David Harewood

“We all know the wonders of Skype, but there's nothing like getting a hug from your daughters or taking them to school.”

“After 'Homeland,' I was offered a lot of very authoritarian, square, angry boss types, but I wanted to do something different. Casting directors are surprised when they look at my CV and see all the work I've done, from Shakespeare to playing Nelson Mandela.”

“Art is all about the experience. I could say I don't really relate to opera, but then you watch Placido Domingo, and you go, 'Blimey, look at that.'”

“The idea that American producers and directors are choosing black British talent to save themselves a buck or two is ridiculous - it's because we're damn good.”

“Studio heads seem to be getting the message that there is not only an audience out there, but there is a desire for people to see people of colour in central roles and in authoritative roles.”

“Giving kids the chance to see live theatre should not just be free, it should be compulsory.”

“You have to have a certain single-mindedness if you want to reach the top of the profession, and I'm not sure if I've got that cold-eyed egomania that perhaps is needed to get to the top. So as long as I can keep paying the mortgage and keep myself interested, I'll be happy.”

“Support for charities takes many forms. Some people give their money, some their spare time. I give my name and my voice. We give what we can to make a difference to the people and issues that matter to us. But what's most important, especially for celebrities, is giving our genuine commitment.”

“I do know in the 1960s comics, Martian Manhunter took on the form of a black man - that could have been influenced by the political climate back then.”

“I was always the classroom clown, and the teachers allowed me a certain latitude. The assemblies were good, and the headmaster used to tell little stories; I loved the idea of communal storytelling.”

“I was in a number of school plays, one in particular, when I was 13 or 14, entitled 'Illusions.' It was put together by one of the teachers, and was about famous historical figures. I had to do the Martin Luther King 'I have a dream' speech, and some black women in the audience were clapping and crying and whooping.”

“When I first played Othello, a reviewer absolutely slaughtered me.”

“I've been on 'Mastermind' - I tied for first place and then lost on the number of passes. My subject was the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy by Philip Pullman. If I did it again, I'd choose Shakespearian tragedies.”

“There are structural problems within the industry that are preventing us from displaying aspirational black roles.”

“On 'Supergirl,' there are huge characters with huge mythologies behind them. What's important is that you don't lock yourself into something.”

“In the U.S., these sights are no longer a surprise to me. I see army generals, captains of industry, and politicians of all colours and creeds on American television.”

“I used to read comics as a kid, and now I'm reading them for research. It's great fun. It's not bad homework.”

“Birmingham people are the salt of the earth, and I've carried that with me all around the world. People respond to a certain down-to-earthness that I have, and that's purely as a result of coming from Birmingham.”

“If you're black and have leukemia, the chances of finding a donor are drastically reduced. I added my name to the register, and lo and behold, six months later, I was asked to donate. I had a week of 'conditioning' where I had to take these pills and injections to create new stem cells in my body.”

“Working with Olivia Colman has probably been the highlight of my career so far.”