I have a four year old and I'm telling you we did Nickelodeon last night and he embarrassed me. It was like one of those moments when I couldn't believe my kid is acting like this. I just had to just like walk away from him because he was really pushing my buttons.

I think Nina Simone has had an amazing journey. She was spicy and she had attitude and she didn't care, she wanted her money in a paper bag and don't mess with me and I've been doing some research on that so.

In talking and communicating, [it's important that we] really share information with one another - because I think that leads to better understanding - and also just kind of [educate] one another in a way that's really honest.

When you are single mom - don't be afraid to get out there and date, and have a little bit of fun. We're still women... we're still feminine... and we still have needs.

I feel it's that I don't ever give up on myself, and I'd rather run a marathon than a sprint. Personally, I think I'm a slow learner who's getting better every year, every moment, every project. I've met so many amazing people along the way. And there's no gimmick with me. What you see is what you get.

I try to do the same thing when I'm with young actors who are new and unsure. I try to do the same thing for them that I saw Laurence [Fishburne] and Angela [Dasset]do for all of us on Boyz n the Hood.

It would certainly would be great to see more films featuring the black family and showing that we are capable of having that unit strong and present and beautiful, because that's so much of who we really are.