I like to think of myself as a free spirit. I've never married. I'm not conventional in that way. But I do like romance. I've been fortunate enough that I've had great love, and I've dated remarkable men in my life. I'm very thankful for all of that.

Patricia Clarkson

Talent is a very potent aphrodisiac. When someone is incredibly gifted, I find them incredibly sexy.

Patricia Clarkson

aphrodisiac sexy talent

If my gravy train stops at SAG, honey, it's been a great ride.

Patricia Clarkson

gravy train honey

I don't like a lot of rehearsing.

Patricia Clarkson

rehearsing

At the core, I am an actress. And I think, in a way, that's a good thing in that I am, I think, empathetic and sympathetic to the film. I would never pretend to have the discerning and acute critical eye that a lot of the great critics in our business do have. I don't look at it as being a critic or placing a judgment on a film, and I do think, how do you decide which film is best anyway? It's always a little bit of a mixed bag. But, I think it is just a collective group of people coming together to honor the work of an artist - that's how I think of it.

Patricia Clarkson

eye artist thinking

I always try to approach character first and foremost viscerally.

Patricia Clarkson

trying character firsts

I love writers. All of my best friends are writers.

Patricia Clarkson

friend-love my-best-friend

I think it's always harder in a film to convey intimacy.

Patricia Clarkson

intimacy film thinking

I try to take off the rose-colored glasses and view it in all facets, but I probably would be lying if I didn't say that probably the way in for a film with me is the performance. But I have been on juries where you have to give Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography. So you do have to put on several different hats and I try to broaden my scope. And what's great is, when you're in a room full of people who are not your milieu, so to speak, you find yourself speaking in a way that you do discover a slightly discerning eye.

Patricia Clarkson

eye lying people

I'm really a director's actor. I rely heavily on a director.

Patricia Clarkson

rely actors directors

The odds are not in your favor the older you get, especially if you're a woman in this business.

Patricia Clarkson

favors odds ifs

See, the SAG awards caught me totally by surprise.

Patricia Clarkson

caught awards surprise

I think the beauty of chat rooms is that you can have your anonymity of course, and you can choose to be raunchy and sexy and bold. Or you can actually go into certain chat rooms and maybe have an incredibly soulful, meaningful conversation that will change your life or change the other person's life.

Patricia Clarkson

sexy meaningful thinking

Why are comedic parts for women the exception, not the rule?

Patricia Clarkson

comedic exception

The majority of work I do is in independent films, where you're lucky if you have five takes.

Patricia Clarkson

majority independent lucky

New Orleans. Born and raised. I lived there until I was 19.

Patricia Clarkson

raised born new-orleans

I think every metropolitan city has its pockets of - that's what makes them great.

Patricia Clarkson

thinking

I have to watch the news or my day is not complete.

Patricia Clarkson

news watches

But I have had the luxury of working on good films with great people.

Patricia Clarkson

luxury film people

I'm obsessed. I've always needed to know what's going on but now it's a must.

Patricia Clarkson

obsessed obsession needed

I have walked away from enormous amounts of money and I have made that life I have wanted somewhat in this business. I love doing independent film, I love doing theater, I love doing studio films, and I do all three now.

Patricia Clarkson

independent film