Sep 28, 2009, 5:00 GMT
Ricky Gervais insists lying can be good.
The British comedian - who makes his movie directing debut in new film 'The Invention of Lying' - says not always telling the truth can be beneficial because it makes someone else feel better.
He said: "My mum was dying for about a year, and it was terrible. And I always told myself that if she asked, 'Is there a heaven?' then I would lie and say, 'Yes.' I think it's a good lie - religion, or at least spirituality and a belief in something else, probably started as a few white lies to comfort even oneself."
Ricky also revealed he is pleased he waited until he was older before finding success as it enabled him to produce good work.
Speaking about 'The Office' - the hit comedy series which made him a worldwide star - he said: "I'd never tried as hard with anything as I did with The Office, and it was one of the things I'm proud of. I wasn't trying to be famous or a comedian, but this opportunity came along when I was 38 or 39. It came late, and I couldn't have been prouder of it. I remember saying to my girlfriend, 'Why didn't I do this earlier?' And she said, 'Well, you wouldn't have been any good at it.'"
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