LESLIE CARON

When I did small films like Lily and Buenos Vista, everyone thought my career would be ruined.

I was trying to be very at ease in this arrogant person, and very worldly, but something human came into the part. I hate to say that. I wanted to be totally worldly.

I hate biographies which say, I was called to such and such an office, and he offered me so and so, and I got so and so money. I find that very tedious. The best biographies are written by other people.

The studio system collapsed only when Elizabeth Taylor charged $1 million for Cleopatra.

James Ivory comes close to the actors for the first rehearsal. He more or less lets you direct yourself and then will only correct you if he finds it incorrect.

I went to the Tokyo Film Festival in Japan because I love Japanese cinema.

You have actresses like Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, who have roles specially written for them.

I had two children. I had a nanny to manage my kids.

I know a lot of Americans in Paris who have married Frenchmen. They keep bringing up their experience, the clash of civilizations, the clash of personalities.

It's the first film that I made where the director was not present under the camera, and it threw me.

I seemed to belong to three countries: I had an apartment in Paris, a house in Hollywood, and when I married British theater director Peter Hall, I moved to London.

Cinema will always have an important role to play in society.

I longed to break out of the system and do different roles.

The American is wholeheartedly for love and romance at any cost.

We were all ruled by the studio system. I signed a contract for seven years.

I went to Kerala in India, to learn Ayurveda, which was fantastic.

I toured the Middle Eastern countries with the ballet.

Fred Astaire was a more formal, trained dancer who loved waltzing and only danced with the girls.

In order to have great happiness you have to have great pain and unhappiness - otherwise how would you know when you're happy?

It's very difficult to marry into another civilization.

There were many good actresses in my time like Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds, but I was the only dancer.

I think it's the end of progress if you stand still and think of what you've done in the past. I keep on.

The most important thing is to remain active and to love what you are doing.

I got as little as a $75 a week when I started.

No matter what you do, your person comes through. You can't completely change yourself on the screen. I had in mind someone colder and more in control, but I couldn't do it. This human note just crept in and maybe it's better.