The most successful hyperpowers are the ones where there was actual intermixing. Tang dynasty China was China's golden age, and contrary to what I was told when I was growing up, Tang China was founded by a man who by today's standards was no more than half Chinese. It was a mixed-blood dynasty that pulled in 'barbarians' from the steppe.

I saw my parents come over. They were immigrants, they had no money. My dad wore the same pair of shoes, I had some ugly clothes growing up, and I never had any privileges. In some ways, I think the person that I am now, I think it's good that I had that kind of tough upbringing.

Some people don't need parental commitment, they will still come out great, but for others, parents can be critical in providing moral and academic guidance.

I sort of feel like people are not that honest about their own parenting. Take any teenage household; tell me there is not yelling and conflict.

Cersei is a character who's done unspeakable things, and yet we also know that she's a mother who's lost her children - that she's been pushed to the end of her tether.

The real metric of success isn't the size of your bank account. It's the number of lives in whom you might be able to make a positive difference.

I was the only one in my family who was absolutely focused on acting since I was a kid.

Being a child at home alone in the summer is a high-risk occupation. If you call your mother at work thirteen times an hour, she can hurt you.