By the way, sitting with other mommies is probably the most frightening experience in the entire world. They're serious into mommy-shaming.

That's what I tell young actors. "You don't have to compromise. Go do some theater and wait for an appropriate role."

We had a guy, a gentlemen by the name of Mr. Greenleaf who lived behind the house we were shooting [Fences], and he was like a part of the movie.He would come downstairs, and he couldn't hear well to say, "Ya'll want some coffee?"

I remember my mother and father arguing about light bulbs because my father thought he could save money by putting 25-watt bulbs instead of 60-watt bulbs and my mother was trying to explain to him that her children needed to learn to read so that they could go to college. He couldn't see that.

I worked with Sidney Lumet years ago, and we had a long rehearsal process, and he would tape out the entire set on the stage, so I stole that from him.

As the filmmaker, yes, I have to look out for everybody. But I don't have to know everybody's approach.

My faith helps me understand that circumstances don't dictate my happiness, my inner peace.