Quite honestly I never had a desire to be an actor. I tell people, I did not choose acting; acting chose me. I never grew up wanting to be an actor. I wanted to play football. In about 9th grade an English teacher told me I had a talent to act. He said I should audition for a performing arts high school so I did on a whim. I got accepted.
Ving RhamesI saw how, when my brother smoked reefer, it made my mother cry. He was 16 at the time. And I saw that she broke down and cried. I never wanted to hurt my mother, so I kept away from drugs.
Ving RhamesI grew up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood, but I didn't really know I was a deprived, poverty-stricken child until the media made me aware of it.
Ving RhamesAre you intimidated by me? Because if you're intimidated by me, that's something you'll have to deal with.
Ving RhamesSince God is the foundation of my life, anything that streams from that can only be positive.
Ving RhamesFor me, acting was a way of releasing all of this stuff that I had inside - and a way for me to tell the stories of the people I knew, so that their spirit could live through me.
Ving RhamesThe only difference between working on a huge-budget film and a lesser-budget film, is the quality of lunch and dinner.
Ving RhamesMy approach to the work is the same, whether I had the lead or a supporting role. I consider myself a character actor in the true sense of the word. Unless I'm doing my autobiography, I'm playing a character.
Ving Rhames