Quotes from Rose McIver

I had to do a Northern England accent once, and I didn't have much time, so I went and pored through YouTube. There are all sorts of resources out there. The Internet has made that much more affordable. Don't break your neck to spend your money.

Since I was growing up in New Zealand where there's a hole in the ozone layer above us, we get so much sun damage to our skin, and the thing we can do to look after ourselves is use sunscreen during the day, but making sure your skin is well hydrated while you sleep.

I don't ever want to feel like my whole life is laid out before me and I know exactly what's gonna happen. That would be so boring.

I always think about the settlers who moved to New Zealand in the 1800s. They hadn't even been to the place before. They just packed their bags and shipped over knowing they'd never see their family again or be able to speak to them - they'd maybe get a letter if they were lucky.

I also have a role model back in New Zealand, a woman called Miranda Harcourt. She's an actress and a writer. Her willingness to stay open to material is really great. I read a lot, and I try to watch and listen to diverse material.

I love having the laid-back, easy-going, family-priority nature of New Zealand, but I'm certainly enjoying the States in terms of the career opportunities and the enthusiasm I get to find work.

I don't know what another actor is going to give me, on the day, and I don't want to be so hard and fast in my technique that I'm not open to what's coming.

My motivation is to get a deeper understanding and exploration of something that I want to know about the human condition. So, that's what I look for in the material I read: if it's asking a genuine question about a concept of the world that interests me. And also, it helps if it's a context that I find interesting.

I've been very lucky with my career and don't feel like I'm being typecast in the same role over and over again.

For me, I've just always known that women were more than capable of being able to direct.

The best way to study to be an actor is to interact genuinely with the people around you and observe and listen.

We can get carried away with our heads in books, and although there's so much to be learned from that, I think sitting in a cafe and speaking with someone - whatever it is, their mannerisms, their choices, are just as valuable as any class you can go to.

I think having healthy relationships makes me feel much more confident and available to do good work as an actor.

I do think of myself very strongly as a New Zealander, but when I moved out to the States, I was aware that I didn't want to just live in a satellite community of only other New Zealanders.

What I love about my work is the variety and not knowing what's coming next, and being able to embrace something for a period of time and know something new is going to follow.

I work with a stylist called Devon Nuszer and a makeup artist called Aaron Barry, and between those two, I trust them implicitly. I have the things I do over and over again and that I feel safe with, but they inspire me to take risks, and I trust them so much.

The reason I feel like I act is because you get to live a million different lives in one. I don't have to go about my life, just being easy-going New Zealander Rose. Sometimes I can inhabit a feisty, vicious character. Sometimes I can inhabit a painfully shy British girl, or whatever it might be.

I've done a lot of drama, and as a lifestyle, going to work and laughing every day is just great. It's great for your mental health, and it's great for setting up a nice year.

My school of thought with going into a character is that you have to understand where they come from, and you have to empathize with them.