It's amazing that people still feel, 'Oh my gosh, it's a black guy.' We've been here for a long time; let's get used to it. Let's get used to other cultures.

I think what Robert Redford established is amazing; thank god for Robert Redford. He's set an amazing example with Sundance and I hope to follow that in my own way.

Portray the world for what it is, and you will find truth.

You take your audience through such a story where they have to invest their energy and emotion, and to slap them in the face with, "Well, this is how life is. Bye," wouldn't have been as great as the ending that we have, which is optimistic and hopeful. It's not happy 100%, but it does make you feel like, "This kid may just be okay."

Let's get used to other cultures. Portray the world for what it is and you will find truth.

Every time I go out in London, I'm not always with my guys. I have three female friends that I'll go out with all the time. I'm the only guy there.

You could easily play the guy as straight-up hood throughout the whole movie, the Imperial Courts, but writer and director Malik Vitthal envisioned a human being that has never been seen before in film: a black man in circumstances that he does not like, who is passionate - persistent - in turning it around.