[addressing 8,000 middle and high school students on Tuesday at the first New Hampshire Youth Summit on Opioid Awareness] I got sober for my family,"but today, I'm sober for me, and I'm sober for you. Because drugs and alcohol are powerful, but we are more powerful, you guys. We are. We're in this together. We can connect with each other. We can protect each other.

[on being an opiate addict]I'm a real badass and tough girl, that was part of my thing. It was the hardest thing in the world to ask for help, but it was the most powerful thing I've done.

I'll be honest, I got sober at first for my family.I got to a point where I felt so sick about myself. I was depressed. I didn't like myself. But I loved my family.I remember my brother telling me he didn't want me to be around my niece [now because he didn't trust me. I'm a really good auntie today, but you know what? He was right. I am a good person, but when I did drugs and drank I didn't make good decisions. I'm sure some of you can relate to that, but all it takes is one bad decision. You don't have to live like that.

[on being sober]I'll tell you right now I still dance on tabletops, I still have such amazing times, and I connect with people. I get to be an actress. I'm back in college at 36 years old, attending Suffolk University, and pursuing a bachelor's degree in sociology and hope to work with addicts.It's something I always wanted to do and I didn't get to do because I was on a different path.

I didn't get sober for myself, I stay sober for myself.

Growing up I was as big a tomboy as you can get. When my father would take my three older brothers and me to games, we'd go into the boys' room. I have actually peed in the urinal at Fenway [Park-Red Sox stadium].

[on working with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) cast] "'I'm really proud of them all. Every time that I got back there, I'd feel like I was going back and seeing my high school friends again, because we'd been such good friends over the years. I'll miss not being able to go back and shoot with them, but they really turned it out for the finale and worked their asses off, and I'm just really proud of all of it".

[on David Boreanaz and working with the Angel (1999)cast] "David is my brother, man. He's my boy, and we just have so much fun. We really just hit it off from the beginning, way back when, and I really love going and working with those guys".

You know, I really am probably one of the sweetest, most sensitive people you'll ever meet.

There are a lot of actresses out there who are the girl next door. I relate more to characters who have an edge.

I love leather and it's great to be a bad girl at times. But there is a time and place for everything. When I'm with Grandma it's flowers, and when I'm out on the town scoping guys, you know...

[When asked how being in prison has changed her angry and aggressive Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and Angel (1999) character, Faith:] "How would prison change anyone? There was something about the fact that she's a Slayer, so she wouldn't really be there unless she wanted to be because she's got superhuman strength. She could have busted out of that joint if she really wanted to, but she and Angel developed this relationship. He was leading her down the road to redemption, kind of facing the things she's done and recovering from that and hopefully being a better her. She's been in there, doing the time, thinking. She's still a tough girl, but she really has to suppress her demons a little more. In these past few ["Angel"] shows, that's what we're seeing -- her teetering on the line between the old her and the new her" [Buffalo News, March 17, 2003].

Go big or go home. Because it's true. What do you have to lose?