I struggle for what I believe in. Life is short, it's impossible to repeat something; you have to take advantage of things when you can reach them.

Just coming to terms with the fact that I got to play April Wheeler [Revolutionary Road] and Hanna Schmitz [The Reader] in one year, let alone in my lifetime. I'm very, very aware of how rare that is as an opportunity for any one person. I can't tell you how much I've been able to take away from these experiences creatively. I really, really learned so much about acting, about myself... all of those things. It's difficult to talk about the actor's process without sounding like an arrogant asshole but they really were very challenging.

I do think it's important for young women to know that magazine covers are retouched. People don't really look like that.

By nature, I'm a very positive person, and because I'm happy in myself, and in my life, and I've got a great husband, and beautiful children, and I have a job that I love that calls for a certain amount of emotional expression, I get to realise a lot of my dreams and aspirations.

I feel like I'm playing more of a role walking down the red carpet than when I'm playing an ordinary woman covered in sweat.

I love it when a character requires me to look less than my red-carpet best.

Acting is about being real, being honest.