"Marian is not exactly a weak character; she's physically quite able, as well as verbal, and she actually goes around doing her own fighting and protects other people. She's a strong woman and, although she loves Robin Hood desperately, you get the feeling that she could live without him because she's strong enough on her own."

"I had seen lots of reality TV programmes, such as Pop Idol and Pop Stars and, when they find out they've won, they all scream. But I was much quieter than that. I think I was just in shock, and it wasn't until I'd spoken to my friends that I got really excited."

"Get as much experience as you can. Whether it be in your local amateur group or whatever. You never know who is going to be watching. It's the kind of career where luck comes into it a lot. I was going to audition for drama schools if nothing happened sooner but I got lucky. I was in the right place at the right time. I always wanted to do this but thought it was going to be a more long-winded route. I didn't think it would happen this young."

"Catherine Zeta-Jones started out like me. Her big break in Hollywood was in Zorro. She did the whole action-girl thing, and I'm a lot younger, so maybe people are looking for someone new. Robin Hood is screened in the US. There's no harm in going out there and seeing what's around. I'll give it my best shot."

"I fight like Bruce Lee. I train in his style of kung fu, wing chun. It's all about fighting with controlled power, so you learn to punch correctly. It was actually developed by a woman, which was what attracted me. It's definitely made me a lot stronger. I've done a few killer punches this series that have caused a bit of damage. I can see the difference. I'm definitely harder."

"I've had offers from lads' mags, but that's not what I'm about. I'm not a prude, but I have very strong opinions about what is and isn't sexy."

"I just absolutely love working with Richard [Armitage]. He’s probably the best scene partner I've ever had… He allows me to say what I think about my performance and his performance without getting angry about it, and the other way around. I often will ask him if there’s something he can suggest to help me out, or if he can give me a reason. If I’m finding something difficult, I can ask him why he thinks that might be. We have a very good friendship as well. We laugh a lot together."

"The celebrity thing is a choice you make. To a certain extent, it's good to get your face out there because it does help you get roles ... but the other side is too much self-publicizing, which can work against you in another way."

"It's quite tempting to go out to parties and have all that attention. I'm sure I would enjoy it for a couple of weeks. After that, it would drive me a bit nuts."