I'm a bit of a Scotophile. I have a house on the Black Isle, so I'm in Scotland quite a lot and think Edinburgh is just the most beautiful city.

We have this wonderful language and we don't appreciate it. That's old-fashioned me, but when I went to school, everyone had elocution lessons, not to sound posh but so you could be understood.

Shyness is just egotism out of its depth.

I plant a lot of trees. I am a great believer in planting things for future generations. I loathe the now culture where you just live for today.

I think I'm a better actress for having friends and interests outside the theatre. I wouldn't want to live my life surrounded by other actors all the time.

We always had chocolates and my mother was careful to make sure they were unwrapped in advance so the paper wouldn't rustle in the middle of a performance.

Older people, who just happen to have been around longer, may not be cleverer than the young, but they have seen more.

Everyone wants instant everything, and they want instant success, but I always think you should treat things in the arts like a garden, and let them grow.

I don't feel 'vibes' when I enter a building - don't feel the previous owners looking down on me. But I do know when a place feels friendly.

So often actors only mix with actors, which is quite incestuous, and doesn't give them the insight into how other people work.

With a play, you do it and it's gone. Films always date. Television drama always dates. Television comedy, for some reason, seems to go on.

Love is a cowboy's hardest ride.

All great achievements are attained through mighty obstacles.

His words sounded foolish to his own ears. He was not impressive. He was small like the world.

We must forget in order to remain present, forget in order not to die, forget in order to remain faithful.

Doing something a long time does not mean you're good. It only means you've done it a long time.

Activity and creativity almost always flow to the least regulated arena.

Nature is the worst terrorist you can imagine.

We cannot remain silent when someone of the Pope's stature and credibility confuses religious principles for science

The biggest challenge I have is to learn when somebody doesn't really mean what they're saying 'cause I don't say something I don't mean. I live in Literalville.