My fellow actors inspire me a lot and really good writing inspires me. And then trying to stick to the decision to only do something that I think will challenge me and that I, personally and very subjectively, I think is good not do something because I think it will bring me a lot of money or bring me a lot of awards. I've tried to very, very rigorously be highly subjective about what I do. And that's something that I think I have basically lived by.

I had a great time on The Shield. From working on it I have a totally different view of law enforcement.

A huge part of real love is constant forgiveness.

I think there are certain actors that have that kind of energy about them, that taking over a room energy.

I'm not a natural ocean person. I married into a family of swimmers, and I've slowly been drawn into the sea.

The mentally ill frighten and embarrass us. And so we marginalize the people who most need our acceptance. What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, more unashamed conversation.

And the writers are good in that it's easy to memorize, and good writing has an innate rhythm to it. And I've always felt that it's easier to get in your head than writing that has very kind of mind busting moments.