My priorities are really about creating balance in my home, making sure that I have enough time with my kids, making sure that I have the time to do the things that I want to do with my career, and to continue to make movies.

I think every family has that moment when the parents realize they need help and think, Oh my gosh. We cannot do this all alone. Every woman has that panic at some point in motherhood when you feel completely overwhelmed and constantly tired.

I believe that whatever your religious preference, there has to be a commitment to family because everything really does start there.

I want to have conversations, because they give you confidence in your choices. I learned it first on Boyz n the Hood, but it is not a race-based experience - it is part of the artistic process.

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.

I'm kind of pinching myself in the morning. Like, wait, you really did pray to have a body of work that stays diversified and interesting. And I have it!

Americans are in need of very objective information, and sometimes it's easier to absorb the message through entertainment and through a great story than through the news outlets [where] everything is sensationalized. Not only are you getting information that sort of defies stereotypes, but you're also getting a wonderful story with hopefully good performances.