What I do for a living means that people look at me. As an actress, you are scrutinized. You are not just dealing with your looks privately, you are on display. I have never been 100 percent comfortable in my own skin. I go through different phases. But I don't feel beautiful all the time, no.

The culture of celebrity has become insane. It's all based on fantasy, and I find it creepy and disturbing.

I'm really a strong advocate of ageing because the messages that the media and advertising give to women infuriate me: ie that it's a bad thing to get old.

I know so many acting careers that are deliberately kickstarted by a publicist placing a bit of rubbish in a newspaper. And I don't want that. If someone recognises me, I want it to be because they've seen me in something, not because they have seen me at something.

I would love to do a really cool romantic comedy, perhaps with Hugh Grant. I think he is brilliant. That's the kind of film I love to go to see. I love 'girls' films.

I'm half-Welsh, half-Russian. My maternal grandmother is Russian. I've very much a mongrel, which is good in a way because it makes me quite a blank canvas.

I don't want to be famous. I like to be able to sit in a cafe and watch the world go by and observe people.