Vincent Rodriguez III

“I basically learned hip-hop from *NSYNC. And then while I was touring in theater shows, and I couldn't take classes in hip-hop but I wanted to, I just watched Justin Timberlake concerts.”

“The life of an actor is not filled with limousines and talk-show interviews. I've moved crates of beer; I've been a bartender, personal assistant, butler. But all those skills have helped me in the business aspect of what I do.”

“I was singing R&B songs, listening to Boyz II Men, and I wanted to take dance classes, but I waited until my senior year of high school to take my very first dance class.”

“I am ambitious, and I'm excited for my career to grow, and I do want to represent the Asian community and the Filipino community.”

“I don't believe in rituals that produce luck. I believe that a good preparation can raise my chances for a callback. With that, I know what I need to do, so I go in there and do my best.”

“I can play multiple instruments. I love a cappella. I love barbershop. I love magic.”

“Rejection doesn't always mean I'm not good enough.”

“For me, acting is not a hobby. It is a career that I have chosen and was not willing to let go of so easily after seven years of hard work.”

“There is no doubt that diversity is a problem in show business and that this fight has been going on for a long time.”

“Trust your instincts, and the best way to trust them is to practice them.”

“Acting takes a lot of practice, but so does auditioning.”

“It's the best gift any teacher could possibly get, to go back to where you came from and offer knowledge and camaraderie.”

“Filipino food is not common when compared to your local Chinese food options.”

“It's so easy to make an Asian person the doctor, the lawyer, the smart kid in school. What's harder is challenging the norm and hiring Asian actors to play your Average Joe.”

“I definitely have had my down times and also have had my times of being very, very unemployed.”

“I think this is the most exciting time to be alive right now. We have a black president. There are transgender movies and media out there now. Gay characters are playing non-stereotypical versions of themselves. I feel like as a society, or in television at least, we're rising up. Even in society we're rising up.”

“I knew in my heart I wanted to do musical theater professionally. I just didn't know how to go about it or how to communicate that to my parents.”

“I count my blessings every day for getting to play Josh in 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.'”

“It's a bummer interracial love is still such a big deal. To me, it's quite normal. I grew up seeing couples that were interracial. Who cares if it's a black guy and white girl, or an Asian guy and white girl, etc.? Odds are, every combo exists out there somewhere so why not put it on the screen? Shouldn't art imitate life?”

“We need to encourage the presence of more Asian writers and executive producers so they can fight for normalizing the casting of Asians in traditional American roles.”