Julia Stiles
I think with '10 Things I Hate About You,' I was an angsty teenager, and in some ways, I responded to that character. That was one of my first big jobs, so I think maybe I lucked out, and casting thought that I was a good match for it. Since then, as I've gotten older, I'm a much more happy, joyful, almost carefree person.
I watch comedies most of the time. That's what I gravitate toward. But I think the kinds of roles people see me in are sort of the opposite of that. I'm not really sure why.
My mother always taught me to think about things from other people's perspectives and think about where they're coming from.
I love the sun and salt water, which is not good for your skin and therefore not good for your image. I'm terrible about protecting my skin as well.
One minute, I really am in awe of filmmakers, and I want to be working in film, and then the next minute, I get the itch to get back on stage.
I'm slowly working up the courage to sing in front of other people, but I can carry a tune. I do some mean karaoke.
I love the interactive nature of theater. I just craved it. As much as I love working on a film or TV set, most of the storytelling happens in the editing, whereas when you're doing a play, the storytelling is in your hands as an actor.
I so find Harold Pinter and David Mamet's writing to be exciting, and obviously there aren't that many female - at least with Mamet, there aren't that many good female roles. But I always thought it would be interesting to play one of the guy roles.
One of the wonderful things about 'Jason Bourne' and that franchise is getting to work the same people sporadically and over the course of many years. I'm not so keen on having to get to know a whole group of people.
I don't naturally have a good metabolism, but I am lucky in that I am naturally drawn to healthy food.
I just thought 'Blue' was a great premise and a great set-up for conflict. I love the idea of exploring a character who's living a secret life and is going to drown in the lies she's telling.
In terms of directing a feature, I'd want the story to be right - you know, it's a year of your life, and you have to be focused on one thing, so I want it to be a story that I really, really care about and will enjoy making.
The best working experiences I've had are with directors who want to create with you while you're on set. I prefer a much freer environment. That's why I'm always trying to mess things up, just to know that I can!
On 'Silver Linings Playbook,' David O. Russell is the master at getting his actors to give him something that he doesn't expect. He loves to keep things spontaneous. He talks to the actors throughout a take because, in real life, you don't know what the next person is going to say; you don't know when you're going to get interrupted.
Compared to film or television, theater is more interactive, collaborative.
I love baseball. As a teenager, I was a contrarian and picked the underdog instead of just rooting for the Yankees. It's a hard team to root for, but there's something that always keeps me hopeful.
I was reluctant to join Twitter. My biggest concern was, I don't want these thoughts that pop into my brain to be immediately broadcast. There's a danger in that. And also - who cares?
My musician friends could always practice what they loved doing, but I can't go on a street corner and start reciting a monologue. Acting is very collaborative, and you always need other people with you - mainly an audience.
I wish I could be on 'Politically Incorrect.' Because Bill Maher basically dismisses teenagers, and I think I could give my generation a good name.
We didn't have a backyard, so as I child, I would turn the coffee table into a stage and put on shows. But it was just a fun thing to do; I never thought about it as a profession. That started as a fluke; my mother had a friend who was an artist with a theater company, and I started going there after school because my mom knew I'd be safe.
When I was a child, I would draw these little stick-figures, and my mom would put them up all over the loft and tell me how wonderful they were. Then you get out there into the harsh reality of the world, and you realize not everybody loves every little thing you do the way your mom did.
Sometimes I think it's easier to play someone who's very, very different from yourself. Besides, I wouldn't want to play people who are just like me; that would get awfully boring very fast!
We're not doing brain surgery. We're not saving lives... Even if you're doing Shakespeare, it's still entertainment. We're just entertaining people. We're just doing the stuff that comes on in between the ads.
The platform doesn't really matter to me, whether it's stage or theatre or even a web series. I just am more interested in, like, if it's a story that I would want to watch and if it's a character that I feel like I can contribute something to, then that's really what gets me.
At the heart of any drama, there's conflict. When you are acting, you get to play out the confrontations you want to have in real life but can't. Or the emotions that you would want to have in real life, but sometimes they are too difficult.
I always thought it would be really fun to play a villain. I feel like I haven't done that yet. Not an anti-hero, not someone who is flawed, but somebody who is just straight-up bad.
'Big Night' is the best food movie ever made. It's such a celebration of food, and the Italian tradition of celebrating people. Plus, everything looked delicious!
Obviously, if I'm in Argentina, I'm going to have a steak, but I don't love meat, really. I always think about where the food came from and who had to get it.
When I'm working, I need to be pretty disciplined, but I do like to enjoy my food. I like to keep it fresh and wholesome. Preparing your own food can be a great way to unwind.
Make yourself useful, not just on a day to day basis, but as a lifetime thing.Collection: Lifetime
We can become very short-sighted in terms of objectives. The first thing to go during times of economic crisis and budget cuts is funding for things that are essential and not-quantifiable, like the arts. Save Big BirdCollection: Art
Theater makes working in movies or TV seem like a cake-walk.Collection: Cake
I never think of myself as an actor who takes work home with them.Collection: Home
I've always been fascinated with the idea of people paying for sex and what goes on with that and why that happens.Collection: Sex
I like a director who is very observant and is watching what I'm doing and noticing what I'm doing, but is giving me time to figure it out. They don't jump right in and give you a note before you've had time to really search on your own with how to do a scene.Collection: Giving
As an actor, you're only one little piece of the puzzle; you're fulfilling someone else's vision. If you're involved earlier on, you're kind of creating your own.Collection: Creating
It's fun to stay at the Y! M! C! A!Collection: Fun
I tend to gravitate toward the more powerful roles. As opposed to the doe-eyed girl who bats her eyelashes and runs around in towels, you now what I mean? Because that kind of makes me want to vomit.Collection: Girl
I always loved how people like Jon Voight and Laurence Olivier shocked you every time they came on-screen. They were so different each time. That's what I hope to do with acting - be the chameleon and not get stuck in a type.Collection: People
My regular school didn't know what to do with me!Collection: School
Yoga has stopped me from destroying my joints after running. It slows me down. My brain and body can go into overdrive - yoga teaches me to focus on the moment and not get ahead of myself.Collection: Running
If I'm gong out to a club I like to have fun with it. I'll use blue or red sparkly eyeliners and glittery eye shadows. Then I'll put on some blue mascara. I focus on the eyes.Collection: Fun
The thing with the Bourne movies is that they're so big in scope and the production value is so high and it takes so much organization.Collection: Organization
The exercise in theater is night after night you are doing the same play, but you have another opportunity to explore. It changes nightly even because of the audience and your day going into the evening of the performance. With film it's much more controlled.Collection: Exercise
I kind of don't believe in actors directing themselves. Obviously some people have done it well, but I don't see how I could. It's funny that you ask, because I've just been thinking that maybe I'd rather direct The Bell Jar than act in it. It's a huge leap to go from a short to a feature, so I'm tentative - I'm like, Well, that's just so triple-type-A personality of you.Collection: Believe
With film, so much is in the director's hands. Once something is cut together - unless you're in the editing room - you don't really remember what the alternatives are.Collection: Cutting
Education is huge for me. I went to public school until I turned thirteen, and was lucky enough to afford college once I became successful as an actress.Collection: School
It was nice that there [ in the Bourne Ultimatum ] was a reference to the relationship . It's very subtle - it's actually without dialogue. I do think it's powerful even without words.Collection: Powerful
I am forever grateful that I got some training in the theater - it reduces performance anxiety.Collection: Grateful