It's very difficult to put together an independent movie and a lot of times people really don't hire casting directors for that. Instead, they look for people that they've seen in other movies or they're friends with.

When I work with filmmakers today, I'm really an advocate for the women's roles that I see, to make them as layered and as deep as possible. I think many of them are underwritten.

When I was a young actress, I was called in just to do my part, and I didn't have any say or weight as far as any decisions go. But today, having worked as a producer and also having lived a little, I feel like I've found my voice more. I'm sure that it has influenced me as an actor and it will continue to do so.

I don't think we're the screaming femme fatale running away from danger as much as we used to be. I think people are seeing us as much more multi-layered personalities with desires, and wants, and needs as much as any male figure out there.

Although I'm up for working in any genre, I do love the passion and dynamic storytelling that horror stories can provide. Dealing with big questions and possibilities of all sorts of stories with life and death consequences is enthralling and exhilarating to me.

Real equality in films is going to take time and will directly reflect our society. So ladies, please speak up at home, at work, at school, everywhere. As more women continue to find their place in Hollywood we have to keep pushing for more dynamic and strong women's roles.

With certain projects, there are delays, and with others, things come together very quickly. It can be frustrating but it's not uncommon, and you just have to keep a lot of things juggling and hoping all of these projects will go when all the pieces fall into place. You just have to be ready for whatever catches fire.