Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

“I think that what 'Oz' did is it spawned a great generation of television production. But people know its place in television and just in great dramas. It's the foundation of my career. Most producers, show runners, directors, and casting directors put me in movies based on my performance in that show.”

“The only way you can influence your fate is to put your soul into your performance and hope it registers with the audience.”

“What is a shame is that there isn't stuff that is as great as 'Oz' on a consistent level around today.”

“Certainly, I look for different characters 'cause I always like to keep people guessing, and I also don't like to get typecast.”

“With any character I do, I do my due diligence with research.”

“Those films that really speak to the primal fear that we, as human beings, have about the unknown have always intrigued me. That's the really scary thing, not the slasher, macabre movies. It's the ones that deal with the inner fear: the unknown realms and the mysticisms that are scary.”

“To play these twisted, tormented characters is very draining. You have to sit in the pocket of that character for the duration of the shoot, which is normally an average of three months, and that can be taxing!”

“I wanted to wash off the experience of Africa but obviously I couldn't because that's who I was.”

“Personally, I love Toronto.”

“I don't really discriminate with my art. To me, it's my art, and it's to be expressed through whichever medium is there, whether it's treading the boards in the theater, on the small-screen TV, or on the large screen. I love theater, and it's definitely something I would love to do.”

“I remember when I first came to America, nobody had a clue what a black Englishman was. I was either South African or Australian to them.”

“As an actor, you just like to be able to play as much range. I just want to be invisible. I want to be able to be perceived as an artist as opposed to 'a black actor': that's the joy.”

“Well, filming in Hawaii, you know, is a blessing. It's one of the most beautiful places on this planet. It has a very mystic energy which informs you as an actor.”

“People haven't seen me in a comedic setting, but that's who I really am.”

“I've never been really great at trusting anybody, just because of the way I grew up.”

“Multifaceted and textured characters are always more intriguing to me. You never really just want to play one note. It becomes a bit monotone and boring.”

“I think the most appealing characters for the audience are the ones that you never know whether to root for them or whether to hate them. That's what keeps people drawn to their television sets.”

“The only way I know how to deliver is to focus; some people can turn it on or off - I'd rather stay in character.”

“I've played different nationalities, and everything from vulnerable to strong to crooked to demented. It just increases your possibilities of work because, if people know you can do just about anything, then you're going to get more offers. That's what I want to do.”

“I'm just looking to explore every medium to express my talent, but I think mostly it's going to be a focus on features.”