Quotes from Bill Duke

I'm not interested in making 'black' movies. I'm interested in making movies that reflect reality as I perceive it.

No individual should rely on any other human being or system to define their worth as a human being. You have to begin to find that within yourself.

I don't think God makes mistakes and I think that women have to not rely on men to define their worth.

The Democrats throw money at the problems, and the Republicans tend to ignore them. The Natural Law Party goes beyond those approaches. It's about true change.

It's very important that we give a voice to the voiceless in terms of media; because media is a global phenom and it portrays you dependent upon what controls you have and the writers are doing great work.

Appropriation is a fact of life; no point in complaining about it. But if that's the way the game's being played, let's do it on both sides. I don't want some white guy making 'A Rage in Harlem III' if I can't do 'The Godfather V' or 'E.T. III.'

Do I see people working harder than me? I can't imagine that but if I do it inspires me to work harder.

Television is an excellent training ground for a director. If you work consistently in television, as I did, you have to come in on time and on budget. What you are allowed in feature films are, fortunately, more time and a larger budget.

Our internal racism is still alive. We are still putting each other down and making jokes about each other because of the color of our skin. With women particularly, it's difficult because the beauty business says, 'If you don't look a certain way, God made a mistake.'

I don't say, 'Francis Ford Coppola, what a wonderful Italian-American director.' I judge him based on his film, his craft, his art. That's the way I feel I should be dealt with in this industry.

I meditate twice a day, T.M., and do yoga and tai chi.

We need people with foresight who are willing to make films with smaller budgets and accept smaller profits.

I think the media and the Internet and all that stuff, has created this perception of black women as these mammy types, kind of angry, you know, full of pent up emotions and resentments. And that these women are people to feared rather than loved.

I remain a simple man who has more questions than answers. Please join me as I seek to turn that tide.

I didn't come up in a culture or society that looked on me as a movie star. I was the bad guy. I was fortunate enough to be cast in some roles that weren't bad, were positive.

Without understanding your history, you can't get a perspective about the present.

It's assumed that light-skinned women have no problems or issues, but they are judged before you know who they are.

There is no reason why excellent pictures can't be made for $4-5 million.

I think that some actors who make it in Hollywood are very talented. There are some of my heroes, the Meryl Streeps of the world, a lot of people that I love their work but I think a lot of it is luck, looks, strategic alliances and relationships, your agent and a lot of business components.

My agent makes 10% of what you make. When your agent tells you to take a vacation, you know you're exhausted.

I'm an American, but being a black American, my experience is a particular one, my struggles have been particular.

Dark skin is considered less than light skin in the in the minds of many in our community and in the media.

I had studied at the NYU School of the Arts under Lloyd Richards, who also worked with the Negro Ensemble Company.

I was the first black director on 'Dallas.' I drove my car into the studio lot and the guard asked me who I was delivering to.