Audra McDonald

Parenthood is an adventure. ”

I've spent my whole career trying to stay out of any box that anyone could put me in. 'I'm going to do a play now.' 'Now I'll do a musical.' That was my instinct. So I don't feel boxed in. But 'African-American woman' is part of my identity. I don't want to relinquish that - especially as a mother, helping my daughter find her identity. ”

I think they're an incredible honor. I'm grateful and flattered by them. But I have no control over winning awards - I have no control over any of that. ”

Maybe it's because my uncle and my parents were always very involved with the civil rights movement, so I just grew up and I was raised that you have to speak out and look out for your fellow man, woman, and child. ”

I find that I'm just drawn to anything that's going to challenge me as an actress. So, anything that's going to help me grow. ”

Go Back Home' encompasses not only actual geographic location but also, for me, back home in the worlds of music and theatre, and back home in terms of making albums again. There are lots of meanings to that. ”

Some days, I don't recognise my country, and other days, I see people being vocal and passionate, and I think, 'There's my country.' ”

I used to be really into Bikram yoga. ”

Without theater, I don't think I would have thought I was a smart person or excelled at anything. ”

When I first was exposed to 'Porgy and Bess' many, many years ago, I was blown away by it - loved the music, overwhelmed by the production at the Met that I saw, and thought I want to play Bess someday. But I also knew they were stereotypes that were considered racist. ”