Quotes from Marcia Gay Harden

With any tween, you have issues, from what they are going to wear to school, to how do you get them to speak politely, to how regularly they lose their contact lenses.

You want people - I want people to relate to me as a character. I want them to go, 'That could have been me,' or, 'I know someone like that.'

I relate to people and roles that are about the arc of human experience, things that everyday people deal with every day.

I think in terms of family, in terms of relationships, in terms of work, competition to be the favorite, to be the noticed, to be the one - I don't know if it exists for all personalities, but I know for sure it did with me.

I've never really liked horror films.

I love being a mother; I hate being a housewife - the cooking, the laundry - because it takes away time I could be with my kids.

Oh, I just love being a character actress. You have a lot of fun, and not only that, you save tons on cosmetic surgery because you never have to have liposuction.

I'm always a little starstruck anyway. So to work with a movie star, which is Brad, I was excited about that; to work with a movie legend, which is Tony, I wouldn't have passed that up. Just to get to watch him and watch how he works.

I played Laura Bush in a Tony Kushner piece, and afterward, I think my phones got tapped.

I've been so lucky to work with some great, great writers: Tony Kushner and Yasmina Reza.

In my opinion, Zac Efron is a total hero. Him seeking help encourages other people with addictive issues to seek help. It's brave of him.

I had a science teacher in middle school who inspired me... simply because she acknowledged me and made me feel that what I had to offer was worthy.

I examine other people's characteristics, so when I'm playing characters, I don't always have to make them me; I can transform into others.

So far, the thing I seem to have been rewarded for in film is leaving myself behind and transforming myself into other people.

After I won the Oscar for 'Pollock,' some newspaper printed, 'She should get a million-dollar bump.' My sisters would write me, 'You're gonna get this million-dollar bump!'

I was always the child who wore her emotions on her sleeve.

You have to make sure that you and your child are connecting, and it does help when they are looking directly into your eyes.

The trophy wife must be in her 20s to earn the title 'trophy wife.'

Everybody says 'Good Morning' in Harlem because it's true! And that's lovely.

Doing theater is such a specifically energetic and almost acrobatic work.

In my kids school, the married family is an anomaly which I do think is sad. I do believe in marriage.

I'm fortunate to have a team of people who help me. I've got an assistant, an office manager, a nanny - she's not full-time, but she's there when I need her.

Harlem is a very family-oriented neighborhood, and it always has been.

I was always an exhibitionist. I liked it when everyone laughed. But I didn't do plays in high school. I was too nervous.