Actress

I've been told I'm bright. But when I act, I get incredibly stupid. I feel my intellect slowing down. I feel it happening physically. And that's not negative in acting!

I'm a hypervisual person.

There are lots of rats. It's a dirty little secret at the Delacorte Theatre.

As an actress, you have to be very naive.

We are in this amazing age of television where there's an incredible amount and an incredible quality of television, of long-form narrative.

I went to an art school in high school and got in a little trouble like you do when you're a teenager and not being closely supervised. I did. I followed the Dead around, and it was fun. It was great. It was kind and sweet and lovely.

There comes a point in any project where you have to say - whether you like or understand the character, or the whole play for that matter - 'I believe!'

Trying to find a way to represent something that is truly frightening on stage is a fascinating challenge.

I will happily work anywhere they need me to if they pay me well.

I have no ability or interest to play that weak, beaten person.

Every time I do a play, I'm like, 'When do I get to do the one where I wear a gown, sit in a chair, and say funny things?' I'd love to do that.

I think being a mom changed me, and now it's not just about what I want to do and what's sort of interesting, but what I absolutely have to do.

You talk through what exactly happened to Howard Dean on the campaign trail, what Bill Clinton must have lived through, what the daily grind of doing what these people have to do. And they can never lose their temper, they can never be tired, and they can never slip up, or it's on-camera, and it's everywhere - and it's over.

I never had any preconceived ideas about acting, because I always thought I was going to be a visual artist.

I see artists as the first responders. And when the proverbial crap hits the fan, we are there to be of service, to tell the story, to bring a balm, to soothe, to provide catharsis. You know, not to make our work any more important or less important, but just that there is a great importance to it.

I don't believe in saying no.

My God, I have so much bounty in my life.

I think there is a certain gravitas about me. My energy can be very big and yet contained.

If you can see it, you can be it. And I believe in that.

OK, so I'm a working mom that also gets to kiss George Clooney. That's a little bit of a perk of the job.