You have to read scripts and audition and develop relationships. It takes a long time to develop a body of work but over the last 25 years I guess I've done that many movies. In hindsight it may seem effortless but there's a lot of work that goes into it.

When I was seven I asked my mom if I could be on TV and she said if I really wanted to I could. I got an agent and booked my first audition.

When I was going on auditions it was nerve-racking. I'd always say to my mom that it would be awesome if I could get a series. When Modern Family came along I said 'You know what Mom? I believe I'm going to get this role.'

When I was six years old my friend was auditioning for 'Annie ' and I decided I wanted to audition with her. My mom was worried I would fall flat on my face because I'd never opened my mouth to sing so she sent me to vocal lessons. I did the audition and fell in love with the entire process of a show.

I told my agents that I didn't want to go on the audition. But as that was happening I called my mom who has been watching the show from the beginning and my mom said 'It's the coolest show. You have to go.'

My mom thought I might be good for voiceover. She thought I had a cute voice so maybe I could do a cartoon or something. And while we were looking into that we also thought I should get into theater acting so I tried it and the first audition I went on I booked it. And it kind of just snowballed from there.

I didn't really know what I wanted to do and then I got this call from a casting director in Los Angeles. She remembered me from something years before and she called my mom wanting me to audition for this thing.

I auditioned on my own. I tried to make a mark for myself without anybody's help not even Mom's.

I had never picked up a basketball before. I went through a grueling audition process. It was almost as if I was learning to walk. It would be like teaching somebody to dance ballet for a role.

Every time you have to speak you are auditioning for leadership.