My parents have a strong work ethic, but their attitude to life, their philosophy, is: 'whatever makes you happy.

I'll try and get through as much as my voice and nerves and knees will let me.

You can't be a woman and not be a feminist, I don't think. If you care about the world and the world you exist in and your rights.

I don't wear bright orange clothes or leopard skin boots, but it was really good fun to play someone that does and have an excuse too!

I love acting but I also love writing, especially comedy.

My feet are like something from another age - prehistoric and troll-like. I keep expecting them to talk, they have that much character.

I remember once giving my dad some drawings and writings and said, 'If you could just give these to the publisher, that would be great.' And I was about five!

One of the things I love about acting is that I can enter into these other people's lives. But going back to being me at the end of the day is very important, too. That process of remembering who I am.

I first started acting in primary school, just doing little plays. And from the moment I began, something just went 'click' inside me. Suddenly I wasn't shy anymore. Instead I felt confident and happy. I can remember the enormous sense of relief it gave me. I loved the feeling of making people laugh.

My knees buckled. It's the last thing I expected

I'm quite an optimist, quite happy in life, quite smiley.

Different directors have different things, so when I left Mike Leigh, as it were, and I went into other projects after 'All or Nothing,' it took some getting used to - what do you mean there's a script?!?' That kind of thing.

I love disappearing. That's what acting is. For me it's about putting on a persona, stepping into a pair of shoes. It's my face, but I'm using it as a tool for that spirit, that character.

A different script calls for different things. It always takes me a long time to get to know the part, and know the logic behind the words. I have to be with the script for quite a long time before things start to fall into place, before they become part of the character.

Comedy was why I got into acting the first place. Peter Sellers was a huge influence on my wanting to act. I grew up with him and found him hysterical. The Pink Panther films were an inspiration, from my earliest childhood days, when I was watching them with my brother and my dad.