Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was a very savvy character. His drinking and carousing, his charisma and intelligence... the things he did in Congress. He passed for white, then became a black advocate.

That's my job as an actor - to go on and try to do the work so subtle and so fine and specific that the memories will linger for a long time.

I'm a Jersey kid originally, and I went to Ramapo State College. That was back in '78.

Essence' is political. I grew up on the magazine, looking at the covers. Seeing ourselves on the cover is political.