Julianna Margulies Quotes

1. (on her character Alicia Florrick in the TV series "The Good Wife") The thing I love about Alicia is that she isn't someone who has a knee-jerk reaction…Even in the moment where she wants to be swept up, she's thinking logically…There's something old-fashioned about her. I really do feel like she went from a Leave It to Beaver…(and) is realizing that you can't always be good.

2. I always say to friends who haven't found love that until you are completely content by yourself, you're not going to find it. You're going to be searching too hard.

3. I'm the kind of person who always has to be on time and I'm incredibly professional.





4. I think the whole under-eye-bag thing is hereditary, and I just got lucky.

5. (on feeling sexy) It depends what mood I'm in. When I'm tired, I don't feel very sexy. I feel sexy when I'm happy. If I'm going out on a date with my husband, I want to feel sexy. I want him to see me that way. So I think you have to make an effort. When you're in love, you feel sexy. It's an endorphin that comes out, but in a different way than endorphins after you've worked out. I never feel that sexy after I work out. Well, maybe after the shower.

6. The best day of my life was my wedding day, and I think so much of it had to do with the fact that I had our (unborn) son with me and the rabbi blessed him.





7. It's one thing in this business to actually work. 5 percent of the Screen Actors' Guild works. It's another thing to do work that's satisfying and that people are loving.

8. Do what you love doing.

9. I would have gone to law school, or gotten a psychology degree. I wasn't interested in sleeping on a futon forever. And what happened is I walked into auditions, and I had nothing to lose, because I had a backup plan.

10. I was the only bride who didn't diet before her wedding. I still haven't had a bachelorette party. I'm not interested in a lap dance, but I do need a little hen time with my girlfriends, to get massages and facials and to talk.

11. I was never much of a kid person. I mean, I thought they were cute to look at, but I didn't want them in my house.



12. Actors, sadly, define themselves by what work they're doing.

13. If you don't risk something, you're not going to gain anything.

14. I think you're much more approachable when you're on a small screen.

15. (on September 11) Everyone reacts differently. My reaction was I needed to go down there to help. Friends I had couldn't watch the television any more, couldn't go down there. But I needed to do whatever I could. And I did go down there and help. I cooked for the guys. I visited sick people. I felt, I'm from New York and it's my community and it's what I know and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

16. I'm a believer in "Ignorance is bliss."

17. (on "The Grid") What I love about the script is that it shows many points of view instead of just one.





18. I don't have a lot of stomach for people who don't show up to a set knowing their lines because you're keeping 150 people waiting.

19. If you're honest with yourself, then things have a way of working out. I feel very grateful that I had the courage to say no when I did and say yes when I could, that I waited to find the right mate and to have this little family.

20. I don't want to crash and burn before I've gotten to where I want to go. I want to enjoy the ride.

21. I married a rock, who understands what I do without any resentment. And I've got a joyful, easy kid.

22. I've always had a tomboy quality to me that I embrace and don't run away from. At the same time I'm a real girlie-girl.

23. I know this is going to sound corny, but I love my life. I love my baby, so I love getting to wake up with him. And I have the most amazing job, with writing that any actor would love and costars who I can't wait to see on Monday mornings. And I love coming home to my husband.

24. I've never been one to do anything for the money. If a movie isn't something I want, I will turn it down. I follow my heart, and it always leads me to who I want to be.




25. I'd rather go back to waitressing than play a character that I hate.

26. I feel a tremendous responsibility to my crew, to my cast, to every guest star that comes on.

27. (on Steven Seagal, with whom she worked with on the movie "Out for Justice" 1991) His trailer is around the corner from mine on the Warner Bros. lot, and I was walking by recently and he said: "Margulies, come over here and show me some respect!" He's not someone I keep in touch with.

28. There's something about this time in my life where I feel like it's never going to get better.




29. I got pregnant at 40 by surprise. It's funny, because when we found out we were pregnant, I said: "Okay, let's experience that." You just have to just go with it because it's rare.

30. I am a big believer in women's lib, but I love when a man holds a door for me.

31. I'm one of those strange people: I really love going to the gym.



32. I needed to do whatever I could. And I did go down there and help. I cooked for the guys. I visited sick people. I felt, I'm from New York and it's my community and it's what I know and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

33. The most challenging part of being a mother is that when you're really tired, everything sucks.

34. I don't understand executives that pit women against each other, the fact that they brought in "Body of Proof," Dana Delaney is a friend of mine, and the two of us were just rolling our eyes, it's like, of course, you finally have two great female leads and you're going to put us on against each other.

35. The reason I met my husband was because I remembered a friend's birthday. The moral of the story is: Remember people's birthdays.




36. I've done so many independent movies I'm sure no one will ever see, but I've loved the work.

37. What I like about being a mother who is not 20 years old is that I know that these are fleeting moments.


38. I don't see scary movies. I've never seen "The Exorcist" or "Jaws".

39. I think that power comes in numbers, and we're in an industry where the actors need to have a bigger voice.

40. I am never late. There is no room for error in my life.

41. I feel responsible that everyone has a really wonderful experience and to do the best work possible, and to always know my lines and to always be on time and to bring a level to the show in terms of quality that other people will follow.

42. A good wife is someone who thinks she has done everything right: raising the kids, being there for the husband, being home, trying to do it all.

43. If you walk down the street and smile at someone, that will get passed on to the next person. That has the power to change someone's day.

44. I am such a scaredy-cat.

45. So many times you hear about mothers and wives who put themselves last, and then those marriages crumble. Why? Because they don't value themselves.

46. (on her character Alicia Florrick in the TV series "The Good Wife") It's such a challenge to play her because my reactions are very different than hers…I never feel completely comfortable in her shoes.

47. The room is full of such talent. It's a beautiful thing about the SAG Awards. It's the most rewarding room to be in as an actor.


48. Isn't there a danger with Tweeting, like drunk dialing? Isn't there a drunk Tweeting danger?

49. Small gestures can have a big impact.

50. It might be scary because you're taking a risk, but at the end of the day you can say you tried.

51. I knew that if I didn't go to the gym today, I wouldn't be the greatest mom at dinnertime. So I chose to come first in that moment. Then my family can come first in the next.


52. I love making money, but you can't live your life waiting to get rich in a job that no longer feeds you artistically.

53. The red carpet is really the only thing that makes me nervous.

54. I think the whole world should try not talking for a day.


55. I love being my husband's wife.

56. I'm also hard on myself.

57. That's what I love about acting, you get to find little pieces of yourself in every character you play.

58. I live at a very high stress level and take everything too personally. And I worry about the amount of time I spend at work, for sure.

59. I can tend to over-think things.


60. I love being one half of a romantic couple.

61. I drink too much coffee.

62. I had been in relationships that weren't really working and decided I needed to live as a person who wasn't trying to constantly take care of everyone.


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