You just keep moving forward and doing what you do and hope that it resonates with people. And if it doesn't, you just keep moving on until you find a project that does.
Interpretation
Keep pursuing your passion regardless of immediate feedback, as success may come from persistence.
This quote by Octavia Spencer emphasizes the importance of perseverance and dedication in one's work. It suggests that not every effort will resonate with everyone, but continuing to move forward and staying true to oneself is crucial. The journey involves discovering what truly connects with others and not being discouraged by setbacks along the way.
In practice
In a motivational speech to students about pursuing their dreams.
You have to get out of your comfort zone in order to grow. And as an actor, you don't become Meryl Streep by doing the same type of comedy. You get there by being challenged. And unfortunately, there's a lack of roles for women of color, so you actually have to be the engineer creating some of those roles.
I don't think there will ever be a time I don't write, and I hope there will never be a time I don't act.
There are so few roles out there. And even if it is a film that could be led by a black actress, how many times is that film going to get funded? Let's just be real. But it's not just black people. It's Asians, it's Hispanic people if you're not Salma Hayek. It's hard. It's hard to get films funded.
I think that young women and little girls need to see that they don't have to be the damsel in distress. They don't have to not show their strength. They don't have to be whatever the stereotype is or the tropes that we go to in our minds.
I like to read, even though it was really tough, because I could go anywhere in the world in a book, and I could have so many adventures in a book.
If you go through life, and you don't find the beauty in an unexpected place, then you really have a sad existence.
Giving yourself permission to lose guarantees a loss.
A battle won is a battle which we will not acknowledge to be lost.
If you want to be inventive, you have to be willing to fail.
Try any goddam thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.
The future was uncertain, absolutely, and there were many hurdles, twists, and turns to come, but as long as I kept moving forward, one foot in front of the other, the voices of fear and shame, the messages from those who wanted me to believe that I wasn't good enough, would be stilled.
Who has to have a soapbox when all you've ever needed is your voice?
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