Many people must have looked at my life and thought I was quite fortunate. But I felt lousy about myself - and as you now know, I didn't come from a place where I had a lot of self-confidence.

Acting has been my lover and best friend. My confidant and my tormentor. It has given me support and broken my heart and mended it.

When it came down to doing the nude scene, I couldn't hide how humiliating it was for me; I burst into tears.

If I hadn't fought back, I might have been Gidget forever.

I never felt safe. In high school, acting is what I did to stay sane. It wasn't about showing off; it was about revealing parts of myself that I couldn't reveal anyplace else.

Don't you be afraid, sweetheart. Death is just a part of life, something we're all destined to do.

I did comedies for 10 years and I learned a great deal.