Growing up an only child with a single parent is probably why I'm an actor.

As an actor, you have to maximize your time, because you don't know what's going to happen in your 50s and 60s and 70s. It's like the career of an athlete: For many people, it ends at a certain point.

I think what my hope is is that the only downside of having a steady job on television is, I think for all actors, there's a piece, there's some adrenaline, and part of the love of the job is not knowing what's coming next, and the variety.

Acting is the most bizarre profession. You can stay in it for years and not really be in it and be waiting for someone to give you an opportunity. It's like when I watch 'American Idol' and see people who have been told to believe in themselves at all costs: It's not always a good idea.

Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.

I have differences of opinion within my own family, an Irish Catholic family. So, I do respect those that disagree.

Asian people are very practical and come from a conservative world. The parents want their kids to be doctors and lawyers. There are casting calls for Asian children, but once the parents find out the children might miss school, they're opposed to it.

My grandmother was the matriarch. If you didn't have a place to stay, if you needed food, if you were just coming out of jail or rehab, you went to her. Watching her in our family and our wider community was what inspired me and still does.