I look for a role that hopefully I feel empathy with and that I can understand and love, but also that has that challenge for me to play - a different kind of role, a different type of character, a different time period.

I want to be defined by my own essence.

I went from years of honing my craft to sudden recognition. It was quite a life changer.

I want to see women onscreen the way I see them in society.

I was a Stephen King fan and I was amazed that I got the chance to play that role and very glad that I did.

You hope that the same people are coming back. I love playing with Angela [Bassett]. She's fierce. I met her years and years ago when she was a student at Yale, so to see her do these fierce roles and go on to [be] this powerhouse has just been awesome.

I'm not that conservative. I do feel - I guess I'm more of a Democrat at heart, although I've never affiliated myself with a particular party.