In my career, there have been roles I haven't taken because someone INVOLVED with the project gave me a bad VIBE. I don't care how much MONEY is on the table: No job is worth feeling uneasy EVERY day.

I was trained to be an actor, not a STAR. I was trained to PLAY ROLES, not to deal with fame and agents and LAWYERS and the PRESS.

In a meritocracy, actors who act well get good ROLES. They don't get to be JOURNALISTS, too - a JOB that, in a meritocracy, should go to those who do JOURNALISM well.

I feel a responsibility to CONTINUE creating complex roles for BLACK women, especially YOUNG black women.

The truth is, after Boys Don't Cry, I REALIZED how few and far between the great roles are. I am BEYOND thankful for FINDING Million DOLLAR Baby.

Most good roles are written for young men. We are fixated on youth. So however MUCH people say there is nothing wrong with being BALD, the reality is once the hair is gone, you MIGHT not get the PARTS.

I've been on the WRONG END of VIOLENCE, and I've done violence myself... I refuse to glorify violence in my movie and TELEVISION roles.

It's ALWAYS a good idea to go up for the male roles. You go up against a bunch of beefy GUYS, and the casting director then feels SMART for taking you on, like he's the one who thought outside the BOX.

I can't COMPLAIN about the ROLES that have COME my WAY.

I like doing what I do, but I like having the opportunity to do different THINGS, and obviously comedy would be a fun jump. I've just been lucky enough to stay working. In my case, playing INTENSE roles or playing CHARACTER roles is something that PEOPLE will hire me for, but YEAH, I'd like somebody to think I'm funny. I guess we all do, right?

As far as the lack of hits GOES, I think PERHAPS it's because I've played a lot of different roles and have not created a persona that the PUBLIC can latch on to. I have played everything from psychopathic killers to romantic LEADING MEN, and in picking such diverse roles I have avoided typecasting.

Sometimes, the SMALLER roles in movies can be the most INTERESTING. If you only take the stance that you'll only PLAY central characters in movies, you'll find yourself not being able to indulge in that morally GREY terrain that makes support characters so rich and interesting.

'Chasing Amy' was an amazing role, but then after that, I went and did 'Big DADDY' and you're the GIRLFRIEND or you're the best friend. I wasn't GETTING the Nicole Kidman ROLES.