Ellen Pompeo

There's a remarkable amount of sexism on TV. When male characters are flawed, they're interesting, deep and complex. But when female characters are flawed, they're just a mess. It's good to put more flawed but interesting female characters out there because it promotes equality.

Learning about the way people process information and their emotions is hugely helpful to my work.

My mother came from an Irish family of 11 kids and, of course, had a sister who was a nun, so I spent time at a convent and with an aunt and uncle who lived in New York and took me to the theater.

Being a mother is the most fun job I've ever had.

My daily schedule is quite hectic, but I have to put my health first in order to be the best mom and wife I can be.

Being a mother is magical.

Really, I don't care if people think I'm too skinny. This is my body. If they don't like it, screw it.

I just don't want to be self-obsessed.

I think for any actor to say they don't like attention is ridiculous. Of course we love attention. But getting attention is different than pretending the attention means something.

People love to watch a train wreck, I suppose.

I didn't have a boyfriend until I was 16, and he was eight years older. My father was furious about this 24-year-old, and I had to hide the relationship.

Cancer is something that touches everyone's lives.