Alysia Reiner
A wonderful acting teacher I love, Josh Pais, has a system I love for being in the moment in acting, but also in life. And one of the things he reminds me of is to take a moment and just be here now.Collection: Teacher
From the moment my dad died, from the moment I found out there was the possibility of his dying, there were many surprises - years after, minutes after. The moments I was okay were as surprising as the ones that I wasn't. Making it through the eulogy without losing it. And then the guilt I felt about it. Surprise!Collection: Dad
No one can tell you what to expect or can offer a guide to grief. Because every relationship is so unique, no two people grieve the same way. And you have no idea how you are going to grieve till you are grieving.Collection: Relationship
My family made it through Hurricane Sandy. We have water, power, and a roof, but the survivor's guilt makes me want to hide. Sneak away from the brilliance of life. It shouts at me: 'Don't enjoy anything too much; people are suffering.' I feel childlike somehow.
Perhaps grief is not about empty, but full. The full breath of life that includes death. The completeness, the cycles, the depth, the richness, the process, the continuity and the treasure of the moment that is gone the second you are aware of it.
My 3-year-old daughter is somewhat psychic. I hate the abuse of that word, so let's just say... intuitive. She was born 'in the caul,' meaning my water never broke, and superstition says that makes a child psychic.
I meditate in the morning, and my daughter will do it with me, looking like the most perfect little Buddha. I'll do ten minutes of yoga, then two to ten minutes of meditation. She'll sit there quietly half the time.
Working out for me really depends on my shoot schedule, but I try to move my body every day. I really believe in exercise as an anti-depressant. It's a great way to feel better.
I'm not a big chicken or meat eater, but sometimes I'll eat it if it's locally raised. The family dinner will be stir-fry, or we'll roll our own sushi with brown rice, spinach, salmon, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and seaweed. The kids love it!
When I was a kid, I was fat, and I was teased mercilessly. But once I grew up and got out of my unhealthy relationship with food, for the most part I've had a very healthy view. If I ever find myself getting worried about how I'll look on the red carpet, I'll take a step back and look at what's really going on inside.
I think, to me, I was always taught you never approach any character as a villain. Every human being on earth really believes that they're doing the best thing. We all have our rationalizations.
Anyone who wants to offer me as mushy, earthy, crunchy a role as they can, I will probably take it. In real life, I cry at a drop of a hat, and I'm a mom, and I'm pretty mushy! We all have so many colors as actors that we want to show.
'Girls' is one of my favorite shows of all time. One of the things I love about Lena Dunham and Jenji Kohan and Shonda Rhimes is that they're all willing to show complex, amazing women.
I have a 6-year-old daughter, and we never look through magazines. But when we're on a plane, that's the one time we have screen-time and magazine-time sometimes. And I do not open a magazine with her without saying: 'Now remind me, are these real pictures?'
My daughter loves to be surprised. And she loves to surprise me. She loves to create games where either one or both of us are surprised, or go away, and then come back. And she loves to play them over and over, and over again. The combo is familiar. Go away. Come back. Surprise! She is only two. I better get used to this.
I really do believe when you're in a ton of pain, you tend to take it out on other people. If you deal with your stuff, you don't take it out on everybody else.
I personally am very active with the women's prison association, and I designed a locket, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the women's prison association.
I'm a karmic girl; I believe in karma.
There are a lot of actresses who can wear their Uggs during a scene, and I only do that if they make me do that - like if I'm working with a shorter man and they request me to take off my shoes.
A high heel makes you feel different than a non-high heel. I love a high bootie because they are so high but comfortable, so I feel strong and powerful. That's the best.
For me, I am a really tall woman, and I am really tall in heels, and I feel bigger, and I like being bigger. I think I was a king in a past life.
I have as many pairs of sneakers as I have shoes.
I'm one of those girls that cries at the drop of a hat. I'm oversensitive, if anything. I'm a mom. I'm very earthy, crunchy granola. I compost.
I call my ring Procter and Gamble, because David paid for it through his first commercial from Head & Shoulders. When I met David, he was waiting tables. He was below broke, in deep debt, but I followed my heart. When you're looking for a mate, don't look at his current status, but his present potential that will become a part of his future.
I am attached to an incredible script called 'Wonder Drug,' about the DES drug disaster. It's a female-based drama, and I am so proud to be a part of because hopefully it will help evoke change - not only in our industry, but in the battle again corruption in big pharma.
God, I love daydreaming out plane windows.
Make choices that bring love and joy to your body. It's not about perfection; it's about love and gratitude for an amazing body that works hard and deserves your respect.
I think, when I was little, I was a little obsessed with anything that provided luck: Buddhas, 4-leaf clovers, heads-up pennies, even - gasp - a rabbit foot - which actually kind of disgusts me now.
I might be a pretty earthy, crunchy girl, yes. There might be some crystals and Buddhas in my house. I may meditate and eat all green and compost... Yoga is a very regular part of my life.
I'm currently shooting 'Ava's Possessions,' which is a really fun movie about a woman who gets possessed by a demon. I call it 'Memento' meets 'The Exorcist.'
I can do one 'Breaking Bad' in a night, or one 'Game of Thrones.' But 'House of Cards,' I can really do three in a night. I get sucked in.
Create the space and a bigger life happensCollection: Space
Clearly, I'm committed to women's issues and stories and promoting gender equality. I have two incredible role models in Jenji [Kohan] and Shonda [Rhimes].Collection: Issues
Be here now. It keeps us in a place of love, not fear.Collection: Be Here Now
Sometimes we don't face what's going on in our world, be it a water crisis or an earth crisis, because it's a little too scary and painful. Just like we don't want to face the parts of ourselves that are a little too uncomfortable or painful. We've gotta face both and love both so that we can heal both.Collection: Our World
I'm not a fruity girl. I don't like licorice. I'm chocolate all the way.Collection: Girl
I have to say I'm very good on a bike. Maybe the last time I was 5 years old.Collection: Years
We must help each other to be present and compassionate. Remember that we have no idea what the person next to us is going through; compassion is the only choice.Collection: Compassion
The more I have deep love and compassion for my earth and my fellows, the more love and compassion I have for myself, and vice versa.Collection: Deep Love
I haven't ridden a bike in a while because I'm so scared I'll get hit and die.Collection: Scared
I once dressed up, very badly timed as Steve Irwin's daughter. And I didn't realize he had passed because I hadn't been following the news. I love Bindi Irwin, just the timing was in poor taste.Collection: Daughter
The more I give, the more I get.Collection: Giving
The more I am able to deeply love and accept my flaws and imperfections, the more I am able to do that with my fellows.Collection: Imperfection
Work hard, and then let the universe take you where you're meant to go.Collection: Hard Work
Don't push the river. Just go with it.Collection: Rivers
I love you. Really, I do. Now love yourself more and each other a lot more. And please take care of this precious planet.Collection: Love You
We are all amazing and magical as we are. Just remember to remind me of that on rough days.Collection: Remember
When we love the planet, we love ourselves, and when we love ourselves, we love the planet.Collection: Planets
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a scientist or an actress. My daughter really wants to be a scientist. I really want her to be a scientist, not an actress!Collection: Daughter
Water has always been something that I care deeply about, and I'm very aware of its limits on this planet. If we don't change our behavior around water, water will become as valuable as oil. That is a given. When people don't understand that, I'm surprised.Collection: Oil