I had the most incredible English and literature teachers in school, and it really influenced my love of storytelling. It's what made me excited to study journalism in college. I love editorials and documentaries. All of that came from being given the opportunity to lose myself in good writing when I was a kid.

Marriage is not about age; it's about finding the right person.

I like to have a much greater base and know a lot more about my character before I begin to fill the person. So a lot of it really entails sit-downs with them, determining who she is, where she came from, and why she reacts a certain way, and then I was really able to expand upon a lot of that and create a lot of that story on my own.

I think it's easy for people to assume that fame is equal to glory, but it can be a very isolating experience.

I'm looking for things that are really connected - education, both in the developing world and at home. The way that that affects communities and, in particular, women.

I want to play everything. I really want to do it all.

To me, I think people who don't think it's a big deal to toss a plastic bottle in the garbage are not only being irresponsible, but I think they're being disrespectful of all the other humans on earth.