Gemma Arterton

It's such a male-dominated industry. You can be a feminist, it's just difficult because it sometimes comes back at you.

It's interesting for me to always make myself look very different.

I was quite naughty at school.

When I watch myself in movies I go, 'My God.'

I actually had a cockney accent before I went to drama school. It's softened up a bit.

Especially with girls, people always want to put them in little brackets.

My mother, she had a very good attitude toward money. I'm very grateful for the fact that we had to learn to save. I used to get like 50 pence a week, and I'd save it for like five months. And then I'd spend it on Christmas presents. I'd save up like eight pounds. It's nothing, but we did that.

I was born with six fingers on each hand.

I'm looking at working with people I get on with, that respect me, that don't just see me as a piece of ass. Which I have experienced as well. I've nearly walked off very big films before, and I would, because I don't want that in my life. I want to enjoy the work I do.

I probably should get a bit more star-struck but I never do.

I wouldn't change a thing in my own life, but I'd like to go back in time anyway though, just to some sort of eras that I wish I'd lived in - like the '60s. I'd love to have been in London in the '60s, partying away.

I don't want to be about the way I look - my body, my hair, my makeup, all those boring things.

I've done about four deaths in films now, and I think it's quite good because then it's sort of a memorable moment in the film.

My family are very down-to-earth people. We are not showbizzy at all.

It's difficult for a young girl like me. Because there's a certain time for young actresses, which is like a really juicy period when all the parts are love interests and young heroines. Of course, there's always work for men whatever age they are.

I'm always surprised at what I actually end up doing because I don't have a strategy or a game plan, especially now that I'm making my own choices.

I was in lots of dodgy bands growing up and I always fancied myself in a band. But, you know, I was rubbish at writing music. So maybe one day I'll play a rock star, or punk rocker.

Never in my short career, I've never had that experience where I wasn't sure if I was acting or if it was real.

I don't go out and go to parties and do all of that.

The industry is quite chauvinistic generally. Expectations of women, girls, what they should look like, how they should be, what they should say, what they should wear, how their hair should be, what colour their skin should be.

My family was never cultural in that we never went to see plays, my mum wasn't very into films.

Music is my biggest passion aside from anything else.

I've never been to the opera; I've only seen opera on DVD.

I don't know why it's still a taboo to be a feminist.

I was born with lots of deformities.

I'm always listening to music; I can't live without it.