My guiltiest pleasure is reading a novel with a glass of wine. I love to read voraciously. I always have. And I love to lose myself in a good book.

As someone who tried to be great. I don't know if one ever gets to greatness, but I've put in a good effort, and will continue to do so.

I'm able to inspire other people, to see the potential of a career, they can look to me and see that they can do it.

I don't over-think my existence. I'm a very imperfect person, like most of us are. I'm also a very busy person. I have a family. I have a career. I'm a professor at NYU. I have a full life for which I feel grateful every day.

I've come to really believe that I have something to offer as a filmmaker, that goes beyond what I had to offer as an actress and maybe this is what I'm meant to do.

I wanted to pay homage to someone who was such an important literary figure in my life. I think Langston Hughes would be proud of the picture Black Nativity, yet it's a contemporary story about a family living in Harlem. I named the lead character Langston, put a little bit of poetry in there, and some Langston Hughes quotes, and, of course, his stage play, Black Nativity.

I love working with young artists. Jacob Latimore was the first kid that I auditioned. After he walked out, I turned to my husband and said, "I think that's the kid. I don't know if I have to look any further. He's the one!" He's a real star.