The idea that talent is directly proportional to your trophy cabinet is one I oppose.
As a musician, basically the masses never thought I was a musician.
Because - Bobby Lewis said this once to us in class, the better you get, the less credit you'll get. Because the better you are, the more it looks like walking and talking and everybody thinks they can walk and talk.
I think a lot of people, if they get the opportunity to do some acting, they think, 'I might be a star.'
I get offered a lot of parts where I want to say, 'Why don't you just hire a model? Don't hire an actor.' I'm trying to convince people I'm a real actor, not some mannequin.
Why is it that we understand playing the cello will require work, but we attribute writing to the magic of inspiration?
When a man has displayed talent in some particular path, and left all competitors behind him in it, the world are too apt to give him credit for universality of genius, and to anticipate for him success in all that he undertakes.
The world will always punish the few people with special talents the rest of us don’t recognize as real.
I don't know why, but people tend to look at stand-ups and think they can act, which actually isn't the case. But never mind. I thought: if that's the area where they're looking, then that's the area where I'll put myself - even as a means to an end. And it was.
It's not anything that is just perpetuated by White America or just perpetuated by Black America. It's just a cultural understanding that you're just not a part of the equation when it comes to sexuality and I think that people mistake your lack of opportunity with the level of your talent.
What does get hard is when I'm put in the box of, 'Oh, she just woke up one day, did a reality show, and decided she wants to be a singer.' That's offensive, and it's not the case with me.
All you have to do is to look like crap on film and everyone thinks you're a brilliant actress. Actually, all you've done is look like crap.
I had people think I was brilliant, then 'Half Baked' bricked. They literally look at me like a homeless person.
Interesting characters are troubled characters. The only problem I've had in my business is very few people - unfortunately, very vocal - confusing the difficult role that I play with me. I play these guys, but I'm not like them. I've been accused of being difficult to work with.
People don't know and they shouldn't know that you work incredibly hard as an actor.
Just because you're a belter doesn't make you funny; it just means that's how your pipes are set up.
I hate the idea of people thinking that I'm just a little girl who goes into studios with pop producers, and they work their magic.
If you're an actress or a musician, everyone thinks you're hot.
