I didn't want to audition the kids so much; I just wanted to talk to them because I like seeing how they are because their mothers usually mess them up with practice. So, I'd rather talk to them and see how they respond. I just throw things at them and see how they can hit the ball back, and Saniyya Sidney was good.

I am not going to bury my son! My son is going to bury me!

[Saniyya Sidney] was very serious about her work and her craft, and she wanted to be good, and she wanted to work on it. So I said, "Ok." It was as simple as that. She was just right. She just has it.

When I did A Soldier's Story, I was very young and green and thought I knew everything-now I know I know everything!

Acting is like music and you improvise. It's like jazz, there's no rhyme or reason to it. It's not a plan. You practice to music and you just play it.

I believe in God. I don't fear man, I fear God.

Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.