We're all trying to be artists making our own unique statements. I think the only real way to do that is through failure.

I think the beauty of the film industry is that if another person tries to become another person or act like another person or imitate another person, they don't really get too far. When that person starts to realize who they are and what they can bring to the table, they start to blossom and grow. With that, it's not so much me looking towards my predecessors who have paved the way in the industry - it's more getting inspired. I get little bits and pieces of what I can take from any and everybody.

I grew up like every young kid I know, who wants to be a cop and wants to be a firefighter, so this lifestyle that I've chosen happens to offer that in small doses in front of the camera. I want to take advantage of that. Hopefully I can play many, many different occupations.

I don't want you to look at my skin and think "white" or look at my heritage and think "Mexican." I want you to look at me and see me as a human being, and hopefully, we can get past all of this other stuff. It's asking a lot, of course, but there's only one way you fight extremists on both sides, whether it be racist or not, and that's by looking past me, getting bigger than that, letting them not affect you, drawing from it and sticking together with the like-minded people you have around you.

Some people either really like me or some people don't like me, but even if you don't like me right now or you kinda like me right now, this isn't the end for me, I'm going to continue.

Physically? If you've got really beautiful eyes, you have me in a trance right from the beginning. As far as personality, I'm attracted to really shy girls. Someone who knows who they are and is very genuine. That is just so sexy to me.

The compliment that I like more than anything is when my family tells me I'm the same Ryan. I never want to become a celeb who forgets about anybody or has a big head about himself.