I'd seen too many shrines in South Central and thought it was worth asking where the first bullet came from that started all this violence.

Being a kid growing up with Kurosawa films and watching Sergio Leone movies just made me love what it could do to you, and how it could influence you - make you dream.

Cinema Paradiso, because it reminds me of why I make movies, the magic of movies, the romance of movies.

It's a dumb question, because I don't look at things as a black director, just as a director, so ask me as a director first and we can segue into the colour thing later.

Some men don't gel when it comes to work - you have different work ethics, different opinions, different points of views, different methods of filmmaking - and we didn't gel.

So it's hard to be an artist and be true to the reality of the world you want to create and also make it entertaining and successful financially.

I just think you can't shut your life off to just, you know, one thing. You gotta be open-minded. Explore things. Feed your artist.

I like the platform to show your art and everything that goes along with that. To show your voice and hopefully find films that are more politically driven, films that maybe inspire.

If I'm going to see my mom, I'm going to church!

If you see someone lying out knives and forks consistently, but then one day those knives and forks become weapons you're not sure if he does that as a warrior, that's just his thing.

We're very good friends, we have a very honest relationship. He keeps me honest, I keep him honest. He's an incredible actor and when you have an actor like Denzel action becomes drama.

The day of perfection is not scheduled on earth.

You make yourself too hard, you make yourself brittle too. Crack once, crack all to pieces

I have an unabashed adoration of cheesy pop music.

Defeat is a school in which truth always grows strong.

I know my lies are always wishes.

Don't bother explaining--I've heard all the excuses and the trouble is most of them are true.

As a producer or financier, you are going to go where you get the best bang for your buck.

I'm thinking of a legacy that I can be proud of and wealth that my grandchildren can use to go to college. So world domination - in terms of providing for my family - is absolutely my goal.

You can't put your feet on the ground until you've touched the sky.

I am very excited about the future.