Monica Bellucci

Directors don't call you for your beauty but for your talent.

I don't work all the time. That's why I waited to have children until I was ready for that. I try to organise my time according to them because they need me. I don't want to put my work first anymore because it's not as important as my children.

I have always loved lipstick. For women, that love comes from our mother and grandmothers. It's so natural for a woman to open up her mirror and apply lipstick.

It's complicated coming from a culture where to be a mother is more important than to have a career.

I don't stress myself about my looks. I love to laugh. I like being able to lead an interesting life.

A woman has so many facets, and when you create an image, you have to play with all the different moments of your femininity, not just one thing, because everybody can get bored.

I think we can all be divas, but as an actress, you can't only be the diva; that would be boring. But sometimes, perhaps, it's fun.

Now, all the movies are for teenagers. It's very difficult for an actress to find really deep, beautiful characters to play.

When I'm relaxed, jeans and a shirt are my uniform.

The most important thing with children is to give them your time. Actually, that's all that matters.

When you see a silent movie, you understand everything that's going on from the images because the images are so strong.

If you believe what you are on the red carpet, then you would have to go see a doctor, and there are so many actors like that. You have to know very well this is a moment of glamour, and when I go back home, I don't have the airbrush, and I have dark circles because I don't have the make-up on.

British people don't express when they are in pain. They don't think it's elegant.

I've been working with good directors - the Wachowski brothers, Spike Lee, Terry Gilliam, Mel Gibson... I love American movies, but I love European movies, too, and I want to do both.

I've had old people in my life that I really loved - especially women - so I'm not scared about getting old. It's what's inside that makes us beautiful on the outside.

When people divorce, it's always such a tragedy. At the same time, if people stay together it can be even worse.

I love fairy tales because I think that behind fairy tales, there is always a meaning.

If you have a script that's not great, if you have a great director, you can make a great movie, but if you have a great script with a director who's not good, never are you going to have a good movie.

I'm a lucky person because I've been loved a lot. I have a great family.

Because I'm pretty, everybody thinks I'm stupid. But it is like a mask, and you have to break the mask to show that there is something else behind it. You have to show who you are to make the others come to discover you.