What doesn't feel okay to me, what feels a little bit out of balance, is when you want to turn yourself into something else - when you want to be another person.

When I act, a part of me goes into the character I am playing.

I'm a very feminine person, but I have this hard shell, man, and I stay focused and don't take things personally.

I'm a kid from New York, so urban life reflected into art and music was around me and accessible and tangible.

I don't understand labels. I don't need anybody to tell me I'm Latina or black or anything else. I've played characters that were written for Caucasian females, I just want to be given the same consideration as everybody else, and so far that has been happening.

I like to be around people who are very passionate. People that won't fight but that will be very over-protective and outspoken about their opinion, their point of view, their ideas.

I was a ballet dancer for so long, but when I realized I had reached my limit and that I couldn't go any further I knew I wanted to pursue acting. That's one thing you don't use as a dancer - your voice. And the one thing I use most in my life is my voice so it's wonderful to get to express myself artistically through the biggest instrument I use.