I took acting classes in college and once I graduated I decided to give acting a shot when I couldn't really think of anything else to do. It took me a couple of years to get an agent and my first big break was The Fanelli Boys which was a sitcom on NBC. Then I did a few television movies.

I'd maybe done about 12 movies when I decided that this was what I was going to do.

I decided to pursue music so I dropped out of school and I told my parents I didn't want any money from them. I got three jobs and I just hit the ground running.

I think it's too bad that everybody's decided to turn on drugs I don't think drugs are the problem. Crime is the problem. Cops are the problem. Money's the problem. But drugs are just drugs.

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 was actually the one who decided to move to LA. Mom and I were driving on Sunset Boulevard during one of our trips back to see her family and I said 'Can we just stay?' So we did.

I'm ridiculous in my oversharing my mom and sister are very open but a little more judicious than me... and my father is a decidedly private person.

It is past time for women to take their rightful place side by side with men in the rooms where the fates of peoples where their children's and grandchildren's fates are decided.

I went to Duke University in the medical track. And then I decided I wanted to do something more creative so I switched to biochemistry at Nebraska.

In my own life I decided to leave meat off my plate in medical school but was a bit slow to realise that dairy products and eggs are not health foods either.