Rhames V Quotes & Sayings

Entertainment is needed, and so I do think escapism is needed. — Ving Rhames

I saw how, when my brother smoked reefer, it made my mother cry. He was 16 at the time. And I saw that she broke down and cried. I never wanted to hurt my mother, so I kept away from drugs. — Ving Rhames

When I look at the world, I recognize that unfortunately, it sometimes takes an atrocity like 9/11 to force us to come together. — Ving Rhames

My approach to the work is the same, whether I had the lead or a supporting role. I consider myself a character actor in the true sense of the word. Unless I'm doing my autobiography, I'm playing a character. — Ving Rhames

The only difference between working on a huge-budget film and a lesser-budget film, is the quality of lunch and dinner. — Ving Rhames

Rosewood is what Americans did to Americans. We have to hold the mirror up ... and look at ourselves. Sometimes that's an ugly sight. And sometimes you have to go through that pain - both black America and white America - so we can finally find some racial harmony. — Ving Rhames

All I want and all I even ask of people in Hollywood is look, just be honest with me. Please don't lie to me. Whatever the situation is, be honest with me. — Ving Rhames

I don't give Hollywood the power to limit me. Only God can limit me. — Ving Rhames

'Mission: Impossible' is fun. But for myself as an artist, I'm really more concerned with the human condition, the human experience, especially from an African American point of view. — Ving Rhames

People often think I've played the villain more times than I have. — Ving Rhames

The more you do a stunt, the more you increase the risk of something happening. — Ving Rhames

Quite honestly I never had a desire to be an actor. I tell people, I did not choose acting; acting chose me. I never grew up wanting to be an actor. I wanted to play football. In about 9th grade an English teacher told me I had a talent to act. He said I should audition for a performing arts high school so I did on a whim. I got accepted. — Ving Rhames

I like to say that I didn't choose acting - acting chose me. — Ving Rhames

I grew up in Harlem in New York, very rough, urban environment, and so what I found is that, if I can have kids travel to different places, countries, areas, it can expand their minds. — Ving Rhames

I graduated on a Friday. By Monday, I was doing Shakespeare in the Park. — Ving Rhames

It's really how you deal with people. Do people respect you? Are you honest with people even if it's something they don't want to hear? Anyone in Hollywood will tell you I'm extremely up front and honest almost to a fault. — Ving Rhames

I don't know if I hadn't grown up poor, and in the neighborhood I did, if I would have had that much to bring to my art form. I call upon my past with characters. — Ving Rhames

I grew up in Harlem, and the kids used to tease me. You know that song 'Bingo'? Well, they used to sing, 'V-i-n-g-o, and Vingo was his name-o.' — Ving Rhames

It can always get worse. — Ving Rhames

How do you cut off the human side and just maintain being professional? So what I've done is I've incorporated that with Kojak - there's times when he allows the human condition, the human experience, to integrate into him as a professional. — Ving Rhames

I find it so strange that I throw people off-center. — Ving Rhames

I graduated college in 1983, so that's 32 years, and all I've done for a living is act or commercials or voiceovers. So I have nothing to complain about. — Ving Rhames

Are you intimidated by me? Because if you're intimidated by me, that's something you'll have to deal with. — Ving Rhames

I try to allow the spirit of the character to live through me. That's the only way I know how to approach acting. I have to live it. — Ving Rhames

I'm the spokesman for ADT, and ADT, brother, pays better than most actors make on film. — Ving Rhames

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, I saw something - I don't know what it was to this day. My mind couldn't relate to what it was ... If I saw it and knew it was a shark, I wouldn't be as afraid, but I saw something that looked prehistoric, and I haven't been snorkeling since. — Ving Rhames

My wife is a former homicide detective, LAPD. The wonderful thing that I was able to capture is my wife's experiences from human and professional, and how do you deal with some of the atrocities that happen in L.A. and not bring them home. — Ving Rhames

The character of the computer whiz is not one that would normally be associated with me. — Ving Rhames

I'm from New York, and yet I've done only one film executive-produced by Spike Lee and have never done a film that Spike Lee directed. I've never done a film that Keenan Wayans has directed, or Bill Duke. — Ving Rhames

You can feel I am whatever you want to feel I am. God knows who I am, and I know who I am. — Ving Rhames

I think quite a bit of organized religion has become big business. Jesus Christ never sold the word of God. He never gave a sermon and then said, 'For $8.99, you can buy the CD.' — Ving Rhames

We're all about trying to teach the kids life through basketball. — Ving Rhames