Quotes from Shannon Purser

Specifically, my time in therapy has changed my life. It was such a relief to have a trained professional listen to my thoughts and help me positively restructure my thinking.

When I was a little kid, I used to get in trouble a lot for lying. Being raised religious, I believed that lying was sinful, so I felt guilty.

I don't know why, but I'm more intimidated by sharing my singing than just performing as an actress.

I'm pretty introverted and I spend a lot of time in books, a lot of time thinking and by myself, because that's what I enjoy to recharge.

I watch Jimmy Fallon all the time. I think he's hilarious.

I was definitely always the bigger girl and kind of weird. I didn't make friends very easily and I was a big reader, so I was very antisocial, and I knew that people were judging me.

You don't have to be the next Einstein. You can just be you, and that's more than good enough.

It's something that I feel every young person goes through, this idea that they're not doing enough, or that they're stuck. Definitely when I was in high school I was like, 'What am I doing here, I want to be an actor, instead I'm just stuck at school and I'm not doing anything.'

I think society is so hard on young women. Growing up, the images that I saw, the standards that I had to live up to in terms of how I looked and how I fit into my social groups - it was a lot of pressure.

We're constantly bombarded with perfect airbrushed images. Every magazine you look at is like 'top 20 tricks to have the perfect body' and it's ridiculous.

As I got older, I fell more in love with movies and thought it would be incredible to someday be in one.

The most evil and insidious thing about mental illness is that it isolates us and makes us feel so different that we think no one can possibly relate.

People will send me pictures of T-shirts with my face on it and it's nothing that I ever would've imagined in a million years as a kid.

I don't have a typical body type, and that used to be something that made me feel very alone and weird.

I feel like, especially in Hollywood, you meet people with ulterior motives, who are trying to get something from you.

As an actor, your life is filled with so much uncertainty.

I've found beauty in such unexpected places. I think the most beautiful thing you can do is be yourself and to own it.

Playing the nerd isn't necessarily the most ego-boosting role.

As fun as it is to be the nerdy best friend. I'm capable of more than that, and I feel that I have emotions to share, and there are roles I can add something to. I just hope there are other people who are willing to take that chance on me and let me tell their stories.

My existence in Hollywood is a political statement, because there are so few women who are plus-sized or above a size 6.

I love the nostalgic feel of the '80s and, oh, I love Winona Ryder so much. I was such a huge fan of hers growing up, so breathing the same air as her was an honor for sure.

Acting isn't always about the amount of talent you have, or your ability to cry on command. The point is, how well can you take direction? How well can you put aside your own ideas or ego and listen to the ideas of the director and the people above you, while not giving up the passion and drive of that character?

I understand that feeling of insecurity, like you're not good enough as you are, and you need to change.

A lot of times, gay characters are represented in unrealistic or stereotypical ways.