To be in any way a positive contribution, that's all anybody wants to be. It's all I've ever wanted to be. I wanted to be an artist, be a mother. You want to feel that in your life you've been of use, in whatever way that comes out.

Sometimes acting and politics make a very bad combination. I think that sometimes people take me less seriously in my work for the UN because I am an actor.

I wanted to educate myself about the world and I wanted to know what was happening to people in other countries. I feel now I have only just begun.

I actually feel that women in my position, when we have all at our disposal to help us, shouldn't complain when we consider all of the people who are really struggling, who don't have the financial means, who don't have the support, and so many people are single raising children - that's hard.

I suppose I'm very aware of time and of memories and of enjoying life... not just doing the right thing and being a useful person, which I certainly wanna be and believe that I am. I hold onto my family really tight and try to be as good a woman as I can be in my life.

As a director, I hoped that I was able to help the actors by giving them the space and the respect they need and the trust. I gave them what I always felt I needed when I was working.

I respect all religions. What I don't respect is when people use religion to attack others. I've met people across the world, in the middle of nowhere, who are just trying to survive and all they have is religion. In some why, it helps them, and I wouldn't take it away from them. There are also people who use to to hate and kill. I don't consider them religious people.