When I was little, I put on plays for my family at Sunday dinner, and I would direct them and have all my cousins, my brother, and my best friends in it. I was a very imaginative and theatrical child and wasn't afraid of being in front of a camera. It was like make-believe to me.

A lot of people my age, they grew up with me onscreen. I think that's helped keep a certain amount of longevity. When you grow up with a person, you feel like you know them.

I feel like the feminine has been a little undervalued. We all have to get our own jobs and make our own money, but staying at home, nurturing, being the mother, cooking — it's a valuable thing my mom created. And sometimes, you need your knight in shining armor. I'm sorry. You need a man to be a man and a woman to be a woman. That's why relationships work.

I was always in and out of school. What I learned in high school is that female friendships are so much more important than worrying about having a boyfriend or looking good or things like that. I had such a good girlfriend growing up that we didn't need anything. We had such a creative world of our own imagination together. For me, if I have a child, I would say, "I hope you find a best friend that makes it so you don't really need much but each other." Learning about that type of friendship and trust is one of the best things I ever got out of school.

I think you see in people's eyes what they've been through. Anything in their lives shows up in their eyes.

I don't try to be sexy, but if you are sexy it comes out. If you're not, you're not.

My mom raise me so wonderfully. She gave me self esteem and made me appreciate my flaws, as well as my strengths.