My mom had started to go to work when I was nine or ten, so I was aware of women trying to find their own identities by working. But I was still influenced by men to such an extreme. I wanted to play their games and wanted to compete in their world and be like them.

I try really hard to give my kids as much independence as I can, caring mostly about their character: Are they kind? Generous? Do they work hard?

It took a lot to get attention in my family. No wonder I'm an actress.

After Leaving Las Vegas I did assume that things would get a lot easier than they've been. But it's just been a mirror of the way my career's been from the beginning, so for it to have changed would have been strange. My career has never been perfect.

It would be really wonderful if people connected to the loneliness of what it means to be a human being in the world today.

I don't have high expectations anymore. Maybe they've just been beaten out of me.

I think because I was a mother, it helped me feel comfortable that really my primary goal there was to save my kids.