I was very worried about my mother, growing up - a lot. I do not want my children to be worried about me.

When I was growing up, I wanted to adopt, because I was aware there were kids that didn't have parents.

Acting helped me as I was growing up. It helped me learn about myself, helped me travel, helped me understand life, express myself, all those wonderful things. So I'm very, very grateful; it's a fun job. It's a luxury.

I want to support other women because of the opportunities I've had - and I've had a lot of opportunities. What I try as a female director is to do the best job I can and, in the meantime, bring attention to as many other female directors and writers as I can.

People seem to read so much more nonfiction than fiction, and so it always gives me great pleasure to introduce a friend or family member to a novel I believe they'll cherish but might not otherwise have thought to pick up and read.

Yes, I live a crazy, exciting, whatever life, but I do think it's quite relatable because it has to be - I'm just a girl from St Louis, Missouri that has lived life like anyone else. There are things that are crazy and over the top, but the basic thread is my family, my career, trying to live and pursuing my dreams.

When I first met Big, we were both at a 'Bad Boy' family photo shoot. I was kind of familiar with the name Biggie Smalls, but I really wasn't that much into hip-hop at the time, so I really didn't know that was him. He said he didn't even know I was an artist on 'Bad Boy.'

The only people that you really have, that I learned, are your family, because they love you no matter what.