I'm fighting the label of 'Black' actress simply because it's very limiting in people's eyes, especially people who are making movies.

If every American donated five hours a week, it would equal the labor of 20 million full-time volunteers.

Just call me black, if you want to call me anything.

My family is Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist and Catholic. I don't believe in man-made religions.

The Africans know I'm not an African. I'm an American.

We're born with success. It is only others who point out our failures, and what they attribute to us as failure.

When I listen to these women, it makes what I thought were my hard knocks feel like little nudges.

You know, be an actor because you love to act. Don't be an actor because you think you're going to get famous, because that's luck.

And I don't believe that I have to stay on one side of the fence or the other. I don't believe that there is any good career move or bad career move. I believe there are only the things that make me happy.

I am the American Dream. I am the epitome of what the American Dream basically said. It said you could come from anywhere and be anything you want in this country. That's exactly what I've done.

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.

When I started, I knew I didn't fit any visual that anyone was going to lie down and take their clothes off about. Work doesn't come to me; I go out and look for it.

When I was doing ensemble theater and comedy work, I felt I had some talents. But when I started doing my shows in Berkeley and found that I could be funny on my own, I was shocked.

Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine.

It bums me out tremendously what the church has become, and if it's got me bummed, imagine what Jesus Christ must be feeling.

I don't have pet peeves; I have whole kennels of irritation.

It's being willing to walk away that gives you strength and power - if you're willing to accept the consequences of doing what you want to do.

I am where I am because I believe in all possibilities.

I don't look like Halle Berry. But chances are she's going to end up looking like me.

I am an artist, art has no color and no sex.