Andre Braugher

I got tired of going to the barber to keep my fade together, so I just cut it all off.

I'm in love with low-rated shows. That's true of 'Men of a Certain Age,' 'Thief,' 'Gideon's Crossing.' I fall in love with projects that are almost freighted with prestige.

I knew that in order to make a more lasting impact, to be on a show that people would watch on a regular basis, I would have to change my thinking.

I'm never going to be an improv comedian.

You can't separate the phenomenal birth of unionism in the United States of America from the Pullman porters. This same small group of men, who grew to be 10,000 strong, was also the organizational foundation for the civil rights movement and all of the gains that were made in the '40s and the '50s. That, and the black church.

It's only when you're privy to the conversations and a member of the production team that you can direct the course of a series and make sure it flourishes.

Once your network has lost confidence in you, you're headed for the dustbin of history.

Leadership is by far the most important quality when it comes to making a show that's going to last and of superb quality, something classy and fun.

I've been involved with great scripts and so-so leadership, and it's clear to me that leadership is the most compelling factor.

What's so fun about doing the same thing again and again? You can only slap the handcuffs on a guy so many times.

'Complicated' is good, in my opinion.

I get invited to a thousand parties, but do I show up at them? No, I don't.

My goal is to broaden and deepen the range of African-American characters on television, so I always try to show human beings.

Unfortunately, in television today there are very few African-American characters who are human beings. They are typically two-dimensional stereotypes, cookie-cutter types.

I was an engineering student and spent a lot of time in the library, and no one applauds when you finish your calculations.

The distinction is large in my mind. The gay police captain is eventually going to be wearing hot pants and singing 'YMCA.' The police captain who happens to be gay is going to be a huge collection of personality characteristics and motivations.

One of the great upsides about comedy is that you're dealing with really lovely, fun material.

Men are not usually forthcoming in the expression of their emotions.

I think I'd work a little more if I lived in L.A.

As an actor, I'm allowed - encouraged! - to explore emotions that have been basically unacceptable in my life. I have a huge well of emotional stuff, and once I give myself permission as an actor, it all comes to the surface. But I'll be damned if I can give myself permission to bring it out as a man.

As a father, I've tried to encourage my children to have a broader and deeper emotional life than I've had. I want my sons to be able to express their feelings about things.

I'm not a good enough singer to pull off the effect.

I'm always a fan of a good horror film.

To me, the psychology behind the character is critical. So I work very hard to get into the mind of the man that I'm going to be playing, because number one, I want to understand why he's doing what he's doing. It's essential, it's absolutely essential.

They're mutually incompatible I feel; being a wise thief and a wise father.