(In 1998) "Acting's like someone asking you for years to write the characters, but they write the book." "I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That's my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but it's not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question." [on where he likes to keep his Oscars] "Next to each other." "I have a friend who says 'the first 50 was for them, this 50's for me'. I like that. The weirdest part of it, or even the saddest part, is that you start to see people die. You go 'Man! He wasn't even that old'. I lost a friend recently who died of a heart attack. He was 58. When I was 20, 58 was old. It ain't now." - on approaching 50 "That ain't fair, really. Michelle Pfeiffer hasn't been finding a lot of work recently because she doesn't like what a woman her age is offered. That's a real double standard. You get Sean Connery, who gets older and older, still playing opposite young ladies, but it doesn't work the other way around." - on working with young female co-stars "I have to try and find a way to remain positive because those days are boring to me, really, just hanging off the side of a building, fighting or grunting." - on shooting action scenes "People say, 'Congratulations, you finally got the Oscar', and I have to correct them: 'Actually, it's my second one. I won for Glory in 1989.' Some people say, 'Yeah, but that was for a supporting actor role' but for me, it's the same thing." "Probably Shakespeare. I did Othello in college, and Richard III, and those are the two roles I'd like to revisit. Movies? There's a couple I wish I hadn't done. I won't say which ones, but there are a couple of mistakes there." - on what roles he'd like to redo "I was a mess. I don't know if I ate bad food or if it was too much tension, but I got sick. There was a huge traffic jam, and I remember saying 'Look, it took me all this time to get here - I'm showing up in a limousine and I don't care how late I am.' By the time I got there, there was no red carpet. Everyone was inside because the show had already started." - on being late for the 1987 Oscars "I root for the Knicks. I root for the Yankees." (when asked which does he call home, L.A. or New York). "The only way I'm going to L.A. is with a job." (when asked what prompted him to go to Hollywood). "I remain thankful for the gifts that I've been given and I try to use them in a good way, in a positive way." "Acting is just a way of making a living, the family is life." For the movie Glory, before going out to shoot the whipping scene I'm backstage in a room, and I'm thinking, how am I gonna do this scene? All I did - you know people ask me, how did you prepare? - I say, I prayed. And I got on my knees and they were waiting for me, and I prayed. And then I prayed to all the spirits. I said, "Look fellas, ladies," and I'm talking about those who have been, and I said, "Look I don't know, I'm just rolling with you all. Just whatever happens, I'm going. And I said are you with me? Come on!" I'm serious! And I went out there and what hit me was, I'm in charge. Never put my head down. This isn't the first time this has happened to me the character - and in fact I had the guy build all the scars to put on my back - and I went out there with an attitude that I'm going to take this and not fold. But it hurt. And the tear was actually real. You know, you just allow it and you're thankful for it. It's not technical. It's not science. It's spirit. "I just didn't see myself in Amistad. I ain't putting no chains around my neck. I'm not in the mood right now, too edgy. It just wasn't for me. I'm not having it. I'm like, 'Yeah, that's what happened then, but how about me cutting everybody's head off and end the movie there?'" (on refusing the role in Amistad)