Michaela McManus

Michaela: (On her first day at the Law & Order" set) When I got to my dressing room, there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Mariska [Hargitay] and a sweet note. Everyone here has been so sweet and so great.

Michaela: (About her character, Kim Greylek, on "Law & Order") She's independent and strong-willed and is unafraid to step outside the box, she'll do whatever it takes. She's ready for a challenge.

Michaela: (On how she got into acting) My mom's an actress, actually. She did a lot of stage when I was a kid growing up, and I have four siblings, so on opening night we'd get all dressed up, and go see her shows ever since I was a little kid. So I think the bug kind of bit me at an early age.

Michaela: (on completing the film, "The Beautiful Lie") I'm really impressed with all the work Josh has put into it... I really admire him for pushing through with this thing... It's really important if you start a project to finish it, no matter the outcome.

Michaela: (on "One Tree Hill" director Paul Johansson) Paul is absolutely one of my favorite directors. Because he's such an actors' director. He really gets them there. He knows what will make it tick. He knows what's gonna drive the scene... I love working with Paul. I hope we get to act together.

Michaela: (on her first scene on "One Tree Hill" which was a kissing with Chad Michael Murray in bed wearing only a lingerie) For me this is all really new so I'm just trying to figure out everything. And to do that on top of it. It's a lot of pressure.

Michaela: (on doing her character on "One Tree Hill") It's kind of fun to dress up in her pencil skirts and button-downs. Yeah, that's fun!

Michaela: (on the parallel between her and her character in "One Tree Hill") I do see the parallel of me hopping on to this show in the fifth season and Lindsay coming into Lucas' life when all of this other stuff has happened with him. There's so much catching up. There's so much history in both places. It's really interesting.

Michaela: (on coming in the 5th season of "One Tree Hill") It's kind of neat since the show fast-forwards four years... I have a history on the show without really having a history on the show. So it's exciting.

Michaela: (on her character in "One Tree Hill") Lindsay has a really good heart. So I hope people will see that. I think that's the struggle--the fact the she is a good person and doesn't mean to tear up past relationships.

Michaela: I thrive with a good director. I think any actor does. And any director thrives with a good actor.

Michaela: That is why a lot of directors use the same actors that they've worked with before because they start to establish a relationship. It really becomes clear how to work with each other and how to make it work.

Michaela I think it's important to establish a relationship with the director because everyone has a different process.

Michaela: I'm sort of like the kid that kicks around in vans, beat-up converse, ripped jeans and t-shirts.

Michaela: (on her character in "One Tree Hill") Lindsay in five words: smart, driven, focused, vulnerable, sensitive.