Like anyone else in television, I like to explore my life experience. And I don't think African-American artists see doing shows or art about African-Americans as something 'less than.' I think maybe the industry sometimes does. We don't get as much attention, we don't get critical acclaim and so on.

To me, Jefferson Pierce represented every side of me. I knew that I would be able to flesh him out.

I never saw a true representation - an iconic hero - for myself. It just got boring, reading about all these really powerful and heroic white guys.

Salim Akil Quotes