“~My instinct is to protect my children from pain. But adversity is often the thing that gives us character and backbone. It’s always been a struggle for me to back off and let my children go through difficult experiences.~”

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 was taught a very strong work ethic that included punctuality, which I’ve always felt is a sign of respect for others.

I don’t really make decisions, I go with the flow.

You can ask me pretty much anything. There’ll be things I’ll go, ‘That feels a little too personal.’ But most things I don’t have a fear of being asked about.

The things that go on in my head are far more interesting than what actually happens.

I don’t really celebrate fame because I get enough attention.

As much as I have films and all that sort of stuff, a lot of my memories are to do with relationships and love.

It’s so bizarre, I’m not scared of snakes or spiders. But I’m scared of butterflies. There is something eerie about them. Something weird!

I’m interested in going places that I haven’t been. And I’m interesting in working with people that I feel are dangerous and sort of push me in different places.

To be an actor you have to have a certain amount of madness in you. That’s why, when people meet you and you seem very together, they are quite surprised – they don’t see you behind closed doors.

I dig my heels in every now and then, and think ‘I’m not going to do what’s expected or what people think is the right thing.’ So I have a little bit of that in my personality.

I have a passion for my work, and that can seep into you. It’s almost as if you’re drawn to it.

I don’t believe in having body doubles for a film.

It was very natural for me to want to disappear into the theatre, I am really very shy.

Since I have fair skin, I have to stay out of the sun. I can’t stand the sun. I dyed my hair red for a while during the 1990s but I’m actually a natural blonde.

I believe in continuing to put love and kindness and compassion and art into the world.