Mary Steenburgen

I'm not saying it's easy, and it's definitely harder for women. Because there is definitely a double standard about gorgeous older men, and it's different for older women.

I started in improv and went into different kinds of things.

I would like to think that in America, as time goes on, you gain freedom, not lose freedom.

I wasn't making any money, but I didn't feel unsuccessful because of that. You can do that in New York but not in Hollywood. In Hollywood, it is how much money you make.

There's a certain freedom that comes when people don't expect you to be sexy.

Reading is how I became an actor because I didn't grow up in a house where there was an awareness of film or theater. I also grew up in a house full of teachers, so reading was big in our world.

I want women, especially young women, to create a world where your success is not based on being young.

I like being part of a team.

I don't consider myself much of a singer. I'm a writer first.

At one point, I kind of looked in the mirror and said, 'You know, you're a mom. You're a wife. People count on you; you can't go off the deep end into this kind of crazy musical swirl.'

I panic at parties. I don't like talking absolutely nothing and pretending, so I'm quite odd socially.

There are no worse cliches than southern cliches. They make my skin crawl.