My mum believes in me almost more than I believe in myself.
Actors need steely determination. It's a tough profession with plenty of knocks along the way. You have to be very determined and never take 'no' for an answer.
I think my roles have been wonderfully varied. Not one has been racially stereotypical, and I have purposely chosen them like that.
The wonderful thing about drama school is that it stretches you in a way the industry doesn't.
I was brought up in Britain, and I'm very proud of my Britishness and my culture.
The ethos of most films is that you make a film, you exploit the community, you exploit the environment, and it's OK because you made a great film, you know?
I've never been that person who wants a Rolls Royce or wants to live in a mansion or what have you.
I live on the same street as my family, actually. I live across the road. I'm a real family person!
Hollywood 'friends' are only after one thing. They're looking out for the next big thing, and they don't want to miss out on you just in case.
For some reason, I just lack that ability to be embarrassed about going up to people. I even do it for friends if they want to ask someone out.
I don't think I have the assets to play the more traditional Bond Girl.
What I generally get from being in Africa is a sense of warmth and openness. As a stranger, you are always welcomed into people's homes and people are always offering you food. That generosity is incredibly touching.
When you go somewhere like Kenya and you see how the children don't have pencils and pens, and all of these things are considered luxuries, and what a privilege they see education as and how hungry they are to learn, I wanted to give my brother and sister long lectures. That definitely stayed with me.
To have the kind of success I have had is really amazing, and I am incredibly grateful.
I'm incredibly impatient; I'd like to be less so, and more content with the now.
I'm not the greatest driver. I don't know if I'll ever master the art.
I cry at random things, like a flower, or someone giving me a present, or my sister giving me a nice hug.
Getting to travel around the world and go to glamorous locations is certainly not what I had as a kid.
I always find filming stressful. I get very caught up thinking about my character - 'Am I doing it right? Should it be done this way?'
I started acting when I was seven. And I went to a local drama school which is very well-known in London. Because of that, I started getting jobs, and I worked all the time as a child, pretty much non-stop.
