My mother never wanted me to focus on my physical self. She always said that beauty is what you do.

I've pretty much learned I can let that [being black] hinder me if I want to ... or I can fight for different kinds of roles.

What's hardest for me to swallow is when there is a love story, say, with a really high-profile male star and there's no reason I can't play the part. They say, 'Oh, we love Halle, we just don't want to go black with this part.'

When I’m rested, I’m at my best.

I meditate and pray all the time. The faith and respect that I have in the power of God in my life is what I've used to keep myself grounded, and it has allowed me to move away from the storms that were in my life.

To make lips look naturally pink, I put on red lipstick, wipe it off, and then apply clear gloss.

Growing older is not such a big deal for me, despite the fears that older actresses have in Hollywood. When I hit 40, for example, I didn't feel 40 - or whatever that is supposed to feel like.