Leila Slimani Quotes

Latinos don't go out and support their own films, but at the same time, it's not their responsibility.

As an ethnic female in wrestling, there will be people reading my words and I want to set an example. I did experience racism.

I feel responsible to my people to portray them the way we should be.

I do fairly represent Middle Eastern women.

It's funny - when I started acting, I didn't know I was going to be talking about Asian-American issues so much. You know what, though? It just comes with the territory, being ethnic.

I am Indian, and my home is Kampala. My world is already diverse. But films are financed by those who want to see themselves on screen, and it is a white male world. Still, it does feel like America is waking up. Let's hope it's the start of an avalanche.

I'd be so fascinated to talk to a psychologist or sociologist about the deep psychological impact of seeing oneself represented. I don't think we've really touched the surface of what it does to the psyche of a people if the only image of you out there is negative. Or if it's never out there.

Every time I do something, I think, 'Am I portraying Asian people in the way I want to be portrayed?'

I want to change the perception about Latinos worldwide. I think people don't know yet how cool we are.

Movies and TV are America's No. 1 export. So if our No. 1 export is all male, all white, then there's only one point of view. And I just think it's really important that as Americans - I'm a new American, but I am an American - that we don't portray ourselves to the world so one-sided and exclusive.

I don't want to be the next face of America.

It's rare that you see Latin families being portrayed as intelligent, sophisticated, and powerful entities.

I do feel I have a responsibility to empower women and to inspire them.

One good thing about being a woman is we haven't too many examples yet of what a genius looks like.

I'm looking forward to it, to be able to represent the black culture... but I'm doing my best at managing it, keeping it behind me, and that's the best thing I can do.

I wanted to represent for Polynesians, and that was always my goal, because not everyone knows about us, and I just want to represent for them.

My parents speak with an accent. A lot of people that I know speak with an accent. I have friends who speak with an accent. Accents in a vacuum aren't a problem; it's how you portray those characters and how well they're served in a script.

We applaud any company making business decisions that empower women.

It may be that a majority of superheroes are white males. But that's because they used to all be white males, except for Wonder Woman and Black Canary and maybe one or two others. Now there are Spanish, Puerto Rican comic book superheroes, black superheroes, and women superheroes.

Why shouldn't there be more epic, brilliant female characters onscreen?

I am conscious of the community that I'm representing and don't play into stereotypes.

I never thought of myself as a woman leader or Latina leader; I just thought of myself as a leader.

I am glad the world opened their eyes to female Japanese stars. I think people for so long paid attention to Mexico, Canada, Australia and England and never Japan.

Each Disney princess is unique in their own way, but Moana is especially close to my heart because she's Polynesian.

I think more girls feel encouraged when women from their community do well. Especially in a place like Haryana, where people presume that women are looked down upon.