Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Joe and I always say that our guide through action is always story and character. We're always driving right at the character beats, or else the action beat doesn't work.
I always at least try to come from some sort of human place no matter how ridiculous the character is. That's really awesome. That is more the work that I'm leaning towards doing.
It's always hard for a writer to make herself into a character; I had to figure out what my defining characteristics were, and that's something I had to work through multiple drafts to figure out.
I like playing a character every day. I like having something to go back to. I always enjoyed that with 'Will & Grace.' I like the camaraderie. I like having a crew that I know and I can work with every day.
I've always been battling this perception people have of me, this character. It follows me around. 'Bubba the Bear' shows up when I'm checking into a hotel, when I'm on a plane. I can't get upset with people if they're only aware of a small part of my body of work. But inside I do.
My criteria has always been the script, director and character. But I also attach importance to the production house. After all, the banner has to go all out to present the film in a grand manner. I am ready to work with any house that is capable of marketing and packaging a film well.
Look - I'm an African-American. I'm black. But I'm just looking at the character and trying to find his soul, his energy. If you can wipe away the blanket of skin and flesh that people tend to see, and look inside for the essence of the soul, then that's the work I'm doing. That's the work I always do.
My brother Ryan was on the Disney XD show 'Pair of Kings' where he played Lanny, the evil cousin to twin kings, for three seasons. His motivation to be a better actor always pushes me to work harder and try to be more like him. When he gets a role, he will study that character until he becomes that person.
When I work with a character like Valjean on stage, I get totally absorbed in that man. I become that man. But there's always, outside of that, the third eye, which watches what you're doing. And you can say to yourself, 'I'm crying well' or 'I'm being angry well.' But there's always that element there, and it never stops.