Mekhi Phifer Quotes
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If you go into something saying, 'I'm the bad guy,' you do yourself a disservice as an actor. It's always about trying to find the humanity in a character.
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I love character-driven, well-written, great storytelling types of films, and I think that 'My Cousin Vinny' just hit the nail on the head with everything. It's one of those movies that, if I'm flipping through the channels, no matter what part it's on, I can watch it. It's just one of my favorites.
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It's nice to always have been able to remain consistent. I'm very thankful for that and to work on shows that I can be proud of, and films.
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Being from New York, living in L.A., being in Chicago, you kind of get more of the big-city, melting-pot sort of thing. But when you drive through the country, there's so many small pockets of people that don't experience people of different backgrounds. So what they've seen on television is their baseline.
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I almost turned down '8 Mile.' I was due to start 'ER,' and I learned they really wanted me to be in '8 Mile.' I didn't know Eminem; I just knew he was a rapper and saw what everyone else saw in the media. I thought they were just trying to capitalize on his popularity.
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With my first son I cut his umbilical cord and everything, so I'm a hands-on father, to say the least.
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When you're working and making money, that's all good, but there has to be something that provides a substance, I think.
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When you become an actor, at some point you look for something that brings you back to your roots. You find something that people around your neighborhood can relate to. People that you're close with can relate to.
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I do like sci-fi, absolutely. I've watched everything from 'Star Trek' to 'Star Wars' to 'Terminator' - the list goes on and on.
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'Mekhi' means, sort of, one who loves water, and the relationship with water and how water is important to life... It's a sense of being needed and purpose - you know, we have a purpose on this earth, and we're here to fill that.
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I think, in any artist's mind, you can't just be into yourself. You have to look at the world in an objective view.
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Once or twice a week, I try to do some kind of boxing. I'm hitting the bags and jumping rope - all that stuff.
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I know a lot of people who are weak, who are in a perpetual cycle of poverty and being locked up. There are guys from my neighborhood who are in jail or who are dead. It does take a certain strength to know your environment and say, 'I can grow beyond it.'
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I don't really like hospitals that much. People are sick; sometimes it can be depressing. There's people going through a lot of pain in there. It has that funny smell.
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I'm a soccer dad at heart. I want five kids, and I want to get married. I want to coach Little League.
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It's always a pleasure when you get to work with people that you actually really like.
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I love working with Sally Field, and Steve Buscemi is one of the most giving, talented actors I've ever worked with.
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There's no question that I'm African-American. OK? I'm a black man. We're not going to escape that.
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I've gotten to travel all over the world and meet all kinds of people and do all kinds of great things, so it's, like, surreal. It just lets you know how time flies, especially when you're having fun. It seems like time keeps going by faster as I get older.
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I grew up in a rough environment. You want to be strong and have your presence felt out there. That attitude reflects how people see you.
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A lot of characters I've played have a certain amount of strength, pride, and leadership.
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I tend to play more true-to-life characters in real situations.
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I always try to bring a certain masculine presence to what I do. That is part of the dynamic.
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I'm a big road trip guy. I'm the guy who gets in the RV and drives across country. And when you do that, you really get to see small-town America.