It's always been a dream of mine to get somewhere and to have my mom and dad with me up there.

On my best days such as when I was a junior in high school coming off a 42-point performance and near triple-double my dad was there to tell me I haven't arrived yet and bring me back to reality.

I don't know if there is a gene for comedy but my dad was a very funny man. He just didn't know it. He was a naturally funny character and when my brother and I would laugh at things he said and did he would say 'What do you think is so funny?'

My life isn't that dramatic. My dad really loves me he just can't talk on the phone. He's too crippled and shy and that's almost harder. He's there and he loves me and I try and try and try it's just impossible to have a relationship.

I'm probably going to get in trouble for this but 'American Dad' is one of my favourite shows. It gets very dark in places but the jokes are there.

I wasn't aware of my dad being an actor when I was young. I remember there was an Australian children's entertainer on television called Ralph Harris and when I'd say my father was an actor kids would say you know 'oh is he Ralph Harris?' And I had to say no and then they would lose interest.

Whenever I did a good performance my Dad and my uncles who were rabid movie fans took me to the movies. There began my underlying love affair with film.

My little son Atticus desperately needs his dad and I haven't been there for him... and that's sad.

I absolutely love working with my dad because there is such an ease about it and I also love his company.

There was nothing more important I could do than be supportive as a dad.

My dad's era believed that there was something noble in being a good guy - the kind of guy that lived straight and narrow told the truth and stood up for what he believed was right.

I wasn't sure how my dad would react. There was an agent sitting behind them and he told me he was embarrassed to watch the scenes. My parents have always been very open. They trust my decisions.

Well my dad was a pretty good player at one stage and my two older brothers played golf as well. So there were always golf clubs flying around the house.

My dad served in the Air Force as ground crew for several years and doesn't really talk about it. I know that it's there. I think my main thing about direct or indirect experiences as near to home as it were is the idea of self-sacrifice really.

My mother's incredibly giving almost too giving at times. And my dad is a real logical person. He's got logic for every situation. They've been married for 24 years so there was that stability also. I really learned to think on my own at a very young age.

Many forms sizes and colors I think there are heroes in sports in life... It would be cliche to say my dad my granddad. I think I'm a fan of people who were brave my aunt my grandmother those are my heroes.

Dad I'm in some trouble. There's been an accident and you're going to hear all sorts of things about me from now on. Terrible things.

My dad had a movie theater so I was there every night.

When I was about 12 and first started wearing lipstick my dad would ask 'Are you wearing makeup?' I would say back 'You're wearing more makeup there than I am!'

I used to be really nervous when I sang. Like when I was a kid starting young 18 and 19 and my dad really had to sort of push me to start singing in front of people. Ever since I got out there and really started doing it the only thing I've ever tried to do is just sort of is be myself you know never put on a voice. Sing naturally.

Recently I was in Bernalda my dad's ancestral home town in Italy. He has just refurbished a palazzo and turned it into a hotel so we had my sister's wedding there. It was beautiful.

I wanted my dad to be proud of me and I fell into acting because there wasn't anything else I could do and in it I found a discipline that I wanted to keep coming back to that I love and I learn about every day.

From time to time I'll look back through the personal journals I've scribbled in throughout my life the keepers of my raw thoughts and emotions. The words poured forth after my dad died when I went through a divorce and after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. There are so many what-ifs scribbled on those pages.

We sat together as a family for dinner at night. And my mother had a job. My dad had a job. But there was always a meal on the table at 6:00 you know.