I never thought I was pretty. I couldn't even put on eyelashes or makeup.

I wanted to be in film. I wanted to be a film student, possibly be a director or cinematographer, not an actor. That was my goal. I didn't believe I had the physical beauty that I'd seen projected and advertised in movies, in theater. It just wasn't for me.

I don't believe that I should just do A-movies, I just do the work as an artist.

That's what he was saying, the civil rights movement - judge me for my character, not how black my skin is, not how yellow my skin is, how short I am, how tall or fat or thin; It's by my character.

Some day I want to play a grandmother. And a foxy one at that!

It's the best honor when someone wants to use as their professional title the name of a character that you portrayed.

When you are an actor, you bring a tool in your craft but you are not that person.