I understand pain very well, so I look for that in a role. If the characters are well-written, don't tell nobody, but I'll do the damn thing for free. I'm serious. It's the writing. I love beautifully flawed characters.
At the core of every person or belief, there's a pain and a thorn. There's always something, whether it's a physical thing, a health thing, or an I wish I had someone or something in my life thing. We all know some level of pain, so I like to see the ugliness of characters. It's a side that we show, only when we strip down in the bathroom mirror.
My job is to bring to life the character, not to put the words on the paper.
My only goal is to stay focused on my craft and make sure my life is as sharp as it can be to attack any character that is given to me.
I'm looking for diversity, all my characters may or may not be on the wrong side of the tracks. It doesn't mean that they're all the same.
For me, my past characters been hard, the way they died, being murdered, the sadness that goes around, the death. It's a very hard thing to do.
You have to put your character to rest after x amount of years.
Ending a television character that you've been, especially someone like Omar Little, it hurts. For me, it's a huge thing. You feel like a part of you is gone.
I have a very healthy appetite for good writing and good characters. Having weak writing is my biggest fear.
I don't believe in typecasting. Just because all my characters may come from the other side of the tracks doesn't mean they are all the same. You don't stereotype people and generalize people, everyone's different.
Music is always a part of my characters' make-up.
All my characters have playlists.
I'm totally comfortable today with the success that Omar and 'The Wire' have brought me - living with that character, being recognized and remembered for that character.
