I see my parents a lot more often, but what I liked about the challenge of my part was I got to have those little kid feelings of being the daughter, and then switching and being a Mom.

I am really not of the school of naturalism. I like style, and you can use more style in theater than in film roles. I love to sink my teeth into a part.

I'm not that big a fan of marriage as an institution, and I don't know why women need to have children to be seen as complete human beings.

You express different energies at different times in your life.

I really don't like when things are all polished and perfect - the perfect love story and the hair is perfect.

I love being outside and getting fresh air.

A lot of times being "completely objective" means seeing the world through a patriarchal eye.

Politics itself is so unsexy, isn't it? But when the politics in creative works are really explored - not used as a vehicle - the results can be really interesting.

I was exposed to the arts, but there was no one in my family who was an artist.

I grew up on musicals, and I know they are quite the thing now, but I'm actually a little indignant, because I started taking singing lessons years ago - I put the time in!

You have your structure, but within it, it gets fuller and you can highlight other parts of the performance.

I still love following and thinking about politics. I enjoy recommending important journalism I read or see from other sources.

It would be a sad day if we British stopped being cynical, but you sometimes wonder whether we overdo it.

The man who worships mere wealth is a snob.

With studio work, I'm always the bottom man on the totem pole.

The human mind is kind of like a piñata. When it breaks open, there's a lot of surprises inside. Once you get the piñata perspective, you see that losing your mind can be a peak experience.

Our government is a bird with two right wings... They're devoted to the perpetuation & spread of corporate capitalism.

Appalling things can happen to children. And even a happy childhood is filled with sadnesses.

Books could be an incredible adventure. I stayed under my blanket and barely moved, and no one would have guessed how my mind raced and my heart soared with stories.

Everyone gets scared, and everyone falls. The key is to get right back up and try again.

It's like many other things in life, Ellie. You keep on the path and all's well. You get off it and the next thing you know you're lost if you're not lucky.