It's just surreal because I get to empower other little African-American girls around the world and say that you can be a superhero, and you rock, and you can conquer the world, and you are beautiful just the way you are, and your flaws are nothing, and you're awesome.

I didn't look at the previous 'A Wrinkle in Time' movie. I wrote ideas down from the book, but I didn't really want to copy that Meg. We're the same, but we're different at the same time. I wanted to make myself Meg. I didn't want to use somebody else or use a reference.

I never saw a little African-American girl saving the world. So to be able to be that for not only myself but girls who look like me is really important and inspiring. Unfortunately, we don't see ourselves saving the world a lot, and if we do see any type of superhero, that person usually has superpowers.

Ms. Oprah Winfrey gave me some advice to just always stay in the moment, and don't waste energy on negative things, and put your energy into positive things in your life. I just try to remember that every day and keep on going.

I feel like there's this great balance between me being an actress and traveling around and doing all this great stuff but, also, me being the regular teenager, like going to Disneyland with friends and just hanging out.