We were all Romans once, I guess.
Whatever art form you`re working in, it`s crucial to see it clearly, to feel it clearly, and not to worry about the results, or how someone else will see it.
Writing is the beast unto itself.
Boxing, for me, it`s the beginning of all sports. I`m willing to bet that the first sport was a man against another man in a fight, so I think that`s something innate in all of us.
The whole Black Hollywood thing doesn`t exist for me anymore. Once someone says that to themselves, they subject themselves to those rules.
I believe success is preparation, because opportunity is going to knock on your door sooner or later but are you prepared to answer that?
You want to live your own life, but when you have fame, there are certain things you can`t get away with.
If someone saves your life, you develop a brotherhood, no matter what your race.
There`s show and there`s business. Business is a whole other beat.
People don`t want to pay 8 or 9 dollars to go see a problem that they have in their life, on screen. They pay to get away from that. That`s why they watch soap operas.
I spend 90 percent of my time saying no, and my accountant yells at me for it, but when I started in this business, I wanted my career to have legs.
I`ve never taken myself too seriously.
People are realizing that color has no bearing on what`s known as brotherhood.
I like boxing movies. One of the hardest things for me to watch as far as boxing films, is the boxing. The actual boxing usually sucks.
The only way to ensure a film is going to sell is put Will Smith in it and you open it in 3,000 theaters and make sure we have all the top promotional spots in each venue.
A lot of directors are overbearing and tend to make you doubt your instincts.
(1999, in an interview in "Newsday") I`m going to be the first black President of the United States. If [Ronald Reagan can do it, I know I can.
Before "ER" (1994) a lot of people knew my name and some people knew my face. I saw big difference after "ER", like, wow, I didn`t know television was that powerful.
It`s natural for any actor that segues into directing to be an actor`s director. You know how to relate to the actors.
The world is as it should be.
I`ve been writing since I was a kid. Short stories, poetry, and all of that, and acting is just an extension of that. It just came naturally. So it`s coming full circle.
The only limitations that I can have are the ones that I set on myself.
People don`t want to pay eight or nine dollars to go see a problem that they have in their life, on screen. They pay to get away from that. That`s why they watch soap operas.
That word, fan, has always kind of bothered me.