SANAA LATHAN

As different as me and Sigourney look is as different as these two characters are. I'm not filling her shoes. I'm doing a part that has the same monsters, but it's a completely different movie.

I liked the fact that there were so many different representations of black women and black men in the movie. It wasn't like we all had the same agenda.

People make jokes about how black people are the first ones to be killed off.

I got nominated for a Tony, which was a complete surprise. It was an experience that I will always cherish.

My dad is a director/producer and my mom is a dancer; she performed with Alvin Ailey, but I didn't even think about becoming an actress.

I come from the theater, and I've done a lot of character work in the theater, but Hollywood stuff in film and TV, they've been more leading lady/ingenue type roles.

CGI is done after the film is done. It's through the computer. Most of the film is not computer-generated special effects. Most of it is that creature that is in the room with you.

I'll eventually go back to theater because the feeling of being on stage where you have the audience right there, you can't replace that with anything.

I was working straight for nine months and I'm exhausted. I'm ready to relax for a little while and read. I don't want to work for work sake; I have to be excited about it.

If someone has already done a role I'm about to do, I won't watch the original until after I'm finished playing the role.

In terms of facial creams or lotions, I try to switch it up and stay as natural as possible. l like Le Mer facial cream for when I have an event. It's very rich and sometimes too rich for some people, but I like it.

Sometimes when you don't care, people are attracted to that.

Good storytelling appeals to me - good writing.

I'm loving the ingredients that are in Pantene, and it smells so good, and that's important to me. It has cassia and aloe vera. The cassia flower is really good for strengthening hair strands and the aloe is wonderful for moisturizing.

I wouldn't want anyone to destroy the earth.

I look forward to going to work. Everybody is at the top of their game. It was like we just got to play.

When you have a play, you have to be on every night.

I love going to the movies and getting Raisinets, a big tub of popcorn and a Coke. That's definitely a guilty pleasure because I can't be doing that all the time.

There is a lot of struggle in being an actor; you need so much emotional strength, no matter what level of stardom you have, that it's nice to have something steady.

The great thing about the stage is that you have a structured month-long rehearsal period where you're going in every day. You have to have lots of run-throughs with theater because there are no second takes in front of a live audience.

Being strong can be also feminine. I don't think feminine equals being weak. Being strong is very sexy.

I think I'm a character actress in a leading lady's body, but the industry doesn't really see me that way.

To make a movie is very grueling at times. Long, long hours and cold weather.

I didn't get to see Predator until halfway through shooting. It was great to get an education while I was shooting because it made me excited to be part of this legacy.

You would never expect a black woman to be the hero.