“I was not a girl who grew up buying $100 candles. I was the girl who ran out of gas on her way to an audition.”

I would love to do anything from a really gritty, interesting, indie type film, to that commercial, bigger stuff.

Be kind to yourself.

I can’t stand it when men are snarky.

Throwing on a black dress with black tights, cute booties, a great coat and throw a scarf over it. I think simple accessories and, if you want to make a pop, a great red lip.

My dad is Caucasian, and my mom is African American. I’m half black and half white. Being biracial paints a blurred line that is equal parts staggering and illuminating.

People don’t need to feel scared about a leather pant. Think of it as a jean alternative: it’s the same thing. It’s almost like they’re your yoga pants, but they look chic.

Curl the lashes, concealer under the eyes, blush, ChapStick, and highlight in the inner corner of the eye.

I did calligraphy for the invitations for, like, Robin Thicke and Paula Patton’s wedding.

I had always been the theater nerd at Northwestern University. I knew I wanted to do acting, but I hated the idea of being this cliche – a girl from L.A. who decides to be an actress.

Reflecting on where I came from helps me to appreciate and balance what I have now.

For work I get so dolled up that it’s nice to wear boyfriend jeans and a sweater.

I don’t tend to go totally bare, but on non-filming days, I will only wear tinted moisturiser, mascara, blusher, and a ChapStick for my lips.

I knew I’d end up in show business in some capacity, eventually.

Put on a sweater and really great sneakers with a big scarf, and you’ll look so stylish. For me, they are an everyday essential.

I’m a California girl, right? I grew up with that farm-to-table dining before it was sweeping the nation.

There is a myth that those who do humanitarian work have a saviour mentality, but the relationship is reciprocal.

He sent me on an audition for a TV pilot, and I happened to book it. It was like complete luck that it happened.

For me, acting is becoming naked in front of people, you know? And when you know in the back of your mind somebody is testing you, you cannot really bare yourself. That’s a feeling I always have when I’m auditioning.

I auditioned for the role of an angel in the Nativity play at school. I didn’t get it. I auditioned for Mary; didn’t get it. So I made up the character of the sheep who sat next to Baby Jesus.

I’ve been auditioning since I was 7 years old.

When I am not auditioning or meeting people, I teach myself dance.

In L.A., I’m twice the size – height and everything else – of most of the other actresses who are going for an audition.

My mother often says that she could never have done it if I had been the youngest, if she had other small children she had to cart around New York City for my auditions and go-sees (modeling auditions) and stuff.

I’m proud of everything I achieved with ‘Idol,’ and away from ‘Idol’ also. It’s just such a different show now to what it was when I was on it. I didn’t even know it was a TV show until the third audition.