Quotes

As a female, you are often being asked by directors to be warmer, softer, flirt more, smile more etc... None of those things are bad, and obviously we are capable of a variety of human behavior, but it gets really old having to play into somebody's stereotype or ideal.

I love working with directors who have good taste. It's incredible when a director can say something and things open up for you. I went to The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and some of my best experiences on sets have been working with other alums.

I definitely want to continue working in independent films - and big budget stuff as well - but there's a freedom you have when you're not getting paid. It's easier to say no and there's no pressure to please the powers that be. Also I don't have to hear 'flirt and smile more.'

I think if a personal connection seems far off, I have to work and find a way to bring it closer to me, or I don't feel grounded.

As an actor, some of the most fun days I've had on set have involved shooting blanks all day - or better yet, on a micro-budget indie shoot in Texas, shooting live ammo. I feel guilty admitting this, but make-believe beating a man half to death for nine hours can also be strangely satisfying and, dare I say, good fun.

[filming nude and sex scenes on the series Banshee] On a network TV show, when you're doing a sex scene, you don't really do anything. You just sort of kiss someone. And it looks like your shirt's off, but (it's just) the sheets are pulled up to your armpits. Nobody wants to see anything on network TV. So 'Banshee' was obviously a whole different ballgame. The weirdest part of doing a sex scene isn't the nudity. It's the movement. On a network show, you don't do humping movements. But on cable, you make believe you're really having sex. That's something most actresses are only used to doing in one particular context. They're not used to doing that in front of people. So that's a weird day at the office. You just can't help but laugh. It's just so f***king stupid. It's hard to keep it together because it's so ridiculous.