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" A lot of characters I've played have a certain amount of strength, pride, and leadership. "
Mekhi Phifer
Characters
Leadership
Strength
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" I hated how Sam Rothstein got manipulated by Sharon Stone's character in 'Casino.' I mean, I just hate how he gets manipulated; that just gets ridiculous to me. I know it's historic, but I hated that. "
Mekhi Phifer
Hate
Character
Know
" Once or twice a week, I try to do some kind of boxing. I'm hitting the bags and jumping rope - all that stuff. "
Mekhi Phifer
Week
Boxing
Kind
" There's no question that I'm African-American. OK? I'm a black man. We're not going to escape that. "
Mekhi Phifer
OK
Question
Man
" I do like sci-fi, absolutely. I've watched everything from 'Star Trek' to 'Star Wars' to 'Terminator' - the list goes on and on. "
Mekhi Phifer
Like
Goes
Everything
" I always try to bring a certain masculine presence to what I do. That is part of the dynamic. "
Mekhi Phifer
Try
Bring
Always
" I want to see my family prosper, see my kids grow old. "
Mekhi Phifer
Old
Kids
Family
" 'Mekhi' means, sort of, one who loves water, and the relationship with water and how water is important to life... It's a sense of being needed and purpose - you know, we have a purpose on this earth, and we're here to fill that. "
Mekhi Phifer
Relationship
Water
Purpose
" It's always a pleasure when you get to work with people that you actually really like. "
Mekhi Phifer
Work
You
Always
" I love anything that really pushes the envelope as far as where it takes your mind. When it's well written and brings you into a world that possibly could be, I think that's the most entertaining for me - to see something that could actually take place and causes you to think. "
Mekhi Phifer
Think
Love
Me
" If you go into something saying, 'I'm the bad guy,' you do yourself a disservice as an actor. It's always about trying to find the humanity in a character. "
Mekhi Phifer
Saying
Character
Humanity
" I've dated interracially a lot. I grew up in Harlem, so I've dated Latins, Dominican, Guyanese, Cuban, black, white. "
Mekhi Phifer
Black
White
Lot
" When I did 'Clockers,' I didn't even think about having a career in acting, I just thought, 'Wow, this is cool. I get to do a little movie.' "
Mekhi Phifer
Think
Cool
Career
" In the early '80s, it was hard to find celebrities you can identify with if you lived in the hood. There weren't any rap videos at the time. "
Mekhi Phifer
Early
Find
Hard
" I always try to pick and choose projects that will be impactful to someone. From films like 'Clockers' to playing a doctor on 'ER' to doing '8 Mile,' where I'm in charge of the hip-hop battles, I think it affects all kinds of different audiences. And I just try to keep that in mind, to keep people entertained. "
Mekhi Phifer
People
Doctor
Doing
" It's nice to always have been able to remain consistent. I'm very thankful for that and to work on shows that I can be proud of, and films. "
Mekhi Phifer
I Can
Thankful
Nice
" I grew up in a rough environment. You want to be strong and have your presence felt out there. That attitude reflects how people see you. "
Mekhi Phifer
You
Be Strong
People
" I've done 21 films in eight years, and I've said 'No' more times than I've done films. "
Mekhi Phifer
Years
Than
Said
" I'm an avid watcher of the Nat Geo channel, where I watch shows about how the planets are formed, and shows about moons, quasars, black holes. "
Mekhi Phifer
Planets
How
Watch
" When you become an actor, at some point you look for something that brings you back to your roots. You find something that people around your neighborhood can relate to. People that you're close with can relate to. "
Mekhi Phifer
Look
People
Roots
" My agents usually get a breakdown of all the projects that are out there. When I got 'Divergent,' they hadn't finished the script. They knew they wanted the leader of the Dauntless to have a certain demeanor and energy. They had me read a short monologue, and I got the part. "
Mekhi Phifer
Got
Me
Energy
" I think, in any artist's mind, you can't just be into yourself. You have to look at the world in an objective view. "
Mekhi Phifer
World
Look
View
" I'm from Harlem, born and raised there. "
Mekhi Phifer
Raised
Born
Harlem
" When you're working and making money, that's all good, but there has to be something that provides a substance, I think. "
Mekhi Phifer
You
Think
Making Money
" With my first son I cut his umbilical cord and everything, so I'm a hands-on father, to say the least. "
Mekhi Phifer
Everything
Cut
Father
" I'm a soccer dad at heart. I want five kids, and I want to get married. I want to coach Little League. "
Mekhi Phifer
Kids
Little
Soccer
" I loved the extended version of 'Aliens' because it shows just a little bit more that you don't see and what they always show on television. "
Mekhi Phifer
See
You
Television
" When break dancing was out, I break danced. When rapping was the thing, I freestyled rap on the street and battled and all that kind of stuff. "
Mekhi Phifer
Out
Street
Break
" I love character-driven, well-written, great storytelling types of films, and I think that 'My Cousin Vinny' just hit the nail on the head with everything. It's one of those movies that, if I'm flipping through the channels, no matter what part it's on, I can watch it. It's just one of my favorites. "
Mekhi Phifer
I Can
Great
Love
" I love kids, outings, camping, sports, Legoland, all the Daddy stuff. I love it. I wish I could just do that, but I have to work, too. "
Mekhi Phifer
Just
I Wish
Work
" I know a lot of people who are weak, who are in a perpetual cycle of poverty and being locked up. There are guys from my neighborhood who are in jail or who are dead. It does take a certain strength to know your environment and say, 'I can grow beyond it.' "
Mekhi Phifer
Environment
Strength
Poverty