With success comes more responsibility, a larger size of existence, which is uncomfortable.

When I was in the second grade, one of my teachers said, "Where are you going to find a husband? How are you going to find someone darker than you?" I was mortified. I remember seeing a commercial where a woman goes for an interview and doesn't get the job. Then she puts a cream on her face to lighten her skin, and she gets the job! This is the message: that dark skin is unacceptable. I definitely wasn't hearing this from my immediate family - my mother never said anything to that effect - but the voices from the television are usually much louder than the voices of your parents.

And my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter-skinned.

I went to the Independent Spirit Awards and won.

Happiness is the most important thing.

My immediate family was always very supportive. It was my own fear of the rest of the world not accepting me, the rest of our society not accepting my wish to be an actor.

Human beings have an instinct for freedom.