Quotes

He has a great way of getting the message across, like if I'm confused about doing a scene or a certain line or something, he explains it so well and so clearly. He's just fantastic (On Joe Wright, director of Atonement (2007)).

Briony Tallis is such an amazing character and I'm so lucky to play her.

It's unbelievable. Mom and I were in bed and dad was waiting up for the announcements again, because that's the way my daddy is. It's kind of a bit weird actually, in a good way, in a fantastic way. I never expected this in a million years to happen. I can't believe it. I'm really proud as well that two Irish paddies have been nominated for an Oscar for the same film. It's really great for Ireland, great. - On being nominated for an Oscar.

It's not work, it is more of a passion. It is so much fun and it is really makes you feel great at the end of the day. You feel like you are really after doing something good and you are after accomplishing something. Acting is one of these things that I can't really describe - it's just like, why do you love your mum and dad? You know, you just do.

I like books that are exciting and that make you think about things, as well. I like things that have a twist - like Atonement (2007), which I haven't read obviously, as I'm a bit young.

Be the person I'm playing. That's what acting is. You're pretending to be someone else.

It wasn't one of those things where you hear about it and you jump up and down and scream. We just sat there [on the couch in their living room] and we're trying to figure out what they just said. "Wait a minute, I've been cast in a Peter Jackson film. For a few days, it was weird. I was just trying to get my head around it - on how she reacted when she found out she'd been cast as "Susie Salmon" in The Lovely Bones (2009).

I know a lot of people must think that The Lovely Bones (2009) is a pretty dramatic film and it's going to be really deep and dark and everything, but I promise you it's not. It's really humorous and funny and bright and happy. Then this awful thing happens and it kind of makes everyone really sad, obviously, but they have to get on with things. It's like the journey that Susie takes to learn to let go and realize that she can't be with her family anymore, and the same for her family. They have to let go and they know that they can't be with Susie. But it's a really funny, lighthearted thing. There's some really dramatic scenes in it as well, which is great with The Lovely Bones (2009) because you kind of get the best of both worlds. You get to do funny scenes and dramatic scenes. You get to cry, you get to laugh, so it's great - talking about The Lovely Bones (2009).

[on developing a voice pattern for the character Wanda in 'The Host'] We looked at people like Jane Fonda in the '70s, just intonations in their speech and how well-spoken they all were. Jane Fonda doesn't sound like an alien, but she was very, very well-spoken, she still is. She has a quite beautiful way of speaking. We don't really have that today with young women.

[on her rumored participation in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)]: There was talks about me playing the wood elf Itaril but I had to turn it down. I was really disappointed but there were other projects I had to consider and to spend a year doing 'The Hobbit' wouldn't have left me time for anything else.

The older I get, the more in touch I am with what activists are doing - and the more I want to help them.

When you're young, there's a trace (of inspiration) that comes out of what you respond to naturally or what you're drawn to.

I've always found, with most of the roles that I've taken on, that physicality has just naturally played a massive part in who that person was. Even if they aren't very energetic, there's a certain movement in their voice that I need to find in order to unlock them.

One of the things I like about acting is the relationships you can form when you're working, especially between actors. You could meet someone on the Monday and by Wednesday you'll have kissed them, you'll have hugged them, you'll have danced with them, they'll have seen you in a corset or an underdress or a pair of boxer shorts. Any insecurities you had just go out the window because they have to.

I still like it when people end up together, I think that's great. That's why Richard Curtis will always be adored. We need a bit of both. But I think that people are terrified to put that in films now.