John David Washington

“Spike Lee really gave us a platform, men and women of color.”

“Of course I've felt racism.”

“I have to keep making films, getting better in my craft, and the way to do that is to work with people who know what they're doing and who can help me.”

“I went to a historically black college.”

“Spike Lee's been doing it for a long time now. We're all standing on his shoulders.”

“Whenever you're feeling moments of discomfort, that means true change is happening for you.”

“I went to bar mitzvahs as a kid. I had a lot of classmates who are Jewish.”

“I think, culturally, stories are important, whether it be cinema, whether it be by word of mouth - which I don't even know if we do anymore, as it all seems to be social media.”

“I would tell people my dad was all the characters he's played in movies, because once you say he's a lawyer or something, they move on.”

“In football, I learned about trust, handling failure, embracing discomfort, and rejection, which has helped with the auditions.”

“Movies are magical. It transcends a lot of hate or human faults in real life because of the fantasy of it all.”

“I'm still trying to find the actor I want to be, but I know what kind of the talent I want to be around.”

“There are a lot of Washingtons that have played football. I could just blend in more and carve out my own name quietly.”

“They were very supportive parents in all my endeavors. They have very different approaches on how they give advice.”

“There's men and women out there protecting and serving, doing it the right way, that aren't talked about.”

“I'll never forget watching my dad perform in a Shakespeare in the Park production of 'Richard III' in New York.”

“The nature of a football team means you're relying on 10 other guys. Even then, that doesn't guarantee a win.”

“I got introduced to Shakespeare at four years old, and I fell in love with the language.”

“Every time I was off school, I was in Carolina with my cousins. So it was a big influence on me. I actually experienced straight-up racism out there, too.”

“Ask me trivia on 'Sex and the City,' and I will know it. I rewatch it every year. Samantha? Charlotte? Those are my girls.”