I've made three musical movies which is pretty good considering that not many are made but I was lucky in other ways. I came along when independent movies were starting to boom.

As we moved along in a little procession I was delighted with the illumination of the streets. So many lamps and they burned until morning my father said and so people did not need to carry lanterns.

I had this temp receptionist job in New York and I kind of hated it and in the morning I would come out of the subway and just walk along the New York streets with all these people around me and kind of sing to myself. Like 'She's gonna make it!'

When I get up in the morning I brush my teeth and go about my business and if I am going anywhere interesting I take my camera along.

If you're the village blacksmith and a model T comes along you better become a mechanic. People's lives are better when they get news online versus having to wait for the morning paper. It's a lot more efficient a lot more real time a lot less waste.

I was fortunate enough to have my kids early so being a mom always ended up being a better gig than these other parts that came along. So I always justified not really working a lot because I had a family.

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.'

To this day my mom's unsinkable spirit is an inspiration to me. For nearly thirty years she's worked at the Library of Congress. Everyone knows Sameha simply as 'Sami.' Along with 500 miles of shelved books her closest friendships are cataloged in that library. They are as much the value of work to my mom as is the work itself.

Why do grandparents and grandchildren get along so well? The mother.

I get along with guys most of my friends are guys. It's easier to trust men sometimes. I only have a few close girlfriends that I trust.