My mother is a realist, and she's had biological and adoptive children, and she said it's no different: No matter what, they're putting a stranger into your arms. You don't know them yet.

I'm not really a first-move kind of gal.

My career is really important to me, but there have to be other great, important things in your life besides work.

As women, we have more of a tendency to be people-pleasers, and I know a lot of women who are not vocal about what makes them happy.

It's easy to be taken advantage of if you're not honest.

I'm really proud of myself because I've pared my beauty regimen down to a cream blush and berry-tinted lip balm, which has saved me so much time.

When something disappointing happened, my mother would remind me not to let that become my focus. There's still so much to be grateful for.

I decided I was sick of trying to figure out what everybody else wanted, and I should just decide what I want, and be honest, and not spend all my time guessing.

I'm terrible with patience.

My mother is a great source of advice and wisdom and consolation for me.

There were so many lean years. A lot of lean years.

If I start going back to church, I'd have to stop the smoking and drinking, and I wouldn't be able to curse any more.

Loving someone is setting them free, letting them go.

I wouldn't dream of working on something that didn't make my gut rumble and my heart want to explode.

So I won an Oscar. It's amazing. I've got that for the rest of my life for a performance I am proud of. It nearly killed me. I am really proud of the film. That's it, moving on.

I've decided I am going to start loving my backside because I don't know anyone who does that. And for my daughter, I want to be able to say to her, 'I love this.'

It's true that you need much time to get rid of the fat girl you once were, but you know I am sincerely grateful for my buttocks.

Ah, my dad's whistle. On holidays when I was a kid, we would all be off in the rock pools along the beach. When it came time to go, we'd hear the whistle and we'd all come running. Like dogs!

I resent that there is an image of perfection that is getting thinner and thinner. I've got a lovely husband and children, and I didn't lose weight to find those things.

I think I can see more clearly now - about how the pattern of past experiences has shaped who I am and the characters I have played - and I'm grateful for that.

Real luxury is having the time to read endless stories in bed with my children. And I get that all the time. I'm so blessed.

I was very, very thrown by the fact that I had to make some big changes in my life in order to be myself, but under this kind of movie-star banner.

I've decided I am going to start loving my backside because I don't know anyone who does that.

I do like being busy. I'm not the kind of person who just sits around and goes to a spa when I'm not working.