Laura Carmichael

I grew up listening in awe to stories of their wartime adventures. My granny, Joan, was a journalist and wrote amazing letters to my grandpa when he was a prisoner of war, while my nana, Mary, was a Land Girl, then a Wren. They were so independent, resilient and glamorous.

I think it must be so hard to start your career with everyone going on about how gorgeous you are. To be in that bracket must be so pressurised.

If I'm tweeting about being somewhere, and I haven't replied to somebody's email from three days ago, that's quite rude.

As actors, you play people who are not yourselves!

I'm not recognised much at all.

I don't really get recognised very much.

I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play. But I do love British film as well.

When I emerge from filming I feel slightly out of synch with real life, but it's also a relief.

My history teacher was utterly terrifying, but her lessons were very inspiring. She got me interested in people and stories, which then led me to acting.

No one goes through life thinking that they're the best friend of the lead character.

You have to have sympathy for and an empathy with a character in order to play them.

I did all sorts of jobs after drama school - working in a bar, as a teaching assistant. I probably learned as much from them as I did at drama school.