Quotes from Christine Lahti

Television really does offer still great parts for women, cable in particular.

It was not really a career choice that I had to make. It was something I knew right from the beginning. I had to be an actress... period.

I am an actress and acting is my passion... period!

A friend of mine described it this way: When they were born it was like a meteor landed in our house and blew everything apart. We had to just put all the pieces back.

I think all industries are sexist in nature and I don't think the film industry is any different.

I would take up any small job on the sets, just so that I could hang around with the hope of getting noticed.

And that's why I chose on purpose not to have a death scene. We've seen them in a million movies and it's too much like cranking the tears out. I didn't want that scene.

I wanted to be an actress. In college I was a serious feminist and very political. I was determined to get one thing out of my career and that was respect. I didn't want money. I didn't care about fame.

I'm more proud of quitting smoking than of anything else I've done in my life, including winning an Oscar.

I was a fighter and very determined. There was no way I was going to back out without winning.

My heart's in really great shape thanks to spinning classes.

When I'm not working, my time is really about my children.

I demanded two weeks of rehearsal because to me as an actor, that's the most important time.

Each time I get off a plane in Hollywood, I don't think I'm pretty enough.

I loved the stage and then grew to love the camera.

Sure I faced the troubles and challenges that most actors and actresses face until they get noticed, but I was always confident of myself and my capabilities.

I most often land up taking up the roles that I most detest.

The crossover wasn't happening. TV actors were TV actors, and film and stage actors were a whole different thing. And now there's just a lot of crossover.

When I was first starting out, if you were acting on television, it was a real stigma.

Its only when you are a great actor and are recognised for your good work that you become famous. Unless you are in the news for the wrong reasons!

I don't want to fight aging I want to take good care of myself, but plastic surgery and all that? I'm not interested.

I wanted to be an actress. In college I was a serious feminist and very political. I was determined to get one thing out of my career and that was respect. I didn't want money. I didn't care about fame.

Its only when you are a great actor and are recognised for your good work that you become famous. Unless you are in the news for the wrong reasons!

After doing so many different roles, if you don't stretch yourself, there's no excitement left.