My goal has been to learn how to get movies made without losing sight of the reasons I began. I have had to learn to recognize the insidious nature of the beast without becoming one.

The first thing you notice about women in Hollywood, besides their low percentage of body fat, is how few are married. And the number of great-looking, successful single women without a social life is staggering. ... The most glaring misconception about Hollywood is that it is the romance capital of the world.

Like the color black, business mixed with anything turns to business.

I think there are always actor parts, and then there are movie-star parts, and an actors always an actor until he does a movie-star part.

The only way I can access all my strength is to relax. ... The paradox is that you must learn to be relaxed while using all your power.

nerve, not talent, is the one necessary and sufficient trait for success. (Wouldn't it be ideal if it were talent? But talent with no nerve is like the sound of one hand clapping.

When I was starting out, the first women studio heads and writers were just getting into their perches - development execs learning their chops.