I'm glad that I get to take my final walk as the princess of 2012. ...there's nothing wrong with winning an Oscar!

Only when you find the courage to say something to someone that might influence a change in your behavior, does that behavior change.

I was always a closet lover of acting. My mom was very practical. She never, ever restricted our dreams, always told us we could do or be anything. Then I said, 'Maybe I want to be an actor.' And she said, 'Maybe not that.'

To be silent is to be passive.

I want to find things that challenge me.

I want to see more women as producers.

As we women know, there are so many other hurdles that we have to cross that I would love it if we could stop having the race conversation so that we can get women further on. You know, a female president now that we have an African American president. Maybe we can get an Asian female, a gay person?