Quotes

There was a time when men thought it was sexy to have a housewife waiting for him to come home from work in her slippers, but in modern society, I think an independent woman is even more sexy.

I have more of a desire to write songs about being an independent woman than being in love, songs about getting up and moving on even if I have a broken heart. 'Wanna Say' is one of the few love songs I've ever done.

Anyone who knows me knows what I'm about - how much I'm into empowerment, equal rights and everyone just loving themselves.

When you get bullied, you automatically think that you're the reason why you're getting bullied. The reality is, it's about them, not you... I'm all about blocking people. I'm all about saying, 'You know what, I don't need this in my life.'

I am more vintage than I am high fashion.

My style is not trendy by any means; my inner artists loves to shine through in my wardrobe.

I think it's important to have your own individual style and sense of self. It's kind of what I do.

I'm a smoky eye girl. I love playing with eye colors, metallics... fun stuff!

I'm very strange, I'm not going to lie.

I'm not somebody who's emotionally attached to an outcome of a character that I'm hired to play. The fans are.

I'm happy when I have, like, one fan, but the fact that I'm getting fans from different places and different communities, it's really amazing.

You make your mark by being true to who you are and letting that be your staple.

To me, success is making a positive difference through art - making art that affects the world and that changes the way people feel about themselves and the world.

I love to add '90s trends mixed with modern day pieces I find along my many travels. Like these cool fun hats from Europe I have. I love to collect different ones from every country. I have them from London to Brussels.

My experience with music, I'm not going to say extremely negative, but it's definitely been a grind; it's been grimy - it hasn't been a pretty process. It's left me crying, you know, on the carpet in my tiny apartment with, like, no money. But it's been worth it, it's my passion, my dream, it's what I love to do.

I hope to do multiple characters throughout my life that are separate from me. I think it's a cop-out if you play yourself in everything.

I don't really have a main source for my style inspiration. It's really about however I feel about myself at the moment.

I never want to be a spectacle, but I also feel like a look should always have a little bit of an edge.

I actually got a play from auditioning for something in 'Back Stage' magazine.

I completely took off my eyebrows one time for a screen test. I hadn't even gotten the role yet. So you have to have a commitment.

I'm all about high-waisted pants and skirts, pencil skirts, and sheer, long-sleeves in the summer.

I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved who I am not. Even if you're not accepted, at least you are still yourself.

I run away from super-bandage-style Herve Leger dresses. I think it's sexier for a woman to be in something sheer and loose.

I'd really like to work with Gwen Stefani and CeeLo Green.

If you're cast on The Vampire Diaries (2009), the likelihood of you dying is very good.

I had racially prejudiced comments directed at me on different blogs. People think that just because you're in the spotlight, you're fair game. It's hard, and I don't think you're ready at any age for it. Thankfully, I have some great fans who got me through it.

My first show was in front of 30,000 people with Will.i.am, and I wasn't even that nervous.

I used to read the criticism on blogs about other people - mostly female actresses and singers - and even when they are extremely perfect and harmless, people still go after them. So I figure, if I'm going to get negativity regardless, why do I have to worry about what somebody thinks of me?

I think that with The Vampire Diaries (2009), you never know what's going to happen, and I don't think the characters necessarily know, either. So you can only weigh so much, and then it might just come down to "kill or be killed".

I just want get to as high as I can go. I think that's the safest and most politically correct thing I can say. I'm not trying to take anyone's spot. I want to create my own lane and shoot to the sky.

I like the idea of being so passionate about everything I do and the fact that I might wake up tomorrow and say 'I want to be a chef,' and just pour myself into that.

If I have an audition, I go to the audition in character. I'm in character when I walk in the room. I mean, I'm still sweet to everyone, but I'm very much the character.

In 10 years, I don't really know what I'll be, and I like not having any idea. I like the idea of being so passionate about everything I do and the fact that I might wake up tomorrow and say 'I want to be a chef,' and just pour myself into that.

I've been doing acting since I was 6 years old, and I don't know how to do anything besides act and sing. Back in the day, you had to do it all - you had to sing, dance, and act. I'm from the old school where that is what I was trained to do, and that's what I am expected to do, so it's weird when people ask me to choose.

It's important for me to just be myself - in fashion. A lot of people overlook that side of me because they're scared of it, but that's just who I am.

Will Smith is one of my favorite actors, and he's also a triple threat. He successfully crossed over from music into acting. Also, I liked 'I Am Legend' because it was so unexpected. The movie wasn't what I thought it'd turn out to be.

My biggest style inspirations come from the '90s. I'm really inspired by TLC, Janet Jackson, and designers like Jeremy Scott. I'm hugely inspired by Club Kids from New York back in the '90s. I'm inspired by the drag queen scene. Combat boots and the torn off jeans and a baggy shirt - I love that look.

My first audition, as a little girl, was Interview with the Vampire (1994) for Kirsten Dunst's part. Back then, they were meeting all different kinds of girls, and I was one of them. There's got to be an audition tape somewhere on VHS. Who would have known that many years later I would be on a vampire show?