Dustin Lance Black

I think of the biopics I've written as exploring a more grown-up side of myself, through other characters' lives.

As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this aspirational way: 'I will rise above my station.'

Gay people are more powerful when they work with lesbians. We become more powerful when we're L, G, B and T.

My problem is always the number of hours in a day, not the number of things I want to do.

There was a criticism of 'Milk' that I found truth in, which was that it was focused on gay white men.

We need to maybe think a little less about the science of building walls and that waste of time and energy and start to understand what is love.

I like the gray movies. I don't know if audiences always... it makes them work a little harder. And they have to work hard in 'Hoover.'

I do try to deliver a solid first draft, meaning it's my tenth or twentieth draft and then I call it 'first' and hand it in, much to the chagrin of the studio sometimes when they look at the contract and go, 'You've passed your deadline.'

Some people only look at the good stuff and some people only look at the bad stuff.

I love Jennifer Connelly.

I had a lot of success for many years, and the critics had been so kind. Sometimes it's good to get cut down to size a little bit.

The things that I'm interested in directing are fiction, because then you're not married to a particular reality.

Here's the thing with 'When Harry Met Sally,' it doesn't matter how many times you watch it, it's always interesting, and you're always identifying with a different scene in the movie - at least I am.

Most of my family is still active in the Mormon Church. They live in Utah and Provo and Orem and Salt Lake City.

I always thought that the film would be successful if we captured Harvey Milk, like the way Harvey really was-the personality, the humor, the corny bad jokes, all of it.

I think for too many decades, the politicians have driven a wedge between the gay and lesbian communities and the religious communities for their own benefit, and I think it's time to start to broach those divides.

Growing up Mormon, you learn how to be very, very organized, and it's a passionate group. I mean, in that way, it's prepared me very well for Hollywood.

You know, growing up Mormon, I always got the sense that it was hard for the leaders of the church to feel like they were outside of Christianity. I think, you know Mormon people believe that they are Christian, and a lot of people outside of the Mormon Church, you know, don't see them that way.

I think it's very important that, you know, gay actors get to play gay characters.

I watched Sean Penn, you know, bring Harvey Milk to life. I was on the set every day.