It`s interesting as one grows older to keep in touch with the cutting edge.

God bless McNally, it`s got some fantastic stuff in it, but it`s no easy task to make a movie out of.

I still have, I hope, a lot of years and there are still a lot of things I want to do.

I just go to movies, or see my son, Liam. He`s 23 and he`s got to find his own way, but I try to be there and give him guidance.

I`m still the little southern girl from the wrong side of the tracks who really didn`t feel like she belonged.

So many people are called but few serve as actors, you know what I mean?

I`m kind of a recluse.

It`s true, I did a lot of great movies, and I`m happy. It was what it was, and now I think all of that has fed into where I am now, and I think it has taught me a lot.

I`ve been working on this feature script for Master Class, a play by Terrence McNally that won a lot of Tonys.

When you`re younger they always try to get you to do every ninny role that`s going.

My mother`s passion for something more, to write a different destiny for a dirt-poor farmer`s daughter, was to shape my entire life.

You just sort of let them go for a while, but it was time to have something done to my teeth. I`m glad. It`s going to be good. Tom Cruise has braces now, too. I`m right in style.

Well, softness and femininity like yours people don`t expect of me; so when they find me emotional and capable of real vulnerability, they`re surprised.

Years are not important, my dear.

Since Star Wars, that film`s success led to bigger budgets, more hardware, that the great movies like the ones I did, which were studio movies, are now independent movies. They range from half a million to several million, and a lot of those have very interesting roles.

I often say the last role I played that really touched me and where I was able to access what I really am was Bonnie, which is kind of sad when you think how early in my career that was.

Do you know what I`m working on now? My first feature as a director.

So Liam and movies are obviously big passions, and I read and write.

I mean, I was always interested in people like Lenny Bruce, people who are breaking the old rules and making new ones.

Warren Beatty`s been helpful. He`s been a friend for a long time, and I always admired what he did with Bonnie and with many other films after that.

You are an athlete when you`re onstage. You can`t get tired.