I grew up backstage and on movie sets, and I thought they were the most magical places on Earth.

My dad has always been really helpful. He taught me that talent is a bonus, but persistence is what wins out.

People idealize or reminisce about their 20s, but nobody tells you beforehand that it's hard and unglamorous and often very unpleasant.

I have a ships bed, which totally plays to my obsession of, if I were not an actress, I would be a pirate.

A lot of people in line at the grocery store think that they know me, but they don't.

I'm a little bit of a weirdo - I'm kind of a loner, I didn't go to college, I spend a lot of my time reading. I've been working since I was 17, so that's sort of been my life.

With 'Girls,' it doesn't really feel like I'm doing TV specifically. It just feels like we're making a really long film.

Comedy arises out of necessity, because some things are so dark that you have to laugh about it.

No matter what we as individual women want, no matter what our goals, we have to support one another.

I am an avid reader! As for writing, I might - someday. But we'll have to wait and see.

I don't know if I would call myself a religious human.

The mind is an intricate mechanism that can be run on the fuels of both victory and defeatism.

I pity my brother Ferdinand, knowing by my own feelings how sad a thing it is to live apart from one's family.

I have lived under totalitarian Communism, so I prize freedom as much as anyone and have long fought for freedom of conscience and speech.

You're never too old for anything!

There is a lot in American politics (and in American life) that is angry, greedy, reckless and violent.

You can't speak for the people unless you're able to walk amongst the people. And how many of these rappers out here actually hang out with regular people?

Reluctance to begin is quick to befriend procrastination. . . .

I might play in shorts, but I wear the pants.

One of the biggest advantages that start ups have is execution speed and you have to have this relentless operating rhythm.

When you have to stop and think about things is when they go wrong.