Every role you play is literally - and I`ve said this before - every single role that you play, the only way you can connect to that character is because that was a piece of you that was scattered around that yard, almost like we got caught up in some whirlwind.

In every person we meet there`s this little piece of God in them and that`s who you talk to. And that`s the only person that you allow to talk to you. When something else is speaking, you walk away from that. If it`s not good, if it`s not love, you walk away from it.

The purpose of my life is being a father to my kids and being a husband to my wife.

You just drop a character like this that and the other and it`s done.

You start off thinking that your life might go in one particular direction, but then I knew where my heart was at, and I always wanted to act.

When you hear buzz around the beehive, you know they`re making honey in there.

I ad lib. I`ve gotta bring my own into it.

And when I stopped doing that and started thinking about what feels natural and what feels right to me and started pleasing myself, then it became good.

And right now I may just be living inside the heart of the body, and I one day hope to move to the brain.

The only thing that really matters in the initial part of my career, the worst mistake I`ve ever made was try to do things to please the audience thinking how the audience is going to respond if I do this.

I had a really rabid frustration that I could fully exist and not be a target from either side, whether it`s from the black side or the white side.

I don`t like skinny girls. A woman is supposed to have curves. I`m definitely attracted to the waves in the ocean.

And, so yeah, I`ll always want to work in independent films because you`re not forced into a category or a formula.

My life`s experiences, I`ve always had, my uncle used to call it antenna. I know what`s going to happen oftentimes before it happened when it`s involving me.

My future`s about trying to be a better man.

I did 19 years of supporting [roles] before I tried to take a lead.

I love trees. Too much concrete in New York. Too many big people. I don`t do well with big, important people...Besides until I start making money I`m strictly McDonald`s. [on why he still lives in Philadelphia].

I just wanted to be a scientist.

Every little job becomes a dream, and you don`t recall it anymore, and maybe you might have a deja vu moment, but it`s like something you dreamed earlier.

I`m damn near 37 years old, and I`m jumping up and down on the bed like my 10-year-old. I was a wild man [31 January 2006 upon learning of his Oscar nomination for Hustle & Flow (2005)].

Every one of us is an artist, and as an artist, you really can stroll into any venue that you want, as long as you take your time to learn the etiquette of that venue.

No, most of the decisions that I make with regard to taking roles, I just look for something that`s challenging, something that I think I can accomplish, you know.

Don`t just view me as an actor.

I don`t have any love for this business or the game or for acting. This is my day job.

The reason that I`m an actor, or an artist, is ultimately because I`m trying to paint a self-portrait, and the most complete and beautiful self-portrait that you can.

Every artist has to grow, and has to challenge themselves with a new form of expression.

I like to watch mankind in its futile attempt to understand the unknown, when they don`t even understand that which they know.

And I`m very surprised that all this stuff actually worked out to where I could have a career in film, gain the benefit of my education, and be thankful that I was able to break into my craft as an actor.

I`ve always had a natural fear of the police, or abuse of their power.

As a child our dreams got scattered all about and all our future prospects got scattered to so many places, and we spend our lives trying to find the little pieces that make up our lives and make up the dreams that we had as a child that got blown away in the windstorm.

Everyone wants to work with Spielberg.

The difference with Cleveland is that the racial tension was not a casual taste of it. It was outlandish.

So I show appreciation for the little gifts that have been handed to me.

I`m trying to make enough money where I can be financially independent and be able to go and just pursue that thing that everybody really needs, just pursue my family and the cause of my family.

Sometimes the only way to make palatable that which is appalling and apprehensive is to season it with some humor.

We both can be the most beautiful and benevolent creatures on the planet, but then there`s another side that can be as harsh and as ugly as the darkest thing you could imagine seeing.

You know, it goes without saying that things are different for people of color. I work to pay the bills, not to listen to the hype. I`ve been the next big thing in this business for a few years. It`s funny to me when I hear it now, because I know the way it works. I`m not confused.

I can`t tell you if one day I`ll be standing up there with an Oscar or directing, but I am going to be the best human being I possibly can.

We call the Creator father, because we rely upon Him to protect us, guide us, feed us, keep us warm, to discipline us and all those things. I try to take my cue from the Creator, with regard to my children.

I am an engineer, but what I find important and necessary is that you just learn things as you go along.

All the things we have to remember, and I`ve mentioned this before, is that we`re all artists.

So I`m appreciative that people are liking what I`m doing, but whether they like it or not, it doesn`t matter, because I won`t change what I`m doing.