Jimmy Smits Quotes
-
I worked on a show called 'West Wing' before. I didn't work with Aaron Sorkin, but he created the show and set the tenor of the show, which was you follow the words of the script perfectly because there's a dramaturgical thing behind it.
-
I feel a responsibility to try and give back. I see young people out there who are trained, and any way I can help them and give them an opportunity is gratifying.
-
I always grapple with myself, from job to job, 'Is this going to make an impact in some way?'
-
You have to find what makes you stable in the storm. Then, no matter what's happening round you, no matter what the hype or the publicity, you can still manage to make leaps in your work as an artist.
-
I have been in rooms with people arguing over a character that's not really fleshed out: that, just because the surname is Latino, that automatically means you have an accent.
-
I like the gypsy aspect of this business.
-
I've been lucky because I've had wonderful teachers along the way who have nurtured and pushed me to the next level.
-
It's a lot of pressure. Some of the cast wants a StairMaster on the set so you can work out like crazy before your naked scene.
-
I'm usually very analytical when I'm prepping stuff: real into the head thing.
-
I don't know... I don't think you can trust any of Kurt's characters. That's how Mr. Sutter operates: nothing is what it seems.
-
You gotta find that hook so everybody can grab on to it. So that you're true to the culture but, at the same time, how it relates to the larger tapestry.
-
I am a firm believer in education and have worked very hard to tell young Latinos that they must go to college and that, if possible, they should pursue an advanced degree. I am convinced that education is the great equalizer.
-
I was in Puerto Rico going to school, and it was very jarring for me. 'Traumatic' is the only way that I can say it. Kids were making fun of me: 'Oh, you're a Yankee.' And I acted out a lot. A lot. But looking back, and through a little bit of therapy, everything I am has to do with that time.
-
I've had the good fortune to play characters that have a role-model thing to them.
-
I have and will continue to vigorously pursue opportunities in all mediums.
-
How come actors feel like they have to give some kind of personal revelation attached to the project?
-
I was asked to speak at a bar association, because there's an upswing on college applications - in general and for Latinos - because of 'L.A. Law.' I went to a couple of functions, and I just felt an energy: It was, you're doing a good job, but do you realize how important it is?
-
I've been told that I wasn't Latino enough, which was code for 'street' enough.
-
People become actors because they want to hide, and it's not easy to talk about myself. I accept that a certain responsibility goes with being an actor in the public eye, but I haven't found a comfortable way to deal with it.
-
I'm happy David Caruso is out there working.
-
Latino people have come up to me and said they were motivated to become a lawyer because they saw me play one on TV - and you can't discount how great it is when they tell me I was the first.
-
We're at a point right now in our development in this country - setting the immigration issue aside - that you can't ignore the sheer population of us in metropolitan areas all across the country, of how significant Latino-ness is in the United States.
-
For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of that is going to be heard as long as we're just the hired hands, acting.
-
I've been very lucky to work on a wide variety of projects, including two long-run and top-10 dramatic television shows. That is why it is so important to offer a helping hand to the next generation of young Latinos coming up behind me.