Light and funny has a more compelling quality when you're younger. But I haven't abandoned the genre: I love falling down; I love Lucille Ball. It's just that a lot of those stories revolve around problems that I can't convincingly portray at this age.

It’s unfortunate that we live in such a panicked, dysmorphic society where women don’t even give themselves a chance to see what they’ll look like as older persons. I want to have some idea of what I’ll look like before I start cleaning the slates.

Usually the triumph of my day is, you know, everybody making it to the potty

They say I can open movies, and that's nice in that it puts into people's minds that women can do it. It's not just Kevin Costner, not just Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not just the guys.

I want to go someplace where I can marvel at something.

I wouldn't have believed it. I still barely do, truthfully. I'm so continually fortunate that I keep coming across these smart, interesting, creative people who pick me. It's just stupendous.

I've always been an environmentalist, but my life changed the day I had children. I realized that I wasn't doing enough to protect the planet. People need nature, and of course I want my children to have the best possible opportunity in life. I also realized how important it was for me to raise them to be conscientious people that are aware of their impact on the earth.