Lauren Shuler Donner

I would say that the first 'X-Men' was the hardest. It took us a long time to get it going.

I think people really don't understand what a producer does versus what a director does. I mean, the producer is often the person that is on the movie the longest - it's their material that they are then bringing the director onto to bring it to the screen. Are we overlooked? Absolutely.

I didn't tell anyone I had lupus for many, many years, and I didn't tell anyone I had cancer. I was afraid no one would hire me, and I also felt it was deeply personal. It was nobody's business. Now, of course, my feelings have changed.