The truth is after Boys Don't Cry I realized how few and far between the great roles are. I am beyond thankful for finding Million Dollar Baby.

I'd rather a young black actor read about success as opposed to how tough it was. I get these roles because I can act and that's it. Hopefully that's it.

I don't remember ever deciding to become a performer. I just always was. I began performing by mimicking the performers on the new television that first took the attention away from me as the baby of the household. I continued performing to put a smile on my grandmother's face and always considered her when accepting or declining roles.

In the West audiences think I am a stereotyped action star or that I always play hitmen or killers. But in Hong Kong I did a lot of comedy many dramatic films and most of all romantic roles lots of love stories. I was like a romance novel hero.

As far as the lack of hits goes I think perhaps it's because I've played a lot of different roles and have not created a persona that the public can latch on to. I have played everything from psychopathic killers to romantic leading men and in picking such diverse roles I have avoided typecasting.

I have two dream roles: One would be a biopic of someone I admire and respect and the other one would be some sort of action drama film similar to a 'Bourne Identity.' I just really want to do an intelligent action drama film.

I don't think the relationship between novels and realities are one to one. Of course novels play different roles. It's essentially just a long narrative form. What you use that long narrative form for can be very different.

I look to longevity. I just consider myself an actress and getting good roles. If being a 'superstar' gets me good roles then that's a positive thing. But my goal isn't just to be a superstar. It's to act for a long time.

It's also a question of finding good material and interesting roles. I'm not the only actress out there and good parts just don't fall into your lap that easily. But I like most of the films I've made recently and so I'm pretty positive about the future.

I love doing roles and movies that are different from each other.

My passion is doing movies and as long as I keep doing that I'll be happy. I want to do movies fun roles and dramatic ones. I love all of it.

My childhood was influenced by the roles my father played in his movies. Whether Abraham Lincoln or Tom Joad in the 'Grapes of Wrath ' his characters communicated certain values which I try to carry with me to this day.

Of all the roles I've played none has been as fulfilling as being a mother.

Well you know I think a lot of us in marriage know that you play different roles at different times. And Mitt can get very intense and I can have the ability to kind of talk him off the rails sometimes and say 'Hey let's look at what is really important and let's do that now.'

I always felt that a marriage works best at a farm... where you're together and everybody has clear-cut roles they have chores 'you take care of this' and you know. But it's hard.

I've become so earthy. And I never was earthy. I'm doing all kinds of different roles which are not at all like the intellectual and the legal mind of Ben Stone.

I believe that every role that I have done this far has had quality and content. My roles have been very demanding and every role has been a challenge and a learning experience that has helped me mature as an actress.

Learning operatic roles is ongoing and I find that I can learn on the train or subway during a manicure getting my hair done and even while driving if I only look at the score at red lights.

Even after such milestones as Kathryn Bigelow winning an Oscar there still seem to be few women in leadership roles.

I think it is important for people who are given leadership roles to assume that role immediately.

Among my activities was membership in the Boy Scouts I rose each year through the ranks eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and undertaking leadership roles in the organization.

I'd love to play more challenging roles characters that would stretch my comfort zone and imagination.

'A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints' was the first real actor-actor part I did and I hope I to do more. Action movies are fun but I'd be happy not to do them if there are better roles.

I think it can be hard for any man to sometimes be upstaged by his wife. So when I'm home I work very hard to be Todd's wife and Jade's mother. I have no problem going back to those traditional roles. I try to be Giada the young girl that he met 20 years ago and fell in love with.