Aldis Hodge

For someone like MC Ren, who is still alive and I can go talk to, that's more of a niche challenge because I do have to match his energy, and I do have to pay homage to who he is as a person, but that just comes with research. And the difference there is I can do the research there right on the spot. I can just go ask him. ”

I hear all the time from our audience about how it's nice to see a positive African-American role model for the younger kids out there that are watching. ”

It's crazy how intelligent kids can be at a very young age and how they know what they know. ”

You get into these executive offices, and people say, 'Oh, we have this project. Wait a minute, guys, we need diversity - let's choose a black actor for this; let's choose a Hispanic actor for this,' instead of saying, 'That's not diverse, that's just normal. That's what makes up America.' ”

When you say 'diversity,' the term has been denigrated over the years because it has been used as a crutch. ”

As far as playing different characters within the character, I think that's fun. Very rarely, on TV, do you get to do that on such a regular basis. ”

My sister is raised to know her value and to know that she stands behind no man. You know, when she gets a husband, you stand side by side, equal partnership. You stand behind no one cause you have to lift each other up. You can't do that if you're 30 percent of the value in your relationship or the household. ”

My mom told us that we should have good shoes, a good suit, and a watch, so I was running around at age 10 looking like a little old man. But somehow I grew to understand that a watch is a representation of myself, of my culture, taste, awareness and aesthetic. ”

Surviving the elements is working, but being on set and having to do a scene and being in a room with the same people who you actually enjoy and respect, your day project was easy. ”

Most people say they're slaves, but in my opinion, to say that I am a slave is to take ownership of actually being a slave - to be a tool, be a thing. Basically cattle. ”