Lou Diamond Phillips Quotes

I understand that, being born with a certain face, people want to see me in certain roles. But one needs to break that image by doing different kinds of films.

When you are a really iconic character, everyone thinks that's all you can do. It's nice to show people that I'm not a one-trick pony.

I have been successful in comic roles and people think that is all that I can do.

Actors do tend to get pigeonholed. People want to know who you are so they can put you in a box. It's lovely to be known for such diametrically opposite roles.

Certainly, I look for different characters 'cause I always like to keep people guessing, and I also don't like to get typecast.

Sometimes they try to put you inside a box, but I look at my filmography and I've been able to do a lot.

I'm trying to break the stereotypical role now of the Theo-type character because, in my post-'Cosby' life, as I call it, I don't want to be known as just the kind of guy who can play a Theo Huxtable-type character. I want to be known as being able to do more things, being able to stretch.

I've done history; I've done biopics, I've done a little bit of comedy. I just want to keep going and show people that you can't typecast me, you can't pigeonhole me.

I think that people are most comfortable when they can put you in a box - and that's very easy to do that when someone can put you in more serious roles. I'm not blaming them for that - it's just up to me to show people what I can do.

Being an actress, I want to play people that are not like me or the characters I've previously played. It's easier to get roles if you play a certain type of character but I don't want to do that.

A lot of people get pigeonholed because it makes it easier to understand them - or assume you understand them. I think the way you break away from that is by constantly doing different jobs.

I know that when you do similar kind of films, one after the other, people tend to stereotype and say, 'She is only good at this.'

People always try to pigeonhole you, especially the media, who are happy if they can label you as a particular kind of artist. But the spectrum of songs I write and record is vast.

Sometimes a movie series that becomes popular can be a blessing and curse because you get known for that. People don't give you a chance, after that... I'm a big proponent of getting somebody that you always admire and giving them a chance to do something else because they can redefine themselves.

It's funny how you have to keep changing, or showing that you are capable of doing something different from people's expectations. People really only do remember you from the last thing you've done, or desperately want to put you into a position that they think you're capable of.

Everyone's supposed to stay in their lines and be neat. 'You're a rapper. You're supposed to rap, carry a boom box, wear chains, and go to the club - that's all you do. What are you doing collecting art? What are you talking about? Wait a minute, you're getting out of the zone.' People hate when people cross lines.

After having played serious drama for so long, I needed to scratch the itch of versatility.

I never felt that I was typecast, but I was concerned about it. I certainly made an effort to take as many parts in theater and film that resisted that. If you only learn how to act a certain kind of role, it is very difficult to grow as an actor.

For me as an actor, I oftentimes wish producers would take a chance and cast me against type, and they often don't, so when you get a chance, you do it. At least I do.

I think it's a shame that people are so quick to put you in a box; sometimes it's as if you do one thing, and that's all you're allowed to do.

After doing 'War and Peace,' I suddenly got lots of seductress roles. It's easy to put people into a category after you've seen them in one thing that you feel fits with them. But I'm trying to make a conscious decision to do different things.

Sherlock' changed the perception of me. I have these cheekbones and this face that suggest very middle-class or period-drama roles. I want to show everyone there's much more to me than Irene Adler.

Yes, you want to do studio movies, but I also want to grow as an actor, and an actress like me is not going to get roles where you grow and evolve in a studio film. It's just not gonna happen.

I don't want to be stuck to one character. I think that's what can happen when you take on a superhero movie.

I am getting better offers since directors feel that I am versatile and can be more than just a girl next door. I am also seriously trying not to be repetitive.