The protagonist in 'Winter's Bone' was a really good role for a female. She was strong; she didn't have to conform to something or be a sidekick to any man. That's part of what you're responding to; it's a woman-centric situation. Her value in the film was not reliant on any man.

In Hollywood, only a female who's massively damaged is interesting.

I'm interested in the lives of Americans for whom the ways this culture has tried to define itself - that is, self-esteem defined by material wealth - they have nothing to do with that.

When I read Daniel Woodrell's novel 'Winter's Bone,' I was drawn to the characters, the setting, and the sound of the dialog.

When I did 'Percy Jackson,' people told me, 'Oh, you're going to be so famous... you're not going to be able to walk down the street... it's going to be huge,' and it wasn't - although it was big for my career.

I was studying chemistry, and this is a physically hard job because you are in the laboratory, you work hard, and you come home in the late afternoon or in the evening and you always needed a break.

It is not easy to stand up against your constituents or your friends or colleagues or your community and take a tough stand for something you believe is right. Because you always want to keep working and live to fight another battle and it might cost you your career.

My career has been full of remarkable coincidences that have nothing to do with me.