A movie is painting, it's photography, it's literature - because you have to have the screenplay - it's music. Put a different soundtrack to a comedy and it's a tragedy.

Maybe at the core of me, I'm a survivor, but I don't do it on purpose. Sometimes, in acting of course with your performance, some of your own personal character seeps through. My performance goal has always been to perform for the audience. People pay their hard earned money, and so I always desire to give all of myself in every single scene.

Becoming a mother is the best thing that's happened to me.

Making African American films are hard in Hollywood. We need to rely on a support network and bring more cohesion to different filmmakers, actors, producers etc. It's a very difficult business. There aren't a lot of Africans Americans or people of color in high positions in Hollywood that we can green-light films.

Sometimes I do yoga, sometimes it's kickboxing, sometimes it's weight training, sometimes it's Pilates.

I don't try to intellectualize characters too much. But I always think of the audience. I always make sure that my characters are likeable.

I'm an extremist. Either I'm being healthy and organic, or I want a big, juicy In-N-Out burger, I want it all now! It sure makes me happy.