Actors need steely determination. It's a tough profession with plenty of knocks along the way. You have to be very determined and never take 'no' for an answer.

I started acting when I was seven. And I went to a local drama school which is very well-known in London. Because of that, I started getting jobs, and I worked all the time as a child, pretty much non-stop.

I'm always looking for the comfiest place to lie down, like a cat.

Powerful women are the most interesting to play.

At Cambridge, it was the weirdest culture. Everyone pretended they didn't do any work, yet it was so competitive.

I live on the same street as my family, actually. I live across the road. I'm a real family person!

I really enjoyed working with Daniel [Craig], because he's a brilliant actor at the top of his game. That gave me an opportunity to learn from the best, which is what you're always looking for as a performer in order to grow and get better at your craft. It was also great because he was so nice and incredibly supportive, because it really was an intimidating experience for me. He sort of held my hand and said, "We're in this together and we'll get through it together." And he did look after me.