I am a woman, I make mistakes. I make them often. God has given me a talent and that`s it.

Beauty is an understanding of what you have, and it's forgiving yourself of what you don't have, and appreciating all of it.

I don't write on demand - I wait for inspiration to come.

It excites me when a person puts their whole self in a song or rhyme, or instrument. It fills me.

I don't necessarily think of myself as a feminist, but I'm a whole person. I'm not just breasts or ass or thighs - I'm a whole being! And it just seems like women aren't necessarily striving to be the whole of themselves.

I had to wear a fat suit to play Mma Ramotswe in 'The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.' She's described as being like a small elephant, but she loves her body and size. When we were filming in Africa, it was 110F. It was torturous. I drank a lot of water and ate cucumbers all the time, and underneath the fat suit I shed pounds - I couldn't help it.

As slavery died for the greater good of America, and the movement for equality sputtered to life, the white woman was on the cover of every American magazine. She was the dazzling jewel on every movie screen, the glory of every commercial and television show.