I think for most actors, because we sort of have to tell ourselves this, we always say, 'Oh, it doesn't mean anything to win an Oscar!' It certainly isn't a goal that you want to set yourself up for, because then you're just setting yourself up for disaster. Because how many people actually win an Oscar?

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

You don't have to play masculine to be a strong woman.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

masculine strong-women play

I think since I'm not particularly well-known as myself, it's funny all the different perceptions people have of me. Like, if someone's only seen me in 'Death Proof,' they think I'm sort of a ditzy girl who says stupid things and wears revealing outfits all the time.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

girl stupid thinking

I think thinking about becoming an adult, and having to face up to your problems and face up to your insecurities, is difficult for everybody.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

insecurity adults thinking

I think my drive to work has gone up a bit since I've gotten older.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

bits gone thinking

My first paying job was guest starring in 'Touched By An Angel' when I was 12. It was very exciting. I couldn't believe you got free food all day and people were so nice to you.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

nice jobs believe

It's just about trying to find material where I'm doing more than just being a plot device. I want to actually get to do scenes that go to interesting places and are challenging to me.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

challenges trying interesting

For any addict, when you get sober, life becomes more challenging, in some ways, because all of your problems become very clear and you have to deal with your pain. You can't just drink and forget about it and pretend it doesn't exist. You have to actually face it, head on.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

pain challenges way

I've never worn incredible clothes - I'm not used to playing someone so put together and fashionable.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

playing-someone clothes together

I think there need to be more female action heroines out there that are intelligent and not overly masculine and things like that so Id love to find - and real too. Not necessarily the superhero perfect archetype of what an action hero is represented as a lot of times. I would love to find that kind of action heroine role to play.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

intelligent real hero

I'm a huge Paul Thomas Anderson fan.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

huge fans

I always wanted to perform in some capacity since I was a kid - I was a ballerina, then a singer before acting.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

singers acting kids

My first movie was a movie that had a bunch of people dying in it - the typical popcorn movie. That's where I got my start.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

typical dying people

It was my life, playing Juliet. From that moment on I was convinced I was going to be an actress. That was all I really wanted to do.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

juliet actresses moments

I think a lot of fans immediately go, 'ugggh' when they hear that someone is doing a prequel or a remake, they sort of assume the worst sometimes.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

assuming fans thinking

I'm a fan of films in general; I mean, I don't think I've ever considered myself specifically a horror fan even though I do enjoy horror films, find them really entertaining.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

fans mean thinking

You do sometimes have to work on things where you love the cast and you love the filmmaker, and the role might not be great but it's fun. I'm totally down to do those things, and will continue to do those things, as well, but it at least has to be peppered with roles that are really interesting and that are hard.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

fun might interesting

You have to believe that it is what you want to do with your life and you have to be dedicated to it.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

what-you-want want believe

To those of you looking at photos I took with my husband years ago in the privacy of our home, hope you feel great about yourselves.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

husband home years

I think, like a lot of actors and people in the arts who are struggling to get where they want to be, you spend a lot of time sitting around grumbling about how you're not doing the kind of work you really want to do. But there's a lot of complacency in that, too.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

struggle art thinking

I grew up in a big movie house, we watched movies all the time, so I had an awareness at a very young age that that was a job that you could have.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

age house jobs