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Lorraine Toussaint Quotes

Powerful Lorraine Toussaint for Daily Growth

About Lorraine Toussaint

Lorraine Toussaint, a prolific actress and author, was born on December 15, 1960, in Portland, Jamaica. Raised in Kingston by her grandmother, she moved to London at the age of 13, where she attended the Anna Scher Theatre School. Toussaint's journey began on the British stage and small screen before crossing the Atlantic, settling in the United States, and cementing herself as a powerful presence in Hollywood. Influenced by the social realities of her upbringing, Toussaint often portrays complex and inspiring characters. Her work reflects a deep understanding of human emotions and the intricacies of race, gender, and class. Some of her most memorable roles include Yvonne in "Anything for Love" (1983), Saffron in "Babylon 5" (1994-1998), and Mrs. Danvers in the miniseries "Rebecca" (1997). However, it was her portrayal of Yselda Faison in "Saving Grace" (2000-2007) that earned Toussaint a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and critical acclaim. In 2014, Toussaint starred as the formidable character, Mrs. Viola Davis's character's nemesis, in the critically acclaimed series "How to Get Away with Murder." Her performance garnered her a second Primetime Emmy Award nomination and solidified her status as a powerful figure in Hollywood. In addition to acting, Toussaint is an accomplished author. She has penned two books: "Everyday Sacred: The Broken Heart Memoirs" (2015), a collection of personal essays exploring love, loss, and spirituality, and "Tales of the Conjure Woman's Heirs: Seven Generations of Women in One Family" (1997), a series of short stories exploring the lives of seven generations of women within an African American family. Lorraine Toussaint continues to captivate audiences with her powerful performances and thought-provoking writing, solidifying her status as a formidable voice in both acting and literature.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I don't believe in fear. Fear is a liar."

This quote suggests that fear is not a reliable or trustworthy emotion, as it can deceive us. Instead, Lorraine Toussaint encourages us to reject the notion of fear, implying that facing challenges with courage and confidence will lead us towards truth and authenticity in life.

"What I can do with my art is help people who are struggling to feel less alone."

This quote by Lorraine Toussaint suggests that her artistic work serves as a means of empathy, providing solace and understanding to those who are experiencing hardships. By sharing her art, she aims to create connections between herself and others, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggles. The power of art, in this context, lies in its ability to express shared emotions and experiences, fostering a sense of community and healing among individuals.

"I am not defined by my past, but propelled by it into a future that is mine to create."

This quote emphasizes resilience, growth, and personal agency in the face of adversity or challenging circumstances. Lorraine Toussaint suggests that one's past experiences do not define who they are but can serve as a catalyst for moving forward into a future shaped by their own creation. In essence, it encourages individuals to learn from their past, embrace their history, and use those lessons to chart their destiny.

"We're never too old to dream new dreams."

This quote emphasizes that age should not be a barrier for exploring fresh aspirations and pursuing one's dreams. It encourages individuals to maintain an open mind, regardless of their current stage in life, and continually seek opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment.

"I have to be willing to fail at things in order to succeed at things."

This quote emphasizes the importance of embracing failure as a necessary part of success. It suggests that one must be open to taking risks, trying new things, and potentially failing in those endeavors in order to ultimately achieve their goals or succeed. The message encourages resilience, perseverance, and the understanding that failure is not a reflection of one's worth, but rather a stepping stone towards growth and accomplishment.

We actors are superstitious creatures. We do all the homework, and we put all of the components together, but there's always one key aspect that we're not in charge of, really, and that's magic. You are always on the lookout for where and how that magic is going to ignite.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Magic, Components, Ignite

I keep waiting for someone to cast me as the angel or the witch or the immortal of some kind because so much of the reading I do for my own pleasure is fantasy, horror, or sci-fi.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Fantasy, Some, Horror, Witch

We all have a dark side. Most of us go through life avoiding direct confrontation with that aspect of ourselves, which I call the shadow self. There's a reason why. It carries a great deal of energy.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Reason, Through, Deal, Energy

My job as an actor is to cover and expose in varying allowance that - so that the audience can peek through the window to the people I create.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Audience, Through, Expose, Allowance

As a modern woman, there are things I take for granted, and that shows up in the way I sit, the way I walk, the way I think, and what I know to be possible.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Woman, Think, I Think, Sit

I am so proud of Amelia Boynton. I can burst with pride.

- Lorraine Toussaint

I Am, Pride, Proud, Burst

I think if I weren't an actress, I might have made a halfway decent attorney! I like the way they think.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Think, Actress, I Think, Attorney

I have read every book in the 'Dune' series and every Anne Rice book.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Book, Read, Series, Dune

I grew up under the British system, which I think is horrific for children - very, very strict - a system that did not recognize children as being individuals. You were small animals earning the right to be human.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Small, Think, Which, Strict

I grew up a middle class, colonized child of teachers and librarians and people, women especially, who treasured education.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Education, Middle, Grew, Treasured

When you eliminate vanity from an art form, and I would think that this would be any art form, what is left is an opportunity to be incredibly naked and truthful.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Art, Opportunity, Think, Truthful

When you're playing a real character, you want to honor that person and receive inspiration from that person. They need to anoint you in some way that allows you to borrow just a small piece of their soul. That is the flame.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Soul, Small, Some, Flame

How well I walk my talk, and not talk my talk, determines the quality of my engagement, of all my experience with what is quite personally my God. I'm my greatest teacher, and within me, I have the power to push myself deeper and higher.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Myself, Within, Engagement, Push

I love to see how a character unfolds off the page in a project. I don't always know how the character is going to turn out, even with the script being there. It's not always clear where that character is going to take me. Or where I will take them.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Love, Project, Turn, Being There

I find I often do my best work when I'm not attached to the outcome of the audition.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Work, Find, Audition, Best Work

I've become very fond of the law. I've always been an advocate for justice, which occasionally the law brings to light.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Always, Very, Which, Fond

I was born odd. I was a strange child. My grandmother was always praying over me. She was always rubbing me and praying over me.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Grandmother, Always, Over, Odd

I hope that whenever my daughter has a negative experience, I'm there to talk about it and remind her how we feel when it's done to her so that she doesn't do it to others.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Hope, Feel, About, Remind

I meditate. I've been a meditator since, I think I was doing it unofficially before all my life and then began to formalize it somewhere around 14.

- Lorraine Toussaint

My Life, Think, Been, All My Life

'Body of Proof' was interesting because... I didn't feel I needed to prove anything in that audition. I didn't over-prepare it, but I was just very relaxed in it.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Prove, Audition, Very, Relaxed

Once I'm on set, the only thing I'm really interested in is being in the room. Being present. And trusting that what I've done is sufficient, and I'm also trusting that I've also left room for magic.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Magic, The Only Thing, Set, Sufficient

People's faith, people's beliefs are such a personal thing, and it defies definition. I'm so rarely interested in discussing what I believe or what you believe. I think it's liquid, anyway.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Think, I Think, Discussing, Rarely

Sometimes the character will go into a completely different direction than I expected once the cameras start rolling. That's what I love about what I do.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Love, Sometimes, Will, Cameras

I don't think anyone would disagree with this: You are self-directed in daytime, and that's it. So come with it, and bring it on the first take.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Think, Bring, Come, Daytime

I have a big life, a small child, I work, I do a lot of things, so I'm often playing catch-up with what's current.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Work, Small, Big, Current

I know what it was like to not have a voice, so my daughter has a voice. I veto that voice when needed because at the end of the day I am the grown-up, but I hear her.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Voice, Like, Needed, Grown-Up

Anything you need, you can get on YouTube. It's wacky.

- Lorraine Toussaint

YouTube, Need, Get, Wacky

Pretend and real are all real to a psychopath.

- Lorraine Toussaint

Real, Pretend

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