[On fellow Oscar winner Sidney Poitier:] 'I saw you once and I looked into your eyes and there was a connection.' He said, 'I give to you responsibility,' and I'm taking that responsibility tonight. Thanks, Sidney.

I want to thank my daughter, who told me, 'If you don't win, Dad, you're still good,' ... who taught me how to act.

My worst hair experience was when I was trying to relax my hair and my grandmother did it. It went all straight and I looked like a black Bee Gee.

If I were an animal, I would be an eagle.

I've been a sports fan all my life, and like most other actors, I'm convinced I could have been a pro athlete if Hollywood hadn't come calling.

With 'Django Unchained,' when you're dealing with slavery, it's like a gymnastics routine with the highest amount of difficulty. Quentin Tarantino is not going to do a movie that's just going to lay there and be safe. There's going to be twists and flips.