I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks.
We’ve all received our share of good fortune, so that’s my definition of much. A single blessing is all the bounty in the world, and if you’ve been blessed at all you’re meant to pass some of that on. You’re meant to set a positive example. That’s our responsibility.
I’ve worked in a factory. I was a garbage man. I worked in a post office. It’s not that long ago. I like to think that I’m just a regular guy.
My ultimate life dream project is my kids. My family.
Any good piece of material like Shakespeare ought to be open to reinterpretation.
The lessons I learned in Sunday School have kept me on track.
I read the Bible every day.
For me, success is inner peace. That’s a good day for me.
The only reason I’m acting in films I direct is to get the money to make them, quite frankly, it’s not what I’m interested in doing.
To protect the sheep, you gotta catch the wolf. And it takes a wolf to catch a wolf, you understand?
When people protest and are upset with a movie, it becomes a big hit. They hated Passion of The Christ, it worked out pretty well for the box office. So let’s get that going.
Acting is just a way of making a living, the family is life.
A part of me still says, ‘Maybe, Denzel, you’re supposed to preach. Maybe you’re still compromising.’ I’ve had an opportunity to play great men and, through their words, to preach. I take what talent I’ve been given seriously, and I want to use it for good.
I’m a positive person, so I don’t get bogged down with it. If you’re expecting that, if you wall in that, if you practice that, then you’ll attract what you fear.
Don’t be afraid to fail big, to dream big.
You don’t pick black actors or black directors because they are black. You pick them because they are good. If you lend somebody 50 million dollars you want you’re money back. You don’t care if they are oppressed. You just want you’re money back.
People have said to me for a long time, “Man you’re funny.” I say, “Well, I’m quick,” but being funny on purpose, take after take – that’s why I said for me it was new territory, and so by improvising something might come out that might be good. And it’s film, so they can cut it if it isn’t.
I read a ton of scripts. I read a lot of scripts, and you read one, and first of all, you felt like you read it in 14 minutes, because you’re turning the pages so fast you can’t wait to see what’s going to happen.
Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss, or dream? Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt by the heart.
Put God first in everything you do.