My grandparents never understood why my mother Noreen chose such exotic names for her children: Damon and me. My granny insisted on calling my brother Dermot - a good Irish name - until she died; I was just known as 'wee one.'

I always think I love work, and I knew early on that I wanted to be an actress. Then I meet people who have truly dedicated their lives to acting, and I realise that I'm so completely in the back seat.

I've always looked old for my age.

I think it’s incumbent on actresses to bring something else to the part which isn’t in the script.

In terms of ‘Solaris,’ I didn’t really think about the religious aspect an awful lot. There’s one scene at a dinner party, and it’s discussed, but it wasn’t an overwhelming theme for me.

Death is final. No it is not just final, it’s worse than that, it’s diminishing: the dead continue to decrease, to occupy less space.

I happen to find motherhood a very natural state, but I know a lot of other people don’t.

I play Nitin Sawhney’s ‘Letting Go’ repeatedly, nonstop. I find it transformative. I’m so glad iPods were invented so I didn’t have to drive everyone around me mad with the repetition.

I feel awful for women who are trying to raise kids on their own, with zero income and no fathers present – that’s single motherhood.

I’m very different to my mum. I’m not as beautiful as she is, nor – she probably despairs about this – as groomed. I certainly rebelled against her idea of looking well turned-out. I spent several years with a shaved head in jeans and baggy shirts.