I am drawn to characters that go on journeys, characters that are real people, that have life.

It's true, I've become one of those grumpy older women.

Acting attracts shy people and show-offs.

I have spent my whole life educating myself.

I don't tell everyone my life history because if everyone knows your inside-leg measurement, how can you surprise them?

You need to keep on doing things you have never done before in your career. You have to have a go.

You don't go to a comedy and try to laugh. You laugh in spite of yourself. You don't just come on stage and cry. Something has pushed you to cry.

I've learnt to listen. I don't think I always did listen.

When you play someone who is an iconic figure you can't go into it lightly.

I've had very close relationships with some twentieth-century writers.

I've never lost a grown-up child, but I have known loss.

Learn, learn and relearn: become a great scholar.

Following a spiritual path doesn't mean we won't feel emotional pain. But faith gives us the grace and the courage to get through it and the knowing that we will heal and be a better person for it.

Optimism is denial for chumps with no life experience"."What's pessimism?" I said."Religion without God.

We still tell each other that we are lucky to be alive, when our being alive has almost nothing to do with luck, but with geography, pigmentation, and international exchange rates.

When the moon gets bored, it kills whales. Blue whales and fin whales and humpback, sperm, and orca whales: centrifugal forces don’t discriminate.

When I was in high school, I don't know that I really had big dreams.

It is odd there are many movies with many men. But generally movies have one woman, or maybe the older woman and the younger girl.

I came to understand that people come and see you because they like you. They don't come to throw things at you.

In Asia, red is the colour of joy; red is the colour of festivities and of celebration. In Chinese culture, blue is the colour of mourning.

When your woman gives you the silent treatment, say you're sorry, or you'll find out how truly sorry you are when her monologue resumes.