Rachel McAdams

I wanted to be a secretary, I love paper clips and staplers

The craziest thing I’ve ever done to get a guy’s attention? I admit I stalked someone. I showed up at a restaurant where I knew the guy worked, and we were actually good friends and had lost touch, and I pretended that I didn’t know he worked there. And then ran into him and, “Oh my God, you work here? I had no idea.” It’s the most manipulative thing I’ve done in my entire life, but it all worked out very well, so I have no regrets.

I’ve been very lucky so far. I haven’t had any bad experiences as far as fan encounters. They don’t really recognize me. I think it has to do with my hair. I change it all the time. I like changing my hair color and sometimes it’s just not for a role. Usually, I just do it for me.

It’s always great to make a film about people that don’t get along, because you inevitably wind up getting along so well.

I have a certain curiosity for life that drives me and propels me forward.

I did (training in) tennis, ballet, swing dancing, piano, art class and etiquette. I also did French dialect, but then it was mixing me up with my Southern dialect, so we stuck to Southern!

Getting divorced just because you don’t love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do.

There is no one of-woman-born who does not like Red Lobster cheddar biscuits. Anyone who claims otherwise is a liar and a socialist.

I like the red carpet. It’s like acting because it’s like a fairytale.

Gravity is nominated for best film. It’s the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.

The only way I could get comfortable around people was to make them laugh. I was an obedient girl, and humor was my one form of rebellion. I used comedy to deflect. Like, ‘Hey, check out my zit!’ – you know, making fun of yourself before someone else has a chance to.

Drug companies are a bit like high school boyfriends. They’re much more concerned with getting inside you than being effective once they’re in there.

Who on Barbie D? Who on Barbie D?

I’m probably the furthest from being romantic that you’ve ever seen; I’m not even close to being romantic in any way until I have to be.

I am working on a dress sock line of funky, colorful, cool designs.

I want to experience Dallas. It’s a new city where I see new business opportunities.

If I go and try to watch a movie by myself I’ll be completely transfixed the whole time, concentrating one hundred percent. But if I’m with another person on a date or something, within two minutes I’ll be like ‘This is rubbish, this is rubbish. We should leave and do something else.’ I don’t really know why.

I think its important to keep an element of fear about yourself because it makes you appreciate the jobs.

I can’t believe we’ve got away with becoming this huge band. And we still haven’t done anything I think is that good yet.

[on the MTV movie awards] Ryan was whispering in my ear as we’re winning the award. He’s like, ‘You go that way, I’ll go this way, and we’ll meet in the middle. I was like, ‘What?!? You better not chicken out or I’ll kill you!’ It was fun.

I sort of identify with him (Cedric) in a couple of ways. Generally, I am quite pleasant. I think he is too, and I think that is one of the basic similarities. Let’s see, I’ve got blond hair, I am relatively sporty. But, I think he is a better person than me.