'ER' was so huge that whatever I did coming back to television, I'd have to feel as strongly about.

I never dreamed about being on a hit television series. I've never really related my dreams to that specific of a work goal. I was always enjoying the moment. Acting, writing, looking for roles and getting involved with people and trying to create something that would be entertaining to people. With "E.R." we were all very lucky to get this combination of people together in the right story in the right way to take it to the level it has reached.

People relate to things that feel real to them. All the good, happy, over-sexed and moneyed endings on TV are not the way most of us feel in our lives. The success of 'E.R.,' I think, is not relying on overly sentimental stories that are solved where people's lives wrap up nicely with happy endings.

Knock wood, but I started acting professionally when I was 16, and I've always been able to support myself since then.

I love being a part of something that is grassroots, and you can see the actual changes, the effect of what people do.

There's really no point in having children if you're not going to be home enough to father them.

So I was hugely thrilled that my first scene ever on camera was with Hal Holbrook.