Ava DuVernay Quotes

On American TV, there just aren't a lot of female leads in comedy, especially at the peak of all the Judd Apatow stuff.

If I have to produce movies, direct movies, whatever to change the way Hollywood treats older women, I'll do it. If I have to bend the rules, I will. If I have to break them, I will.

It never crossed my mind to be a director, and I'll tell you why: because I'm a woman. It just didn't occur to me, but I knew I had to be in film.

If we do want to bring a woman in to direct a 'Star Wars'... we don't want to talk somebody into it.

I don't want people saying, 'Should we get a female director?' I want to hear, 'Should we get a great director for this movie?'

I think when an actress is good, roles in mid-forties is a great thing.

In an industry still dominated by men, working with a female director on an episode written by a woman, helmed by a female showrunner, all while doing scenes with your screen sister is like getting to see the big five at the wild animal park. It's awesome.

The next Bond ought to be a woman or, at least, a black actor.

What I find astounding is that we've had a president who is black in office for the past eight years, who gets most of his funding from the liberal elite in Hollywood. Yet, there are not very many roles for people of color. How can that be? And why is it just now being addressed?

I can't tell you the number of stories I've told with a female protagonist don't get bought, or they do get bought and get changed drastically. Or, I will literally write into the script different races, and they get cast all-white. I hope that stops and it opens the door for more voices to be heard in movies.

In the not-for-profit world, I never felt that being female was an impediment. I was, however, given my break into commercial theatre by a female producer, Judy Craymer, and women - in particular, Donna Langley, president of production at Universal - were crucial in giving 'Mamma Mia' a home in Hollywood.

One woman who I think is great is Vidya Balan: her casting in 'The Dirty Picture' was very exciting. Let's break new grounds; let's think beyond the usual. Why can't a woman who plays a mother also play a lover, or why a lover can't play a villain?

I'm quite unusual in directing terms: I'm a woman. I'm quite a girly girl. I was never academic.

Black films and television are growing and getting the recognition... and the opportunities.

Someone asked if I wanted to be the first female Bond, and I was saying that I don't think we necessarily need that whole conversation.

As a 6-foot, 6-inch, 300-pound black man, I've done everything I can to stay out of that box that Hollywood tries to put me in. I've been able to play a variety of roles, like the character of Vern in 'Shall We Dance?' with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez to the character of Neal in 'Things We Lost in the Fire.' I've been blessed.

I'm curious when I look across the dial Monday through Friday, you know, where are the other female black anchors?

You rarely see a musical being told about the life of a black woman.

I have always acted in films where women have an equal, if not bigger, role than mine. Don't the kind of films you do reflect your personality?

In my own experience, when we have an open directing assignment of any kind, not just the big films, I would say it is the exception, not the rule, that there is a woman in the group of directors that we are interviewing. I think that's from the pool being so small.

Of course, I will continue acting. I just need to dispel the Telugu and Tamil cinema's insecurities about married actresses. I don't know about others. But I am not going anywhere after marriage.

Working with a female director has great perks.

I'd love to see a woman host the Oscars.

I want to break the stereotype that when an actress becomes a mother, she can only do certain type of roles.

When I stepped into the Lifetime role in 2010, I did a listening tour of what was going on for women in this country. There was such a parallel in Hollywood with women talking about how there are stories that are not getting made and that talented young women are not getting the opportunity to direct and write.