Samira Wiley Quotes

There never were any roles for my kind of acting. That's the story of my life.

I've been in so many good movies that I felt like nobody saw; it's a pretty dreadful feeling.

Things are changing. I've been training since I was 9 years old to stretch my wings as an actor dramatically, but have never really been afforded the opportunity to show that.

It is bitter to think of one's best years disappearing in this unpolished country.

I'm either offered window-dressing parts in large movies or little art films no one ever sees. People think the movies I end up doing are my real choices. I do the best things I'm offered.

It's just so frustrating when you're in a supporting role because you only get to express a part of yourself.

For years, they cast me in these dumb straight roles of businessmen in three-piece suits.

So the only things I was being allowed to audition for were small roles in comedies. It broke my heart. No one would see me for anything else. I knew, in order to open up my career, I had to leave or that's all I would ever be given.

It become totally untenable to me that after acting for 25 years - I've played Juliet, Cleopatra and Anne Frank - there I was, sitting in Hollywood, just waiting for somebody to want me.

Bit parts in Mediocre TV shows won't develop your acting chops.

A lot of my friends are struggling musicians. Being a struggling actor, it's just frustrating because you're not allowed to do what you want to do.

I would love to do parts I have never done before, but unfortunately, if you have had success in a particular type of character, the casting agents think, 'Oh! We'll have something exactly like that.' It's very boring.

In 'Taxi,' I kept doing the same scene for three years. I was underused.

It never really worked out for me in my own country. They said, 'You're not famous enough for the lead roles, and you're too present for the supporting roles - you'd overpower the lead.'

From the time I was 16 to really up until turning 21, the roles were really, really few and far between. I had people say that I just wasn't a good singer. They didn't know what to do with me; I would never fit in any markets. I almost quit acting altogether.

I don't think Hollywood was trying to do anything with me. In fact, they lost interest pretty quick.

Every actor thinks he's underused - unless he's a movie star.

It sounds so dramatic, but I'll say it: Hollywood just doesn't know what to do with me. And it's not for lack of trying.

I'm, like, the only actor in New York who's never, ever been on any 'Law & Order.' And I've auditioned for so many. The sad thing is I love 'Law & Order.' I'm really obsessed with it. And they always said to me, 'You seem like you're making fun of the material.'

It's difficult when you're young and you're not playing for your club.

I'm bored. I'm bored with the kind of parts I get offered. I can do more.

Well, to tell you honestly, I am still waiting for much better roles. And I am slightly surprised that despite seeing the quality and hard work, the Hindi film industry is still not creating projects that I can be a part of.

I haven't signed as many films as I'd like to because there are no good roles, as disheartening as it is to say.

After acting in a critically acclaimed film like 'Kaaka Muttai,' I didn't get any offers for more than a year.

You have a lot of guys who've been given opportunities in the league. I'm not one of those guys.