I was a pretentious child. I grew up without a television. I read a lot of books and I loved Shakespeare. Still do. When I was nine my mother took me to see Much Ado About Nothing with Judi Dench, and I was hooked. I met my husband [Jack Waters] at the RSC. My daughter is called Juliet. I blame Shakespeare for everything.
In my early career I was like a goldfish. Rejection didn't affect me; I'd just forget how bad it was and keep going back for more. Then I got a break and I can't say there's been a lot of rejection since. I've hit a vein of success and been very lucky.
Working with Lars von Trier [in Breaking the Waves in 1996] was life changing. Moving from theatre to film felt like going from messing about to actual acting. When I got into the world of Lars von Trier I remember thinking: "Oh, I see."
Believing in God is a very intense inner struggle of mine. It's something I worry about a lot, but which I don't have the answer to.
I don't know what makes a marriage work. My husband and I don't have it right at all; it's very tough on him. From the outside it looks like it's all about me – I have a glorious career and he doesn't. He's a writer who only writes intermittently because he's holding the fort a lot of the time. It's hard, but I credit our relationship for keeping me grounded. It's my centre.
I'd describe myself as a method actress without a method. I like to immerse myself in the world of the character and get to the point of convincing myself that it's all really true, and then I go to work.
I cry very easily. The last time was this morning. I was talking about my granny – her brother died in the First World War, and I was thinking about young people in relation to that war and how utterly pointless all the slaughter was.
Feminism is a broad church. I'd describe myself as a feminist, as any self-respecting woman would, but I do think men get a rough deal these days.
In this business, your body is a tool. There's definitely a pressure for women to be thin and pretty, particularly in Hollywood. Less so in the UK, but still helps if you look a certain way.
We all deal with grief in different ways. My mother passed away while I was filming Oranges and Sunshine and I had to "shut down" to keep working. It felt very brutal and sudden and too soon.
I have a temper. It manifests itself a lot in quiet, passive-aggressive fury, and then occasionally it explodes. It's not very nice. I wish it didn't happen.
I mind getting older. I really thought I wouldn't, but I do. I feel young inside and I can't accept that I'm a woman in my mid-40s. It sounds very old to me, like it's happening to someone else – to those people. Over there.
Emily Watson stars in War Horse, in cinemas from 8 January