Actress

At times, maybe I'm too competitive for my own good.

Most Republicans call the show 'The Left Wing.'

I've never been with a group of people for that long. I mean, even my family I don't think I know as intimately as the people I worked with on 'West Wing.'

Great drama is all about conflict, and what's a better conflict than Republican-Democrat?

I can access emotions very easily.

I am lucky enough to have Aaron Sorkin write what I have to say.

I feel better when I'm working. I tend to not know who I am when I'm not working. That worries me a little bit... I've been fortunate to be so busy, but I haven't developed any other skills.

I spent a lot of time in the trenches in New York doing a lot of off-off-off Broadway theater.

I'm one of those actors who fall into the camp of never wanting to look at themselves on camera ever, thank you very much. I do not and will not, because I am my worst critic.

The only guilty pleasure I have is pasta.

I was a late bloomer in a lot of areas in life.

Birthdays are getting harder as I get older.

I did Alan Ball's 'Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,' and then he put me in 'American Beauty.' Everything started to happen from all the years I put into the theater in New York City, and working, and having great parents who supported me through that.

I'm a big girl, but I have a delicate constitution emotionally. If I've been humiliated in some audition, I just cry all the way home and think, 'Oh my God, I suck.'

My height does help me. I can hide a multitude of sins in my height.

I hate auditioning so much.

Being a figure skater myself and knowing what it took for my parents to get up at five in the morning to drive me to the rink before school and then drive me to practice after school - it's a huge commitment for any family.

I'm actually a pretty shy person in real life with new people.

I love the wilder, more outlandish characters that are hard to make believable. Those are the ones I want to play.

I love arts and crafts.