Quote

Usually, you get to interview that one girl who plays the sister on some Disney show - you interview that girl a lot - but sometimes, every once in a while, you get to interview a legend. I have interviewed some amazingly iconic people, including Michelle Obama, Oprah, Sidney Poitier and Judy Dench. These people are legit icons.

There've been times where, like when I auditioned for 'Akeelah,' I think in the first audition I was a little bit afraid because it was, you know, I had seen girls in there that I had seen on TV before, and I was like, 'Man, I might as well just walk out of here now because I'm just a newcomer,' and this and that.

Growing up, I remember watching TV, and I didn't see a lot of people who looked like me, especially someone who passed as a glamorous model on a mainstream TV show.

I'm always so impressed with these actresses with their perfect make up and hair and sometimes I'm very aware that I'm not like that. But I don't think I can do things any other way. I would be wearing a disguise if I started to apply that stuff.

Did you ever notice that nobody you see on television looks like anyone you know?

I was totally into cartoon babes when I was a little dude. Cheetara from the 'Thundercats,' then Jessica Rabbit, and finally I moved onto a real-life human being and was into Punky Brewster, and then Christina Applegate on 'Married with Children.'

I'm not so interested in perfect, plastic beauty, and I think it translates in the girls I've shot over the years for Nars, from Guinevere to Iris to Mariacarla. I love those girls. I love the more interesting faces, with maybe a strange nose, not just the Texan blonde. By picking those girls, I think it's changed what I've seen in other campaigns.

I, Lesley, I like looking nice. I like doing my hair and wearing makeup and wearing nice clothes. But I don't care what my characters look like.

I didn't see a lot of women who looked like me on TV when I was growing up.