I’ve been looking at oil paintings from oriental artists lately, and the one artist who’s inspired me right now is a man named Hokusai and I’ve had his book by my bed looking at how he interprets landscapes – mountains and water and flowers and birds.

I've grown so much as a person through playing Gabrielle, much less living in New Zealand and being with all of these people that I can't imagine my life being any different.

But on the other hand, I think as an actor, you tend to want to look at the darker parts of your psyche.

When you think about going back to the States you start to become more aware of the violence there and how we pollute the Earth more than the New Zealanders.

For me it's all about creating a goal and fulfilling it.

We are always just trying to be strong and yet in touch with our bodies and the only way you can really do that is to believe in yourself because that’s all that you have.

And I think because there is an essence of me that cares about other people and what other people think then that then makes me seem very sweet and polite.