And, look, I'm sorry if I have blond hair and blue eyes and my boyfriend looks like a vampire. What do you want me to do about it?

It was really the dream role, and when they first cast me, and I started playing Dolores [in the Westworlds] and all I knew was the analysis mode and her prairie-girl character, I thought, "Yeah, of course I can do this, and I'm good at it, but why did they pick me?" Not because I'm not capable, but I'm also kind of a tomboy, edgy, so I was curious.

I have to go through that arc with Dolores, and I didn't know what my arc was going to be. We found out episode by episode, and the more it went on, the more I felt a change in myself and allowed myself to be strong and to get angry and to access emotions that I don't normally, and I think a lot of women don't because we're kind of conditioned not to. It's freed me in a way, and it made me find a strength in myself.

Whenever I talk about being a feminist or speaking out for equality, it's also about the idea that men are treated with respect. It's not just about treating women like people and not abusing them. You also can't abuse men and you can't say things like, 'Oh, he was just a man. He didn't know any better.' Or 'He's a man, what did you expect?' That's just as abusive and damaging to men, I feel.

You don't have to fit into a particular box. You fit into a box that you're comfortable in, and you'll attract people with like minds. It took me a while to figure this out, but there are many ideals. You have to figure right what's best for you and that will radiate out of you. I think a certain amount of letting go and being brave and not being afraid to make mistakes to get there.

What I normally do as an actor in playing different roles, I just have to do in a span of three seconds sometimes, so I think I'm lucky that I've been doing it so long that I can do it rather quickly.

Sometimes I forget that I am even watching myself, realizing that's me. It's like you almost become a fan yourself: You are just this normal person watching this show, and then you realize that it's your show. It's weird sometimes.