Sofia Boutella

I met Madonna when I was 22, and I danced with her until I was 28. When I met her, I was a tomboy! Every time I see her, she really inspired me about one thing or another, so she's quite important and significant person in my life.

Sleeping and water are lifesavers - that's true beauty right there.

I'm not after having the lead or being in a blockbuster Hollywood film. I'm after reading the material and loving it. That's all.

I love when you get to work with people who care about the project as much as you do because then, you're altogether in. I feel like I've been lucky so far to have the chance to work with people who work that way.

I haven't danced since I stopped at 28. I haven't even taken a class.

I won't complain, but I don't want to just be doing action films and extended character transformations, you know? I want to explore, and I'm up for anything. Honestly, I just want to read a good script and fall in love.

The beauty of the original monster movies is that you were able to relate to every single character, or even to treat their monstrosity as an emotional metaphor.

Acting has always been a strong force in my life, but it was hard to change direction. I didn't make a paycheck for two years.

My family was artistic and encouraged me to express myself. I was a show-off, so they took me to ballet class.

People used to respect royalty to an insane extent that doesn't exist nowadays. These people never shouted. They never moved, really. Their effort was minimum. They were the most powerful people, but they were just calm.

I don't necessarily want to be defined as an action star. I love movies, and my movie culture, luckily because of my parents and my family, is quite obscure and independent.

When people walk in a room, the way they sit or they talk, that itself tells me a story.

As cognitive beings, we rationalise everything. So, I think that's why nemeses are, in general, fascinating to observe, because they decide to act on feelings that we, most of the time, rationalise.

I'm a dancer. I used to dance. I'm not a stunt girl. I had to learn for 'Kingsman,' and I think the movie had an impact in that way where people saw me and thought I can do action. Which I can; I can learn.

I'm not rebellious. I try to be rebellious, but I don't walk around being rebellious for no reason.

As a child, I would say that I wanted to become a dancer to honour music. For me, dancing is the physical translation of the audio recording.

I don't believe in doing everything and being mediocre at all of them. I believe in being good at one thing.

When I was a dancer, I was acting.

When I was dancing, whether it was the music or the story, the question was 'Why am I doing this piece, and why am I dancing?' It is exactly the same when you are acting. You have a very close relationship with your body movement. You have to find the physicality of your character.

I truly believe the discipline I have honed as a dancer will bring me more opportunities as an actor.

When I was little, I went to the Sahara desert and met an older woman with beautiful earrings that came all the way down to her stomach. She told me, 'For us Tuareg, jewelry is not meant for decoration. It absorbs negative energy that comes your way.' So think twice when you buy a vintage ring!

When I give my jewelry as a present, I feel like I'm giving protection to someone I care about... I've given pieces to my mom, my aunts, my friends. I've even made bracelets for my dad and my uncle.

I wanted a choker, and couldn't find one I liked, so I thought, 'I'll just make it.'

I make body chains that come from the neck, cross in the middle of your chest, then go around your waist. I mix them with feathers for a gypsy, bohemian style.

Working with Madonna, she always told me the meaning behind the steps and why I was doing these steps - she treated us like actors. So I feel like I've always been an actor, truly.