"Acting is what I chose to do. It's what I feel I need to do." — Jessica Pare

I went through a whole phase when I was younger of being obsessed with Tolstoy and Kafka and Camus, all those really, beautiful, dark depressing books.

I think I've always been ambitious. It just looks different on me. You know, I have friends who are actresses who go to every party they possibly can to be photographed and really try to make every connection they can, and I admire that and sometimes I wish I had a little bit more of that. Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough ambition.

I'm thinking of putting together an all-star band. I definitely have a bit of a rock fantasy.

I drive past the Mad Men billboard every day and I can't believe I'm on that show.

I have an enormous family because I'm from Montreal and my family's Catholic, so my dad has eight siblings and they all have kids and we all grew up in the same property on weekends and summers.

I was a drama-class nerd. I did whatever school production we put on.

'Mad Men' has been my big break. I'm beyond thrilled.

I'm a huge Marlene Dietrich fan. She's got this raunchy kind of strength. It would be hard to find a man who could come up with something hard for her to handle. She's seen it all and done it all.

Showcase

Show all

Acting is what I chose to do. It's what I feel I need to do.