When I landed in L.A. in early '89, William Morris decided to take me on to see if I could get any jobs. I was cast in a TV movie called Protected Surf, and made $30,000 in four weeks, and I decided I needed to take acting seriously, because I had never made that much money in a year, much less four weeks. That's when I decided I thought I could make a career out of it.

But I'm a citizen of Texas and try to spend most of my time there.

I enjoy doing press for something that I like, and I think the movie is very fun and charming and clever.

One that always stings is "Grow up." And it stings most when you have the suspicion that it is justified, that you have just done somethingchildish and you got nailed for it. It's probably been said to me a few times.

I invested, and I protected myself, so I enjoy that freedom.

I've been a writer longer than I've been an actor. I wrote short stories like crazy when I was in high school and college. I worked in advertising before I moved to L.A. to pursue acting.

I've been an admirer of Helen Mirren for a long time. As I get older, I find myself admiring older women who have poise and elegance.