I did not see myself as a leading lady. I thought I was really funny-looking and I would never be the lead, and I certainly would never do film or television. I wanted to do theater. I wanted to be the grand dame of the American stage.
Kathy Baker
I've always believed that if you are willing to play your age that you will work, so it's the thing of continuing to play your age and accepting it when you're younger and you suddenly realize, 'Oh, now I'm playing the mom,' 'Oh, I'm playing the grandma.'
For me, the acting part - and I have to say it makes me a little worried about my own psychological make-up - is that I just love to hide in other characters. I don't like to get up in front of people and talk as Kathy Baker. But as soon as you say 'action,' I'm lost in that character.
I want to be the only American actress who doesn't do any plastic surgery or anything. I think older faces are great.
When you're younger, the mental strain of being a successful actor, jumping from role to role, and trying to have some kind of personal life, can really be terrible.
The Quaker upbringing was not strict, but it was frugal. Extremely frugal. One was always encouraged to give away one's worldly goods.
I heard Tony Bennett say that when you're a big deal early on, you have to maintain that level forever, and it's very scary. You have to keep hitting those home runs, turning out hits.
I try to give all my characters a sense of humor, so I guess I feel like I have done comedy, but maybe I'm better known for drama.
I worry about my face not having expression. I've never been known for glamour, so it's probably easier for me than it is for someone who has been known for her incredible beauty and glamour. I always wanted to be Geraldine Page, who was just a fabulous actress with just a nice, normal, expressive face.
I love to do comedy, and I don't think of things as drama or comedy. I think that if it's a funny line, it's a funny line. If it's a funny moment, it's a funny moment.
I've heard that kind of weird backward compliment often - 'She's so talented, but not pretty.'
