I was exposed to a mix of cultures, lots of different religions and beliefs. I was a spiritual kid and went to Indian powwows and Buddhist temples. But over a period of time, with reading and thinking, I started to feel it was all so absurd: The whole idea of life after death is ridiculous.

You may feel powerless as a child, but the world will one day be yours. And you're responsible for it. So, seize the day and take charge of it.

Beware of anyone who says they know. Trust me, they don't, or they wouldn't have to say they did.

Theater is my temple and my religion and my act of faith. Strangers sit in a room together and believe together.

In Torch Song, I did that character almost non-stop from 1978 until I made the movie in 1987. Then I had some failure, which also colors how you react to doing other things.

I guess a drag queen's like an oil painting: You gotta stand back from it to get the full effect.

Theater has to resonate in your heart in a way that movies don't.