I always tried, in the books I wrote, to make it clear: Thin is not the goal. But I was thin. So no matter what I said, the subliminal message was, "You have to look a certain way." And I'm not happy about playing into that.

Someone once said that under the bell jar of compliance, the only thing that blooms is rage.

I know how gratifying it is not only to work in film but to be acknowledged by peers; producing 9 to 5 was an opportunity that I valued precisely because it’s so rarely in the hands of women.

The bravest soldiers aren't unafraid, but they're the ones who are able to harness their fear on behalf of courage.

What I learned is, we have to listen to each other, even when we don't agree, even when we think we hate each other. We have to listen to each others narratives. Not interrupt defensively, or with hostility, but really try to open our hearts and listen with empathy. I learned so much from that meeting. It was a very difficult thing to do and it was one of the best things that I ever did in my life. Look what scares you in the face, and try to understand it. Empathy, I have learned, is revolutionary.

Shortly after I turned 50, both Ted Turner and the AARP came into my life. The only difference? With AARP, there were benefits.

When you can't remember why you're hurt, that's when you're healed.