One thing I think celebrities shy away from is exposing the reality that we're all the same. Somebody's not more important because they have a Bentley or a big house or a famous boyfriend or plastic surgery - we're all the same.

There's so many things I want to do. I want to work with great filmmakers great actors great scripts. And there's no reason for me to do anything short of that because I'm 24 I don't have a family I don't need to make tons of money and I'm not dying to get famous.

I'm famous for being nicer to my fans than anyone on the face of the earth because I figure a) They pay my salary and b) It's probably like a big moment in your life to meet somebody so I would say 'Just come on up.'

I believe some people in this business suffer from fame because they behave in a famous fashion.

Well yeah. At a certain point you've got to be really honest with yourself. Like 'Why am I doing this? What are my motivations?' Like if you get into it because you want to be famous? Then you've got a long row to hoe. But if you really feel like it's a labour of love and it's something you're actually legitimately good at then it's not that hard to keep plugging away.

On the other hand when I give it closer thought I realize I'm not enough of a dictator to conduct an orchestra because it requires a pretty awful person. When you read these biographies of famous conductors they are all awful people who fail in their private relationships.

For somebody famous it's weird anyway to meet someone because they have a preconceived notion of who you are.

When I first became famous I didn't know if I could go where I wanted to because I didn't know how people were going to act. Some folks would scream and holler and I didn't know what to do with that.

You know I think Jesus was famous and also in a lot of trouble because he always chose people over sort of established procedures.

And I don't want to live anywhere where I am famous. It makes me very very uncomfortable because it conveys an advantage over people and I don't like that.

Decide very early on: do you want to be an actor or do you want to be famous? Because they're very different routes.

Being famous is having the power to really implement positive change in the world and it gives you the power to do what you want. I'm really grateful for it because I can play music and people will listen.

It was pretty frightening because as we all know when large famous groups breakup a lot of the members don't survive in solo careers.

I think it's really important for celebrities to use their power of money and fame to get their voices out there. It's funny to me that we're expected to keep quiet just because of who we are. Why do I lose my right to speak my mind because I'm famous?

But to this day I am convinced that the real reason we met was because Alexander is from Nebraska and he was completely fascinated that I was about to go off and make a movie with Brando - perhaps the most famous Nebraskan of all.

I am famous because I am an African American jazz artist.

I don't put weight on fame and having people around me just because I am famous makes me feel really bad about myself.

I don't ever want to be hugely famous because I had a little taste of it after 'East Is East' and 'Bend It.'

My ultimate dream is to become a famous star because I love to sing.

I keep saying I'm not at all famous in my own country because people do not think I have done anything for India.

I'm world famous everywhere I go there are people who love me because of I've been able to bring them some joy from the movies I've made.

I would love to do a biopic of a famous singer like Diana Ross or Donna Summer or an old jazz story that we haven't seen before. I would love to do that! I would love to play Diana Ross 'cause she's an icon. I'm salivating to do that.

The only reason I became the singer in the band is because I sang the best. It wasn't out of some desire to be a star or be a famous singer. It's not like I love interviews.

I never wanted to do biography just to tell the life of a famous man. I always wanted to use the life of a man to examine political power because democracy shapes our lives.