I always try to push through fear. I won't be crippled by it. People say, "Oh you take such risks", or "You're brave." And I'm like, 'Well, if you knew - inside I'm really frightened!' But the way people navigate fear and pain is fascinating... The more you feel, the stronger the pain. And the more you engage in life, the more you have to lose.

You want to take some responsibility for you choices so that it sets the groundwork for that next generation of actresses.

I'm not saying it's for everyone, but it's better to be alone than in a lousy relationship.

I'm especially interested in helping to give visibility to the pandemic of violence against women

As a woman now, I want to share things. I have girlfriends in their twenties, and I say, "Ask me anything. You can learn from the things I did wrong, and you can learn from the things you think I'm doing right. Take whatever you want and make it your own."

The loss of a child is the most terrifying place for me to go.

For me, my storyline [in Big Little Lies] is very complicated and nuanced. [The script] was so beautifully written. It was very, very easy to play. ... I think one of the scenes is almost eight minutes.