Green tea throughout the day is the healthiest thing I've discovered for me.

I'm a true believer that you get out of something what you put into it.

People were confused by me, and at first I was auditioning a lot for the crazy characters or the victim, someone who'd been attacked. Which is great, because usually those are the best acting roles.

I struggled for so long to try to create a career.

I like characters and stories that challenge the status quo. Lately, I'm really interested in history because I find that in my public school education, I didn't learn about women in history. I want to introduce the world to some great stories and incredible heroes.

Only a woman can tell you what it's like to be a woman in a society where men are in charge. When you have one demographic that controls the livelihood of minorities, then you're always going to have abuses of power. So this goes way beyond Hollywood.

I always say I am a realist, and my mom says, 'No, you just have anxiety.'

Making films can be very lonely, and that's the part I don't like. I don't want to feel like I'm pressing 'pause' on my personal life to make a movie. I want to feel like I'm still creating relationships and things are moving forward.

If I were Elizabeth Sloane, I wouldn't be wearing makeup. I'd just be focused on getting the job done.

Before, it was just about making the films - and now it's releasing them. Which is a steep learning curve.

I've actually been given a great gift. When I walk into an audition with a director, I'm carrying no baggage. They haven't seen me in anything, even though I've done nine films.

Whatever anyone says, I think the opposite will happen.

I'm very sensitive in real life. I cannot not cry if someone around me is crying. I will start to cry if someone is crying, even if it's not appropriate. I have that thing in me, a weakness or sensitivity.

You know, it's recently come into focus for me why I want to be an actor: It's because of the connection I feel to people.

There is this immediate connection, this intimacy when you're acting because there's no room to be polite or shy. Also, as an actor I get to connect with women I've never met before.

I try not to fake anything.

I'm the first person in my family to go to college.

Broadway has always been a dream of mine.

I've had to learn how to say 'no' to offers.

I'm used to working really hard to get a role. I was always auditioning and talking my way into roles.

I don't like the idea that fame could mean that people can no longer relate to me.

I'm such a geek.

I have a feeling that very soon I'm going to fail very, very big. I'm going to try something and everybody's going to be like, 'What was she thinking?'

No one ever recognizes me.

I was excited that my films would finally see the light of day and people would see them. But I never imagined that such nice things would be said about a lot of my films.

I grew up poor.

It takes me a long time to make a big purchase.

I love being around great actors and film-makers, and I try to hide the fact that I'm in awe of them.

I've never been in New York for the whole time of Fashion Week.

I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker down and be warm, but it's also very feminine.

One of my favorite parts of being an actress is being a detective.

I am not one to go for traditional female roles, because I don't think traditionally female characters are very interesting, and I don't think they represent real life.

I'm working hard to break free of stereotypes that the film industry has created and nurtured around women.

We have a long way to go in the world in all industries. If I'm in the situation where I have equal experience to the other actor and my role is just as significant, there is no reason why I should be paid less. It's not really part of my world anymore, because I just won't accept it.

In our society, women are valued for their sexual attraction. I'd like to get away from the sex symbol idea of what beauty is. Actually, that's probably the farthest thing from beauty, because it's makeup and hair, it's pouty lips - it's not real.

The reason we like acting is connecting to other people.

I'm really inspired by stories I didn't know about.

I look at all the ingredients of a film and say, 'Is this a positive thing that I'm putting into the world? Is there honor and respect in the way the story is being told about them? And would they approve of that?'

I was the first one in my family to go to college.

I just want to see more women in film and behind the camera. I'm tired of seeing movies from one perspective.

Funny how defined we are by how we present ourselves to the world.

If I get a role, it's because I fought for it.

I don't know if there will ever be a day that I'm not wearing heels. I'm a very big personality, and I don't like to look up at other people.

There have been situations where I have lost movies because I've said, 'This is not a fair deal,' and I've walked away.

My favourite smell is the smell of cut grass, and the sound of sprinklers going on.

I'm a shadow whisperer: I hide in the shadows. And I tend to avoid places where I might get photographed and end up with my picture in the press.

I just don't think of myself as a movie star - I'm an actress.

For the most part, I was surprised by the representation of female characters onscreen. I do hope that when we include more female storytellers, we will have more of the women that I recognize in my day to day life.

I'm going to do anything I can to be there and support any organization that empowers and creates opportunities for women.

One of my goals is to play a villain in a Bond film. People ask me if I want to be a Bond girl, and I say, 'No, I want to be the villain.' I'm waiting for that call!