If you can't sit in a cafe quietly and be ignored, how can you observe human nature and write a story?

There are so many roles on TV that I don't covet. I see them, and I'm glad I don't have to play them.

It's so important for women to say to other women, 'I like myself how I am.' But it's hard because in your heart of hearts you are thinking, 'I don't really.' But you have to learn to say it. Imagine what a world it would be if people felt good about themselves the whole time.

I seem to be landing really great locations on a lot of my work. I hope that continues, knock on wood.

It is a very frustrating thing to be the face of a creative project and yet essentially have zero creative control over that project. Essentially, you're a pawn in the system.

I'm a very stubborn woman and I'm from a very stubborn family of headstrong women. I have sisters, so the women rule the coop in my house.

I haven't sat down and memorized the language of Elvish, and anyone who does that is crazy!

A creative project is a moving target. You never end up where you start.

I have battled clinical depression and have come out of the other side. I've been free of it for many years now. Finding the place in my own mind and heart to win that battle without using medication, finding the place within myself where I could be alive again, that was one of the biggest challenges I've faced.

I think that being isolated from the Hollywood world of premieres and red carpet events was probably good for me because I could ease into those at will and by my own choice. But in other aspects, when it comes to fanfare, Hawaii is nuts and in L.A. they're all so jaded. They don't care.

I think I'm not always what I seem. Most people, when they get to know me, say, 'You know, when I first met you...' People initially think I'm a snob because I'm intensely private.

I'm not a highly social person. I'm a highly productive person.

In every one of the 'Squickerwonker' books, we will explore a new Squickerwonker character and their vice and how their vice generally leads to their undoing.

I love getting older!

I'm allergic to Hawaii. Everything there makes me react in some way.

I am an opportunist. When opportunities come, and I see them serving my grander goals in life, I take them.

My son was three months old when I started filming 'The Hobbit,' and I was still breastfeeding.

I was fortunate enough to be one of those stories where I was scouted on the street by somebody and actually refused to go to the agency, and was approached on different occasions and finally kind of caved and said, 'OK, I'll try it and see what happens.'

There are jobs to be created on both sides of the climate argument. Whether we are investing in oil or sun, coal or wind, gas or algae, the economy will be stimulated by the investment. The economy, unlike each of us, is not swayed by ideology.

I was a massive Tolkien fan. 'The Hobbit' was... my favorite book as a little girl, and the Silvan Elves were my favorite characters in the book.

The people on my mum's side of the family are atheist intellectuals who are ueber-proper. My dad's side of the family are missionaries who are more comfortable sitting around in sweatpants than they are in a five-star restaurant. But those two influences converged in my life.

I am five foot six, I am built of muscle and bone, and that is not very good for fashion, but it's who I am. Women who look good in fashion are six foot tall, don't have an ounce of muscle, and their legs are the size of my arm.

I'm from Canada, and New Zealand feels like you took all the best bits of Canada and squished them onto a tiny island like Hawaii. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of the South Island.

Wonder Woman was my favorite superhero as a little girl. I still have a huge girl crush on Wonder Woman; I think she's amazing.

I don't like the idea of playing a one-dimensional character who is just fearless, strong, and killer and has instincts and just thrives in dangerous circumstances - that's really boring to me, and I don't think it represents what most women feel inside.

I love being outside - that's where I'm the happiest.

In your 20s you can be pretty, but you don't accomplish real beauty until you find wisdom and depth.

To put it simply - you know, a lot of people believe that the benefit of this job is fame and fortune. I believe that you pay for the fortune through the fame. I don't buy into the notion that being famous is somehow a good thing, or an exciting thing, or a wonderful thing.

That's what happens in Hollywood. People are like, 'I want to hate you, because everyone else seems to love you.' But the reality is this: I'm a simple person who's not interested in attention and who just wants to go about her business.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being an elf.

I would love to pretend I don't diet, but I work very hard. I stay active and eat very healthy. Anybody who says otherwise is either unhealthy or lying! I will admit that I'm addicted to sugar - licorice, Jujubees and jelly candies. And I actually love bran muffins!