We live in a world of creative beauty - the grand architect of the universe. God has planted something for us - a playground to play in if we choose to look at it that way and understand it. So, this time for me, is really a time to create.

I take things very seriously, and I give myself time to come down and to ramp up, and it's an inside spiritual journey for me. I feel like acting is a way of feeling your personality, and it's really special. Special to have this kind of effect on people. You can only have that effect if you're really outside of yourself. You can't look at yourself and do what I do at the same time. I have done it that way in the past, but it doesn't really work. I can only soar within the parameters of time, and I use music analogies.

We're living in a time where we want to be entertained but I think part of what people are looking for, that they don't even know they're looking for is to be uplifted in many ways.

I feel that we have come a long way as American people, and we have to start looking at ourselves as human beings.

Many times - especially when I'm playing an historical character - I want to be really on target with how I create that character and really nuanced with who that human being might be. But I don't want to lose the likeness of me or the depth of my own personality. So meditation and my spirituality has helped me to realize that, yes, I want to get out of the way but I also want the ability to hold on to what the audience likes of what they see of me.

I don't think anyone is black and white and I think we change our minds and our attitudes about certain things as we grow to our maturity.

For me, listening to my breath in between the lines, allows me to be in deep connection to my spirit.