Bill Duke Quotes

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Bill Duke

Profession : Actor

Birth : February 26, 1943

I was the first black director on 'Dallas.' I drove my car into the studio lot and the guard asked me who I was delivering to.

Bill Duke

Our internal racism is still alive. We are still putting each other down and making jokes about each other because of the color of our skin. With women particularly, it's difficult because the beauty business says, 'If you don't look a certain way, God made a mistake.'

Bill Duke

I enjoyed 'Predator' a lot, and also 'Get Rich and Die Tryin'.' I really enjoyed that role and playing the O.G.

Bill Duke

Dreams that are planned are called frustration.

Bill Duke

The fact of the matter is that when you're in pain emotionally about your life, the color of your skin does not matter.

Bill Duke

By healing the internal issues that we can heal as a people, our children don't have to suffer the same agony and pain that we put each other through.

Bill Duke

It's assumed that light-skinned women have no problems or issues, but they are judged before you know who they are.

Bill Duke

The largest country with the largest consumption of skin bleach in the world is India. Indian men are bleaching their skin because, in terms of marriage, if your skin is dark, it's assumed you work in a field. If your skin is lighter, it's assumed you work in an office because you're not getting enough sun. Indian men are bleaching their skin.

Bill Duke

Dark skin is considered less than light skin in the in the minds of many in our community and in the media.

Bill Duke

Colorism is unfortunately still an issue today.

Bill Duke

I think the media and the Internet and all that stuff, has created this perception of black women as these mammy types, kind of angry, you know, full of pent up emotions and resentments. And that these women are people to feared rather than loved.

Bill Duke

Do I see people working harder than me? I can't imagine that but if I do it inspires me to work harder.

Bill Duke

I had parents who taught me ethics that I didn't know they were teaching me at the time.

Bill Duke

My father worked three jobs, my mother worked two, seven days a week sometimes. And they wouldn't take welfare or social assistance, they were too proud.

Bill Duke

I've been very selfish and the women in my life have hated that because of my work ethic. I try not to bring my work home but the next day I want to go prepared. So okay let's have a few moments of camaraderie whatever... okay great! I go work on the script.

Bill Duke

The Democrats throw money at the problems, and the Republicans tend to ignore them. The Natural Law Party goes beyond those approaches. It's about true change.

Bill Duke

Appropriation is a fact of life; no point in complaining about it. But if that's the way the game's being played, let's do it on both sides. I don't want some white guy making 'A Rage in Harlem III' if I can't do 'The Godfather V' or 'E.T. III.'

Bill Duke

I could direct a very decent Holocaust film, but I don't have the same experience as a young boy who was rocked to sleep in the lap of a grandmother who had a tattooed number on her arm, who told him stories of the people who disappeared, the relatives she never saw again, as he drifted off with his cheek nestled next to that number.

Bill Duke

My agent makes 10% of what you make. When your agent tells you to take a vacation, you know you're exhausted.

Bill Duke

I think that some actors who make it in Hollywood are very talented. There are some of my heroes, the Meryl Streeps of the world, a lot of people that I love their work but I think a lot of it is luck, looks, strategic alliances and relationships, your agent and a lot of business components.

Bill Duke