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

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

I grew up poor.

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.

No one ever recognizes me.

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?'

I'm such a geek.

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

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

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

Broadway has always been a dream of mine.

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

I try not to fake anything.

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.

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.

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.

Whatever anyone says, I think the opposite will happen.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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.