Quotes

With Wolfgang Petersen, we were always the only two ready at time and the first on the set during the filming of Troy (2004). The German rigour without a doubt.

It was something strange for me, to kiss Orlando. I was so embarassed! It is not as fun as people think to shoot love scenes. You feel vulnerable, and there are about 100 people looking at you.

I'm a little bit worried about this sudden success. I am quite independent and I'm afraid that this privilege could escape from me.

[on Helen of Troy in Troy (2004)] Her beauty didn't do her any good and she couldn't use it in any positive way or manipulative way.

Sometimes it takes courage and experience to allow yourself to actually go there, and it's the most liberating thing to let go. I do think that's why I love acting - you're right, it's being someone that you're not. And sometimes you're really scared of it, and then once you let yourself go there, it's the best thing ever.

[on her quitting modeling] I thought 'Fuck everyone' and moved back to Paris, called my agent and said I didn't want to model any more, which they couldn't believe because I was 22 and doing very well. But I left it and went to drama school, and I'm so happy I did.

[on her role as the Asperger's-afflicted character 'Sonya Cross' in The Bridge (2013)] I am fiercely protective of her. I think she has integrity. She is strong and yet really, really vulnerable and lonely in her personal life. It's the most colorful character I've ever been allowed to play.

[on being inspired by Romy Schneider] I dreamed about coming to France and finding a French boyfriend and making French movies. I thought there was a romance to her life, at least when I was younger, that I just so admired and I do love French films and there was a light inside of her that I remember, since I was very young, that just made me dream and it inspired me so much and I fell in love with French cinema because of her and I will say that the French have welcomed me like one of their own. I started out in France. I went to drama school in France and to this day I'm their adopted step-kid and when I'm in a great film I'm French, not so great I'm Franco-Allemande (French/German).

[on producing films herself] It's really long and it's expensive to develop projects and it's a complicated process finding the right writer, finding people that get excited about the storyline and why it is important. I'm sure it's easier if you're Reese Witherspoon or Nicole Kidman, but it's definitely a challenge. I want to create stories not only for myself but also for other women. We have a lot of stuff to say. [2018]

You always know in yourself what you want to do, what you can do. I wanted to get into cinema because of Romy Schneider. I loved the way she was a European actress. She was German but even though she had an accent the French loved her.

This [image] is Hedy Lamarr old.. ravaged by bad early plastic surgery... how sad is it that this beautiful, intelligent woman felt the need to destroy her face trying to hang on to her youth... it just makes my heart ache.. I know we all want to stay young and look good, but why can't we be gentler with ourself, why do we call people "old" or "fat"? What society do we live in that judges women by their outer beauty and age? We must surround ourself with people who love us for who we are and what is going on in our brains. We women, should enjoy being young! Be wild and reckless all we want! As time passes, why not love this new face that we earned? Why not embrace what is inevitable? Every stage of life is beautiful if we can just accept our own, ever changing beauty... sorry, I don't want to sound preachy, as life is different for everyone and not everybody can be Audrey Hepburn.. but.. maybe we could just love ourselves just a little bit more and cut the haters out of our life?