जीवनी

Daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, and the second of seven children.

Did not learn English until she was six.

Older sister of Taissa Farmiga.

Is a highly skilled pianist. She has played the piano for many of her acting roles, including Orphan (2009), At Middleton (2013), and Bates Motel (2013).

Grew up in a Ukrainian-speaking enclave in New Jersey.

I can't do Los Angeles. I've always been the anti-Barbie. I don't want to be in a place where almost every woman walks around with puffy lips, little noses and breasts large enough to nourish a small country. As a kid I wanted attention, so I started praying for glasses because everyone had ace vision in my family. Then one day my eyes started going bad and never stopped.

It's terrifying to be the lead. There's a moment of excitement, and then pure terror.

I really don't feel a need to be famous. But I do feel a need to make a difference, to shed light on human emotion through acting.

There are some times when I think acting can be a noble profession.

I'm not in this for the achievement. I'm in it for the illumination. That's how I choose my roles, that's how I attract roles -- it's a very spiritual process for me. And it's the only way I can continue, and stay interested. The acting...it's really a vocation.