LANCE REDDICK

'The Wire' really drew on a lot of real-life situations and real-life organizations - it created fiction to make a social statement about reality.

Notes are tricky in an audition, because I find, more often than not, my instinct is right.

I'm an artist at heart.

You don't see a lot of black rock stars. The music industry tends to be segregated stylistically. It's hard for a black artist to cross over to rock music.

When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as other students, but because I was a black man and I wasn't pretty, I knew I would have to work my butt off to be the best that I would be, and to be noticed.

I mean, you know actors, we always want to do something else, something different.

As I got further into my career, as a character of color, if I was going to have the types of opportunities I felt I deserved, and continue to have them, I was going to have to start creating those opportunities for myself.

Growing up, I never imagined I would be an actor.

When you're in a high-stress situation, dynamics between people can change.

I'm interested not just in projects that I'll be starring in, but producing film and TV that's really quality and great for adults; and when I say 'great for adults,' it doesn't mean without humor, because I'm also interested in doing comedy.

It's funny, because in drama school, my greatest strength was my range. So my early career was like that: I played all kinds of different characters.

'Pigeonholed' isn't the right word, because I feel like I've had a very wide range of characters that I've been allowed to play.

I can only speak as an American, but most journalism here isn't doing its job any more. It's about selling stuff.

If you're going to come at me, come at me respectfully, and I will respond respectfully.

Nothing will ever top 'The Wire.' It was historical. It was black cinema.

You either get better, or you don't progress.

Art is art, and journalism is journalism.

Don't be a victim; if you want to make movies, make movies.

I grew up studying music. I went to conservatory.

I started acting almost on a whim to help my music career.

The African American community is so under-served in the entertainment industry.

Because of the way tech is changing, and becoming cheaper and user-friendly, it's becoming easier to make films cheaply, maintaining quality.

Sometimes you have to say, "No. This is my space." If you're going to come at me, come at me respectfully, and I will respond respectfully.

When I was working on The Wire with the other actors, scene after scene after scene, I felt like we were singing together. We were dancing together. I'm like, "This is the best ensemble I've ever worked with. I'm working with these cats? Holy mackerel, this is heaven."

I was coming from a theater background. I had an obsession with classic film and cool, interesting, intelligent television. I didn't really understand the way the mainstream television industry worked. I just thought "The wire is so good that it's going to be a huge hit, and we'll get awards up the yin-yang forever." That's what I thought!