I had hoped that girls all over the world would relate to Thirteen (2003). But I had no idea that girls I was sitting next to went through the same-things I did.

I didn`t know when I finished Thirteen (2003) that I wanted to be an actress. I went back to high school, and then I realized I missed it. I had fallen in love with being on the set.

The number-one rule of writing is write what you know--or something like that. So I wrote about my experiences.

People tend to get nervous when they`re working with first time writer-directors. Because, we`ve all had our share of bad experiences when you work with someone who is too close to the material and can`t really pull themselves away.

Before the 80’s everything seems ancient to me.

I was raised by my mom. It was definitely a struggle competing with my brother who is only one year older than me. He wanted to be my older brother but I looked older than him. We were competing for my mom’s attention. There was so much tension between us that my mom backed away from us. It was so emotionally out of control.

I had hoped that girls all over the world would relate to Thirteen. But I had no idea that girls I was sitting next to went through the same-things I did. I know 13-year-old girls who are just like me, and I know 13-year-old girls who are still playing with Barbies.