I'm always nervous taking on a period role because it's difficult to research - you can't observe it, go out and see it. But it's satisfying because eventually you think, 'I got there.'

I’m not going to get an Oscar at 30 – that’s done. So I’ll think of something else.

I don’t know what I’d do if I had to look pretty all the time.

Filming is long – you get very tired, and your skin breaks out and you get lumps and bumps. It’s easier if you’re allowed to have bags under your eyes.

I never get the tall, blonde, glamorous roles because I’m not tall, blonde and glamorous. I’m more the wee, disturbing characters because of the way I look or sound.

It’s such a stress always trying to get bigger houses and larger cars and better schools. Of course, parents want to give their children the best opportunities in life, but sometimes that can stifle them.

Children don’t just play any more – they’re far too busy learning to fence and taking extra French classes. In the end, you’re actually doing more damage to your children by trying to hot-house them. It’s far better to remain a calm parent.

Youth makes you brave, I suppose. When you’re young, you make a fool of yourself all the time. Because of all the rejections and the criticism you get all the time, there has to be a drive there.

I don’t have children, but we all want to protect whatever we love in life.

I spend plenty of time in London and it doesn’t scare me, but it’s a lonely place, even if you’ve got friends there. My job takes me all around the world, meeting lots of interesting people. But I think if I couldn’t get home, if I couldn’t get back to what I consider my real life I’d be frightened.