Quotes from Naturi Naughton

I used to be obsessed with 'Boss.'

I want to be back on Broadway one day. That's a dream of mine. There's nothing like live theater, and I think it's so important for me to be able to be on stage with an audience that responds.

I want to give my daughter that Caribbean influence. But also, just being a black girl in this country, I want her to grow up with culture and confidence, and with love.

I don't just want to be a cute girl in a comedy or the actress who just does the same thing over and over again. I want to play roles that are distinct. I want to have a more varied career like actresses Viola Davis or Angela Bassett - those are the people that I grew up watching and admiring.

I was a cheerleader in high school, but I love to play basketball.

A lot of people don't know, but I love soul food. I love fried chicken and pork chops, all of that.

I think sometimes if you let it all hang out, it makes you a target.

One thing I'm passionate about is directing. I've always wanted to direct.

God is real. God is in me and in my life. I've been blessed, and he continues to bless me, and that is one thing that I will always know for sure.

I feel like being pregnant and entering this new stage has made me stronger and more excited about life in general. Everything seems so much more purposeful.

Starz is a network that's going for the content that's extremely honest and pushing the envelope and is provocative.

I love Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, and The Supremes, because I'm kind of old-school at heart.

I was excited to play Lil' Kim and I wanted to do the role justice. I worked really hard on that role, whether it was performing the rhymes, studying the dialect, her swagger and her stage performances. I wanted people to see my range and stretch my wings as an actress.

Growing up, all my friends used to say 'Naturi, you are so dramatic!' and I would think to myself, 'Thank you!'

When I booked 'Hairspray,' I really didn't have a support system other than my family and friends.

For my first role, I had to audition five times. I've gotten a lot of no's and rejections. But I just had to keep working hard. I took classes; I worked on my craft and continued to work with an acting coach and just didn't give up on myself.

I hike quite a bit when I'm in L.A., so that helps me clear my head. But usually I recharge by going to church, having family dinners, girls' night out, or just simply relaxing at home watching one of my favorite movies.

Oh, you know, I think it was definitely a little pressure, to remake something like 'Fame'.

Professionally, I want to be remembered for how hard I worked and how I put my heart and soul into my work. Personally, I want people to remember my heart.

As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on myself. It just motivates me to be more prepared, focus and disciplined. That's why I care so much about doing black films and making sure that we represent and are represented correctly.

I want to do stories that inspire people.

I'm a true singer who grew up singing in church, so I love singing my heart out.

I was pretty young when I decided I wanted to, well, more so be a singer. I started singing in church in my hometown, East Orange, New Jersey. I knew when I was about five or six that I wanted to be a performer.

Singers have a lot in common with actors because you have to dig deep into a song and show the audience what you are feeling as you sing.