Quotes

"The problem is there aren't many calls for 7'4" black actors. Still, if I had let myself get discouraged I wouldn't be here now. I believe in myself and my acting." (from a 1985 "Starlog" interview)

When I first came to California it was fun and exciting to get any part in any movie and get paid for it. Because of my size and my background it seemed like I was right for just about anything. I did go through a period where I thought it was time to give up monster movies. But then the scripts and the effects started getting better. I was treated better and starting getting paid more. Doing creatures these days is more of a job for me than it was in the beginning. In the early days I was creating these creatures and basically getting lost in them. Now with creatures like Harry and the Predator it's more a matter of getting deeper into their characters and making sure they work. (from a 1991 interview)

It's ironic. People know me because I play the monsters, but I'm most recognized from the small roles in which they see my face. None of that stuff really bothers me. Whether I'm recognized in or out of a costume isn't a kind of pressure I put myself through anymore. (from a 1991 interview)

I'll always do costume roles. I'm bigger than life and so, in a way, I'm part of the fantasy/science fiction/horror genre.. But I'm more than just a guy in a suit. When people want big and a performance along with that big, I'm the one they call. (from a 1991 interview)

With Harry, I am always in control of the expressions and the performance. With the Predator it is half performance and half dealing with the physical traps. There's a balance you got to keep inside the suit. You've got to keep your character going while dealing with the fact that you've got all these wires and FX things coming out of you. It all boils down to concentration and being well-rehearsed.

I'm not just somebody shuffling around in a monster suit. I'm a kind of puppeteer from the inside who is attempting through arm and body movements to give the creatures I play a sense of personality.