Kathy Bates

I'm very lucky to be able to do what I love to do, and I hope I can keep doing it for a while.

The Oscar changed everything. Better salary, working with better people, better projects, more exposure, less privacy.

I think that being in an environment is a much richer experience than just working on a soundstage.

I have had periods of depression in my life.

It matters to me, acting. It's what I do. It's what I've given up a lot to do. It's my life source. And I guess I'm too serious about it sometimes, but I want to treat it right.

I went from years of honing my craft to sudden recognition. It was quite a life changer.

I regret not taking my 83-year-old mother to the Oscars the year I won. She deserved the Oscar for giving up so much for me.

I've been in the business for so long that I don't sit home and look at my awards.

Drama comes more naturally to me. It's the comedy you really have to delve into.

I try to always stretch myself to fit the characters that have been presented.

My inner strength comes from my friends. I have a very close group of friends and family, and we all help each other through our dark times.

And people are always saying: 'Well, you go to Hollywood and you get yourself a film career or a TV series, and then you can do anything you want. Because then you've got the clout.' That had always sounded like a lot of hooey to me, but now I think it's true, unfortunately.