My Mom is a ballet director so I had this idea in me that classical training is the best foundation for anything you do so I wanted to get a classical background and voice.

My mom put me in dance classes when I was 5 years old.

My mom's a concert pianist so she started teaching me when I was around seven. When I was eight I started writing my own songs and kinda started putting piano and singing together. But I'm trained classically which is a big influence on me I think.

I grew up with the classics. My mom and I would sit and watch 'Singin' in the Rain' and 'White Christmas' - those kind of movies.

I really like Calvin Klein for his classic simplicity. I also think Prabal Gurung designs some great pieces that work well for me. My mom has such great style she's my biggest influence.

I was two years old when my mom put me in mommy and me classes. I always had a lot of energy so it was the perfect fit!

I had so many offers after 'True Blood' for things that were someone in the same vein but nowhere near Alan Ball's vision. Or something that was over-the-top and fantastical. And I've always wanted to play the regular working-class mom and I've never really had the chance to do that.

My very sassy older southern sister is very quick to point out that it's a luxury that my daughter gets to come to work with me. She does and I have lunch with her every single day. My mom says I have 'high class problems.'

I deal with postpartum feelings by reaching out to mom friends. I became very close with some of the women in my prenatal yoga class.

The rule with my mom was that the only way that I could be an actress when I was young was that I continued to go to public school and get straight A's in all my classes.