Top 50 Tony Todd Quotes

But ‘Hatchet’ I only had one day on it. You know, one scene, which I had fun doing. I enjoyed watching it.

Worth’ was a script that was sent to me, and I felt it was something different and important to do.

I was going to Hartford High School and when the theater bug hit, it hit hard and it saved my life. It gave me focus, direction and purpose.

I hustled my way through college playing pinball.

I remember watching ‘Abbott and Costello vs Frankenstein’ continuously as a kid and being amazed that my horror legends were making a comedy.

Whenever I do something, particularly if it’s a cameo, I make sure that I have a backstory written out so that I can talk to the director intelligent and try to communicate a three-dimensional character.

Duane Jones is a personal hero of mine.

I think you have a responsibility as an artist to continually reach a hand out and try and inspire people.

Most actors do that. They fill in the blanks. You don’t want to play a cipher.

It’s not like I wakeup everyday and say, ‘You know what, I need to do a horror film.’ Statistically it’s only like forty percent of my output but it’s a great ride and the fan base is really dedicated and that’s always cool. When you’re lucky enough to be in a good one it’s fantastic.

It’s like going back home… It really is a family on ’24.’

I’m ready to go up to the Danny Glover level.

There was a period where I did do a lot of television, but the luck of the draw worked in my favour, as they were all shows that were either fan-favourites or cultist things.

Actors are a funny lot. Sometimes they’re not satisfied with where they are. I include myself.

Dude, I’ve played almost every position except for President. When I did ‘The Event,’ I was head of the CIA. When I did ‘Chuck,’ I was head of the NSA. For a guy that’s a hippie at heart, I don’t know where they think of this.

I tried the swimming team, but nobody came to the matches. But they did show up for the plays.

I wish I could do a black and white film.

I did a film in Nairobi, Kenya called ‘The Last Elephant,’ with John Lithgow, Isabella Rosallini, and James Earl Jones. So I was in seventh heaven, alright? About a year later I get a call from my agent and he says they want to see you for this project called Candyman. I thought he was joking so I hung up.

All of my contemporaries in L.A. are all graduates of either Yale, Julliard, Trinity. The best of the bunch come from that.

True story – When ‘Candyman’ first came out, my daughter and I were Christmas shopping, and people were harassing us. Finally my daughter puts down her shopping bag and said ‘That’s not Candyman! That’s my dad!’ I will never forget that, because that’s when we really bonded.

Everything that’s worth making has to involve some sort of pain.

I had a great childhood. My priorities were straight.

I remember my first professional paycheck. I couldn’t keep it as a memento because I needed the money, but I have kept some of the residuals that I get. I got one the other day that was for two cents. I might put that in a frame.

So I grew up watching film noir, you know the classic stuff. William Holden, Richard Widmark, Robert Mitchum, all those.

I’ve played four roles on ‘Star Trek.’ My favorite episode was ‘The Visitor’ on ‘Deep Space Nine.’

Dude, I’ve been a gamer ever since Intellivision.

Yes, I would like to be involved in something that would hopefully be a blockbuster, but I’m interested in seeing new filmmakers telling new stories and to able to help them do that.

Working on ‘Candyman’ in Chicago was probably the – I absolutely love this city, this city is so funky.

I grew up a single kid and so my whole childhood was spent in my backyard dealing with imaginary circumstances and role playing and stuff.

I was raised by my aunt and we bonded over the eight-o-clock movie on TV. We’d watch everything from James Cagney in ‘White Heat’ to Lon Chaney in ‘The Wolf Man’ and every Bogart movie.

I like critical failures. It makes you work harder.

Although we’re all in this to make a living, why not make something to make an impact? One day, I’ll make a horror film. I think I know what the audience wants.

I only do television if it’s something really good like ’24.’

I can’t speak to what makes people think that I’m scary.

The ability to be frightening with stillness is what appeals to me.

I’m a big fan of advertising during sports events.

I get sent horror scripts every week and most of them are putrid. A lot of people think it’s an easy medium but it’s not. Not if you want to make ones that last.

Sunset Boulevard’ is my favorite film.

I almost did ‘Doctor Strange.’ I went in to do a session to play Dormammu.

I’ve worked with directors who have done it too much, particularly in television, you know, ‘okay we got it, let’s move on, next setup.’ ‘Well what about, we could maybe investigate?’ ‘Mmm… no, let’s go.’

I’m just happy that as an African-American man, that ‘Candyman’ has once again been given the nod to enter people’s consciousness.

It’s weird how your friends chart things. First it’s, ‘When are you going to get a job?’ Then as soon as things started to happen, it’s, ‘We’re proud of you. You represent us.’

I grew up a poor kid to a single mom, so as an African-American actor I have a responsibility to hold the mirror up and reflect our stories. I’m living the dream and also escaped the inevitable.

But the people who give me the best reality check are my children.

My love is the theater.

Chicago’s a great city for filming. The city is so rich architecturally. I think that’s part of what made ‘Candyman’ special.

I collect Gottlieb games, and I play classic pinball.

But my career’s so much deeper than just horror.

Voiceover is probably the toughest of all the markets to get into. Everybody wants to do it because it’s again three to five hours work. You can roll in there with your bedroom slippers and robe on if you wanted to. And it’s fun.

The black community has always been a fan of horror films, but in terms of the participants, they’ve been few and far between.