We live in a cynical world now, and it's nice to be part of entertainment that is hopeful and heartfelt and wears its heart on its sleeve, but isn't saccharine. It's real. It's grounded.

My mom has never been a big meddler and isn't like extremely opinionated or at least just doesn't voice it to me. She's sort of let me come into my own by myself and I think that's just a testament to what my parents did in terms of raising us.

I would never discredit anyone that is working their way up on a show like "American Idol." I think they work so hard overcoming all of the obstacles to get on the show in the first place and then every week they are judged in front of all of America... I give them complete credit for getting up on stage... I think they deserve all the success that they get.

If that day comes when I'm done with the acting and singing, I'll just pack it in and go home.

When I started out in the industry I was 14 and a beanpole, but over the last few years I've grown. For the most part I feel pretty OK with how I look. I know I'm different from the typical Hollywood ideal of what is beautiful. But quite frankly I don't think that's attainable, and I'm happy to represent something different.

When two people - regardless of gender - long to care for each other, to protect each other, to treasure each other, we should do everything we can to foster that.

I went to Catholic high school for half a year and religion wasn't the cool thing to talk about even at a catholic high school. It never came up.