Jimmy Smits

“I started out in the theater, and my background is classical. I'd love to be in a film version of a Shakespeare play.”

“I've been told that I wasn't Latino enough, which was code for 'street' enough.”

“There just aren't enough positive portrayals of Latino life in film.”

“Everything in moderation, like calories.”

“There's show business, and the business is sometimes in capital letters. You just have to give it your best shot when up at bat.”

“With the advent of cable and such, you guys are calling it the golden age of TV in terms of the writing and stuff. But it's like different branches of a big tree that TV has become.”

“It's less about the physical training, in the end, than it is about the mental preparation: boxing is a chess game. You have to be skilled enough and have trained hard enough to know how many different ways you can counterattack in any situation, at any moment.”

“It's a lot of pressure. Some of the cast wants a StairMaster on the set so you can work out like crazy before your naked scene.”

“There are no right and wrong ways to work in this business, but there are some basic common-sense practices. Work very, very hard and always be prepared; never give up; and once you get the job, give them more than they ever expected: - Shine!”

“When I sit down and sign up for something, I vet where the people are coming from.”

“I couldn't see myself doing a traditional sitcom.”

“When you have celebrity, it's a whole different thing than being an artist.”

“Every actor has to deal with what's on his plate, and I try to deal with doing the best work possible with the most challenging scripts. I don't base it on whether it's a feature film or a TV-movie or cable.”

“That 'who's the sexiest' business is a crock that the media cooked up to sell magazines, so while I say thank you very much, I don't put much stock in it.”

“My comfort zone has always been in an ensemble-type atmosphere.”

“I work out, but I'm not doing it specifically because I show my butt on TV.”

“You have to find what makes you stable in the storm. Then, no matter what's happening round you, no matter what the hype or the publicity, you can still manage to make leaps in your work as an artist.”

“As an actor, it's hard to approach any character with negatives.”

“When you're doing 22 shows on network television, the writers are going on vapors towards the end and, as an actor, you're just trashed by the end.”

“I've been in California for about 15 years now. You're always in your car and insulated. I miss New York so much.”