Honestly I never thought I'd actually be playing a teen lesbian. I didn't think it was going to go this far. But I'm glad that it did because there have been a lot of fans who have expressed that they've been going through similar situations in their lives.

I take mentoring very seriously and I am on the board of an organization called Girls Write Now where we match teen girls and writing mentors because it changes their lives.

I think anybody who's doing work in their teen years on TV or in the movies you're a teen idol by default.

Adolescence is when girls experience social pressure to put aside their authentic selves and to display only a small portion of their gifts.

Trouble is kids feel they have to shock their elders and each generation grows up into something harder to shock.

My teenage years were exactly what they were supposed to be. Everybody has their own path. It's laid out for you. It's just up to you to walk it.

The personal contact is a personal thing. The fact that some people don't know their neighbors I don't think that technology is at fault. You don't lose anything with technology. You gain other avenues of understanding.

I would like to see every parent either directly - if they are comfortable with the technology - or through a personal tutor being able to access real-time information about their child.

People are looking to have more meaning in their lives. It is a sign the technology community is coming of age.

To a considerable extent we are faced by a technology arms race with terrorists. The communications revolution has made it easier for terrorist groups to reach out to vulnerable individuals with their violent extremist ideology and propaganda. It has also facilitated fundraising recruitment and training.