I went to a college in New York called New Paltz. I studied theater there for four years. I also studied privately in NYC with a teacher named Robert X. Modica.

Encouragement from my high school teacher Patty Hart said 'you need to focus and theater might be your route out of here.' I created the program went to college and graduate school and now here I am.

I decided at age 9 but I was reinforced at age 13 when a teacher told me I had talent. I can't say she really motivated me because I already knew. I knew I had talent. I went to the Jewish community theater and got in plays there. Then I went for the movies.'

I was 20 years old working as a roofer and a telemarketer and driving a taxi just barely getting by. A friend of a friend suggested I try acting. I was like 'Why? What am I going to do? Community theater?' But I took a class and the teacher thought that I had potential so I moved to Vancouver and started auditioning.

I had a great drama teacher in high school and that's when I started to learn about the history of theater.

I was raised in New York City and raised in the New York City theater world. My father was a theater director and an acting teacher and it was not uncommon for me to have long discussions about the method and what the various different processes were to finding a character and exploring character and realizing that character.

Prosperity is a great teacher adversity a greater.

There's no greater way to gain an audience's sympathy than by being unfortunate.

I'm a mum so my wardrobe consists of sweaters and jeans. As long as I don't leave the house forgetting my jeans I count that as a fashion success.

I came from a family where I felt great pressure to be financially successful and I felt that staying in Chicago and doing theater I was in all likelihood not going to find financial success.