"Having a gun in your hand is very empowering."
"Well, you know, I have always had an issue with the whole weight thing with people in general because I happen to love how big women look. I mean, it's all a perspective. It's all an opinion, and I think sort of the Rubenesque, voluptuous body is a lot sexier than the boney bag of bones with fake everything."
"My mother and stepfather were in Vaudeville. And my stepfather was an alcoholic. It was a lot of roller coaster times. But it's all I knew. I think they did the best they could under the circumstances, with me and all the family."
"My own beauty routine is influenced pretty heavily from my 'Mad Men' routine. If I'm in the series of work, it's hard to see myself without eyelashes every day."
"I just have a great life. I know great people. I've had great relationships - all different kinds of relationships. I am so lucky to be on the little golden path that led me to all this."
"If I take up something, then it's only because I love it so. It makes no sense to leave it just because I got a better offer."
"Fashion gave me my start, and that will always be my home. I'll always be so grateful for all my collaborators and friends I've made there, but I'm so excited to dive head first into just being a working actor."
"Whenever I get a chance, I try spending as much time as possible with my family."
"Glam, for me, is all about a good lip, lots of mascara, and contouring. Contouring is very important."
"I feel like I'm 1,000. I don't feel I'm young enough a lot of the time."
"A long time ago when I was very little, I dreamed about being on stage. Some people told me I would never be able to do it, so I only paid attention to those who told me that I could."
"The gratification comes, for me, in the doing of it. And once I've done it, I can't do anything about it if it's good or if it's bad."
"I like singing as much as I like acting, and all through high school I thought I might be a Broadway singer."
"I was a total education geek. I loved school. I loved learning. I loved doing homework. All of my books and notebooks from high school are underlined and highlighted and there are notes all over the margins. And you know, I was a theater kid too. I was all over the place."
"I still eat a burger at a counter with ketchup dripping down my face."
"I'm an utterly average, total geek."
"In the ring, you're constantly working out and honing your craft, and you're doing the same thing with acting, too - taking classes and working with vocal coaches."
"I learned that in order to have a strong and credible voice, I needed to do more research into the history of black people in America while simultaneously digesting new and pertinent news."
"Power to the peaceful."
"I used to hate my behind, like every other black girl. I hated my behind. I hated my hair. I hated my nose because no one said it was beautiful."
"I've loved Lucknow for its feel, its people and the food."
"If I close my eyes and think of Hollywood, all I see is one big varicose vein."
"If wearing a weave is what makes you feel beautiful, if wearing a wig, if wearing your hair pink, blue, that's what matters, in my opinion."
"Emotions fascinate me, just being able to express myself through acting. I love that. And I think, in everyday life, you're always trying to repress your emotions. Like if you're sad, you don't want to show it to someone else."
"I keep everything that's private private."
