If the family were a boat, it would be a canoe that makes no progress unless everyone paddles.
I thought 'I can't be an actor, I can't'. Then this film came up and it was like someone saying to me, 'You can, don't give up'.
I was able to grow up and do silly things and have a life with only a small amount of public scrutiny.
I've lived a fast-paced life, but I had the best childhood. I didn't miss out on anything by having my daughter at a young age.
I want to be a science teacher. My friends asked me why, but I'm intrigued by it and I'm quite good at science at school.
Thanks to a lot of people, not just myself, Whale Rider had an amazing impact emotionally, and people remember it. I count myself very lucky that all those doors were unlocked, I just had to open them.
It feels kind of strange knowing that I rule the whole planet of Naboo and I'm only thirteen. At first, my face—because it was really white—was a bit of a shock. But when the whole costume was put together and the headdress was put on, I really felt proud, like a Queen.
I have but nothing to say to young girls. They're fine to look at, in the way I would look at a case filled with Shang dynasty glazes, but expecting to carry on a conversation with the average teen-aged young lady is akin to reading Voltaire to a cage filled with chimpanzees. I'm certain they would feel the same alienation for me. I can live with that knowledge.
The real beauty of it - key to my life was playing key chords on a banjo. For somebody else it may be a golf club that mom and dad put in their hands or a baseball or ballet lessons. Real gift to give to me and put it in writing.
Love is my religion - I could die for it.
People always say to me, "What's wrong with Hollywood? They don't want to make female-driven movies. " And that's not where the problem lies. It lies with us, in society. When we make these movies, nobody goes to see them.