My whole family is very artistic - my uncles are all actors and theatre directors.

I'm an avid cook. Brazilian, some Italian, a little French. And I often throw dinner parties.

I've love to do more movies. Just because I'm interested in the medium very much. I've done a lot of theatre at this point, and I've done a lot of TV. I've done a few independent films, but a lot of them have not seen the light of day. It'd be really nice to be in a film that gets out there.

My mom is an actress, but she never really pushed me into it, and it was never something I thought I would be doing. She was very happy I decided to, but she certainly doesn't offer me criticism because she knows I'd tell her to shut up! Nobody wants to hear that from their mum!

Women work as much as men now, if not more. There's a resurgence of dads in the home and moms working.

I get nervous for any competition. I also get really competitive.

I feel that I have grown so much as an actor being on 'Homeland.'

My mom was incredibly supportive when she found out that I wanted to be an actress, and that certainly made things easier and more fun.

We're all interested in life outside of Earth. We all have a fascination with what's out there because we don't really know.

The lamest excuse that I get incessantly is, 'Oh, we're not going ethnic with that role,' so I can't go in for it, or I can't get the part, which is really stupid, because, in today's world, people look different.

Having no emotions is the most difficult, to tone it down.

When I'm not working, I'm definitely a no-makeup girl. The most I ever do is a little tinted moisturizer and a little mascara and blush.

The dream as an actor is being able to bounce back and forth between different things.

I love 'Modern Family;' I don't exactly watch it when it's on, but I try to catch up on it when I can; it's one of my favorite shows.

Inspiration is key for me in choosing characters.

You like to think that you're bigger than your traditions and customs, but they form who you are.

I'm not saying that people should believe in a specific thing or a specific way, but if everyone has the knowledge they need to have, then they can make their own decisions. That's the key thing: to have the information.

If you watch the news, you see politicians use human vulnerabilities to get in and earn people's trust.

I grew up in the West Village and went to the New York City Lab School for junior high.

I love a good road trip. And I have been known to sing cheesy '80s songs at the top of my lungs on a windy road when no one can hear.

I can't complain. I'm making a living out of what I do, which is really rare for a lot of actors. The hard part is staying confident and staying with it.

I love it when you have a lull in the day and you turn on the TV and a random movie is on that you either have never seen or haven't seen in years. Like 'Coming to America' or 'Misery' or 'Moonstruck.'

I had the opportunity to wear Hearts On Fire jewelry on the red carpet and just loved the way their diamonds made me look and feel.

The sky above us is something we have very little control of, and the space beyond is something we don't completely understand.