I finished high school moved to Nashville for college and set out to break into the music business. Every night when I called home with news of my experiences my mom and dad would encourage me to keep taking those small steps.

I remember once we got an interview and he said 'Dad these people are writing about me like I'm an adult. Don't they know I'm a kid?' I have never tried to encourage him to get a music image like other musicians have.

I've never tried to find my real parents. I'm very grateful to my mum and dad for adopting me - they're completely incredible people. It was my dad who encouraged me to question everything to forge my own path to think to read. I always felt it was my right to question everything.

I grew up in a house where my father encouraged my brother and me to fail. I specifically remember coming home and saying 'Dad Dad I tried out for this or that and I was horrible ' and he would high-five me and say 'Way to go.'

I want to encourage our people to educate our people to have the courage to understand and fight for their rights.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.

I know that if I'd had to go and take an exam for acting I wouldn't have got anywhere. You don't take exams for acting you take your courage.

There can be a fundamental gulf of gracelessness in a human heart which neither our love nor our courage can bridge.

Resignation is the courage of Christian sorrow.

There's no mystique to acting. It's only common sense - and a bit of courage.