I've always wanted to be independent and answer for myself. That probably is the part of me I would class to be feminist. I'd like to have children; marriage I have a bit of an issue with.

I have the thickest skin of anyone you'll ever meet. No one can say anything about me I haven't heard a million times before.

Women in the 1950s were so much sexier. That's what I aspire to look like.

I think the more mediocre you are the better you do because people need to think you're their friend, they don't want to be threatened by you, you've got to be warm, you've got to be not too smart, not too pretty, not too anything.

I've never had one of those amazing yoga bodies. My body is what it is. I am sure if I went on a crash diet, lost two stone and toned up I could make loads of money by making fitness videos and selling my story to the tabloids. But I don't want to encourage women to be anything other than what they are. That's very important to me.

I am a light person. I think of myself with a shield, a protective shield around me. And I think of bad things bouncing off it. Boom, boom, boom, ba-boom, ba- boom!

I regard myself as an actress but, obviously, not in the Dame Judi Dench league. That isn't a problem because I don't think we are ever likely to be up for the same part!