I have experienced loss in my life, but the thing that brings you back is your faith.

You cannot live to please everyone else. You have to edify, educate and fulfill your own dreams and destiny, and hope that whatever your art is that you're putting out there, if it's received, great, I respect you for receiving it. If it's not received, great, I respect you for not.

I'm glad that I get to take my final walk as the princess of 2012. ...there's nothing wrong with winning an Oscar!

It is important to learn as much as you can about the person and then throw it all away so that you're not in any way doing some sort of mimicry.

One thing I've learned is be comfortable in your skin, and more importantly, be comfortable in your shoes.

There are enough negative images of Black women out there and I did not want to portray Dorothy Vaughn in any stereotype. I wanted to make sure that her integrity was preserved.

I hate to tell people what they should think 'cause I really have an aversion when people tell me what to think.