[Martin] Scorsese probably could have directed Schindler's List and [Steven] Spielberg probably could have directed Goodfellas. But it's as much to do with the difference in culture as it is with race.

I love research and being educated. It's a great job being able to step into all kinds of professions and into other people's shoes.

A man once told me that you step out of your door in the morning, and you are already in trouble. The only question is are you on top of that trouble or not?

Man gives you the award but God gives you the reward.

[My father] could see as far as he could see and my mother wanted us to go to college so it was a very real part of my life.

A film is just like a muffin. You make it. You put it on the table. One person might say, 'Oh, I don't like it.' One might say it's the best muffin ever made. One might say it's an awful muffin. It's hard for me to say. It's for me to make the muffin.

We do what we have to so we can do what we want to.