Allison Janney

I did Alan Ball's 'Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,' and then he put me in 'American Beauty.' Everything started to happen from all the years I put into the theater in New York City, and working, and having great parents who supported me through that.

I'd like to make really important movies, like American Beauty. I was really proud to be a part of that movie.

I feel better when I'm working. I tend to not know who I am when I'm not working. That worries me a little bit... I've been fortunate to be so busy, but I haven't developed any other skills.

At times, maybe I'm too competitive for my own good.

I spent a lot of time in the trenches in New York doing a lot of off-off-off Broadway theater.

The real trick to auditioning is just letting go of trying to please them. Make it your own. That took me a long time to learn.

My dream is to have a creativity barn, in my back yard, which is full of musical instruments and every kind of paint and oils and paper, and you can just go in and make something.

I never know how I'll feel on any given day, but I've got to look around me and take what I got and find some inspiration, some anger.

In my career, I am so so happy and grateful for everything I've gotten to do. And yet, I wish I had started off earlier so I could, I don't know... I certainly have not not gotten work because of my age, but I'm just gonna pray and hope that the roles will still keep coming as I get older.

I'm so hard on myself and a really harsh critic of my work.