I still think there is a huge emphasis on how women look, whether it's fitting a certain mold to play a certain type of character, or the idea that we might have insecurities based on the standards we see in the media.

No matter what, I need to maintain my sense of self and always be true to who I am.

At a party recently I was introduced to Meryl Streep, and it took me a second to get my head around it. You know, that I'm meeting these people now. I'm doing it.

I like to think of myself as a very passionate person, and as very determined. So, if I set my mind on something, I definitely stop at no end to find within myself the power to keep going, whether that involves thinking of a new approach to a problem, or physically challenging myself.

I think it's important to relate to one another about issues that you're having, because the second you open up and someone else says, 'Oh, me too. I feel the same way,' then all of a sudden, you feel more at peace with yourself and you can feel more confident with who you are.

[My book is] a collection of letters and essays about what it takes to be a young woman today. Mostly the taboo things that girls don't want to talk about, but once we do we realize we're not alone.

At first, I didn't hang out with celebrity kids. That wasn't the way I was brought up. I went to a run-of-the-mill Catholic primary school when we first moved to L.A. But then I went to a high school where there were lots of 'industry' children. Those weren't my best friends and I've never set out to make myself a part of that scene.