My mama never wore a pair of pants when I was growing up, and now that's all she wears. It was so funny for me when I first started seeing Mama wear pants. It was like it wasn't Mama. Now I've bought her many a pantsuit because she just lives in them.

I had nothing growing up, but I always wanted to be 'sexy,' even before I knew what the word was.

My philosophy is simple: It's a down-home, common, horse-sense approach to things.

They say somebody's 'street smart.' I feel like, if I got intelligence, it's just a country smart.

I don't even like sitting in a taxi or on the tube when I've got a nicely ironed shirt on - I can feel the creases starting. I was taught to iron in the children's home I lived in - along with mopping, sweeping, and washing up. If you iron a shirt in order - collar, cuffs, yoke, sleeves and then body - it comes out all neat and gorgeous.

My family is part Creole, and we're Indian, and we're also very, very black. My father was so black, he was blue.

Putting on a movie is like going to war - for me, at least. It's all about time; time is money, and we don't have it. So it's all about getting to know each other intimately quickly. You are with family members that you like or don't like, but you can't leave them because you're stuck with them.

The Bhatts are an amazing family and a production house to work with, and I guess anyone will back me up for this.