You know, you may not be born in Puerto Rico, but Puerto Rican is definitely born in you.
Rosie Perez
In my circle of friends, I've always been loud and funny and talkative. But as soon as I step out of that circle, I get very quiet and introspective. I don't want the spotlight on me.
The racism, the sexism, I never let it be my problem. It's their problem. If I see a door comin' my way, I'm knockin' it down. And if I can't knock down the door, I'm sliding through the window. I'll never let it stop me from what I wanna do.
Van Gogh cut off his ear for his art. I'm not tryin' to cut off my ear. I'm not humiliating myself.
Face dance means you don't know what the hell the rest of your body was doing but your face is fierce. That's face dancing.
Don Cornelius gave me an incredulous look regarding my accent. I lessened it; he gave a nod of approval. Instantly, I felt ashamed. I had made my first conscious effort not to sound ethnic.
I don't watch TV series, but I watched 'Friday Night Lights' because I'm a sports head.
You have to believe in yourself. You need to have the audacity to be great.
I was very willing to take on controversial roles that people didn't really want to look at.
You can learn steps, but you cannot learn how to boogie.
With 'Soul Train,' it was the first time I was on television. And I just couldn't believe it.
I like the cold weather better than the hot weather.
If we can't look at the good, bad and ugly of who we are, we are never going to progress as people - ever.
My first TV experience, it was so bad. I just didn't feel a creative atmosphere. I felt like we were just pawns to deliver lines. Everyone was telling me that's just television. I said, 'OK, I'm going to stay far away from television!
I have this tough exterior, but inside, I'm very mushy and soft.
I was a ward of the state, initially, and then in the foster care system for quite some time, even though I did live part-time with my aunt in Brooklyn.
I had a ball on 'Soul Train.'
I didn't appreciate Brooklyn until I left it.
I have a great career, and no matter what I am doing, a big blockbuster movie... or my small documentary, David Letterman will call and say I would like you to sit on my couch.
I started lying about my age when I was 18 to be older. When I turned 21, I started lying that I was 18. It's a weakness in me.
I used to get recognized quite often as being a 'Soul Train' dancer. Quite often, which was great at times but sometimes was not so great. Especially, back at college, it was not so great. It was pretty tough.
We all like indie directors - heck, I even married one... but we're divorced now.
Hollywood's racist.
I'm a lucky gal.
As far as a Latin explosion, I'm sorry, I'm the only Latino who's going to say it, but there is no Latin explosion. I'm sorry. Four or five top box office people do not make it an explosion, and it's disgusting to me that people will perceive it that way.
I don't call myself Latin, I call myself Puerto Rican.
As an actor, you may do things that aren't politically correct. Unless you're an actor who only does things for political reasons. I believe if we don't do the good, bad, and the ugly, we're not going to progress.
Certain people who care about me a lot have said 'You don't play the game, and if you don't play the game, you don't get picked for the team all the time.
I knew I was going to be successful from day one. From day one. That's why it throws me whenever someone says it was such a fluke that I was successful.
In movies, you shoot out of sequence, so the issue of reality is really taken out of it.
I get bored in Hollywood.
I am a positive person. I never think of the glass as half empty. I just keep pushing forward.
I did not try to conform to anybody's ideal of what a Latin celebrity or movie star should be. I took a lot of hits for it.
I think I just have this need to be a storyteller. That's why I wasn't a great dancer - I couldn't articulate a story. I was a better choreographer. I have the need to to just express myself in that way. I can't explain it.
I see explicit covers on magazines, and they're getting even more explicit, and it's like, Are women being empowered, or is this just what sells magazines? Are they feeling pressured, or have they really come into themselves and are saying, 'I am woman, hear me roar?'
I want to be in shape.
A lot of women feel ashamed to be weak.
In Broadway, we do love jazz hands.
I have great hair because I take a lot of vitamins.
For some reason, I always thought I was special. And for some reason, I always thought that I had a purpose in life: that I was supposed to contribute to the world.
It's sad that arts are not part of the curriculum across the nation.
People make me out to be this super strong woman, but I have my tough days just like anyone else.
Therapy is not a 'white thing.' It's a clinical thing.
Don Cornelius did not want to see how I really danced - I was doing hip-hop, and it was foreign to people out in California. They only knew about popping and locking, so they were not keen on hip-hop dancing.
I have a picture of all of us going to a club with my friends from 'Soul Train.' All the girls just going out to a nightclub, and we're all dressed like we were dressed on 'Soul Train.' It was the most surreal experience for me because I walk into the club with them, and people started screaming. 'Oh my God! It's the 'Soul Train' dancers.'
Puerto Ricans are United States citizens, and I think that the issue of statehood or independence needs to be addressed and needs to be resolved.
At home, I'm the silliest cornball who talks way too much and wants to be quiet and left alone at the same time.
It's disgusting how much I laugh during the day.
