One of the cool things about 'Patti Cake$' is that it is about someone that is against stereotype.

How many people get to say they recorded a song with Dolly Parton and Jennifer Aniston?

The big message is, you're the star in your own life. You don't have to change; you are who you are. Go and do what you want to do.

You can drive your own self crazy. You don't have to be in a bad situation or be bullied every day to feel this way. I was constantly judging myself. That's really the thing that gets you.

There aren't plus-sized teens represented in film who aren't made the butt of a joke.

It's just so hard growing up: you go through things, especially acting - I go to a different set every couple of months, and you meet an entirely new group of people that are around you 24/7. It's not an easy situation to go into when you're a shy person.

I can't sing.

I think confidence comes with age and experience, honestly.

Not everybody gets to travel halfway around the world to see a whole different perspective. If we can see that on TV, we'll know that society is bigger than the small world we all live in.

It definitely took me a while to adjust to L.A. I came out knowing nobody, and I'd never lived away from home before.

I grew up in Sydney, Australia, and I started doing acting classes when I was in eighth grade.

I think you have to try and fail a little bit, because you learn how badly you want it.

None of my family is in the industry. But I watched movies like an insane person when I was a child. I used to make my dad stop at the video store every time we drove past it, and you had to drive past the video store to get to our house.

I'm a realist - yes, I know: darn, I'm unlikely to have a love scene with Chris Hemsworth anytime soon, if ever. But I also believe that persistence and hard work pays off.

Because I don't look like most lead actresses look, I was told that I shouldn't even come to America. That I shouldn't even try! I think that's ridiculous.

It's okay to be you and okay to be who you are and okay to love and accept yourself.

I've seen a bunch of movies about pageants, and I know in general how they work.

I'm very lucky with my family. They've always been very encouraging, and they never thought that anything would hold me back. I'm very fortunate to have had that.

Actually, for me, it's really funny because I play characters with mommy issues more than anything, and I have a great relationship with my mom!

I want to play characters that people relate to, characters that make different kinds of women in society feel represented.

I love Octavia Spencer. I love what she has to say as a human, and I love her career and the variety of characters she has played.

I've been lucky enough to play lots of real women - flawed, strong, independent women - and I love it.

When you take on new roles that you don't feel comfortable with, that require you having skills you don't have, it's terrifying.

I think everyone kinda feels a little out place sometimes.