Quotes from Lily James

I live in dungarees, and I love denim - I wear denim shirts a lot.

I really want to play interesting roles, but you want to work, so it's a balancing game.

For exams, I swotted so hard because I couldn't bear the thought of not coming first.

I naturally have a really small waist.

My dad lived on Sunset Boulevard for a couple of years as a waiter, and he said he'd do a different character every time somebody sat down, just to get some practice.

I think Beyonce always looks great.

I don't do anything with my brows.

Boarding school in Tring was a bit of a bubble that burst when I went to Hackney to go to drama school.

My dad did every single accent under the sun, and he would read bedtime stories.

It took me a while to warm to the '20s costumes on 'Downton.' I love it when women accentuate their curves, and that era was all about hiding them. The shapes they wore then were in tune with female empowerment. Cutting off their hair and hiding their busts was a way of saying, 'We're equal to men!'

It's so hard coming out of drama school to claim your right to be taken seriously and even get auditions.

When people feel good, they look good.

I'm learning a lot about how to be one of the 'good' actors. You'd hope that it's natural to be a good person, and kind, but I'm learning how to deal with long, sometimes boring days.

Why do women always get pointed at for their bodies?

Corsets are always hard to wear.

You know that scene in 'Runaway Bride' when Julia Roberts puts on the amazing wedding dress and looks at herself in the mirror and goes, 'Swish, swish'? I loved that moment so much when I was a little girl.

You are what you're portrayed as.

I think Keira Knightley is amazing, and I've heard also that she is one of the coolest, most down-to-earth, brilliant girls, and I really look up to her in that respect. She's got it all, really, and I think she's made interesting, bold choices in her work.

When the board games came out of the cupboard when I was a kid, I had to beat my two brothers every time.

Mum would have a panic attack if she had to stand up and give a speech around a table.

As cynical as I can be, there's always a part of me that believes in love and the fairy tale.

I loved fairy tales growing up.

I trained with Olympics Athlete Jeanette Kwakye - who is amazing! And Shani Anderson, who is an excellent Olympic runner. We trained five times a week; running, circuits, weights, working out in the gym, and on the track. It was an insane time.

It's hard to see yourself as a princess because it involves a huge leap of the imagination and sort of requires you to believe you can be that, which is a scary, weird thing.