Meryl Streep

"I think that you find your own way. You have to trust yourself."

"Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security."

"Marriage is a partnership of people, not a state of being."

"Fame is a useful tool. But it's a tool that, once it gets hold of you, it does all the thinking for you."

"Wanting to be a movie star isn't wanting to act. It's a whole different thing."

"I actually think you learn more about a role when you don't have to worry about playing it."

"The golden rule is always to listen to what somebody's spirit is saying."

"Believing something doesn't make it true. Not believing it doesn't make it false."

"The satisfaction of being an actor is that you get to live lots of different lives."

"I couldn't imagine an audience ever wanting to see a character I was playing unless they were terrified of them."

"I have a very spoiled ear, which is annoying. It's hard for me to enjoy things that aren't somewhat beautifully made."

"There's no greater challenge than being an observer in life."

"What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful."

"Accepting your thoughts without judgment is important."

"Vengeance is a human response. Forgiveness is a divine one."

"The pleasure of reading a book lies partly in its substance and partly in its style."

"You can't fake your way through a role."

"The willingness to be vulnerable is what allows us to connect."

"I think what happens in adolescence is that you realize you're not going to be any of the things you thought you were going to be."

"Every choice you make shows people who you are."

"The reason I want to be a woman, even though I wasn't born one, is that I find women's lives interesting."

"Get a good night's sleep. And then get up and do the work."

"To be an actor you really have to want to do the part, want it desperately."

"Laughing is essential. Find things that make you laugh genuinely."

"The craft of acting takes patience and persistent work."

"I think the best time to have kids is when you want to have them."

"The movie industry is about managing expectations and creating value."

"Women are such a huge part of the storytelling landscape now."

"You're always going to make mistakes. That's just part of being human."

"The idea of fame is a lot better than the reality of it."