I care a lot about who I'm working with as directors and other actors. — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I know I'm a black actor, but really, I'm an actor who happens to be black. — Stephan James Actor Copy Share Image
I grew up on basketball, volleyball, that sort of thing. For me, track and field was a whole 'nother beast. — Stephan James Basketball Copy Share Image
Luckily enough, I've been able to work with Ava DuVernay, who was able to rally this large ensemble and get us all… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I've loved Basquiat since I was 13. From his artwork to his interviews to the way he thought about things, I've always… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I want to continue to grow and evolve, and I want to help other people grow and evolve. — Stephan James Change Copy Share Image
That was my goal in portraying Jesse Owens: bringing that level of humanity so people could understand who he was as a… — Stephan James Goal Copy Share Image
When is not a good time to speak up for our vets and support them in any way that we can? — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I want to be a superhero, I want to be Spider-Man or Batman. Will you let me know if you have any… — Stephan James Batman Copy Share Image
It's important to me for the world to see black men in different capacities - capacities in which they're probably not used… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
The best filmmakers have a very familial attitude in sort of embracing the set, beyond the cast, with the wardrobe, and the… — Stephan James Attitude Copy Share Image
The issue of racism happens all over the world. Granted, people - especially Americans - don't know the the Canadian culture. But… — Stephan James Country Copy Share Image
I really appreciate Barry Jenkins as a filmmaker and the fact that he's always wanting to push the envelope and challenge perspective… — Stephan James Film Copy Share Image
I'm black, yeah, but I'm just an actor, so everything I do doesn't have to be color-specific or specific to history. But… — Stephan James Actor Copy Share Image
We have to start creating more material that gives a platform for people of colour, for women, for old people and young… — Stephan James Black or white Copy Share Image
I knew [Jesse Owens'] name, but I really didn't remember what it is he had done, so I felt like I had… — Stephan James Directors Copy Share Image
You have such a big responsibility. This person is still alive. You would think that they think highly of themselves and their… — Stephan James Accomplishment Copy Share Image
When we started making 'Selma,' the Black Lives Matter movement didn't exist. The parallels between Martin Luther King staging these marches, suffering… — Stephan James Black lives Copy Share Image
John Lewis is such a remarkable human being. Literally, such a beautiful human being. I remember the first time I met him.… — Stephan James Beautiful Copy Share Image
Jesse Owens had to be a very strong person. There were a lot of protests, but I think that he knew, despite… — Stephan James Barriers Copy Share Image
Jesse Owen was bigger than a black hero, he was an American hero. For me, I looked at it from that perspective.… — Stephan James Age Copy Share Image
What I've learned about that word is context, where the world is coming from - in the era the film is set,… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I got obsessed with impersonations: impersonating people that I knew - people, not famous people but people like my family. At first,… — Stephan James Family Copy Share Image
Sacrifice. I'd never been in a position where I was number one on the call sheet, and everything was in my lap.… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I realize the importance of retelling those stories is so that, one, we don't forget what our ancestors had to do so… — Stephan James Ancestor Copy Share Image
The first time I sat in a theater and watched myself on a screen was an out-of-body experience. It blew my mind. — Stephan James Experience Copy Share Image
My mom used to buy us a whole lot of VHS tapes - we had boxes of them, hundreds of them. So… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I enjoy challenging perspective - challenging ideas of what it means to be a black man. — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I definitely have to make sure I have my Jamaican playlist whenever I go, and you've gotta listen to Popcaan. I really… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
I've always been pretty reserved, but after taking drama classes in middle school to get more comfortable performing in front of people,… — Stephan James Drama Copy Share Image
I think I have an incredible group of people that I work with and people I'm inspired by and community I'm inspired… — Stephan James Copy Share Image
![“I knew [Jesse Owens'] name, but I really didn't remember what it is he had done, so I felt like I had to get refreshed. So I read the script and I realized like, wow, this is an incredible human being. I told my manager, however I had to do it, let me see the director; I got to play him.” quote by Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/ae4/stephan-james-17537_directors_i-knew-jesse-owens-name-but-i-really-did_1846344.jpg)
![“John Lewis is such a remarkable human being. Literally, such a beautiful human being. I remember the first time I met him. We were in the middle of a scene and [Selma director] Ava DuVernay calls, "Cut," and then he literally just came in. He just came walking in.I just froze. I can't explain the…” quote by Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/7c0/stephan-james-17537_beautiful_john-lewis-is-such-a-remarkable-human-be_207419.jpg)
![“I realize the importance of retelling those stories is so that, one, we don't forget what our ancestors had to do so we can be where we are, and two, to just educate the newer generation. I'm being educated by all these films ['Race' and 'Selma'] and the things I've had the opportunity to be a…” quote by Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/242/stephan-james-17537_ancestor_i-realize-the-importance-of-retelling-th_1510721.jpg)
