Imelda Staunton

A lot of film stars are just playing themselves in different frocks.

Children should always be brave and do something about bullying. It's not okay to stand by and let it happen. Bullies thrive off secrecy. Children should tell someone if they see someone being bullied.

We all must support the arts, as it is our culture. It makes us better people. It makes us happy; it gives us empathy and shows us how to live. It is so important.

To me, it's really not about how I look - it's about who I can be. It is my job to bring the character to life and my duty to fit into the jigsaw in that story.

You could say I'm a character actress. Or maybe a character actress who does peculiar, interesting lead roles.

I think the first 10 years of my daughter's life were my mother's happiest, because she could finally have carefree time with a kid.

I never wanted for anything. We went to Ireland for holidays every year. I was 14 when we first went to Italy. My mum was determined I was going to go to a good school. My mum was an absolute grafter. A real grafter. I got my work ethic from her.

I've always tried to fight against, 'Oh, who's that small funny actress? Let's get her.'

Drama school introduced me to a world I had no idea about. I wasn't brought up in a literary household at all.

I don't think it's that I don't like Sondheim. It's that I find it really... I don't know how to describe it. Doing it is the most extraordinary thing. Because it's like Shakespeare times 100 with singing. It's that satisfying - and that demanding.

The one good thing is that I get a lot more good scripts coming through my letterbox. 'Vera Drake' raised my profile in one way, and then 'Harry Potter' in another.

For everyday clothes, I love North Face and Rohan, and for smarter options, I like Whistles and Agnes b on Marylebone High Street.

Both my parents had heart problems: my mother had type 2 diabetes, and my father had a stroke.

I've fallen over on stage a couple of times, but I've only ever bruised my ego.

You read about poor people having Botox go wrong and you think: 'Well, what the bloody hell were you doing?' Why would you inject yourself with poison? And why are we spending so much time looking at ourselves? I just don't get it.

I start the day with either Radio 3 or Radio 4. I don't watch any daytime television at all.

There are lots of wonderful actors doing animated films these days, but I prefer it when you can't recognise them - it means they've really become the character.

We're all unique as actors. To yourself, you are unique. You have to think, 'I'm me. I'm not going to bunch myself with other people.' Agents and producers have to get you into a box to accommodate their limited imaginations.

You can be very famous without being a great actress, and that's not good for me.

At the time of Woodstock, I was just 13, but I used to see these exotic hippy creatures and I did look on with envy. How could you not? In an ideal world, I would have loved to have been a hippy - but I might have been a bit strait-laced. It was my fantasy.

I worked in rep for six years, then I came to London and to the National Theatre. What's better than that?

I was brought up a Catholic, so I take no pleasure in guilt.

I am a character actress. Well, let's say, I am a leading character actress who does interesting, odd parts.

I don't feel the need for religion. But I went on a yoga retreat last year and I do believe slightly in the karma thing and just being good and true unto yourself. And I slightly believe that you can attract good and bad to you.

I adore Bette Davis and Vivien Leigh, but more because they were good actresses. That's what makes me interested in them, that they didn't present themselves as idols; they were just doing their jobs.