I would take plays and I would cut out all the other dialogue and make long monologues because I felt the other kids weren't taking it as seriously as I did.

But there isn't any second half of myself waiting to plug in and make me whole. It's there. I'm already whole.

Change is never easy.

Last year I was diagnosed with osteoporosis.

There was really a snobbery from people in film - they did not want people who had come from television. It was the poor relation of show business, and especially situation comedy.

I came from a real working-class show business family.

I would take plays and I would cut out all the other dialogue and make long monologues because I felt the other kids weren't taking it as seriously as I did.

I've never had my heart broken.

I really have no ulterior motive in taking on certain roles. I have no larger issue that I really want to show people. I'm an actor, that's all. I just do what I do.

There are parts of me that I feel are beautiful, but they don't have anything to do with my nose.

But I was losing so much bone density that I would have been in grave danger. And I mean grave danger. If I had let it go just a few more years I could have broken my hip or spine just picking up my granddaughter.

I joined the Actors Studio and began to work with Lee Strasberg, and that changed my work.

I think that's very sad, that I haven't allowed my heart to be broken. I have broken a few.

It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.

I think the first thing I did was several scenes from Romeo and Juliet.

I'm so vigorous, and I so take it for granted, because I've always been a real physical person.

My last son is leaving to go to college; my grandchildren are being born. My mother is living with me.

My agent said, 'You aren't good enough for movies.' I said, 'You're fired.'

If I hadn't fought back, I might have been Gidget forever.

I can't deny the fact that you like me! You like me!

When you're old, you are more certain of who you are, and that may be a good thing or a bad thing.

You lose your habitual behavior, which allowed you to sort of zone out. You have to be here, you have to be now, you have to be present.

I was raised to sense what someone wanted me to be and be that kind of person. It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.

I haven't had an orthodox career, and I've wanted more than anything to have your respect. The first time I didn't feel it, but this time I feel it, and I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!

I was just lucky enough to grow up in a time when they actually had drama departments in schools.

I have never been beautiful in cliche terms.

I never really address myself to any image anybody has of me. That's like fighting with ghosts.

'Forrest Gump' is filled full of moments where your heart just cheers.

Had there not been a Mary Todd, there would not have been an Abraham Lincoln. She found him when he was a young lawyer and really a bumpkin. No one knew of him, but she recognized his brilliance.

I always wanted to be a great actor.

I did comedies for 10 years and I learned a great deal.

I don't want to look old and worn, but what can you do? My real focus is being an actor. I care more about having the opportunity to play roles that I haven't played than I care if my neck looks like someone's bedroom curtains.

I grew up in a show-business family, but we were working-class show business. There was nothing glamorous about it. You had great things one day and the next day, nothing.

I had to let my ego go a long time ago.

I haven't had an orthodox career.

I mean, the only thing that matters to me is getting to the work - getting to do the work. And I don't really care where it is: whether it's on stage or on television or in film.

I really like cable T.V.

I so believe that older women have tremendous value to their families, their community, their country, the world.

I wanted to be Katharine Hepburn-ish - there was a bit of nobility about her.

I'd been kind of a hiccup in my parents' lives. They lost track of me and I didn't know what I was going to do with myself. And then fate reached in and took me in its hands. I was discovered right out of high school and started getting work.

I'm looking for a bunch of new tchotchkes that represent the new part of my life.

I've done some good work and some not-good work.

I've had such an odd career.

I've never had my heart broken. It's a very sad state of affairs. I think everybody should have their heart broken. I don't think it says anything good about me at all.

Last year I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. I was over 50, Caucasian, thin, small-framed, and I have it in my genetic history. It was almost a slam-dunk.

Never, ever, have I felt really accepted in Hollywood.

The Oscars are really nice, but the best part is that I had the opportunity to do that kind of work.

The only thing that matters to me is getting to the work - getting to do the work. And I don't really care where it is: whether it's on stage or on television or in film.

The opportunities I've had to play really complex characters - which haven't been a lot, but some - you never get over them.