Art and activism seem to go together naturally, the idea being that if you're an entertainer, you can have a voice, and if you have a voice, you can make a difference. But if I were not an actress, I would still try to extend myself beyond my little micro-universe of my job, family and personal joy.

What once was an expression of who I was - acting - also became my hiding place.

Life is about creating new opportunities, not waiting for them to come to you.

Being a mother is more exhausting than working, and sometimes I push myself too hard and burn myself out. I can appreciate how exhausting it must be for women who have to do everything themselves all the time.

There is an Arabic writer who wrote philosophy and poetry and who brought all religions and all the world together.

When I feel stressed, I turn to food for comfort, but I don't like to diet and I'm not good at it.

I was an illegal immigrant.