“My first audition was an open call and I had no picture and no resume”

She can switch up the delivery, but it’s still with the right intention.

That’s what you want art to do, to open people up and start conversations.

That’s how clueless I was. I just thought I could show up.

I want to tell authentic, real stories with real characters.

I think L.A. is beautiful.

I grew up in New York and I’ve always lived here, so I look at myself as a regular person.

I have a Twitter handle, but I never sign on.

And I’m not sure if he [made his comments on Trayvon] because he was asked a question and he was trying to be diplomatic and neutral – that can’t happen.

My mother’s a pretty warm, open person.

I was reading the paper and saw a cartoon with Ray Kelly frisking Obama, and I was like “Wait, what’s happening?” so I Googled it.

I love that you can watch a film and 10 years later still be affected.

I realized in school I didn’t like it. When he died, it was like a wake-up call.

Everybody has been amazing, and the energy is really beautiful. I’m replacing my friend Condola

I feel like they’re talking about someone else we both know.

During the first show, I was like, “Wow, I’m onstage with Ms. Tyson!”

He passed away really young

I didn’t think I had a voice at all, and I still think of myself as an interpreter of songs more than a singer. I thought it was too deep; people thought I was a man. I had a very strong Jamaican accent, too; the accent really messed me up for auditions.

The Falling’ was a big, flashy, bizarre experience. I kept on saying at the time it was a fluke because I did the audition, and I didn’t think anything would come of it.

I’ve done auditions where the casting director is taking the paper out of my hand in the middle of reading.

It’s weird, but I don’t feel like think I deserve any of the attention. There’s really nothing but one audition for a Disney Channel movie that separates me from 2,000 other brown-haired, blue-eyed guys in L.A., you know?

Amanda Bynes and I have become close since filming ‘Hairspray.’ It’s so weird because I grew up watching her.

Whether it’s going out and auditioning for the play or trying out for the basketball team, you have to explore your boundaries and see where you really want to go and the only way you can do that is to break out of your shell.

If you’d have asked me when I was auditioning for High School Musical if I ever thought I was going to play a Marine.

George Harrison: The day after the Blue Angel audition.