"I was being groomed to be a tennis player for sure. My grandparents and parents realised I had a natural athletic ability and if I was forced to do it, I could probably do well. But all I wanted was to play pretend."

"I think I was a Japanese schoolgirl in another life. That's how much I love Hello Kitty."

"My parents never talked to me like I was a kid. Maybe that's why I've been seen as mature."

"I played the young Reese Witherspoon in 'Sweet Home Alabama' when I was 7, and the boy who played the young Josh Lucas was 10."

"I grew up in the business since I was three years old so I've always kind of been in front of the camera and grew up in commercials and I knew that I wanted to do it no matter what, I just loved it."

"I grew up in the South under segregation. So, I know what terrorism feels like - when your father could be taken out in the middle of the night and lynched just because he didn't look like he was in an obeying frame of mind when a white person said something he must do. I mean, that's terrorism, too."

"I do like to move and get physical in my movies."

"It is a unyielding truth that rise early, act with intent, and let your accomplishments speak with silent authority."