Sharon Gless

In my early days I was a contract player at Universal and I had a wonderful mentor named Monique James, who was head of talent there, and she used to drag me on sets to do parts.

But I've always believed that Christine Cagney shouldn't be played past a certain age.

There's no praise or acknowledgment paid to women who raise the babies.

Years on, Christine and John still have a deep love for each other, as do Stevie and I - we've been working together since I was 17.

I'd date someone younger or older; age doesn't matter to me. Or looks, really - it's all about maturity.

Good authors mature over time: it does take awhile.