Actress

You can finish the day's filming or the whole shoot or watch something months later and think you could have done it so much better. It's frustrating.

I have this sense of humour which is about as sophisticated as a seven-year-old schoolboy. I get very overexcited and silly.

I really like working, the opportunity to work with good people and to play interesting parts.

Period drama is such a huge umbrella term: it seems to cover everything from Claudius to something from the 1920s.

I wouldn't feel comfortable talking to someone I didn't know very well and, beyond that person, a readership of X millions, about things I think are private.

It's funny landing parts now where I'm somebody's mum. I remember the first time I was asked to play a mum. I was easily old enough, but because I didn't have any children, I thought, 'That seems really grown-up.'

Being an actor does make you aware of your age.

Having my own family has made me realise there's more to life than chasing the next job.

I was told it might be quite difficult to conceive, so it really was a great blessing when my pregnancy suddenly happened. I had been diagnosed years ago with polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can affect your fertility - but luckily, in my case, it didn't.

As an actor, I'm in such a privileged position because my work is job by job. If something doesn't fit in with family life, there's more flexibility.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I haven't quite got over the miracle that you plant things, and they do sprout up.

I'm guilty of it myself, sort of thinking, 'Classic novels: snoozeville.' But there is a huge amount of wonderful material.

Acting was a slow-burn thing. I found it was something I really, really liked doing, but it wasn't until my third year at drama school that I actually thought, 'Oh, right, I'm trained for this now; I'd better see if I can do it.'

I've enjoyed all the work I've done, and I feel quite lucky that I haven't been playing sweet girls all the time.

It might be quite boring if you did something and thought it was perfect.

By the time I was 10, I had lived in 11 different countries.

I know some people are really comfortable with talking about their feelings and hopes and fears in public, but I'm not, and I don't think it's that extraordinary.

I'm not cool at all. I'm the least cool person I know.

I love my work, and I feel fortunate to be doing a job I love, but it isn't the centre of my life.

Getting older doesn't bother me. When I was 30, I thought I should have achieved more, but you get more comfortable and think it's time to stop putting pressure on yourself.