Khandi Alexander Quotes

I had been a ballet dancer and never could make a living, and just being so excited that I got to, all of a sudden, live as an actor.

I never really considered acting as a career. I kind of fell into it. Originally, I wanted to be a painter.

I set writing aside when I went into theater, and then I set theater aside and subsequently had about a 25-year career in software development. Which, by the way, is a very creative field. I equate it more to kinetic sculpture than anything else, as an activity.

Acting has always been a strong force in my life, but it was hard to change direction. I didn't make a paycheck for two years.

I never was able to pay any type of bill doing the music that I was instinctually was making 'cause I loved it. I had to kind of pivot into doing the stuff that someone had taught me about to really get on my feet.

I refused to describe myself as an actress until 'EastEnders' because, until then, I couldn't support myself without doing other jobs.

I started acting as a way to support myself.

Music will always be a part of my life, but career-wise, acting is where my heart is.

'Crystal Fairy' was one of the first movies I did after I recommitted to the idea of acting.

I grew up learning ballet, and then I took up contemporary as I got older. I probably thought I was going to be a ballet dancer when I was younger, but at a certain age, I really was more interested in acting.

I was a magazine illustrator for many years before I became an actor, and I used to think, 'Oh, God, all those wasted years!' But now I think it's just been one big enterprise of illustrating. I used to do it with colored pencils, and now I do it with this voice and this set of limbs.

One of my aims was to be paid as well as a plumber. Plumber was better-paid than any performance artist who was always doing this for free. It is so important to make a good living from art. You know, John Cage, until he was 60, he couldn't pay electricity.

I always liked dancing and you'd go to class and find you had an hour acting and an hour of ballet.

I knew that modeling could open doors, and I would be able to travel and forge my own path. Being able to support yourself is amazing, and I think that was one of the things that appealed to me, but I didn't want to be in front of the camera at first.

I've supported myself since 'Tigerland.'

Though I have started pursuing acting, there is no stopping for me from scoring music because music has always been my passion, though acting is my interest.

I genuinely have to work - I don't have enough money not to. But the last thing I would want is to be looked after.

I had a chance to do acting again, and, I don't know, this has always been my plan of what I wanted to do.

I started out doing the acting, and there was always an interest in music, and then the music just took off.

I'm a busy girl, and I've been switching gears from telly and putting my heart and soul into music.

I never expected to make a living from climbing, but it got to the point where I either had to get a job or start trying to make some real money from it. I didn't want to be 45 and a dirtbag.

I need to work to support myself and my kids. No one pays for my support.

I was working a corporate job, but I really wanted to do music.

This work thing really has a specific purpose for me, which is to be an independent human being who doesn't rely on a guy or a family to be able to support myself. It's not about showing somebody that I'm successful. It's about having a wider breadth of option.

My memories of the whirlwind '90s are a blur of work schedules. I was completing my B. Com. degree in 1991 when I took to modelling and acting in TV serials. A year later, I found my foothold in movies.