Ferrera: "I am trying to be guided by my passion."

Ferrera: "I am incredibly, incredibly fortunate about the opportunities I've had. But at the same time, I've had plenty of opportunities to screw it up, too. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is 'No...' and not feel the need to do everything. It's about doing what rings true to me."

Ferrera: "There's not really a choice about, am I going to pursue a typical career? Because I'm not the typical standard, so that's not even an option."

Ferrera: "I feel like my convictions and my passions come from my very personal experience and the life that I've led. I feel the very naturally tendency to stand up for and use my voice for the things that I know about and the things that I feel passionate about.

Ferrera: "I was an open, smiley and gregarious child. I could make friends in 30 seconds wherever I went."

Ferrera: "It's so reassuring to have a woman heroine who triumphs with more than just what she has on the outside... who has more to offer the world than just a pretty picture."

Ferrera: "It would be impossible to be a woman in Western culture and not have your own issues about your image and what you look like."

Ferrera: "At different times in my life, I've made grand statements like, 'I want these many kids, and I want them by this age.' I think, with every year that goes by, I accept that I don't know when it's going to happen or how it's going to happen. I'll just take it one day at a time, and when I'm ready, I'll be ready. It'll reveal itself, I guess."

Ferrera: "I really hate the duties of being a celebrity, like getting dressed up for the red carpet."

Ferrera: "I have a lot of trouble understanding how people see me as a celebrity. I work 14 hours a day, and then I just want to talk to my family, see the people I love, pet my dog, and go to bed. I'm not looking to be best friends with or emulate a celebrity."

Ferrera: "I don't think running for office is anything I'm prepared for or could even prepare myself for."

Ferrera: "I struggled with being a Latino growing up in Los Angeles. I felt very American. I still do. I went to 35 bar mitzvahs before I went to a single quinceanera. I could talk all day about my culture and what it means to me."

Ferrera: "I'm okay if people don't know who I am, but if you remember my character that would be great."

Ferrera: "As a child, I didn't know what I didn't have. I'm thankful for the challenges early on in my life because now I have a perspective on the world and kind of know what's important."