It always seems that the generation below you is getting worse, which is why I had the worst character in the film Adulthood that said it. I don't remember speaking to my elders like that, because you never remember... actually our generation was quite bad because everyone else always seems worse.

The BFI recently did a study of the British films that have the most people of color in them in the last 10 years, and in the top 10, three of the films were my films. I've always been a glass-is-half-full person. I've always gone, "If people aren't going to do it, I'm going to do it".

I don't think I'm egotistical, and I know what my limits are: I'm a black guy who's probably losing his hair. But I'm happy to play roles that I'm given, and I'm happy to play roles that I write.

When I write a project, it might be something that I want to do and then when I look at it, I'm actually like, "I kind of don't want to direct it." I don't know why, I still love it enough for it to be made and to support it, but I don't want to direct it. I just give it to other directors and they do a good job!

When I wrote 'Kidulthood,' I didn't even know there was going to be a 'Kidulthood.' I just wanted to test myself to see if I could write a script.

People can criticise me all day long. It just washes off me. You might as well be talking to a wall.

I couldn't tell you the ratio, but probably for every job you see me do, there would be 20 rejections.