Tika Sumpter

My mom was an opera singer, and she gave up her career to raise a family. But she also taught my sisters how to sing.

I want to do good, and I want people to be happy, and sometimes when you're a people pleaser, you spread yourself too thin.

It used to be that film stars didn't want to do TV, and actors weren't singing, and singers weren't acting. Everybody's kind of crossing over to whatever they want to do. So I feel like, if you have it, use it. If God's given you this talent, then use it.

You have a lot of disappointments as an actor.

I'm an actress, model, and singer.

I was working in customer service and had a verbally abusive boss. One day, I decided to quit and pursue my acting passion with everything I had. One week after quitting, I booked 'One Life to Live.'

I love Motown, that whole era. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson. I just put on Pandora, and put it on Motown, and it makes me smile; makes me smile so much.

I love good beats and good lyrics. I'm pretty open.

When I was on 'One Life to Live,' I always wanted to delve into my character, Layla, to find out why she was the black sheep of the family. I so wanted to have some edge. I have no idea why there was a reluctance to do that or why we so rarely see it.

I think the best part in going to the movies is you feel something and you relate whether it's to family struggles or dimming your light for someone. I would say to never dim your light and to really, truly follow your dreams.

I buy everything India Arie, just because she's such a positive person, and I just love her music. Her music's so soulful... I think Kanye West is a genius musically.

I know it's cliche to say, 'When you do something you love you never work a day in your life.' But it is true: When you do something you love, life gets to be a little bit easier and enjoyable. So I just want people to follow their dreams.