I look OK. I look better in person than I do on film, which is bad because it's how I make my living, but I am not a beauty and on balance I am glad.

Beauty can make you powerful in a way that isn't good for you. Being OK is better for the person I have become.

I'm from Canada, and New Zealand feels like you took all the best bits of Canada and squished them onto a tiny island like Hawaii. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of the South Island.

Shortly thereafter, some friends encouraged me to try out for the Miss South Carolina World beauty pageant. To my surprise, I won - and was sent to New York City to compete nationally.

This is so cliche, but my beauty icon would have to be Angelina Jolie. She looks like she wears natural makeup, but she's still beautiful.