Top 40 Daniel Kaluuya Quotes

Even people who say that black people are minorities, there are a billion black people in the world. A billion white people. What part of that is a minority? If you separate yourself, then maybe. But I see black people as one man. When I see people beaten on the streets of America, that hurts me. I feel that.

I feel like racism’s more pronounced in America.

I wrote my first play when I was nine. It was performed at Hampstead Theatre.

I think the traditional stereotypes are loaded in institutional racism.

Loads of stuff that I’ve done has always had a hint of comedy. I did this show called ‘Psychoville’ that’s a horror-comedy. Because I just think that’s what life’s like.

What you want to do is make people talk, start a conversation.

Big up Samuel L. Jackson, because here’s a guy who has broken down doors.

I think the word ‘diverse’ is a cancerous word because it’s life. It’s a PC way of saying ‘non-white,’ and it ultimately suggests that white is the standard.

Having something that makes money changes everything. I’m from England, and it’s very much about credibility there. And yeah, it is about that. But the money can change things. And so you understand it’s a business.

Giggs is the realest.

When you’re a young black man, you’re not allowed to be emotional. One of the reasons I act is people pay me to be emotional.

My experience growing up in London and growing up in a working class background is that when people are down and out, that’s when they’re probably the funniest. They have to be. That’s what they do to cope, to find joy, ’cause they don’t feel the joy inside. Or they use humor to keep people out.

Donae’o is too cold; he’s been dropping bangers since 2000.

I’ve been to so many parties in England and in America that’s exactly like that, where you’re kind of, like, seen as Other. When you’re just living your life, and you have to adopt the Other in order to understand and navigate the society.

Whenever I’m in a film that’s from a perspective that is dominant within western culture… I’m always trying to prove myself. When it’s from a black perspective, I don’t have to – they get it.

I listened to this book, ‘The Beauty Myth,’ about how beauty standards are messing with women in Western society, and I was like, ‘I don’t know this.’ I have no idea, and I don’t pretend to, but now I’m more aware of it because I’ve engaged on that frequency.

I hope people listen to black people more. You’d be surprised how little people listen to black people when it comes to racial issues. It’s weird.

I go to music festivals, and people want to talk to me about racism. I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m trying to have fun!’

I know what it means to be stopped by police. I’ve been stopped by police a lot.

I love comedy. I don’t think there’s enough comedy on stage.

I have to own the fact that I’m a black man – that’s why I did ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Widows’ because if I play the industry game, I lose.

‘Sicario’ was a lot of improvisation.

A lot of time, people enter the most depressing situations, and they are the funniest people on Earth, because they have to be. It’s a coping mechanism.

A lot of times, the people who have the confidence to say, ‘I don’t know what the rules are, so I’m just going to do what I want,’ are the most exciting people.

I didn’t take writing seriously at first – I didn’t think I could do it. When I did, I fell in love with it. But writing is very lonely.

What I find really exciting is stories from a different viewpoint.

Being young, working class, and black, everything you do is policed. If someone hits you and you hit back, you are aggressive. If you cry, you are weak. You are kind of always pretending to be something.

I like three-dimensional characters – it’s just more interesting when you get on set.

Racism kills people. It kills people!

What’s great about ‘Skins’ is that the characters are exactly like people around you.

People are decisions and actions.

When I need a reality check, I call my mum.

This industry’s hard. The world is hard. Being young and black is tough.

‘Diverse’ shouldn’t be an actionable thing – it should just be.

I did a play, back in the day, called ‘Sucker Punch,’ and it meant so much for me. I was 21. And I went, ‘I just want to do work like that.’ Stuff I believe in. And when I have compromised, I’ve never really felt good about it.

Writing can be really lonely, and I find that bit difficult. I’d rather be around my people, getting ideas.

I just like playing guys, normal dudes. That’s the stuff that I really enjoy watching: when it feels grounded.

I think diverse stories are just stories. I don’t think ‘diverse’ is an add-on package. Things that are not diverse are weird because that’s not accurate.

Some black women hug me and walk away. A lot of black men talk about dating white women and how they’ve been there, too. People open up about their racial experiences. I feel like I’m a walking therapy session. It’s quite intense. But it means a lot to people.

I’m dark-skinned. When I’m around black people, I’m made to feel ‘other’ because I’m dark-skinned. I’ve had to wrestle with that, with people going, ‘You’re too black.’ Then I come to America, and they say, ‘You’re not black enough.’