I truly believe that we can overcome any hurdle that lies before us and create the life we want to live. I have seen it happen time and time again.

I have a tendency to go through my life at full speed and as a one-man band, and so I don't generally stop and take in other people enough to develop many relationships. I'm starting to regret that a bit. I want to change it.

Independent films are where you really get to cut your teeth and have some fun and do the things that mainstream Hollywood doesn't want to do.

You can say what you want to about a rapper in a movie, but look at what Ice Cube has done. Ice Cube has created more opportunities for other actors to get jobs in this business than some actors have.

I always choose my projects for the script or what the director want to tell with that story. And if I like the story.

If you have what you want to say inside, and if you are crying for something that is true inside, it doesn't matter. The camera always sees it.

That is the way a great master carpenter feels, or an architect or composer or anyone who creates anything - people want to be appreciated for what they have done.

I believe, along with many others, that you must first ask for what you want before you can have it.

Sometimes you have to do what you don't like to get to where you want to be.

It was an ongoing struggle to say no, I don't want to be a part of the perpetuation of this stereotype.

With Pearl Jam, everybody is so good at what they do, it's hard to get up the courage to say, Can I sing this part, or, I want to play guitar. I feel like I have more courage to do that.

I wouldn't say I'm a very controlling person. For instance, when I talk to the actors, I don't tell them exactly what I want because I want them to surprise me. I even encourage them to change some of the verses of the script if they need to.

There are many more want-to-be writers out there than good editors.

Right now I just want to chill for a while. Take a hiatus from all the craziness. To clean my house, see my family. Just see some movies and pick some strawberries.

I saw 'Food, Inc.' last night - it was like a horror movie. I'm definitely thinking about my food supply now and how I want to grow my own.