In Long Island, people care about how much money you have. Even I did when I was growing up. I never wanted kids to see my mom's house because I was embarrassed that they'd tell everyone, 'Oh, Madison's mom is poor!' And she was definitely far from poor.

I truly believe that diversity is so important, and I hope that I can use my platform to encourage and inspire other aspiring female artists.

It's important to drive your own ship, and it's your career, so you might as well take it by the reins.

I'm very much focused on my career.

Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though they may be, should continue to live at home until they were married.

Liz knows me, she's known me since I was eight-years-old, and we're very happily married. And don't forget, she's watched me kiss numerous actresses on 'Emmerdale.'

Something like 'Without a Paddle' does really well at the box office and I'm like, 'Oh, here we go.' In 'Without a Paddle' I'm the romantic lead - great! A comedy and that's what America wants. Then it did nothing for me and I went into kind-of a work abyss. I just didn't get another shot.

One of the things I enjoy most about writing historical romance is researching inspiring backgrounds and settings.