Reel Quotes

“Every day that ends with me still breathing has ended well.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“And every time I make you smile, I feel like I’ve conquered the world.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Winston Churchill said history is written by the victors, but I would amend that to say it’s often written by liars. History is fact. You can’t change what happened, but you can edit it. People lie and leave out the truth, bend it to suit their needs.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Extraordinary wants no parts of normal.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“It’s not an existential question of immortality, of living forever, but a challenge of numbered days and what we do with what we have. It’s not a string of todays that become yesterdays and aspire to tomorrow, but living like there is no guarantee. Living with an urgency to say what needs to be said, do what needs to be done. To no matter what, live with what you’ll leave behind in mind.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“And if you’re lucky, you find people along the way who keep your feet on the ground—who remind you that real life matters, too.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“When you lose your natural family by blood, the family you choose is that much dearer,”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Tomorrow,” she says from the screen, from a wheelchair precipitously close to the edge of a pier, “is the most presumptuous word in the world, because who knows if you even get that.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“We are artists,” she quotes softly, her eyes set on mine. “When there is no joy to be found, we have the power in our hands, the will of our souls, to make it.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“History is so picked over, by the time you get to the tree, there’s barely any fruit left.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“my very good friend who I just met tonight, Odessa Johnson.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Life is indiscriminately seasoned, usually not sweet without some bitter. Usually not sun without some rain.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“I want you to find someone you love more than your art.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Question is, how did you live? Did you live or just wait for death to come? Not me. I ain’t waiting for nothing.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Better todays make better tomorrows, and if you don’t get tomorrow at least you had today.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Sometimes shit has to get awkward before it gets right.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“I touch my face and my fingers come away streaked with paint, smeared with pain and degradation.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Oh.” That’s the best I can do. It’s been so many years, and I hope we can put this behind us, but I hadn’t planned on confronting this particular demon for Christmas.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“A miracle you can count on.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“That is the risk of love, what makes it a radical act. You pour everything into another person who is bound by fragile humanity. You could lose them at any time, but you can’t reason with your heart.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Tomorrow...is the most presumptuous word in the world, because who knows if you even get that. Yesterday, spilled milk and old news. You can’t do nothing about how you messed up or fell short or didn’t do yesterday. Even when you mess up and make it right, it has to be done today.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Live with what you’ll leave behind in mind.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“everyday”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Boy, we all gonna die. Question is, how did you live? Did you live or just wait for death to come? Not me. I ain’t waiting for nothing.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Leave.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Reel is a love story, but also a love letter to the scores of Black creatives whose work and accomplishments have gone largely unacknowledged and unsung. In many cases, they sacrificed so much for little gain in their lifetimes. But we have gained, learning from and being inspired by their example.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Canon and I go our separate ways conversationally, both being drawn in different directions, but he anchors us by holding my hand under the table, and it’s so sweet it makes my heart ache.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“She licks her lips and nods. “It could be. My doctor prescribed prednisone, which I’ve been able to do without until now. It’s a steroid that suppresses the immune”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“You let me handle Galaxy and anyone else who tries to give us shit. Here’s what you’re missing,” he says, grabbing my hand. “I’m the boss. Galaxy may have funded this movie, but it’s mine, and I hold all the cards, and they’ll do whatever the fuck I want.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel

“Yeah, because one implies that I don’t want you unconditionally, and the other implies you don’t trust me to.”
― Kennedy Ryan, Reel