John Cho Quotes

The weird thing about this business - and I'm sure this operates in many other things, but it's very present and acute in this business - is that a lot of people don't realize that they have power. Particularly actors.

Every time the industry gets powerful, and corporate thinking dominates what the music is, then the music really pales.

I have only one loyalty - to my writing. I never wanted to be the head of a studio or a producer.

I don't care what the public wants, I'm going to give it what it needs!

I've refused roles because they're too simplistic.

Unfortunately, overall, movies are a conglomerate. People buy and sell people in this business, which can get really ugly.

The music industry can make you feel like a prostitute.

If I get a note on my script or my films, what I say to a studio executive is that, 'You know, this is the film of my legacy, and I never want to be sitting in a theater looking up on the screen and seeing something that I don't believe in.' I will never do that.

I began to fear that Mos Def was being treated as a product, not a person, so I've been going by Yasiin since '99. At first it was just for friends and family, but now I'm declaring it openly.

I have never been assigned a game, I have never made a game I didn't want to make. I've never done anything just to make somebody some money.

I don't want to be doing movies that I don't want to do. They take so much out of you.

Writers can feel pretty powerless in the big corporate world of publishing, but sometimes our greatest power is the ability to say 'no.'

Actors have given up their clout. Now decision making is in the hands of lighting men, designers, bankers, special-effects people. We need to cut that out and just go with the most able trained actors in the business.

There's always been some moron-who usually went by the name of 'producer' - who would have to justify his existence, and interfere.

I still take work if I think it's good. If I like the script, I'll do it. If I don't, I won't.

It would be ridiculous to say I don't want to sell records, but I trust my taste.

I know a lot of celebrities who are perfectly happy to put their name to something and then leave it at that because the money is good, but I need to have complete control over how something is going to look if my name is going to be attached to it.

I don't want to be in somebody else's movie, and then they make all the money. I've gotten offers to do the movies, but I won't sell myself short and be in somebody else's movie, like 'Boyz N the Hood.' I don't think I woulda done that.

I've actually been in situations where I've turned down a lot of money to continue on, in certain shows, or to do something that would have lasted years when I didn't even like it. I didn't want to be in any one spot for years, unless I really believed in it, and I really believe in 'Being Human.'

People send me records, and if don't like them, I won't do them; I don't care how much money you offer.

A lot of times, people believe that until you're a certain-list actor, you say yes to everything; you're not allowed to say no. But early on, something went off in me, and if something didn't ring true for a myriad of reasons, I would say no and was fortunate enough to have people around me that were OK with that.

I'm actually very snobbish about directors. I have to say 'no' all the time. 'No' is the most powerful word in our business. You've got to protect yourself.

Producing isn't my favourite bit about what I do, but the fact that I know how to do it gives me this sense of power in situations that are super male-dominated.

There were offers from a few Bollywood filmmakers, but I was sceptical as to whether those films will do justice to my vision or even my life. I was also apprehensive because what if I sign an agreement and give the rights to some filmmaker, and he shelves the project?

I will not accept a role just because a big hero stars in it. I am not here to merely dance, run around trees, and be a glam doll.