I am fascinated by people's flaws and delusions: all the messy bits of human nature we all try to pretend we don't have.
Cate Blanchett and Eileen Atkins are definitely among my top five actresses whose work I aspire to.
Because I didn't go to drama school, I didn't start in the business with any toolbox apart from enthusiasm and instinct. I'd throw everything at a part and sometimes realise that I had hit my limits.
I became hooked on 'In Treatment,' which was so finely written and performed. Such a simple idea, and yet it delved into very complex territory with real grace and humanity.
It's true: theatre has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I always liked everything about it. As a child, I used to get so excited about performing, I'd get the giggles.
I'm sure my mum was a huge influence on my wanting to be an actress: just seeing her doing it, seeing her love it, caring about it. Invest in something, take it seriously and be so wonderful.
I suppose one of the things that interest me about acting is unpicking what makes people tick and why they do what they do and what it means to be human.
What's exciting about theatre is observing human behaviour. You're constantly making judgments about body language, the physical, the emotional, the intellectual.
For a long time, I did feel aware that I wasn't pretty or bubbly enough. Nor was I sexy-looking.
I've had so many experiences where everyone is very polite about each other's working process, which can lead to work where everyone seems to be in different plays.
Acting on stage is a living organism you can never pin down, and I believe the audience feeds off that, too.
When you're young and starting out, the big hurdle is to relax enough in rehearsal so that you don't feel intimidated. The more work you've done, the more you can experiment in rehearsal and not have to worry about getting the sack.
I am always really buzzed after each performance, and at around one in the morning, I'll hit a brick wall and need to sleep.
I've obviously got one of those faces that people can forget.
Throughout my life, I've known that if I change my hair, if I change my look, people I know will blank me in the street.
I love the virtuosity and imaginative chutzpah of 'Da Vinci's Demons,' and not just because my boyfriend is in it!
I'm halfway through Patti Smith's memoir 'Just Kids,' which is heart-stoppingly vivid. It drips with beauty and hope and devastating candour. I don't want it to end.
I heard David Sedaris read live recently which was a complete delight. Few writers make me laugh out loud on the bus. He does.
I'm just interested in things that move me and make me think, make me laugh.
I would definitely say I'm a feminist. To me, it just means being attentive and mindful. It's about equality and equal treatment. It feels like a gut instinct.
