Claire Danes

I don't want to be an actress. I want to be doing good work that is well written and has good people in it. ”

I would rather not work than be a neurotic mess. ”

The big question is always, 'Eyes or lips?' I tend to go with the eyes because I've got a lot more material to work with now - and it saves me from reapplying lipstick! I'm a pretty low-maintenance person and it's too excessive to exaggerate both the eyes and lips. ”

I was a serious kid to an absurd degree. I was overwhelmed with responsibility. You know, trying to play grown up. I overdid it. ”

My parents never condescended to me. As a child, I always sat at the head of our dinner table. I was always given a lot of responsibility. ”

When I was 18 I went to college for two years and didn't work for a year which was essential for me, because my identity had been so influenced by my being an actor and I think I just needed to discover what it was to be myself, divorced from all that responsibility. ”

I do know how to fire a machine gun, so be warned! I'm trained! ”