34 Quotes by Courtney B. Vance

I didn't know anything about acting at all. I was completely green. I got into it to meet people, to try and figure out what I wanted to do.

When I was a senior in high school, I did an internship with a law firm. And it was very clear that I did not have what it took to do that kind of work.

Our parents didn't let us watch a lot of television growing up. We had Disney on Sunday nights, and at 8:30, they were like, 'Turn it off! Go to bed!'

It's one of the roles of a lifetime to be able to play someone like Mr. Cochran who was so influential. People knew about his work in regard to police brutality. He was very much a staple in the community - someone who, if there was trouble, people knew, 'Go get Johnnie Cochran.'

I've done a lot of movies, but my favorite was 'Blind Faith.'

Eventually, you know the rhythm of your character, of the set of the piece. It takes less energy for you to hit that point, and then everything resonates. But initially, it takes a tremendous amount of energy. You just hope it's gonna be okay and you don't forget your lines and those cameras.

From the outside, there's a lot of glitz. They see you on the red carpet, but they don't see what it takes to get there.

When actors have the opportunity to play a larger-than-life icon - my wife did it with Tina Turner, and Jamie Foxx did it with Ray Charles - you have to make a decision how you go in. What do you start with? Where do you begin?

I love Tom Cruise. I've been a Tom Cruise fan for a long time.