Being a single mother was the right thing for me. But I have a tremendous amount of help from my friends. They're in love with my kids, and my kids are in love with them.

Obviously, it wasn't meant for me to die of cancer at 40. Every day my life surprises me, just like my cancer diagnosis surprised me. But you roll with it. That's our job as humans.

The common misconception is that as an actress you have to learn what you're doing. No, you just have to make the audience think you've learned it.

I'm an old-school, embarrassing Joni Mitchell fan. Her music made a hook in my soul and hasn't let go for all these years. I even sing her songs as lullabies to my kids.

I don't have examples in my life of people who are all good or bad; I have deeply loved many people who are both, and I relate to those kinds of people on a far greater level.

But I've always been hard to cast, I've never been an ingenue, I've never been the romantic lead. I'm an actor; give me the script and I do what I do and hope it's good.

I was a young kid from Long Island who wanted to do something large with her life, so I can relate to that.

I've never been all that interested or aware of what people are thinking about me or saying about me. I think that has kept me safest and sanest.

One of the ways I think I gain fodder for characters is by watching people.

I sort of love reading the scripts and going, 'Oh wow, what a great idea. I never would have thought of that.

All I ever wanted to do was act. And pay my bills

people don't get meit's more rule than exceptionGod bless exceptions

Thank God even crazy dreams come true

The State Marriage Defense Act helps safeguard the ability of states to preserve traditional marriage for their citizens.

Two purposes in human nature rule. Self- love to urge, and reason to restrain.

I'm hard-nosed about luck...If you're persistent in trying and doing and working, you almost always make your own fortune.

You've got to stay humble and hungry. Just keep working and thank God you have a chance to play in the NBA.

I always had the desire to entertain people, whether it was to make 'em laugh or to scare 'em or stir things up just to cause problems.

If the people of Comic-Con ruled the world...then tomorrow would be invented every day.

Be prepared for disappointment and frustration. Be persistent and bounce back even more determined to succeed.

My father told me to dress to reflect the respect you have for the people around you. I've never forgotten that.