If you have the ability to do something, you should do it.

When you say cultural icon, I scrunch my nose.

Hollywood needs more women directors, and Mama Ava needs a carafe and a half of that sweet vino divino.

When you force sleep, it doesn't happen.

My parents [are my hero]. They've helped me be who I am.

I was talking to Shonda Rhimes the other day and I said, "I. Do. Not. Know. How. You. Do. This." While we're writing episode 10, episode 6 is shooting, episode 3 is in the edit, and episode 2 is in its color session...You've got seven episodes in different parts! It's a wild, wild, wild ride, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was badass and amazing.

It's very nourishing and collaborative - kind of the true essence of what one would want an artistic collaboration to be [the collaboration with Oprah Winfrey].