Respectful Representation Quotes

Playing a real person, it does add an extra level of thoughtfulness. You're portraying someone who actually existed, so instead of saying, like, 'OK, I think this would make the scene better,' it's more a question of, 'What do I think the real Jeffrey Dahmer would do?'

And I think when you're playing someone who is a real person, it's extremely important to take the time and put in the effort to learn about who they are to be able to respectfully portray that.

My censor board is my own heart and mind. Our audience can say that the women in my films are bold or sensual, but never, ever vulgar.

What will get you elected through a tough election cycle and what will get you kicked out when you should have won is whether your constituents feel like their Member of Congress respects them or not.

What I mean by being real is just when you are doing dance celebrations, sports celebrations, like the cooking dance or anything like that. When you're an artist, you want to always try your best to do the homework and see where it originated from.

When we represent all cultures with sensitivity and truth, we foster a society that supports all people.

When you're playing someone that's real, there is that hanging weight of how will they feel when they see this: will I make them feel exposed in some way, and how do I absolutely avoid doing that while playing this as accurately and empathetically as I possibly can?

It's great that we have commercial filmmakers who make family films and understand the aesthetics well, taking this route. They know how to bring the emotions out there without being vulgar. After all, it's a natural instinct.

By a museum, I assume you mean an institution dedicated to the events of Sept. 11 and the aftermath. If that is done with sensitivity, I think it would be most appropriate.

If we have no respect for our viewers, then how can we have any respect for ourselves and what we do?

I try my best to live by the principle that if you're going to be telling a story that you didn't live, tell it with as much respect as you can for the people who did live it.

A lot of people have been calling, asking if they can sell T shirts and buttons … We’re just asking that it be in very good taste.

There are enough negative images of Black women out there and I did not want to portray Dorothy Vaughn in any stereotype. I wanted to make sure that her integrity was preserved.

I feel particularly passionate about being a part of 'Rillington Place' because I've never had a job where I've felt so much responsibility and I've had to handle something with so much delicacy, because this story and these people were real.

I think it's always a good idea to dress as someone you like, as long as it's done in good taste. That's the key.

I think it's certainly important that we don't have symbols in our society that are offensive to a segment and that arouse racial division.

When you're playing a real person, there's a balance between playing the person in the script and playing the person as he was in life. You have to be respectful and true to who that person was, but at the same time tell the story in the film.

It's nice to be in a show where it's not based on taking your shirt off.

I do feel I'm being respectful to Buddhism and martial arts with 'Mortal Kombat.'

The hijab, or sikh turban, or Jewish skullcap are all explicit symbols, but they do not represent a threat or affront to others, and have no bearing on the competence, skills and intelligence of a person.

When you play someone who is an iconic figure you can't go into it lightly.

I think of 'Mommy' as very simplistic or not simplistic, but I wish for the style to actually work with what you see onscreen and what you feel in that very moment. I hope we did not disrespect the characters by being too flamboyant when it's not necessary.

I'm really proud of Gunsmoke. We put on a good show every week - one that families could all watch together without offending anyone.

I really wanted to feel strong, I wanted my subjects to feel strong, but I didn't know how to do that. It's really hard for, I guess, every woman to not internalize misogyny. I just learned as I went on how to best capture my subjects without objectifying them.

I definitely don't want to appropriate... not in an 'overly PC' way though.