I was raised to be in service to something larger than myself. A lot of actors concentrate on what they will get out of the profession, rather than what they can offer it. The way I see it, if you come with something to offer, you can offer it forever.

When you look at me you don't immediately imagine a very very glamorous icon, so it's only in the theater that I get to do these experiments. I've been an actor about 51 years now. I've played everything from an 8-year-old black boy to a 72-year-old French matriarch, and they hardly hire you to do that on TV.

I'm sorry I didn't wear paint this morning. I tend not to wear it unless I'm getting highly paid.

Women are usually only interesting to studio executives when they are fecund, between the ages of 15 and 30. I decided to get through the really tough patch, around 50, by just cutting my price and playing ten years older. I didn't want to have to wait until I was an old lady to play one.

Sweat makes good friendship cement.

I'm not glamorous, I don't have a look, I don't know anything about opera, I have no Italian, and I'm too old.

Both my parents were actors. I was schooled to think that acting was an important social service, that it was something that human beings need.