Jodie Foster

I have, in some ways, saved characters that have been marginalized by society by playing them - and having them still have dignity and still survive, still get through it.

The movies I made when I was 14 or 15, I have a hard time looking at those. Those were the awkward years. I don't know if anybody can look at something they did when they were 14 and not wince.

So, yes, there's nothing I love more than listening to directors talk about their movies.

I've always had this idea that I wanted movies to make people better not worse.

I love European movies and I kind of grew up on European films.

I don't know if I see myself as really an action hero, but I like doing physical movies and I like doing movies where the writing is very lean.

I didn't have any ambition to produce big mainstream popcorn movies.

I had to take my makeup off at work every night. I wasn't allowed to do it at home because my mom said that when your work day is done, you're done with work.

I fantasize about having a manual job where I can come home at night, read a book and not feel responsible for what will happen the next day.

But the reason I became, why I wanted to be in the business was because there was Midnight Cowboy.

I think an artist's responsibility is more complex than people realize.

It's an interesting combination: Having a great fear of being alone, and having a desperate need for solitude and the solitary experience. That's always been a tug of war for me.