Jimmy Smits

For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of that is going to be heard as long as we’re just the hired hands, acting.

It’s less about the physical training, in the end, than it is about the mental preparation: boxing is a chess game. You have to be skilled enough and have trained hard enough to know how many different ways you can counterattack in any situation, at any moment.

You have to find what makes you stable in the storm. Then, no matter what’s happening round you, no matter what the hype or the publicity, you can still manage to make leaps in your work as an artist.

There’s something so familial and intimate between a boxer and his trainer.

When we are out there selling a new picture, when did it become part of the deal that you have to sell the family? To use the juicy part of your life to get attention? I’m not blaming the reporters. It’s the system.

Just give me a good role that allows me to hone my craft, and I am a pretty happy camper.

I’m an actor. I love to act. That’s my job. I’ll leave the politicking to others.

I never thought television would or could be a long-term commitment.

I’ve been in California for about 15 years now. You’re always in your car and insulated. I miss New York so much.

There are no right and wrong ways to work in this business, but there are some basic common-sense practices. Work very, very hard and always be prepared; never give up; and once you get the job, give them more than they ever expected: – Shine!

I am a firm believer in education and have worked very hard to tell young Latinos that they must go to college and that, if possible, they should pursue an advanced degree. I am convinced that education is the great equalizer.

In my college years, I worked as a union labor organizer. I was just one of the many workers trying to do my part to help the community.

Celebrity hits like a bomb.

If you’re afraid to live your life in a glass bubble, how can you do what we do in this industry?

I’ve been very lucky to work on a wide variety of projects, including two long-run and top-10 dramatic television shows. That is why it is so important to offer a helping hand to the next generation of young Latinos coming up behind me.

I like the gypsy aspect of this business.