I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.

I think that in some ways there is no more important thing in my life outside of family and God.

I think that one thing that America is guilty of is not ever apologizing for the greatest sin of the country, which is slavery.

There may have been great scripts, and perfect actors to fill the roles, but those pilot projects could be stopped at an earlier point. Now, damn near anything can get on the air, but who can get people to watch? There are a lot more choices, even if you get on the air.

There was a lynching case as late as 2011, so it's not as far away as we think. I think persecution by powerful structures, on a people who are marginalized, is not new. The idea of lynching is well known, and the way we present it in the play makes the lynching somewhat of a relief, compared to the barbaric treatment they were receiving as sharecroppers.

The truth is more important to me than anything - my personal wealth or health or any of these things. I think that it's not so difficult for me to say what I'm saying.

The beauty of doing a series is that, over the course of time, it's like peeling an onion. You're able to reveal these layers, more and more. You just don't want to reveal too much, too soon.