My mother never gave up one me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back.

I and haven't been unemployed for 20 years. I'm an exception to the rule.

[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.

It just happened that we did [Fences] seven years ago on Broadway. Scott Rudin brought me August Wilson's original screenplay for it, and I realized I hadn't read the play. So I read it. Then I realized that Troy (my character) was 53 - and I was 55 at the time. I realized I better hurry up! I might be too old!

Put God first in everything you do ... Everything that I have is by the grace of God, understand that. It's a gift ... I didn't always stick with Him, but He stuck with me.

The chances you take… the people you meet… the people you love...the faith that you have - that’s what’s going to define your life.

I asked my mother I said, "You divorced my dad, how did you decide? She said, "I decided twelve years before he knew it." I was like wow; I'm learning something new every day.