I started doing regional theater. My first job was "The Importance of Being Earnest" at Dallas Theater Center.

I think that the audience wants to see women being put into real situations where they can relate to them, rather than seeing some glamorous woman in a 'Bond' film.

I went to School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, and we had a bunch of singing classes. My first job in New York was an Off-Broadway musical.

Well, I'm from the South originally. I grew up in South Carolina definitely learning about manners and being proper and having to go to cotillions.

I feel like I've found my voice in the actor's business. Because when you first get out of school and you're looking for jobs, you don't want to rock the boat - you can't rock the boat. You'll get known for being that sassy girl that, like, has no résumé and no one wants to work with her. But now, I'm "proven," at least in the television world, and hopefully in the theater world. I'm working on the film world. Unfortunately, it takes a while to build that kind of street cred. It's been recently that I even started to have more confidence in myself.

Ultimately, I don't think you can teach a tone-deaf person how to sing. Some talents you're just born with, unfortunately.

In the South, you don't say exactly what's going on or what's on your mind.