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.

Nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success.

I'm from around Tennessee. I ran away when I was 12 years old and I ain't never looked back.

Any good piece of material like Shakespeare ought to be open to reinterpretation.

I'm a positive person, so I don't get bogged down with it. If you're expecting that, if you wall in that, if you practice that, then you'll attract what you fear.

Viola [Davis] is one of the great actors of her generation. She has one of these moments in the theater that I don't even know how to describe.

You don't have to kill somebody to play a murderer. You have to read the script and interpret the character.