An actress can only play a woman. I'm an actor, I can play anything.

Things happen to you out of luck, and if you get to stick around it's because you're talented.

It you want to be somebody, If you want to go some where, you've got to wake up and pay attention

Who amongst us doesn't want to be a hero?

Did you know that we are the only people in the United States who have to have their voting rights okayed every couple of years?

There are roles I am never considered for. Meryl Streep roles, let's say. Why not? I really wanted to do 'Ironweed,' for example, because the depression era in this country was one of the best for multiracial people, because everybody was poor. Everybody lived in the tents, and under buildings, and under gratings, together.

Sitting at the table during Color Purple and looking up and suddenly realizing I was acting in front of Steven Spielberg, was pretty cool. It was pretty good.