There are only one or two geniuses every century.

Face your reality. You, black or white, are not innocent anymore. Either you have the courage to face it or you will go down together with the whole idea of the American Dream.

Just try to be yourself and resist complacency and ignorance. All you can do is work, work; work and be disciplined.

The system gives you two minutes to phrase a whole history.

You need to react. That's the absurdity of Twitter. You can react without thinking now.

I just hope that my films will survive me.

[James] Baldwin is needed even more today because he helps you focus to the essential, to what is important.

[James] Baldwin "was one of greatest intellectuals of his time. He was an important voice, period, not an important black voice."

Today, I don't even think that people like [James Baldwin] are possible. He would not have that much room.

Your tweet is as important as if you would have written a Ph.D. [dissertation] on the subject.

Why would anything change that has not been changed since the existence of cinema? [James] Baldwin somehow wakes you up to reality. It takes you out of the dream - or out of the nightmare.

I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.

The greatest and best talent that God gives to any man or woman in this world is the talent of prayer.

There isn't anything I don't eat, although I'm not too keen on creepy crawly things. Other than that, I'm quite adventurous. I like all types of red meat, and I'm not a fussy eater at all.

Musical theatre is something I'm familiar with, I've been doing that.

Bravery is not strength in the face of a far lesser foe. Bravery is the exact opposite of that.

Still, in international matters, the treaty changes nothing. That is, it doesn't prevent us from being friends with other countries, which indeed we are.

I've never actually seen a Star Trek, but I have seen an Alien movie.

The organization cannot trust the individual; the individual must trust the organization.

I just think of myself as a comedian, really.

I think if you give in and accept society's stereotypes, then you start thinking, 'I cannot dance till late at night because I'm 70.'