I think this idea of a big break is a lie.

I have all of Kendrick Lamar on vinyl.

At some point, I'll do more McDonald's commercials if I have to.

As a kid, you don't have a ton of spaces where you are honored, where what you think is honored and what you say is revered.

The reason you write something that is exciting and visceral is to force people to hear what you have to say, especially if you're in any kind of marginalized community where people don't want to listen. You have to come up with tricks to make them listen.

I was really aware, even while it was happening, that the discovery of arts education in my life sort of saved my life.

I feel like, anytime I'm onstage, I tend to feel very connected with people in the audience or with the sort of heartbeat or tempo of the audience.

I can jump really high, yeah. I'm proud of that. I'll take it.

I felt so loved and taken care of, and that's a huge part of the reason I'm able to do what I do.

If a project feels good to you, say yes. And do it with everything that you have and hope that the outcome is good.

As more doors open for me, I try to always bring people who I know through.

I think people understand I'm not actually the real Thomas Jefferson.

Acting is about finding truth and finding the way to convey the truth.

I have a recognizable silhouette.

Being an emcee onstage is mostly about crowd control, about monitoring energy levels.

I play a girl called Patti in the film 'Patti Cake$,' and she's a girl from New Jersey, and she dreams of being a famous rapper.

I didn't know how to be cool. I didn't know how to have swag.

Diversity is just 'the world.' It's different cultures, different backgrounds, different ethnicities, different religions, genders, sexual orientation, shapes, sizes. That is the world, but we call it 'diversity' because there is this one type that has always been accepted in the media, and it's finally starting to change.

I wanted to go overseas and act. I wanted to be an actor in an industry that isn't necessarily the most inclusive for anybody different.

The only thing is, I'm terrified of horror movies. I'm scared - I'm admitting it! I mean, I would still do a horror movie; I just probably wouldn't be able to watch it.

My mom is Italian, and her whole family still lives in Italy. My dad is Australian, and his family lives in Australia, so we were raised there.

People say things unintentionally, not realizing that it could hurt someone's feelings because they've just never experienced what you have.

Growing up, you see movies, and the big person is always the butt of a joke or the funny best friend, or they lose weight, and that's when they become redeemable.

Words are just words. They only bother you if you let them.