I was very ambitious as a child.
I was always my mother's child.
I was always busy.
I left home when I was 17 years old
in search of a dream that I have been able to live out
beyond my wildest expectations.
The majority of my childhood and teenage years
were in Indianapolis, Indiana.
They used to call me Cartwheel Angie,
because I was always somewhere turning flips
or doing cartwheels, so...
Later I became a cheerleader, I played basketball, track.
I was just always very active.
My mother raised us across the street from a church,
so needless to say, we was in church every time
the church was open.
We went to bible school, bible study,
vacation bible school, after church program,
choir rehearsal.
Whenever church was open, that's where my mother had us.
Later in life, those foundations that I got through faith
have really carried me a long way.
I had an auntie that was a beautician,
the late Madam King.
And she was the first person that I let cut my hair.
And she said, "You know what, baby?
You could be a model."
which I thought modeling and everything else was,
it happened in California.
I had to trick my mama and tell my mother that,
you know, I was going to go to school.
And I did.
I went to Golden West College in Orange County.
And I would sneak up to L.A. as often as what
I possibly could to audition, try out for fashion shows,
hang out a little bit.
And I'm so very glad that she wanted me...
made sure that I got my education.
Because, baby, I will break down a contract
and make sure I get what I'm supposed to get.
I had to fight to get the role of "Independence Day".
Oh, my gosh, I had to audition six times.
I was just on a soap opera, and I couldn't even get
an audition at first.
And I kept calling my agent, going, "Everyone's auditioning
"for 'Independence Day'.
How come I don't?"
She says, "Honey, you're just on a soap opera.
You know, you don't have a big enough name."
I was like, "Bummer."
I said, "Well, keep calling."
So she gave me a call, and she said,
"Oh, here comes your chance.
"Your audition's tomorrow,
and you're going up for 'Independence Day'."
And then I'll never forget being at home,
living in Englewood, California,
and they called me and they said, "You got it."
And I remember screaming,
running through my little apartment at the time,
saying, "This is going to change my life."
And it did.
The film made $800 million worldwide 15 years ago,
which was huge.
And from there, it was movie after movie after opportunity.
Faith means everything to me, especially the older I become.
My mother, when things weren't going great with my career,
she would say, "Baby, humble yourself to the Lord,
get on your knees, and don't be afraid to ask for help."
And I remember years ago she told me to write a letter,
put it in my bible, and pray about it.
And, boy, did that get me through some tough times.
I've been through a couple of public breakups.
And when I recently went through my recent breakup,
I ended up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, of all places.
And I did two Christian films back to back.
And they had me staying across from Oral Roberts University.
I opened the curtain, and there were these giant praying hands.
That let me know that I was in the right place
at the right time, that the Lord said,
"I've got you, you're blessed, you're in the right place."
And I'm still here, and I'm good.
I love being a strong woman.
I know that it is my role to inspire, to uplift,
to inspire because a lot of people, when they say,
"Oh, I'm just an actor, I just do this,"
but there are a lot of young girls that look up
to the way you live, the way you look,
the way you handle situations.
I admire women that have strength,
that seem like sometimes they get knocked down,
or seem like they have a lot of obstacles put in front of them,
but they embrace them,
and they do them with such grace and courage
that that is something that I hope I leave
for young ladies to see in me as well.