When I was 10 years old, we'd pick out a cow and boom! They'd hit it in the head with a hammer, lift it up by the back legs, and skin it in front of us. Then I'd take the head home and make soup

As Latinos, we are so aware of what people go through in order to come to America. It's very interesting to do research on something that's been culturally a part of your existence.

The sex with Mandy was good, but it wasn't like warm apple pie.

In your darkest times there's always room for a little light.

Doing this movie [Fast Food Nation] made me realize that our bodies are digesting things that it's not meant to digest. It's pretty bad for you. The cast is [now] very, very aware of where we get our food and what we put in our bodies.

It was very interesting [book Fast Food Nation] because all my friends who were in college, [and] this book became almost mandatory for them to read.

Sometimes when you're producing or directing something, and which I've been at fault to do in the past, you find yourself trying to do a portion of everyone else's job because you're just trying to be so in control and you think that you have to be hands on, on absolutely everything. You give your sense, you give your keynote to make sure the DNA is consistent. I think that's all you can really do.