Glenn Close Reveals the 'Passion' Outside of Acting That Has 'Enriched' Her Life (Exclusive)

"Never stop learning," Close told PEOPLE on Saturday, April 13, at the 10th annual Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles

Glenn Close contains multitudes!

On Saturday, April 13, PEOPLE spoke with the legendary actress about her interests outside of acting at the 10th annual Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles.

"I have been studying geography and geopolitics," said Close, 77. "There's a fantastic book called The Revenge of Geography, and I got an atlas, and I got a topographical map of the world."

Through the book, the Back in Action star says she's learning more about "where countries are," adding, "We're so ignorant in this country about where other countries are, and how they affect each other politically, in every way."

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"Now I hear in the news is something like Syria, I know where they are, and I know how they're related, and where their borders are, and it's really ... I mean, I feel I'm enriched by that," Close explains. "That's my passion right now, to study that."

"Never stop learning," she adds.

Asked about tapping into her "scientific side," Close tells PEOPLE, "I had a fantastic Bio 101 teacher at William & Mary, and he was so inspiring that I wanted to get into a white coat and do research."

"But then I had chemistry. I said, 'I think I'll play a doctor, instead of actually being one,' " she jokes.

Related: Glenn Close Was Coached 3 Times a Week to Learn Farsi For 'Tehran' : 'It Was Very Challenging'

But regardless of her own personal choice of profession, "My dad was a doctor, he was a surgeon, so I've always been aware of that side of things," Close says.

At this point in her illustrious career, Close says she "challenge(s)" herself "by picking roles that aren't going through territory I've been over, emotionally and psychologically."

"I either am attracted to something or I'm not," she says, when asking whether the screening process is a difficult one. "I think of myself as a character actress; that's what I do."

Adds Close, "I do these different characters, and it's become a real passion, and I'm just as excited about the possibilities now than I've ever been."

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