Rain Phoenix

My mum will always come and see my shows if she can, and if she can't, she'll text or email just before wishing me a great show and telling me how much she loves me. She still gives tonnes of positive reinforcement and love. It's really remarkable what that does for a child, and it's really remarkable what that does for me as an adult.

Travelling was a big part of my childhood and one that I value very much. In some respects, I can't help but be a bit of a gypsy as an adult. I get fidgety if I'm in one place for longer than three months.

Being in the public eye, there will always be negatives. Those dark aspects will always be there and, so too, those things that will try and tear you down, but I have made the choice not to engage with them. I'm not going to let them affect me or destroy me.

I don't really know what it is about vampires that makes them such a powerful symbol, metaphor, whatever in people's consciousness. But I do know they're tremendously powerful. I mean, there's a vampire on 'Sesame Street.' And Count Chocula. I don't know why it's so powerful.

What I look for when I see a piece of art for the first time is some kind of emotional, intellectual experience, that's a combination of both of those things and is informed by my knowledge and something new that I see the artist doing.

I have friends of mine that are actors or singers, and they're the classic guys where, they're onstage, and they're like, 'Okay, the blonde in the third row, seat 24, bring her to my dressing room.' I've never, never taken advantage of that, I swear to God.