Quotes from Nelsan Ellis

When you deal with Alan Ball, you're dealing with a person who is a genius in terms of how art imitates life.

I love working with Alexander Skarsgard. He brings such gravity to a scene.

I can't approach a character with judgment.

My mom's side, they're southern Baptist Christian.

The ultimate part that I want to play in my life is Jimi Hendrix, so I guess I'm drawn to music even though I can't sing or dance very well.

I had no intention of being an actor.

There were not many black students at Juilliard, unfortunately. So when you get there, you become very good friends, in particular, with the other black students.

I went from unknown to having no anonymity.

Everybody kept saying, 'I just don't know how to sell you.' I'm odd. I don't think you can put a finger on me.

When I wanted to become a serious actor, this girl told me, 'You should go to Juilliard.' And I said, 'Okay.'

When I moved to Chicago, I was coming from a school that didn't have any arts in Alabama. I essentially came from a town where the arts didn't exist and the desire for education didn't exist and wasn't valued.

At some point in my life, I wanted to be in a vampire movie.

'Interview with a Vampire' is my all-time favorite. I also loved 'An American Werewolf in London.'

I think, in this country, anybody can do whatever they want to do as long as it's not hurting anybody else or violating the laws of society.

Domestic violence is an epidemic, and yet we don't address it. Until it happens to celebrities.

Although I can be a leading man, you wouldn't look at me and go, 'He's a leading man.'