The Guardian: Being the oldest of five kids, I’ve got real big-sister energy. I’m protective and want to take care of people. But I also know when I have to take charge, what it means to be a leader. It shapes me as a director. To lead well, you have to care.
I was a happy young black girl growing up in Compton, California. I loved my neighbourhood, community, my all-girls Catholic high school. I know so many folks who had hard paths in their early years. I’m grateful to have had a different experience.
When I was 18, while a student, the Chicago Bulls – led by Michael Jordan – became basketball champions. A group of us heard rumours of an afterparty and drove there, but nobody could get in. I grabbed a girlfriend and ran to the back door. We snuck in through the kitchen, grabbed a glass each, and partied with the team all night long.
My house is always quiet. There is no music playing, no TV blaring. I’m around people all day, whether talking on-set or in calls or meetings. When I come home, I like total silence – to restore.