Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
People are decisions and actions.
I just want to tell black stories.
'Sicario' was a lot of improvisation.
Racism kills people. It kills people!
Nas is such a touchstone in my world.
When I need a reality check, I call my mum.
I resent that I have to prove that I'm black.
I feel like racism's more pronounced in America.
I don't think you become a name with just one job.
'Sucker Punch' was so demanding, it scared me a bit.
'A Prophet' is one of my favorite films of all time.
Really, I have no idea how I'm perceived in the industry.
Donae'o is too cold; he's been dropping bangers since 2000.
When work ends, I'd rather just be seen as Daniel - normal.
What you want to do is make people talk, start a conversation.
'Diverse' shouldn't be an actionable thing - it should just be.
What I find really exciting is stories from a different viewpoint.
I am definitely not a household face, and I don't expect to be one.
I feel very appreciative of my mum, my girl, my family, my friends.
I think the traditional stereotypes are loaded in institutional racism.
This industry's hard. The world is hard. Being young and black is tough.
Big up Samuel L. Jackson, because here's a guy who has broken down doors.
I wrote my first play when I was nine. It was performed at Hampstead Theatre.
I like three-dimensional characters - it's just more interesting when you get on set.
What's great about 'Skins' is that the characters are exactly like people around you.
Racism isn't just in America... Alienation is felt worldwide in different capacities.
The beauty of any artwork is that it becomes the person that's watching it: What do you take out of it?
Writing can be really lonely, and I find that bit difficult. I'd rather be around my people, getting ideas.
I go to music festivals, and people want to talk to me about racism. I'm like, 'Bro, I'm trying to have fun!'
I just like playing guys, normal dudes. That's the stuff that I really enjoy watching: when it feels grounded.
'Skins' was like our uni. I'm tight with everyone from 'Skins' because we had that special experience together.
Racism is like a horror movie. Black kids die because of racism. I don't know what's more horrifying than that.
Sometimes I'll work in America, sometimes I'll work in England. What's important is fulfilment. I just want to tell stories.
When you're a young black man, you're not allowed to be emotional. One of the reasons I act is people pay me to be emotional.
I learned so much on 'Sicario' and working with that group of actors, where there was the audacity, the confidence, to do nothing.
I go to Uganda, I can't speak the language. In India, I'm black. In the black community, I'm dark-skinned. In America, I'm British.
I have to own the fact that I'm a black man - that's why I did 'Black Panther' and 'Widows' because if I play the industry game, I lose.
I didn't take writing seriously at first - I didn't think I could do it. When I did, I fell in love with it. But writing is very lonely.
A lot of black men have problems being emotionally vulnerable because of the boundaries and parameters that have been put onto them by society.
I hope people listen to black people more. You'd be surprised how little people listen to black people when it comes to racial issues. It's weird.
A lot of time, people enter the most depressing situations, and they are the funniest people on Earth, because they have to be. It's a coping mechanism.
I think diverse stories are just stories. I don't think 'diverse' is an add-on package. Things that are not diverse are weird because that's not accurate.
I think the word 'diverse' is a cancerous word because it's life. It's a PC way of saying 'non-white,' and it ultimately suggests that white is the standard.
A lot of times, the people who have the confidence to say, 'I don't know what the rules are, so I'm just going to do what I want,' are the most exciting people.
In the real world, there's probably nothing more horrifying than racism. Living racism is a horrifying experience. And then, having to normalize it and internalize it.
Loads of stuff that I've done has always had a hint of comedy. I did this show called 'Psychoville' that's a horror-comedy. Because I just think that's what life's like.
'Get Out' was born out of the genius mind of Jordan Peele, to whom I will be forever grateful for believing in me and allowing me to help him tell a story so dear to him.
'The Fades' is its own world. If you try and link it to some religion, you have people going, 'Oh, that's not right,' with their Bible open. Let's just chuck some imagination at it.
Whenever I'm in a film that's from a perspective that is dominant within western culture... I'm always trying to prove myself. When it's from a black perspective, I don't have to - they get it.
Improv is like writing. It's actually a different discipline to acting. It helps acting greatly, but it's completely different. It's the same side of your brain when you write as when you improv.