Tika Sumpter Quotes

I'm not trying to live a social media life or a life to just be in a magazine.

I'll try anything once. It's always good to see peoples' faces surprised - surprised that I race, or that I surf, that I trekked through the Himalayas. As long as I don't die, I'm good.

When I was on 'One Life to Live,' I always wanted to delve into my character, Layla, to find out why she was the black sheep of the family. I so wanted to have some edge. I have no idea why there was a reluctance to do that or why we so rarely see it.

I think most people write from what they see in their own world, which is maybe why we so often see an African-American woman as the best friend, or the one you bring in when you need some sass. It's like we're put in a box.

I love Motown, that whole era. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson. I just put on Pandora, and put it on Motown, and it makes me smile; makes me smile so much.

I want to do good, and I want people to be happy, and sometimes when you're a people pleaser, you spread yourself too thin.

I was signed to a record label when I was younger. I was in a group, and I just wasn't - personally, I wasn't ready to get out there. I don't know. It was a pop group. Not like the Spice Girls, but when you don't have any control over anything, it's disheartening.

Working for Oprah is a dream come true. She was on my dream board for the longest time.

I buy everything India Arie, just because she's such a positive person, and I just love her music. Her music's so soulful ... I think Kanye West is a genius musically.

I think the best part in going to the movies is you feel something and you relate whether it's to family struggles or dimming your light for someone. I would say to never dim your light and to really, truly follow your dreams.

You have a lot of disappointments as an actor.

My mom was an opera singer, and she gave up her career to raise a family. But she also taught my sisters how to sing.

Plow through the weeds. Go to the auditions and go to the meetings and be on time. Stop looking to the left or the right. Keep your head down and keep moving.

I used to work at a movie theater and sold hams at Honey Baked Ham during the holidays. I sold a ton of hams, and they offered me a regular job there, which I turned down. I feel like anything you do, just do it 100% because then that work ethic will bleed through when it's time to work on your dreams.

At Christmas, it's my siblings running around the house, we're cooking, talking, laughing, loud and just crazy. It's beautiful chaos.

I was working in customer service and had a verbally abusive boss. One day, I decided to quit and pursue my acting passion with everything I had. One week after quitting, I booked 'One Life to Live.'