Simone Missick

I always was very aware of the concept of injustice and inequality and how the financial disparities that exist within our country affect people's ability to thrive and to fully take part in what we call the American dream.

I did a little bit of theater when I was in high school outside of my high school. I was focused more on sports and playing the violin.

We live in a racially imbalanced society and we always have been. Black people have been traditionally disenfranchised and abused and misused in this country. It's nothing new.

I love comedy. That is my first love.

We don't have to shrink ourselves down in order to make the men around us feel capable. We can be fully in our power as women.

Luke Cage' is something completely new.

Human nature we get easily distracted.

I tell my crew members how much I love and appreciate them every day.

It's sometimes hard for legal dramas to honestly assess the fact that we are biased as a society, and racial bias is a huge part of it.

I was captain of my varsity basketball team.

I am the level-headed person in my family and with my husband, I am the first one to say 'sorry' in order to get the ball rolling and the conversation can get to the heart of the matter.

I think every day, being alive, it is important to all of us to try to find the light and the hope.

Being a skilled martial artist takes a lot of focus, and you know the athleticism helps because you just naturally look more believable when you're pulling off these moves.

No one person or entity is perfect.

Having a Black woman write words for another Black woman, there is innateness in that, there is a knowing in that.

It's always so great to innovate, to be at the forefront of something.

For so long, a buying, consuming population has been ignored and forced to see stories that do not reflect them or their views. Money talks. It was the success of 'Luke Cage' and the success of 'Black Panther' that I think has people going, 'Oh, OK. Yes. I'll buy that.'

People are thirsty to see themselves a magical way and in a fantastical way.

It's important for the world to see black women as not just the suffering wife or haggard mother.

I feel like I'm building a legacy that my children and their children can be proud of.

Not often do people say, 'Here is a dream role with a great character, and a great cast and crew.' That never happens.

You can only be as strong as those around you and the people I work with are just phenomenal.

All Rise' isn't your typical legal procedural, nor is it a straight comedy either.

There's that thing where every actor is like, 'I want to be the lead' and I certainly had that written on my vision boards every, single year.

If you don't enjoy the journey, you're not going to be happy once you get there.

For so long I was a struggling artist. I felt like I had my faith, family and health together, but not my career.

To be able to have my natural hair on TV, that will encourage so many more women who wear their hair natural who are told it's not professional enough. I think it's encouraging to all women to be who you are.

I, like most people, spend a lot of time watching shows. Bingeing shows.

People dealing with crisis can sometimes be funny.

I've loved my castmates. I've been very, very blessed with amazing people to work with.

The billboard for 'All Rise' is in the same area where I used to wait tables when I first got to L.A. I'll take it. I'll take the 10 or 15 years it took for my face to get on a billboard.

So, with 'All Rise,' I'm able to be the lead of a show, on a network that is really committed to seeing these stories being told, and that is interested in seeing it told in a really different way, where it's not your typical legal drama. The fact that they signed up for this ride, I'm so thankful.

Apparently, I have approached every role that I've had as if I was the lead of the show, and had a voice and could advocate myself with the writers and creators.

Lola Carmichael is a woman that we have not seen on TV in this kind of role. When we see judges, they're normally in the back of our legal system.

I've had the fortune of playing very strong women, and I've been blessed to play characters that are capable and intelligent.

We even thought there would be a 'Daughters of the Dragon' spinoff. Unfortunately, we will never know if that was even given any consideration.

So many more actors would be so much happier with the process of going to work, the process of auditioning, which is another part of work, if we recognize the power that we do have to advocate for ourselves.

How could you continue to do something for 10 years and continue to believe in yourself if you didn't have a certain level of empowerment?

I've seen a lot of people over the years just do things that were unsafe because someone asked them to. And it might not be until later that they say, 'I was uncomfortable with that,' or if they get injured, 'Yes, I probably shouldn't have done that take a second time.'

One of the things that is always hard for actors on set - and it doesn't matter at what stage you're in - is advocating for yourself.

Television is like a microwave. So many shows come and go, so to have something people would like to see back is truly a blessing.

We always see strong women. We often see strong black women. We rarely see messy, fragile black women.

I've long been a fan of OWN, I've watched shows on that network and just felt like they really love centering the Black women in their stories, and I feel like their stories are oftentimes beautifully shot and beautifully told.

I look at some of the amazing actors that we celebrate today, who are leading their own shows and movies and writing and directing their own projects, and producing their own projects. Many of them had full careers on the stage, and as day players or in one-liner roles. And then they got their break.

I think it's great to be able to play these strong female leads but that are multi-dimensional and that people can identify with.

All of these wonderful characters and opportunities come to me and I can't say no.

When I auditioned, her name was Missy and she was a cop. And that's all I knew. I didn't know that it was Misty Knight. I didn't know she was a superhero. I knew nothing. I did not know that it was a Marvel show. That's how secretive they were.

My desire is that I'm not an addendum to someone else's story.

I think so often in our industry, people get typecast.

Sometimes the challenge is physical. 'Luke Cage' was a very physical role, 'Altered Carbon' was a very physical role.