I do not want to pour out my heart to the world. I am cautious of what I say and to whom.

In fact, in many ways my mother was quite hippy-dippy, serving macrobiotic food and reading 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.'

'The English Patient' was a huge turning point in my career and my life; it became this huge thing. But the whole Oscar build-up got completely out of control; I spent more time talking about that film than I spent making it!

I'm not used to being asked what I want to talk about. That's why I'm an actress. Get told what to do, stand on the mark, say your words, wear this, look this way, look that way.

French culture takes ageing very seriously. There's much less ageism than in Anglo-Saxon countries.

I do a film because I like the story and I want to give life to a character - I don't necessarily have to agree with the director.

The parts I've been most successful in are the ones I've desperately, desperately wanted.