Quote collection
234 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"We know what hair smells like when a hot comb hits it. That's a cultural thing. We know what that smells like on Sunday mornings, usually church-related or something. In my house, it was getting ready for church and your sister was getting her hair fried."
"[Black people] come into the world exactly like you. It's just that there are circumstances in the culture that are dictated and put on our lives that we have to fight against."
"I always say the time to worry about flying is when you're on the ground. If you don't trust the captain, don't go."
"By the way, sitting with other mommies is probably the most frightening experience in the entire world. They're serious into mommy-shaming."
"[Fences] is just a great play to bring to the screen."
"You'll see some great performances [in Fences]. And I'm not just saying that because I directed it either! You'll see!"
"Fundamentally, the most important thing is to get the film made for me and to get as many people to see it as possible. And if I help that, then - I know I help that, let's put it that way. I do know that I help that. It is called show business."
"[Having monologue] are talking to somebody even if it's just to yourself, convince yourself if that's what you're trying to do."
"I think that if there can be considered racism it's to do with the lack of opportunities for writers and producers and the people behind the camera."
"You start to find a rhythm and usually if it makes me laugh or comment in the editing room then I knew that's what's going to happen in the audience. That first reaction is usually the right reaction."
"I'm not afraid to upset people. But I am not as upset because I understand what I'm up against."
"When you look in one direction where Troy's chair was, you could see out through the yard across the street, there was an old cork bar advertisement for five cents. We wanted it to feel like this was real life [in Fences] and that it extended blocks and blocks."
"I called Scott Rudin, and I told him I wanted to do the play [Fences], so that's how the ball got rolling. I never said, "I'll do the play, and the next year I'll do the film, I just wanted to do the play.""
"In 2009, Scott Rudin sent me August's [Wilson] original screenplay [Fences] and asked me what I wanted to do with it. He wanted to know if I wanted to act in it, direct it or produce it. I said, "Well, let me read it first.""
"People tend to relax when they're off camera. That's when they should be working the hardest."
"Come on, I know bad acting when I hear it."
"As the filmmaker, yes, I have to look out for everybody. But I don't have to know everybody's approach."
"Growing up I didn't watch movies."
"I've worked with children all my life."
"[My father] could see as far as he could see and my mother wanted us to go to college so it was a very real part of my life."