Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActress
Date of Birth18 September 1950
CountryUnited States of America
self acting technique
A lot of acting techniques are very self-oriented.
art thinking art-is
I think that art is supposed to be ahead of the times.
art commitment teach
Commit to finding the true nature of art. Go for that thing no one can teach you.
communication reality desire
Your desire to communicate must be bigger than your relationship with the chaotic and unfair realities.
people sound study
Some people study a text very deeply. The people are my text. I study their words and what their words sound like, over and over again.
path environment feels
I feel like my work has been my path to freedom from having grown up in a segregated environment.
doe exploration explorers
You are an explorer. You understand that every time you go into the studio, you are after something that does not yet exist.
people heartfelt stories
I am interested in personal stories because that's when people become expressive, spontaneous and heartfelt.
creative life-is endeavor
Making your life is ultimately an extraordinarily creative endeavor.
inspirational country art
President Obama called for a 'we' nation in his Inauguration Address. Art convenes. It is not just inspirational. It is aspirational. It pricks the walls of our compartmentalized minds, opens our hearts and makes us brave. And that's what we need most in our country today.
doctors lucky dentist
I am lucky: I have fantastic doctors and a fantastic dentist.
medication underrated
Friendship is a wildly underrated medication.
heart hard-work listening
Listening is not just hearing what someone tells you word for word. You have to listen with a heart. I don't want that to sound touchy-feely; it is not. It is very hard work.
kids track world
Poverty makes it very difficult in an already competitive world for kids to get on a straight track where they can actually love learning.