Tara Fitzgerald

I enjoy the discipline of work and then being coughed out on to the streets of London.

When you're training, there's no preparation for the media aspect of the profession, which is like another job in itself. But when you become an actress, you become public property. You have to expect certain things. It comes with the territory.

The thing I like best about the British film industry is its freedom. Because we don't have a star system, you're not always asked to play the same role because that's what the public wants - like Jack Nicholson is.

Ophelia's such a victim - and I'm not good at playing victims. I prefer to play strong, feisty women. I kept trying to save Ophelia.

I do very little to help the rest of the world. I'm not going to start demanding that other people do.

I was very materialistic as a child and I missed not having nice things. My mother drove an old banger - I was mortified every time we drove to school.

You fall in love with everything about a job when you're doing it. You give yourself to it, then move on to the next thing.

My tendency has always been towards strong, repressive roles.

Sydney is a perfect city, because it's by the water. I love New York, too, because I once had a flat in Brooklyn. I usually arrive somewhere and immediately think 'I'd love to live here,' but when it's time to leave I realise that I miss London.

I love the way the Japanese prepare food - it's so skilful and clean.

I'd really like to go to China and spend a decent amount of time there exploring.

Auctions and flea markets are a compulsion I've picked up from my mother and I like the idea of recycling.

On Saturday morning I rise at about seven o'clock and start thinking about the day ahead and perhaps make a short list of things to do.

The tabloids are like terriers; they hold onto things voraciously.

I'm loving being in the West End. There's something marvellous about Covent Garden in the summer. There's such an infusion of people and tourists. It's vibrant and exotic.

I can be a bit of a know-all. That's been a defence since I was young. I often say: 'Oh yes, I know, I know,' when I really don't know. I can sound like I have strong opinions, often when I have the least clue.

I'm naturally quite wiry and muscular.

I love running. It's so good for your mental health, your confidence, everything.

I'm lucky: both sides of my family are pretty strong in different ways.

A long time ago, I was playing Nora in 'A Doll's House.' I wore this scarf, and it started to unravel without me realising. I walked around the stage a lot, and trapped myself in this web of fabric. Let's hope the audience thought it was an intentional, avant-garde staging device.

I wish it was easier for young people to go to drama school. It is too expensive and there are so few opportunities when they graduate.

I have realised that the goals you set yourself are never quite what you imagine them to be. They are often a bit of a disappointment, actually.

I'm interested in life in general and not just acting; I don't think you can offer any value creatively otherwise.

I get bored with our political correctness; I find it irritating, dreary and lacking in imagination.

I have an unusual larynx; when I auditioned at RADA, they thought I had nodes on my throat, but it's just my natural voice and it's always been this way.

I would say I tip over-easily, which is the inner waitress in me. I had to serve tables myself and I know that if the food is not good it's not the waiter's fault so I'll still tip. And if service is already included in the bill I might tip on top, which I know is not necessary.

There is always something absurd at a pivotal, tragic moment and if you observe people they do the most bizarre things at the height of a tragic occurrence.

My feeling is there is always that possibility for humour in tragedy. In life they go together.

I've secretly harboured a desire to direct for a quite a long time. It's so much more challenging. As an actor you might be involved in a number of levels but as director you've got to oversee everything.

Theatre and television are two totally different disciplines.

I read 'Midsummer Night's Dream' when I was very young - about nine. I didn't understand it all particularly, but I loved it.

I had such a big crush on Jeremy Irons when I was growing up.

In my fantasy I travel really light, but in reality I don't.

I went to Deia in Majorca when I was a student and it didn't stop raining. It went on and on to the point where bits of land were subsiding and a hotel close to us actually fell off the side of the cliff.

I stayed in a dreadful hotel on a school trip to Paris when I was 14 that had mushrooms growing out of the woodwork, filthy beds with stains all over the sheets, and walls so thin you could hear everything going on in the next room.

I love holidays. Even the worst experience is worth having.

I did quite a lot of reading about analysis and psychotherapy to prepare for the role. There are differing views on why Ophelia might have gone mad, or whether she actually chose to go mad. I elected the choice to go mad.

Playing Ophelia was a launch-pad to the rest of my career - it is one of the great roles for a young actress.

I tend to play independent-minded people.

When I first started working I was lucky enough to shoot a number of films abroad so I travelled quite extensively.

Mum was a photographer and didn't have much money, and I was always conscious of the fact. We didn't go on holidays very much, I inherited my clothes and I felt a lot of shame about not having money.

Some people have a natural aptitude for investing, but I don't think I do.

Each time you get a job you really want, there's a feeling of accomplishment, you feel like you're in stride with yourself, where everything seems to line up, the stars or whatever they are. That great, great feeling of accomplishment.

Some years ago, I was introduced to Nicole Kidman and I curtseyed! I'm sure she doesn't remember but she looked a bit startled. You can't do anything about it once it's done but it's hard to recover from that.

I've always felt socially awkward and you can cover it up with a veneer to some degree and the formality of a lot of social events hides your awkwardness.

I find art in simple things and arranging objects gives me enormous pleasure.

In the end, bad things happening can teach you good things.

As a young actress, I lacked a lot of confidence. I had no real sense of autonomy or belief that I had a right to be where I was.

I do love creating a look and dressing up in general.

I remember being told that around the 50 mark, I'd be in the wasteland and I'd have to wait until my sixties when, if I was lucky, I'd get granny roles. But, actually, I'm finding the older I get, the more interesting my career becomes - which is rather wonderful, isn't it?