a shrink. When you’re on the bike all you’re doing is concentrating on staying alive. You get into the rhythm of the road and it’s quite zen.

I’m a big fan of the British monarchy. I am lucky to have met the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward – they’re a living link with history. I look at Prince William and see a young guy with his heart and soul in the right place.

I believe in the continuous consciousness of the soul: when you die it goes off on a journey and becomes something else. You can draw on the power of those who have gone before – they will inspire and help you.



Get On Up is in cinemas now