Quotes from Tessa Thompson

I grew up listening to a lot of Massive Attack and Portishead.

What was so exciting for me about Wakanda and seeing 'Black Panther' was how incredible the women were in it.

Media truly has the power to create and shift culture.

I am multiracial, and I went through different phases - at one point, I listened to Wu-Tang and hip-hop, and then the next year I listened to Joni Mitchell.

I eat almonds professionally, and I can't get enough of Yerbe Mate Cranberry Synergy Kombucha!

The Time's Up campaign is for everyone, in all capacities, contributions big and small.

I think when any one kind of film does well, it creates a precedent and paves the way for more like it.

Cultural change always precedes political change.

I grew up as a kid looking at artists like David Bowie and Prince; I really admired them.

Even while I'm really interested in playing female characters that are varied and interesting and dynamic, I'm not of the mind that you always want to play strong female characters. I think I just want to play characters that are interesting, and not all people are 'strong.'

I try to pick interesting projects, the kind of projects that I would want to watch.

Oftentimes in films, the female character, if she's not the protagonist - and often, even if she is - feels like an imitation of what a woman is.

I like to think I'm one of the least athletic people in real life. I don't do a whole lot when I'm left to my own devices except wield forks and knives.

The term 'breakout' always makes me think of an inmate or some butterfly emerging out of a cocoon.

I think we just need to have a demand for fresh and nuanced movies.

There are some people who don't want to deal with the fact that we are not forever. Some people decide to live life to the fullest.

Fashion is a funny thing to talk about. I think what you wear is definitely an extension of you, but I also think it's totally arbitrary.

It's so rare to have an ensemble cast of women.

We have this real problem as human beings to put people on pedestals - with celebrities, with historical figures - and we forget they're humans just like us.

As a kid, I loved going to lots of thrift stores with my parents. There was a period where I thought it was embarrassing, and then I started to get older - I realized they were really cool.

There was a period when I had a hard time reconciling all the different parts of me in a way that I thought would make sense to others.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I split my time between the West Coast and the East.

'Dear White People' started a conversation about race. It's such a difficult thing to talk about, especially in America because of our history. I love that you can confront it with humour and with satire.

I've felt this real need to ground my work in my ideals.