Talent comes from God. If you have been given some, then value it, cultivate it, work and develop it.

I was first introduced to August Wilson in the 80s when Charles Dutton did Ma Rainey and James Earl Jones and Courtney Vance did Fences. I've long considered August Wilson to be one of the five greatest playwrights in American history.

I think the bottom of the totem pole is African-American women, or women of colour. I think they get the least opportunities in Hollywood.

What we did [shooting "Fences"] was we got young students from Carnegie Mellon, the acting and theater students, and we had them as our understudies. I told them, "You have to be off book and be ready. If Viola [Davis] has to leave you have to jump in."

Got to be who you are in this world, no matter what.

It's simple: You get a part. You play a part. You play it well. You do your work and you go home. And what is wonderful about movies is that once they're done, they belong to the people. Once you make it, it's what they see. That's where my head is at.

When you don't understand something, you label it and condemn it" (94) - Danny Glover, "The Fundamental Things