Certain people who care about me a lot have said ‘You don’t play the game, and if you don’t play the game, you don’t get picked for the team all the time. – Rosie Perez
You know, you may not be born in Puerto Rico, but Puerto Rican is definitely born in you. – Rosie Perez
In movies, you shoot out of sequence, so the issue of reality is really taken out of it. – Rosie Perez
I have a great career, and no matter what I am doing, a big blockbuster movie… or my small documentary, David Letterman will call and say I would like you to sit on my couch. – Rosie Perez
I was very willing to take on controversial roles that people didn’t really want to look at. – Rosie Perez
I started lying about my age when I was 18 to be older. When I turned 21, I started lying that I was 18. It’s a weakness in me. – Rosie Perez
As an actor, you may do things that aren’t politically correct. Unless you’re an actor who only does things for political reasons. I believe if we don’t do the good, bad, and the ugly, we’re not going to progress. – Rosie Perez
I think I just have this need to be a storyteller. That’s why I wasn’t a great dancer – I couldn’t articulate a story. I was a better choreographer. I have the need to to just express myself in that way. I can’t explain it. – Rosie Perez
As far as a Latin explosion, I’m sorry, I’m the only Latino who’s going to say it, but there is no Latin explosion. I’m sorry. Four or five top box office people do not make it an explosion, and it’s disgusting to me that people will perceive it that way. – Rosie Perez
I am a positive person. I never think of the glass as half empty. I just keep pushing forward. – Rosie Perez
I see explicit covers on magazines, and they’re getting even more explicit, and it’s like, Are women being empowered, or is this just what sells magazines? Are they feeling pressured, or have they really come into themselves and are saying, ‘I am woman, hear me roar?’ – Rosie Perez
If we can’t look at the good, bad and ugly of who we are, we are never going to progress as people – ever. – Rosie Perez
I did not try to conform to anybody’s ideal of what a Latin celebrity or movie star should be. I took a lot of hits for it. – Rosie Perez
In my circle of friends, I’ve always been loud and funny and talkative. But as soon as I step out of that circle, I get very quiet and introspective. I don’t want the spotlight on me. – Rosie Perez
The racism, the sexism, I never let it be my problem. It’s their problem. If I see a door comin’ my way, I’m knockin’ it down. And if I can’t knock down the door, I’m sliding through the window. I’ll never let it stop me from what I wanna do. – Rosie Perez
