“Cheerleading was my way in. It was one of the most rigorous audition processes ever. It definitely groomed me for Hollywood.”

“Growing up, I loved Morticia Addams and Lily Munster on one hand, and Jeannie from 'I Dream of Jeannie' on the other. Two completely different ends of the spectrum, kind of like me.”

“Honestly, as an actor, all I need to know, the way I kind of look at a scene, is like a puzzle. There are certain puzzle pieces that are bigger than others, and all I need to know is if this is going to fit here to make this part of the puzzle work.”

“I actually got more attention from one episode of 'The Sopranos' than I did from two years of 'The L Word.'”

“I always had that adolescent notion that I had to get out of Texas. But I'm really glad I grew up there. It's where I learned to look people in the eye, to be straightforward and polite.”

“I came from a single parent household. And I had a bad example of what a husband and father could be and how irresponsible a father could be. So because of that, I didn't want to get married or have kids.”

“I can take a newspaper and make it a lethal weapon.”

“I did a lot of theater growing up, and in college I was in the musical 'Chicago.'”

“I don't really like 'acting' - I like things to feel as natural as possible.”

“I feel that as the world becomes more and more multicultural, it's a good tool to be able to speak another language.”

“I had a home birth because I really believe in the body's natural ability to give birth. The medical profession has kind of warped women's minds into thinking we don't know how to birth and we need doctors and epidurals and Pitocin.”

“I hate girls who complain, 'Oh, guys are looking at me!' But I love it when guys check me out. It just feels great.”

“I have an incredibly dark, mysterious, witchy side and another side that's very bubbly and cheerleader-esque.”

“I just like to go where the material is, whether that's TV, or movies, or the stage. As long as it's great writing, it's pretty much something I can't resist.”

“I know it sounds weird, but my definition of 'sexy' has changed as I've gotten older. And being smart and informed makes me feel sexier than any outfit.”

“I like a man who can come out and say he's nervous on the first date. I think that would be really cute.”

“I love guns. I love shooting guns.”

“I never really paid attention to sports, which, coming from the mecca of football in Texas, is kind of odd. I played sports, but I was nerdy. Having a single mother, the pressure was on me to get good grades and a scholarship and go to college.”

“I never thought I would be one of those wacky chicks who say, 'I loved my labor,' but I loved every part of it. It was the best day of my life.”

“I really got into 'The Walking Dead.' That was genius. And I have to say, my husband is on 'Shameless,' and I think it's a brilliant show.”

“I was captain of the volleyball team and the basketball team, and I ran track.”

“I'm a girl in boy's clothing. I like to get a little rough. I prefer mud to makeup. That's me in a nutshell.”

“I'm a tomboy myself and have always been incredibly athletic.”

“I'm a wife and a mother. I don't want to be immature; I have to be ready at all times.”

“I'm attracted to playing characters that have flaws.”

“I'm used to a lot of love scenes. I'm used to something that requires me to kick up my heels and wink-wink, flirt-flirt with a twirl of my skirt.”

“It doesn't matter what people say or what the rules say or what you're supposed to do, you go after what's in your heart.”

“It's fun to work on location because you get the look and feel of everything, but it's nice to be on a stage because you can control the elements.”

“Just because we are women doesn't mean the only roles we can play are that of the finger-shaking girlfriend.”

“Let me tell you, I've never heard a man whine more than Jason Mamoa getting knocked around by little ol' me.”

“Michael Emerson is just a prince. There's something about him. He's so sweet. I don't know how to describe it. There's something about him that's a bit royal.”

“My biggest fantasy was to have a pie thrown in my face, and I always said whoever did that, that's the guy I'd marry.”

“My father left when I was really young, but he's still living. There are things I wish I'd said that I didn't and I don't think I'll ever get the opportunity to say. He's battled addiction problems his entire life. I wish things were different. I wish there were a way my son could know him, know the good parts of him.”

“My favorite workouts are the ones that don't feel like I'm working out! So, dance is a big one. Another is any kind of isolated moves, like ballet moves. Anything that works the glutes and legs - sign me up! And I like to blast the music. I have to get lost in the music. That helps.”

“My great-great-grandfather was a shah back in the 1800s. Unfortunately, I don't have any gold coins or jewels to show for it.”

“My mother raised three kids on her own, so I was taught that to be a working mom was a good thing.”

“My parents divorced when I was 10, but when my father was there, he was trying to create almost like a little prison for me.”

“My role is to just tell the highest degree of truth with every character and every story. From there, I have no clue whatsoever how things are going to turn out.”

“My views on equality are pretty obvious. I mean, I did play a highly complex lesbian techno DJ on TV, but I know it's not always easy to come out and tell the world where you stand.”

“NFL cheerleading is harder than most people think. They train up to six hours every day with games on Sundays. They gave me a great work ethic.”

“Once, I started cheering for the wrong team. I was hot, and I heard 'Touchdown!' and I started doing high kicks, and I looked around and nobody else was cheering.”

“Once you're sort of pigeonholed into something, it's quite difficult to get out of it. I have no aversion to playing a gay character again, but it would definitely have to be the right role.”

“Plyometrics. Hate them. Enough already. Jumping around, using your own body weight is so hard to me. How did we do it as kids?”

“Right when I finish a workout, I feel pretty sexy. Even though I'm sweaty and I don't smell like a rose, I feel strong. It does a lot for me mentally and physically.”

“The goal as an actor is to constantly surround yourself with amazing artists who challenge you and make you grow.”

“The most important mark I will leave on this world is my son.”

“To be beautiful in Texas, you had to be blonde and blue-eyed and have a name like Ann.”

“To sit next to Walter Hill, and to be able to exchange ideas back and forth, and for him to be able to tell you that he likes what you're doing - I don't know. I kind of pinch myself.”

“When I was in my early 20s, I looked towards exterior things to make me feel sexy - guys, clothes, shoes, etc. Now it's all about how I feel internally.”

“You can get a man's attention if you got a pair of boobs and a butt. I hate to simplify them down so much, but I think it's true.”

“You know, I never really paid attention to sports, which, coming from the mecca of football in Texas, is kind of odd. I played sports, but I was nerdy. Having a single mother, the pressure was on me to get good grades and a scholarship and go to college.”

“You really have to take your time; you have to know your character and your scene. The line you are about to say comes from the moment right before. It's not what's said, it's what is in between the spaces, it's what's in between the lines; that is the most important to play.”