Really, in a way, I took over the male role.

I'm told leather drives men up the wall. I like wearing it because it because it feels nice.

South Africa is the most beautiful country I have been to. Canada is also hugely underrated.

There have been plenty of very bare hotels with couples humping next door. I don't stay in very grand hotels.

In fact, I'll be taking a lot of Cathy Gale with me. I expect that was why I was chosen for the part.

Really, in a way, I took over the male role.

I hate everything about airports from getting there to taking off.

I'm the slowest reader in the world, because I perform it all in my head.

I'm very fond of Norfolk. My husband came from there and the kids love it. Devon is beautiful, too.

No More Avengers! There's nothing new to get out of it - I want to go forward, not backward.

I've travelled around the UK a lot recently and have discovered that I really like trains. If you're in the quiet carriage, nobody can get hold of you and you can relax.

Female television viewers paid attention to Catherine Gale.

Apart from anything else, I find boots are too hot except in wintry weather. At home I usually wear a sweater, shirt and slacks.

My father was in the civil service. I can remember standing in a bus shelter in the pouring rain, and that we were allowed candy floss at the end of the holiday if we had behaved.

Paula Deen is a human being. She deserves forgiveness and a chance at redemption as much as anyone else. America is about redemption.

I love oldies just kind of sweet, slinky, Fifties music. The slow stuff. And Billie Holiday.

Any time you can build jokes around a story that resonates on an emotional level, it is going to have a big impact.

Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis.

If you're the smartest person you know, it's time to know some new people.

The production must be faithful to the line. If the production fails, my work fails.

The more you speak more languages, the more you understand about yourself.

Never speak about private affairs for the general public to hear.

Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.

I've played a lot of younger, more coming-of-age roles as well as roles that aren't such an imposing physical presence.

The man who does not read good books is no better than the man who can't.

Most of us see Justice O'Connor as something of an icon, although we do not agree with all of her decisions.

Brave men do not gather by thousands to torture and murder a single individual, so gagged and bound he cannot make even feeble resistance or defense.

I think your average fan probably just assumes that the same person directs every episode of their favorite series, week in and week out.

In politics, acceptability plays very important role. On one hand, acceptability among the coalition partners is required for smooth functioning of the government. On the other hand, acceptability among the people is needed to run the country.

The story of Harold Fry and his unlikely pilgrimage began as an afternoon play for radio. For many years, I have been writing plays and adapting novels for 'Woman's Hour' and the 'Classic' series. So this was originally a three-hander play, broadcast one sunny afternoon on BBC Radio 4.

I don't believe that art is just for entertainment. I want to create art that is meaningful in some way.

I dont like to commit myself about heaven and hell you see I have friends in both places.

We are supposed to write poetry to keep the gods alive.

A great amount of good is always evened out by a great amount of bad. I find it's best to acknowledge that weird balance.

I traveled to Cuba with the intention of speaking with boxers who had turned down enormous offers to leave. When explaining my project to people, again and again I was met with amusement and skepticism.

Nutrition makes me puke.

A man is considered good not only for his actions, but also by his thoughts.

Oddly enough, I'm not a particularly judgmental person. I just don't have a lot of filtering when I'm in 'tiger mother' mode. I say what comes into my head.