I was quite shy. I used to write stories all the time, and I think that was a worry for my parents.

I'm not a great beauty. That's not me.

That's the trouble with the suburbs: it's not a city, so you're not anonymous, and it's not a small town, so that people really care about you, but everybody kind of knows each other's business, so you're very judged.

I was quite shy. I used to write stories all the time, and I think that was a worry for my parents.

Healthy love, I always think, is... wanting the person you love to be more of themselves. And I think for a parent that's a challenge, because you have to let a baby spread its wings.

When I started drama school, theatre was the main draw. I never had any movie star notions. Not that there were family ties to the theatre, either.

As I get older, I want to draw on my experience to make roles better. I see that in the older women who inspire me - their experience makes them better.