Actress

The real trick to auditioning is just letting go of trying to please them. Make it your own. That took me a long time to learn.

'Talullah' is a movie I'm really proud of. Sian Heder is the director/writer, and I think she's extraordinarily talented. I think it was a beautiful story.

An agent said he didn't know what to do with me, I wouldn't be able to play any parts but lesbians and aliens.

I'm an actor. I can make anyone believe anything. I don't have to know what the hell I'm talking about.

Politics scared the crap out of me because I didn't grow up in a family where we talked about anything, really, except, 'Pass the peas, and do this.'... We didn't really have political discussions at the dinner table. I didn't learn how to watch or listen to politics.

I've always been a figure skater and ballet dancer. I love physical comedy, and any chance that I get to do that... that is so me.

I'm so hard on myself and a really harsh critic of my work.

I go on a hunt for things that make sense to me and that I can actively play as an actress.

I have the power of my height. Growing up, it was a total drawback. There was nothing good about it at all.

I was playing 40-year-old women when I was 20. I didn't get considered for ingenue roles.

I know there are a lot of tall, beautiful actresses like Uma Thurman and Nicole Kidman who are my height, but they're still half the size of me!

Every character I do has a bit of my mum in her. She's like the doyenne of Dayton, Ohio.

In my career, I am so so happy and grateful for everything I've gotten to do. And yet, I wish I had started off earlier so I could, I don't know... I certainly have not not gotten work because of my age, but I'm just gonna pray and hope that the roles will still keep coming as I get older.

The way you talk to yourself sometimes is terrible! I hear myself, and I go, 'I can't believe you're talking to my friend Allison like that!' It's really terrible, the things we say to ourselves.

I can sit down at the piano and make you think I know how to play the piano because I know, like, the beginnings of four songs.

I never think of a project as just being comedy or just being drama - even with 'Masters of Sex.' I like being sort of messy, like life is.

I can tell when men are threatened by my height.

The loss of my brother was a huge moment, a life-changer for me.

I never know how I'll feel on any given day, but I've got to look around me and take what I got and find some inspiration, some anger.

I like people trying to do two things at once.