My grandfather was from outside of Moscow, and my grandmother, although some of her family were French, was from Odessa. They met as immigrants in New York in the early '20s. My mother's family came over from Ireland generations ago.

I think most people in the developed world would admit to carrying some sort of handheld device, whether it's a laptop or a cell phone, at all times.

You learn a lot about a person when you work together.

I think with the smaller-scale projects, the burden for success falls more squarely on the shoulders of the actors and the director and the script.

Shakespeare is the Joss Whedon of his generation.

Honestly, one-hour drama is the hardest format there is. I think it's harder than movies, and it's harder than half-hour comedy.

I was dishwasher, then promoted to chef in a local kitchen in a restaurant in Seattle, and I was working on a building site as well, putting in insulation and painting houses, and then doing some classes at a community college nearby.