Right before 'Brian's Song' there was a period when I was very despondent, broke, depressed; my first marriage was on the rocks. The role of Gale Sayers had been cast with Lou Gossett, and then he hurt himself playing basketball. I was called in to read for the role. I was their last choice, and I knew it.

Billy Dee Williams

Categorized in : Song Hurt Basketball Marriage

Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with.

Billy Dee Williams

deep-thought success love

I drink, you drink. Hell, if marijuana was legal, I'd appear in a commercial for that too.

Billy Dee Williams

marijuana drink hell

There's always been a lot of misunderstanding about Lando's character. I used to pick up my daughter from elementary school and get into arguments with little children who would accuse me of betraying Han Solo.

Billy Dee Williams

daughter children school

Failures not a bad thing. It builds character. It makes you stronger.

Billy Dee Williams

aries-man stronger character

Originally I planned on starting a teapot collection. I really like them.

Billy Dee Williams

teapots starting-over starting

Actually, I believe in everything, including astrology and tarot cards. All of it is just another way for people to try and tighten the link to the spirits in our universe. I believe it exists for all people.

Billy Dee Williams

universe believe people way

It's in our nature. We need to explore and find out what's going on outside of who we are.

Billy Dee Williams

explore find need nature

I think I'm a good father. As a parent, you have the responsibility to create a foundation for your children so that they can meet all the challenges.

Billy Dee Williams

good you father children

For myself, if I'm trying to obtain a certain longevity in my career, to establish myself as a certain kind of star, I don't want that black exploitation image.

Billy Dee Williams

myself black want trying

I don't want to sound too carried away, but from what I've seen, 'Bingo Long' is going to be a big one. A classic.

Billy Dee Williams

classic sound want long

I was in the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design, on a scholarship. I was - still am - an artist. They were looking for an actor for 'Take a Giant Step,' and a producer liked my look and asked if I could act. I said, 'Yep!' Then I got into acting more or less just to make money for paints and canvases.

Billy Dee Williams

looking step look money

My mother's side of the family, they're from Montserrat in the Leeward Islands.

Billy Dee Williams

side family mother islands

Acting, I started when I was six and a half years-old, on Broadway with Kurt Weill.

Billy Dee Williams

started broadway acting half

Jazz is very much a part of my life. I work with the Thelonious Monk Institute and do the artwork for their program every year.

Billy Dee Williams

my-life year work life

Oh, I paint all the time.

Billy Dee Williams

oh paint time

I tend to approach characters not based on ethnicity but on some unique individual qualities, and I've set my whole life that way. I don't want any sort of limitations imposed on my work. If you truly want to be a creative person, you can't limit yourself.

Billy Dee Williams

yourself you work life

I don't want to find myself ever locked into what people think I should think or do. In my art, and acting, I have a universal vision of things, an international vision. Bigger and broader and beyond. 'Bigger than life' is always on my mind.

Billy Dee Williams

myself life people art

I love the Mexican muralists - like Rivera, Orozco - and the music of Walter Benton. They gave you a sense that reality was much more than life.

Billy Dee Williams

you music love life

I loved Marlon Brando: my favorite actor.

Billy Dee Williams

marlon-brando favorite actor loved

Sometimes a true original doesn't need to change a thing.

Billy Dee Williams

true need change sometimes