Quotes from Rutina Wesley

I always have my Beats by Dr. Dre headphones turned up high. I'll probably be deaf by age 50.

Fiona Shaw is one of my idols. She's phenomenatastic. I just make up a word for her - that's how much I love her.

Music is definitely influential on how I approach my scenes.

I always try to make sure that I stay connected to theater so I continue to be inspired. Not that I'm not inspired by television.

When I got into high school, my favorite artist was definitely Janet Jackson.

I always tell other young actors to go to school, or at least watch movies to learn as much as you can.

I'm a sneaker head. You'll find more sneakers than heels in my closet.

Comic-Con is so much fun.

That's an actor's dream to get something meaty and juicy and challenging to work on.

I was a very driven young person.

It wouldn't be 'True Blood' if somebody didn't die.

'True Blood' allows you to be big, so it's almost like you're on stage, and I'm comfortable with that.

When I was 7, an old lady was driving too fast in my neighborhood and hit me with her car. I was running out of the house, and when I got halfway into the street, my mom saw the car and yelled for me to run back. As I turned around the car hit me, dragged me five houses down the road, and I fractured my collarbone.

The theatre at my school was awesome. It was a 1,400-seat auditorium, so, being in that auditorium at 17, and having, like, 1,400 people cheer for you was, like, one of the most amazing feelings that I've ever felt, energy-wise. It just felt right.

Musicals are my favorite. I'm a musical theater buff.

I was born to be on the stage.

Your nerves can get the better of you, especially when it's your first film.

I could be ordering ham at the deli, and someone will turn around and look at me and kind of stare. They'll just look at me like, 'I know I know your voice, and I know I know your face.'

I still see myself on TV and think, 'Oh my God, I'm on a television, and there are millions of people watching,' and I get really nervous and embarrassed and insecure.

For me, I have this tough exterior and these Angela Bassett arms, and people think, 'Oh, my God, Rutina's tough.'

My grandmother is very liberal, but... she still has her opinions.

It's really maddening out there for dark-skinned actresses in terms of the opportunities we get. There's just so much talent that is being overlooked.

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and then I left there to go to the University of Evansville where I majored in theatre.

Staying in Vegas would've been too easy for me.