“My approach to acting now is so different — I’m fearless because I have nothing to lose. Before [children] my identity was wrapped up in every decision — now, I don’t care.”

It feels like I’m starting to come into my own in terms of where I want to go artistically, toward more complicated, interesting characters.

It’s not always so great to be objectified, but I don’t feel I have much of a choice right now. I’m young in my career. I know I have to strike when the iron is hot.

I get all these screenplays that start ‘Tawnya is in the shower. The water streams down her naked, perky breasts’. I don’t think this is happening to Natalie Portman.

Your husband or your wife is the only person you can really choose to be your family and to have unconditional love with them.

I don’t think it serves any minority or underrepresented group to be coddled. Because the world won’t coddle you. So I actually believe in tough love, hard truths, black and white.

I could have sexual chemistry with vinegar.

Everyone has an opinion of who you are and what your relationship is about, things that you’ve done or didn’t do in your relationship – and it’s just all crap, really. Things that are written about it are all crap.

I don’t hang out with the Hollywood cool people. I’m not out trying to make friends with people because they’re famous.

Movies are the shadiest business in the world.

You have to be the best of whatever you are, but successful, cool actresses come in all shapes and sizes.

There’s no such thing as a perfect guy. I think it would be strange if somebody was absolutely everything you always wanted, because then there’d be no challenge. Also, you’d feel inferior.

I really like older British guys – I don’t think any of them would ever have a problem with crying in front of a woman or saying “I love you” or “You hurt me” or emotional stuff like that.

No one gives Cameron Diaz a hard time for not speaking Spanish.

I’m not trying to do stuff for my kids necessarily all the time, but when you get the odd opportunity to do something for them that they could enjoy its cool.

Love is ever evolving and it takes compromise, work and patience.

It’s been liberating to be able to play someone who’s a bada– or promiscuous, because that’s the opposite of who I am … It’s like a drug.

Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.

I suppose my approach to religion is like my approach to music – I take what I want and leave the rest.

Simplicity of approach is always best.

Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper’s bell of an approaching looter.

I approach love differently now that I know it’s hard for it to work out.

I don’t think anybody’s necessarily ready for death. You can only hope that when it approaches, you feel like you’ve said what you wanted to say. Nobody wants to go out in mid-sentence.

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.

A good intention, with a bad approach, often leads to a poor result.