1 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: Still the place with Laura Layton, Courtney thorn Smith. 2 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: And Daphnews and Niga and iHeartRadio podcast, right and it 3 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 2: is exciting and Nasa Williams. 4 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 3: That's a Estelle Williams, right, you know these floating initials 5 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 3: that were erroneous and wrong. 6 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 2: I read about that, but there was a legal erroneous 7 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 2: settlement between you two. Sad they just said you both 8 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 2: could use Williams. Right. 9 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 3: Well, those Williams. Was the thing is I was first, 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,319 Speaker 3: and so they should have made her change her name, 11 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 3: and she was this light and then everyone was making 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 3: mistake and giving me the L and then and then paramount. 13 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 3: At some point I think it was like some clerk 14 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 3: put an a initial was being known as Vanessa and 15 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 3: all these like floating initials l A, you know, it. 16 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 2: Was all wrong. 17 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 3: And then I just of late, just after the pandemic, 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 3: I was like, you know what, I'm just going to 19 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 3: do all three of the name of my My mama 20 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 3: gave me Vanessa Estelle Williams. 21 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: It's gorgeous. 22 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 3: I mean it was Vanessa. 23 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: You look insane, gorgeous. I walked in fell over looked better. 24 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: I really full of resentment. I'm trying to cover us. 25 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 3: Because beautiful, and I mean we're fine. 26 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 2: That's true, We're fine, but you. 27 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 3: Mycular fine not fine fine like fine wine like. 28 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: But honestly, the work has been while they were setting up, 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: it's been trying not to talk. 30 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: So now we can really talk about everything. 31 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, we've been, we've we've been like we knew each other. 32 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 3: I mean, listen was the beginning my like real professional 33 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 3: career in terms of television. So, I mean, we go 34 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: back so far I couldn't. I was watching the episodes 35 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 3: last night, you know, the one we're going to discuss 36 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 3: only and then dipping into like the other episodes, and 37 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 3: I was like, oh my gods, we were such babies. Yeah, 38 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 3: it seems so long ago, but not that long ago. 39 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 3: It seems like maybe ten years ago. We do have 40 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 3: the children in the matter. 41 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: We're just talking about how much fun it would be 42 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: to have all our kids in a picture. And then 43 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: that's to do it like a Melrose picture, like all 44 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:30,119 Speaker 1: in white. 45 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 2: And a staircase. Now that's my focus. 46 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 1: That's what I want to have that happen on a 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: staircase like Dynasty, that outside staircase. I wonder if we 48 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: could recreate it, remember that picture. In the first season, 49 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: you got. 50 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,399 Speaker 3: A New York that gap ad. You know, we had 51 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 3: Annie Lieberwitz, that Annie Lee Express. So I like that. 52 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: Somebody call so do you remember your audition process? 53 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 3: You can, of course. So they were like, you know, 54 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 3: I'm new to town, right, I've done a lot of 55 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 3: theater in New York. I had done a movie, and 56 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 3: so I was like, let me come out to LA 57 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 3: and see what's you know, because I'm New York and 58 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: die hard. That's why it's definitely you thought I was 59 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 3: still living there because I whenever there, I dig in 60 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 3: and yeah, the places and I you know, I'm just now. 61 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: It was your movie New Jack New Jack City, New 62 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: Jack City. 63 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 3: There's a bunch of them, right. 64 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 4: Movie. 65 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, It's that launched my beginnings. And I came here 66 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 3: to just check out LA, you know, because I wasn't 67 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 3: coming so many of my other active friends had come 68 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 3: on series, you know, the audition to New York and 69 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: then got flown out to LA and I was the 70 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 3: kind of the trajectory that was in my head. Then 71 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: I had a breakup with a guy who I adored 72 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 3: and loved, and I was like, let me get out 73 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: of here. 74 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: We don't test l but I'm still too small court 75 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: and I was just going to test the water. 76 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 3: So I booked Candy Man all right, was my second, 77 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 3: and I was like, whoo, they like me, you know, 78 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 3: you know, I'll give it a year. So I sublet 79 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: my place to Erika Alexander, another wonderful actress friend of mine, 80 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 3: her boyfriend, and two other roommates of his who were 81 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 3: also actors, still living in New York. Then I came 82 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 3: out here, stayed with a girlfriend, stayed and got a place, 83 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 3: and then did Candy Man, and then I started auditioning. 84 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 3: Actually also met my you know, would be husband, so 85 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 3: he was my boyfriend. And the audition process was the 86 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 3: regular Sandy Gale, go see the casting director. Then I 87 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 3: had a callback with her. Then it was like go 88 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 3: see the producers and go see go meet Aaron. 89 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 5: Okay, so you know, it was like you know spelling, 90 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 5: it's like in the building and it's like you know 91 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 5: all the things, and you know, my role, I think 92 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 5: was originally it was going to be like sort of 93 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 5: the same kind of nine O two one oh set up. 94 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 3: We're like a Jewish girl, and so like they said, 95 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 3: let's go black with the role, and so I was like, okay, 96 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 3: you know, so. 97 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 2: So were you sitting in a room out in the 98 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: waiting room with all these. 99 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 3: Like jewish the other time they got to me, you know, 100 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 3: it was like yeah, okay, but I just remember meeting 101 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 3: Spelling and he was so dear and lovely and kind. 102 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 3: And I did my little to do and my little thing, 103 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 3: and you know, I got home. Man they called me, 104 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,679 Speaker 3: was like you got it. I was like wow right away, 105 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 3: right away. Yeah, as I recall as memory serves, I 106 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 3: don't really really remember, but I don't remember it being 107 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 3: a very long time before finding out that I had 108 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 3: a series, and that was like and. 109 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 6: It wasn't sorry, it was part of your audition or 110 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 6: part of your role description to be a dancer, and 111 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 6: did you have to do any of that? 112 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 2: Like did they want to make sure you dance? 113 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: I didn't have to dance. I mean, thank goodness for 114 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 3: the dance double Okay, So I was I was always 115 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 3: an actress who moved well with a dance is hard 116 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 3: in my next life. So it was really perfect. But yeah, 117 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 3: that was part of the thing. 118 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 2: Sold it really well because we were questioning. 119 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,599 Speaker 3: There were some episodes were like no, I think that's 120 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 3: all of aerobic stuff like the teaching that I can 121 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 3: handle that yeah, the touch that classic seven eight Yeah, 122 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: but the pirouettes and the you know, I could do 123 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 3: a part. But you know, so I was watching it 124 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 3: last night and I was like, oh, yeah, this is 125 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 3: a devil. Those parts are great. 126 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, so you watched the episode was you and your Rival? 127 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 2: Yes? 128 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 3: That was fun so much. Is a great, great friend 129 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 3: of mine. I almost cast her in the in a 130 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 3: movie that I direct. No, we knew each other, like 131 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 3: all the sisters kind of knew each other, you know, 132 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 3: back and forth in auditions and stuff. It'd be always like, 133 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 3: you know, little mini reunions. Hey, how's it going for you? 134 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 3: You know, so I knew Gina. I knew Gina. It 135 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 3: was great that she's Mark, She's she did all of 136 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 3: her dancing stuff. 137 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: She's a real dancer. 138 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 3: Yeah. 139 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. Do you happen to remember the scene they had 140 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 2: you auditioned with for Melrose at all? Or no? 141 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 3: It was it was a scene with Doug. It was 142 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 3: a met Matt Ronda scene, as I recall, because you 143 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 3: guys were like, oh yeah, we were we were we 144 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: were bombed. You guys were best the best? 145 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, wow, Okay, and so wait, I want to go 146 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 2: back to right before. So first of all, you came 147 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: out here and you got Candy Man with my friend 148 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 2: Virginia Madsen, right. 149 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: Oh my god, Virginia was the best, the best. 150 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. 151 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 3: It was Virginia Madson Casey Lemons, who I knew from 152 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 3: New York and we were we had such a great time. 153 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 3: I wasn't even shooting in Chicago, but they flew me 154 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 3: out just to like meet the woman who my my 155 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 3: role was sort of modeled on. We were in Cabrini Green, 156 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 3: which was still standing at the time, and it was 157 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 3: so fascinating and we created the whole project that looked like, 158 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 3: you know, a prison, and so we met the woman. 159 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 3: She was so beautiful. Her home was immaculate, like you know, 160 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 3: it looked like a prison going through all these like 161 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 3: you know, metal doors and stuff like that, and then 162 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 3: inside it was like bright and folded towels and it 163 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 3: was so really really wonderful. And and Virginia and Casey 164 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 3: had seen that they were shooting there, so I was there. 165 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 3: I mean, Bernard was so beautiful, and that whole process, 166 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 3: like my entry to entredeed to Hollywood. In the business, 167 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 3: I'm seeing the Hollywood side because I had done several 168 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 3: plays in New York. You know, I was a full 169 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 3: on actress when I moved out here. Yeah I was 170 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 3: a girl and girl lady, but still like naive and 171 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 3: New Green Green too. It was like starting again, you know, 172 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 3: going from the theater world and commercials to to the 173 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 3: Los Angeles, the La Hollywood kind of like you know, 174 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 3: every you know you could. I remember losing a job 175 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: because I wore like my lear tards and tights. I 176 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 3: was in rehearsal mode and they, you know, I'm like 177 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 3: theater like yeah, got it together and leg warmings probably 178 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 3: in New York, but yeah, but I was in my 179 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 3: all black. I was doing to Jamie Timmy Timmy Fox Show, 180 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 3: and they replaced me. They were like, oh no, they 181 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 3: would come through, the producers would come through the redthrough. 182 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 3: I mean they still paid me, which was lovely. I 183 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 3: was like, okay, free money, I'll go on a vacation 184 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 3: precisely precisely. But it was. 185 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: Because they were confused that you weren't dressed in a 186 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: way they understood. 187 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: Well. 188 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 3: I mean I auditioned and I came in like, you 189 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 3: know whatever, but now we're doing the work. 190 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 2: The work of rehearsal. 191 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 3: Rehearsal I didn't know it was like every and this 192 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 3: was a valuable lesson, right that I learned because it's like, oh, 193 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 3: you're always auditioning because at any time they could replace 194 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,959 Speaker 3: you at any time. It's like you're always into LA 195 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 3: was very like what it looked like. And you know, 196 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 3: I'm from New York and it's you're growing your character. 197 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 3: So it was like a whole different mindset than how 198 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 3: I grew up. I mean I learned. I went to 199 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 3: Performing Arts High school, so I had been studying the 200 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 3: craft since fourteen, and I studied with like teachers Tony 201 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 3: Absen and people like who were about like you could 202 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 3: change the world with theater, and you can, you know, 203 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 3: So what we were doing was was a vocation, not 204 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 3: just like oh your pretty face and you know it's so, 205 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 3: isn't it. 206 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 2: You come out here. I mean I didn't start in 207 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 2: New York, but I did a lot of acting classes 208 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 2: and I did Beater, and it's like it's a whole 209 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 2: other game out here. It's a game. 210 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 3: It's different. It definitely is machine or some sort. 211 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 2: But so then after I watched some clips of your 212 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 2: New Jack City and I was so was that was 213 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 2: right before Melos, Yeah, like right before I was then 214 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 2: All Star cast. 215 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 3: It was so like amazing. I was so green on 216 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 3: that it set too. We had a twenty year reunion. 217 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 3: I think it's twenty years, could be thirty. 218 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 2: Whatever the numbers. The numbers loud. It was a while 219 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 2: said it was thirty. 220 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 3: Yes, okay, sorry, what seemed like yesterday? But we triedbeca 221 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 3: film festival did a reunion and so Mario and Michael, 222 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 3: Michelle and I were among the cast members that were 223 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 3: there to screen the movie again. And I had my 224 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 3: kids there and it was just so so marvelous and 225 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 3: I was green, green as hell, and we're doing the 226 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 3: like the the talk back, and I tell the story 227 00:10:58,640 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 3: of how Mario was like, you want to be in 228 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 3: this you want to be this movie because I didn't 229 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 3: know about a three show, like staying in the frame 230 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 3: of the movie. But it's not like they tell you, 231 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 3: oh that our frame is here if you go out there, 232 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 3: you know, so he's you can in there again. I 233 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 3: was like, oh, okay, so yeah, it was. It was 234 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 3: a new experience, but it was like you know, in 235 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 3: terms of like the one thing after another after another, 236 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:18,439 Speaker 3: after another. 237 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 2: So that did that prime youth. Sorry, I don't want 238 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: to hug the questions, but I came from films too, 239 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 2: and when I started doing our TV show, it went 240 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 2: so fast? Were you ready for how fast these scenes go? 241 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 2: Like there's not time to prepare? 242 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 3: Right, See, I had only done the one movie, right, 243 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 3: So I remember Amy feeling like, oh wait, this is 244 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 3: way too fast. I'm a film actress. I've got time 245 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 3: to like just my performance, get my close up. And 246 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 3: it was like and so for me, it wasn't that 247 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 3: same transition because I had done so much theater where 248 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 3: it's like you heard you rehearse and then you know, 249 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 3: talked to bottom. So I didn't have that same sort 250 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 3: of uh in terms of like how moving. 251 00:11:57,520 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: So yeah, it's a big difference. The time in between 252 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 2: the film is like hours. The time in between is 253 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: maybe twenty minutes. 254 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 3: Twenty minutes exactly. 255 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 6: But just the assumption that you know all the things 256 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 6: like that you're saying, like the two over, like I 257 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 6: mean I came to Melrose as a new person too, 258 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 6: and like the assumption is that you're going to know 259 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 6: those things, and so I remember that feeling of like 260 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 6: all these terms that were thrown at me was like, hey, 261 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 6: I'm sorry, what matching? 262 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 3: What exactly? Exactly? So yeah, but you learn real quick, Yeah, 263 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 3: real quick. You learned really quickly. And then everyone was 264 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 3: so kind. Everyone was so I mean. So we were 265 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 3: talking earlier about how Courtney and I were like, you know, 266 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 3: like this episode, you're up to you guys, haven't. 267 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 2: Yeah we have Oh no, you two. Yeah. 268 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 6: We always can get through our recaps because we keep 269 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 6: wanting to have our guests on. 270 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: What I think it's fun about watching it again from 271 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: the beginning is I'm watching us all become friends, like 272 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 1: you watch it in real time like in the beginning, 273 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden, we'll see scenes where 274 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: we're actually like looking at each other, they're laughing when 275 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: we're all together. Remember how much fun those scenes were. 276 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 3: The cart cart I remember my apartment, like the Thanksgivings, 277 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 3: like all the all those scenes are just like ye 278 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 3: so crazy shooters. You know that was our hang you 279 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 3: know we had like the cheers, Yeah, you know, we 280 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 3: had all of the television tropes and and it's so 281 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 3: funny like now like knowing, oh that's a theme they introduced, 282 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 3: and I say they carried it over in fact, I 283 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 3: noticed like an episode we're talking about where it's just 284 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 3: call your mother or mother love or something on the 285 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 3: back of on the which was the b story with 286 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 3: with Grant and his mom, you know. So it was 287 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 3: just like I was like, oh, look at that. 288 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 2: You know, I didn't know that kind of thing. I 289 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 2: know you did it right. 290 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 3: I had no idea, Oh this is tying into that. 291 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 3: So like it was just wonderful training ground because we 292 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,239 Speaker 3: did so many episodes. We did thirty episodes. 293 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,599 Speaker 2: Yeah, unheard us. You're just nowadays. 294 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: You're lucky, are you? 295 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 2: Yeah? 296 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: Really it was amazing. 297 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,559 Speaker 6: Do you have any like favorite story arcs that that 298 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 6: you got to participate in or anything that really wait? 299 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 3: Oh hello, who is it? 300 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 2: Is it? Doug? He dog? 301 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 3: I think it's for you. I just called your name, 302 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,479 Speaker 3: honey beautiful. 303 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 2: That's hilarious. You too, You too? 304 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 3: You have adult We will that we all have adult 305 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 3: children and married children like that is like wow, wait, okay, okay, yeah, 306 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 3: they want me to hold us here? Okay can you 307 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 3: hear yes, darling, I. 308 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 4: Last time we were together, like we had kids in school. 309 00:14:59,200 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 3: Are kids? 310 00:14:59,720 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 4: Yes? 311 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 3: Yes, Laura and I were just saying how our kids were, right, 312 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 3: hold on Let's see, we were both in the shop. 313 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 2: Great because the fans remember those two faces a lot. 314 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 3: We were talking about. Laura was asking me what were 315 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 3: some of my favorite scenes, and I was talking about 316 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 3: all of the scenes we had together. We were such chums. 317 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 2: We were such. 318 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 3: Buddies on the show, on and off screen. It was 319 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 3: so great. Oh did you freeze? 320 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 2: Okay, there you go? 321 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 3: So okay good. 322 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 4: I had all of that. I had all of that 323 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 4: humiliating dancing to do with you. 324 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 3: You were coming to the class, you know, because you 325 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 3: had to keep the body right. Okay, No, they cut it. 326 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 3: They cut it so we all looked good. We all 327 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: looked so good. That's so great. 328 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 4: You haven't lost the second of your kindness. 329 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 3: Oh sweet, that's so funny. And I'm still dancing. I 330 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 3: still I love to dance. I still go. I go 331 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 3: to Mama Shelter, you Utopia Tribe, these and I keep 332 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 3: up with all the DJs, so like, yeah, like I 333 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 3: love dancing. I love it. 334 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 2: Wow are you living? 335 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 3: No, I'm mostly in LA but I get back all 336 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 3: the time because my oldest Omar is he graduated from 337 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 3: Cooper Union and now he's working as an artist. 338 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 4: There. 339 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 3: We're having an exhibition for him and you'll all be invited. 340 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 3: So next month. 341 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 342 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 3: So and then my my youngest who's turning twenty one, 343 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 3: which is crazy because I was pregnant with him on 344 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 3: Soul Food. He's turning twenty one next month and he's 345 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,680 Speaker 3: at Chapman and and oh my god. 346 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 2: Yeah that's yeah, that's great. Yeah, you know he is. 347 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 3: He's a filmmaker, singer. He's like like, he's making videos. 348 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 3: All I couldn't. Yeah, I didn't want to. I didn't 349 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 3: want to, Like I just got out of the way 350 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 3: and let them show me what they wanted to do. 351 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 3: You too, How long is your show running? I want 352 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 3: to come see it. 353 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 4: Oh god, are until November three? It's been a good time. 354 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 4: So it's great to see you. 355 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 2: Have so much to talk about. Thanks for calling call. 356 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 3: I mean it was so like perfect because I just 357 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 3: went to your name. Did you get cute? 358 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 2: You love you? That's so great. Miss. 359 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,160 Speaker 3: We gotta do this like offscreen too. 360 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 2: That's great. I didn't. That was a total surprise. Well 361 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 2: to me. Yeah, that great, Thank you. He didn't want 362 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 2: to miss the opportunity to say hi. 363 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 3: I love it. You have a great chemistry, you know, 364 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 3: there was so much chemistry going around. You and Andrew 365 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 3: got together and we were like we saw it coming. 366 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 3: But yeah, Doug and I was like, you know, my 367 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,360 Speaker 3: my TV husband to like in that in that we 368 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 3: were just such good friends. I mean, that was what 369 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 3: we was saying, Like it was such a beautiful way 370 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 3: to begin, like, you know, this really Hollywood career because 371 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 3: even though it got really real and really hollywood, you know, 372 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 3: we saw and the thing is, we saw things coming 373 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 3: where people would like do whole through five episodes and 374 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 3: then be replaced or have to like do their whole 375 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 3: episode like Amy had to do all of this voiceover 376 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 3: in a different you know, twing on the accent. You know, 377 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,880 Speaker 3: So it was it was really real. But the day 378 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 3: to day and and the writing and all the things, 379 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 3: you know, people, it was a lovely place to work. 380 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 3: It was a really really loved. 381 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 1: So so when Amy when they decided to get rid 382 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 1: of the accent, which was a good call because it 383 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,640 Speaker 1: was uncomfortable after did they have her then you said 384 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: they had her voice double whole show just had to. 385 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 3: Read dub whole shows Like I don't I don't call 386 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 3: how many episodes, I just recall how TD it was 387 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 3: for her. 388 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 2: Wow, baby, that's in a regular accent and just herself. 389 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 3: Did they they took the accent away, right, okay? They 390 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 3: so yeah, So she had to do the whole thing 391 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 3: over like episodes and episode maybe it was like maybe 392 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 3: two or three. 393 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 2: Wow, that's so much many wow. 394 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know what it's like in an eight R room. 395 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 2: Oh, it's so awful. 396 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 6: Yeah, because your your characters were roommates through the time 397 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 6: that she departed the show. 398 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,360 Speaker 2: She was around episode thirteen, right. 399 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 3: You know, I guess yeah, because how did they write 400 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 3: her off? 401 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 2: I think she's probably going to get an acting gig. 402 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 3: And yeah, it was still there was a false move 403 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 3: out that I that I saw in my little my 404 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 3: little head home recasp yees to get back. 405 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 2: The fans are probably listening, going, I can tell you 406 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 2: what it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You storyline of 407 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 2: that episode of like being annoyed by this actress roommate ring. 408 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 3: True, it was, it did. And you know the thing, 409 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,719 Speaker 3: this is what's so funny about watching the show. It 410 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 3: was so like innocent, like these times were so instant, 411 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 3: even though it was like crazy times and we thought 412 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 3: we were cutting edge and we were right. We were 413 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 3: but if you're looking back now with this guy, it 414 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 3: was so so innocent and what we especially that time 415 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 3: on the show too. Again, I always say the thirty 416 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,199 Speaker 3: something was really really popular, and tell how it was 417 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 3: sort of relate to me and my agent and stuff, 418 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:34,920 Speaker 3: that this was going to be a twenty something take, 419 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 3: you know, where like they're all these actors and young 420 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 3: people and they're starting their lives. We're thirty something was 421 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 3: like in the middle of family and you know, they're 422 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:45,439 Speaker 3: in their thirties and their in careers and whatever, and 423 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,719 Speaker 3: so we were gonna do the same thing but in 424 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 3: our twenties, right, So like all this acts and stuff 425 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 3: like that. And then they after the first season, they 426 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 3: were like, you know what, we're gonna go to the 427 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 3: the winning Aaron Spelling formula and sexies. Yeah, TV Night 428 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 3: and tv TV. 429 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 2: So that's what we're really noticing that it's a comple 430 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 2: We were like, what sure are we? 431 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: I know, I remember that, like it wasn't a big 432 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,120 Speaker 1: big fanfare when we were released, and then it really 433 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: didn't do well because it was sort of this sweet show. 434 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: But I want to ask about that episode because so 435 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: the episode when when Sandy gets a job and your character, 436 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: and I wonder how you were directed because your character 437 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: is just annoyed with her from the like she says, 438 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: pass me this sault. You're like, oh, miss actress. They 439 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: were like you just got to go after her for 440 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: I'm sure you're like, she just got a job. 441 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 3: I know, right, you know, it was it was a 442 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 3: disconnect because that was never how I acted in real life, 443 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 3: you know. And and I you know, I guess they 444 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,439 Speaker 3: was just looking for the drama and like this is 445 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 3: how people would act, and I guess this would be 446 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 3: more interesting to watch. Yeah, you know, and I think again, 447 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 3: like they were tweaking my character, like they didn't really know. 448 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,880 Speaker 3: There were no black writers on the show, so it 449 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 3: was like there was not a real voice of anyone 450 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 3: who like what had Ronda's experience, And like I said, 451 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 3: they were finding the characters and figuring out, you know, 452 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 3: just how she would respond. So I, as the actors, 453 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 3: was trying to find some levels to it and whatever. 454 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 3: But you know, you can't control like what they cut, 455 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 3: you know, how it gets edited together and what point 456 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 3: they were trying to make based on whatever the other 457 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 3: storylines were too, And so you know, I just I 458 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 3: could justify you know watching it, well, you know, the 459 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 3: balloons come in and then here's this like selfish girl. 460 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 3: Oh I got to run out to my Holly party. 461 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 3: And then what I thought when I was watching it too, 462 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,919 Speaker 3: was you know anything it happened up in that party, 463 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 3: Like she's going out without her roommate. Like I was like, no, 464 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 3: she would have taken her girl, you know, or some 465 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 3: friend with her to make sure. Now do we know 466 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 3: what Hollywood is with? 467 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 2: I mean, don't you think it's interesting here in twenty 468 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 2: twenty four looking. 469 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:48,120 Speaker 7: Back at how innocent innocent and how things we didn't 470 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 7: think at the time didn't notice just like, Okay, well 471 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 7: I got to say I did love those hats, though 472 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 7: I kept those hats. 473 00:22:57,800 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 2: Did you get to keep from. 474 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 3: Some of those pieces were my own? Occually was? And 475 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 3: but you know it was very you know I was like, oh, 476 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 3: that's still my style, but colectic off the shoulder, Yeah, 477 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,120 Speaker 3: you had a real style, You had a real she 478 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 3: was She was really great. And I think that the 479 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 3: costume people really pulled from what was going on in 480 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 3: the day. You know, all of that, you know, leisure 481 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 3: wear as out of wear, you know, the tights, the 482 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 3: leg warmers and the button always combat boot, always combat. 483 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 2: Boot, right. 484 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:28,679 Speaker 3: So it was fun. 485 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 2: It was so you did have a say in that 486 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 2: with the wardrobe person say like, bring you things that 487 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 2: you liked. 488 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 3: Mostly they brought me things that like in and you know, 489 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 3: occasionally I was like, oh I have this, and you know, 490 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 3: it was like a collaboration and certainly all like the wraps, 491 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 3: the African raps, and you know, because my whole thing 492 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:46,479 Speaker 3: was like my hair is natural, this how it comes 493 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 3: down my head. You know, when I got to Hollywood, 494 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 3: every black girl had to weave down to her next 495 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 3: So it was radical to be on a TV show 496 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 3: with like little tiny butting locks and you know, twist 497 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,719 Speaker 3: out and just like you know, here I am like 498 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 3: this is beautiful too. You know, I've always felt like 499 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 3: politically conscious and you know I call myself a naturalistu 500 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 3: og the og huh yeah, because there's that whole movement 501 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 3: of natural hair, and you know, being not having to 502 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 3: keep up with any other kind of standard beauty as 503 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 3: a Ronda was really killing that. 504 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 2: Well, that's amazing. 505 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: That really wasn't ahead of your time because that just 506 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:22,919 Speaker 1: came back up a few years ago. Ye were so 507 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: far ahead of time. 508 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:26,479 Speaker 3: Was kudos to them for embracing it. This is what 509 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 3: I'm saying that I got hired like that. You know, 510 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 3: it was really they were really moving the needle and 511 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 3: really conscious of it. Darren was really great to you know, 512 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 3: as we go to talk about that, you know, the 513 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 3: aftermath kind of episode or where I read an initial 514 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,159 Speaker 3: draft and I was like, Ronda can't say, you know, 515 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 3: I know that they're black people, say those people, I said, 516 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 3: but you know, Ronda can't. Ronda can't as much as 517 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 3: she's out of touch with baby, her community and she's 518 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 3: been in this bubble and in a suburban bubble and 519 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 3: all our friends or you know, mostly white people, you know, 520 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 3: she can't. She can't really say, she can't really disassociate 521 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 3: hers so much. Like I was like, I didn't want 522 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:07,199 Speaker 3: my myself and my character to be confused that this 523 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 3: would somehow be like my point of view. So I 524 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 3: was like, yeah, she can. She can say that, but 525 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 3: she can't point over there like these people are different 526 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 3: than her. And so it turned the whole gist of 527 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 3: the story. I was so grateful, Oh you expressed that, 528 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 3: and then they that Darren, Darren heard me. I had 529 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 3: a whole little meeting with you do oh. 530 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 2: I did. So what was the script originally? 531 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 3: What ie the vibe? I can't remember precisely, but I 532 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 3: went in there and I talked about that that that 533 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 3: I didn't want to like be so out of it, right, 534 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 3: that I didn't want ron to Chart to be so 535 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 3: out of it that she also was saying those people 536 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 3: over there. 537 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 2: So let me just for our audience. You didn't see 538 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 2: it because not everyone follows along, but this is the 539 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 2: episode where it's the same year as the Rodney. 540 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 3: What's the same year exactly? Because I was I was watching, 541 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 3: I said, let me see when did this happen? And 542 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 3: when did we shoot this? So the started and the 543 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 3: verdict happened in May of ninety two, right, and we 544 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,959 Speaker 3: and this show that episode aired in September, right, so 545 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 3: it was fresh. 546 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 2: So that episode what happened in the episode? 547 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 3: So in the episode, you know, Ronda, well Billy comes 548 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,879 Speaker 3: back and he's gotten robbed, and you know, I was 549 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 3: so glad they cut away because I was like, what 550 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 3: happens to be like, how's this happening? And we're all 551 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 3: all of the whole you know, home crew is like concerned, 552 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 3: like what happened? And he's just like, yeah, I got 553 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 3: you know whatever, the car got robbed, but he just 554 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 3: got robbed. But there's not a scar on him, There's 555 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 3: not anything. And it was like a dangerous time because 556 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 3: you know, the riots had happened, all of this angst 557 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 3: about the policing of those of our neighborhoods and everything 558 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 3: was really at the fore. It was really really you know, 559 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 3: volatile time. 560 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, and he was down in South Central. 561 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 3: He was dropping of a lady in South Central and 562 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 3: then his car gets robbed and like it's kid's cab 563 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,439 Speaker 3: gets like you know, bashed in. But he did. They 564 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 3: just take him for his money, right, and then what 565 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 3: else happened to hell. 566 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: You're talking about the scene when he comes back and 567 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,399 Speaker 1: he said, I'm not going to go down there again. 568 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 3: Right, It's like he makes some sort of he makes 569 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 3: some sort of deflection about those kinds of people. Yeah, yes, right, 570 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,119 Speaker 3: not like this is a specific thing that happened. I 571 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 3: got jacked and these guys whatever. He just like blankets 572 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 3: the whole area. And that was a sentiment like, oh, 573 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 3: don't go down into the jungle. And you know, Ronda says, 574 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 3: oh what the jungle, and all these things like that. 575 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 3: So Ronda takes it like, oh, what are you saying 576 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 3: about the community that I come from? Just because I 577 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 3: live here with you guys and I'm in this mumble 578 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 3: And then she it also causes her to reflect. So 579 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 3: this is what I go into Darren's office with with, Like, 580 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 3: you know, she can't be part of among the people 581 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,199 Speaker 3: saying those people over there and I'm separate from that. 582 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 3: She's got to realize, Oh, I need to grow myself. 583 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 3: I've been away out of context. I haven't seen my grandmam, 584 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,200 Speaker 3: my cousin, you know, whoever still lives in South Central whatever. 585 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 3: And that was the thing, like we never got to 586 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 3: see Rhonda's background, right, but certainly, you know she knows 587 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 3: people there. She you know, she's a part of that 588 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 3: community no matter where you know, where you are. And 589 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 3: and so I was just really grateful that he that 590 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 3: that Darren really heard me and turned it into Okay, 591 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 3: let's everybody have an awakening. Awakening. 592 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's great. Yea, I love the whole story. 593 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 1: I'm so happy because we were talking about it, when 594 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: we talked about the episode, We're saying, I wonder what 595 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 1: that was like for you because there were very few 596 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 1: women on the writing staff, there may have been one 597 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: at that point and you know black people at all. 598 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 1: And I love that makes sense because it really felt 599 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 1: like they had a pretty good handle on it. 600 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 3: Why because it was. 601 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I really talked about and more real than a 602 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 2: stere cliche storyline, right, which it could have been. 603 00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 3: It easily easily could have been. And I think that 604 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 3: you know, to our level of commitment to craft and 605 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 3: really going deeper with it, and their commitment to like 606 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 3: really telling a story. Again, like the focus of it 607 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 3: was really about, you know, young adults growing into themselves 608 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 3: and what kind of world they wanted to create and 609 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 3: live in and how their worldview would would be right. 610 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: I love that you did that though, because it took courage. 611 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: So we talk a lot of it was exact word, 612 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: we had to do everything. So I love that you 613 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: had the courage to call them and say this doesn't 614 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: feel authentic, man, and that they listened. 615 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 3: It was really it was really powerful, and it was 616 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 3: sort of like I was nervous to do it. I 617 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 3: was like, and it's not like I went through my 618 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 3: agent and say hey, I want to have it, like 619 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 3: I just but we had already there had been this 620 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 3: sort of like familiarity within the production company and Aaron 621 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 3: and Darren that I felt that I could come when 622 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 3: something troubled me. I knew regardless that I couldn't live 623 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 3: with myself without sayings they had listened to or not. 624 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:03,040 Speaker 3: I was going to have to act my way through 625 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 3: those deeper meanings or the meanings that I was trying 626 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 3: to say. It was moving to be to be able 627 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 3: to affect the change, like. 628 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, did you feel like that in other storylines. 629 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 6: Like did you find yourself like with that door open? 630 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 6: Was that then an ongoing conversation that you. 631 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 3: It wasn't necessarily an ongoing conversation, listen, I was happy 632 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 3: to be there, Yeah, okay, like I want to pay job. 633 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 2: No, it wasn't. 634 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 3: It wasn't that I felt like I would be pushing 635 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 3: or anything. But it never got like that sensitive about 636 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 3: these like racial kinds of things. 637 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 2: You know. 638 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 3: Then it just became universal themes of like relationships with 639 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 3: your MoMA, you know, what do your friends say? And 640 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 3: the act or the actor as like that wasn't that 641 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 3: wasn't something I needed to go to the back to 642 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 3: back right, you know, like you know what I mean? 643 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 3: It was just like Okay, this is this could be 644 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 3: somebody's take on it. Another episode that comes to mind 645 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 3: was when raid On Chong came talking about Roommates from Hell. 646 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:54,480 Speaker 3: But that how far along. 647 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 6: We're we're we're about to watch it. 648 00:30:57,560 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 3: Oh, you can talk about because because because it's after 649 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:04,160 Speaker 3: Amy leaves. Oh, and then she comes in, I get 650 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 3: like this single white female kind of It's just like 651 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 3: she's you know, she's like commandeering my life and rearranging 652 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 3: my my my hangars in my closet and I'm like, 653 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 3: where is my Oh I cleaned everything with bleach and 654 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 3: it was just like, my god, so funny. And ray 655 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 3: Raydn is such a marvelous actress, so it was like 656 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 3: beautiful having her as a guest star and having to 657 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 3: do all that. And she was such a like differential 658 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 3: from any character we'd ever seen her play, So she 659 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:37,840 Speaker 3: was on it. 660 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 2: We had such great guest stars. 661 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: You talked about that a lot, how much fun it 662 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: is to see who came through. I missed that about 663 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:45,440 Speaker 1: being a regular on the show. I miss meeting all 664 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: the people you get to come from, get. 665 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 3: To work, and wonderful directors as well. 666 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 2: You know, what do you remember? I don't know. After 667 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 2: thirty years. 668 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: We can't remember some of them who come back to 669 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: Richard Lang. We remember Dannie Carell and Charlie Carrell. 670 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 2: Talked about Victoria with Thomas. You had a hard time 671 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 2: with Victoria Hackburg. I don't know if. 672 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 3: Rooney Bean that's what I was Bethan Rooney. And then 673 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 3: I worked with Bethany again on some other shows. But 674 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 3: Bethany was great. She's amazing. What she wanted she really did. 675 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 3: She was like she was she was a mom too, 676 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 3: and she was like okay. She really had a way 677 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 3: of like nurturing way of talking to actors. I loved it. Yeah, 678 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 3: clear vision. 679 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, she was connected us and the men. It's happened 680 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 1: with all the women directors. The men would go are 681 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 1: you sure, and she would. 682 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 3: Go, I am. And think about how like love that 683 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 3: she was. 684 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: So she knew exactly what she wanted to go. Really, 685 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:44,880 Speaker 1: She's like yes, and I was like, oh, that's why 686 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: I want to be. 687 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 3: These were very crucial times in our social constructs, of 688 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 3: of of of ideas about women. And you know this, 689 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 3: the nineties were really really volt times. You know, we 690 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 3: look back now and think, yeah, you know, you know, 691 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 3: women's rye and all the things, but we were moving 692 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:06,720 Speaker 3: the needle so far in those times, and yeah, it 693 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 3: was really cutting edge. 694 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 2: That's a good point that you're saying, Vanessa, because I 695 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 2: think of the nineties and again my age being so young, 696 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 2: like you're saying, we're also young, and so I think 697 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 2: of it as a very nostalgic, joyful time, but you 698 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 2: forget what really, in a bigger sense, those times were about. 699 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 3: For sure. I mean that we can list all these 700 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 3: women directors on our show that wasn't the norm. 701 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, and even yeah, and even and even the storylines 702 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 2: you know, we went back to I've seen a lot 703 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 2: of them now and just all the drama that they 704 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 2: came up with was violence against women. 705 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 3: Yes, go to Yes, I mean. 706 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 2: That did you feel that coming in the season one? 707 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 2: Did that? 708 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 4: Well? 709 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 3: Remember they the episode where Amy is getting stalked, Like 710 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 3: it's a light stalking, Yeah, you know, it's yeah, there's flowers. 711 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 3: But I was like, oh, this was them touching at 712 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 3: some really deeper stuff that was happening, you know, But 713 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 3: I feel like they were really trying to balance this, 714 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:12,400 Speaker 3: you know, nine oh two one oh echoes, right, Like 715 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 3: we were like in that sauce of that with doing 716 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 3: much more cutting edge, deep, you know, thirty something ideology 717 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 3: and and themes. 718 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 2: I think they as a show we're trying to figure 719 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 2: themselves out. Yeah, we're all saying yeah, because there's some 720 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 2: of your storylines about the I'm thinking of you with Terrence. 721 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 3: And though I didn't watch those again okay, yeah, we 722 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:41,760 Speaker 3: haven't watched Gotten, but I just remember what you thought 723 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 3: of that. 724 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 2: I was wondering, wasn't you on for a while? 725 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 3: Yes, Yes, I think I think Ronda was really like 726 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 3: moving through. Okay. Am I an artist? Am I a 727 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 3: career woman, an entrepreneur? I've got my business here, and 728 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 3: then there's some man who wants to come and just 729 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 3: swoop me up and just you know, put me in 730 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 3: as a trad wife, right exactly. And so you know 731 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 3: that ski Oh that was one of the outfits I 732 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 3: wish I had kept. Oh my goodness, this one suit. 733 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:13,800 Speaker 3: You know, this wash is such a great thing. He 734 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 3: took me skiing like so he was taking her out 735 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 3: of her, you know, out of her what she could. 736 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,879 Speaker 2: Have shown her, what he could be with him. 737 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:23,719 Speaker 3: But she was like, listen, I'm not such an eat. 738 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 3: You can't just buy me. Hold on, I've got career 739 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 3: moves and other things I want to do. So really, 740 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 3: you know, I think these were ideas and themes that 741 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:36,279 Speaker 3: women were going through, age were going through. Yeah, so attracted, 742 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 3: tract with what we've got. 743 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 2: An over guy comes in who has a career and 744 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 2: stuff and kind of just takes you to all this 745 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:42,320 Speaker 2: fancy stuff. 746 00:35:42,080 --> 00:35:45,480 Speaker 3: With important fancy you know me now, So yeah, we're 747 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 3: gonna do this together, you know. 748 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 2: But you pick up, you come back to the apartment, 749 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,879 Speaker 2: you picked up, you pick your buds, right, yes, yeah, 750 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 2: what was the outpit? 751 00:35:54,920 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 3: That outfit was like a beautiful like onesie no, no, no, no, 752 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:07,640 Speaker 3: when he took me skiing ski out But can we 753 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 3: talk about my kiss with Nestor? Oh that was my 754 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:18,520 Speaker 3: first on screen kids, Oh my goodness. I never thought 755 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:22,280 Speaker 3: of myself as a leading lady. So to be able 756 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:25,359 Speaker 3: to have an on screen kiss, it was just like 757 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 3: I was always like the sidekick, the friend, you know, 758 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 3: you know, and so to like have a kiss, it 759 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 3: was so so great, was it? It was so great? 760 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:36,440 Speaker 2: Was he? What was he like? 761 00:36:36,520 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 3: He was marvels We had the same agent actually, so 762 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 3: that was he was cool. He was very you know, 763 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 3: just beautiful and marvelous. So so that was great too. Okay, 764 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:48,920 Speaker 3: like in terms of how the this was, this was 765 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 3: good feedback that we got. So originally, you know, my 766 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:54,400 Speaker 3: character Ronda was going to be sort of like a 767 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 3: plane chain and you couldn't really get a date, and 768 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 3: they were going with that, with that idea, and then 769 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 3: they then then then it wasn't really tracking. 770 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:06,279 Speaker 2: If she can't get. 771 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 3: And then I started to have like boy friends and 772 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:13,640 Speaker 3: all these things. So that was so much fun. 773 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 2: That was really really nice. So you did have effect 774 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 2: there too. Yeah. 775 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 3: Again again you know they wrote toward the character. That's 776 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,360 Speaker 3: that was also like what you know, good writers do, 777 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 3: a good writing staff do well, they'll write to the 778 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 3: to the. 779 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 2: The chemistry that's already there. Yeah. Energy. 780 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. One of our fan questions that I thought was 781 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: so hilarious is are you upset that they're the only 782 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:38,560 Speaker 1: one who didn't get to have a relationship with Grant? 783 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? I am. 784 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,240 Speaker 3: And you know the reason, it's not that they didn't 785 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:47,560 Speaker 3: consider it. I think the affiliates in Middle America weren't 786 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:49,320 Speaker 3: really going to buy it. Guys. You got to remember 787 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 3: what times we were These were really like not eve 788 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 3: all times the audience was not WOA, which is a 789 00:37:56,560 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 3: good thing awaken to like where we need to grow 790 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:01,080 Speaker 3: and where we need to you know, we're taking back 791 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:04,600 Speaker 3: that term. It's it's like the audience wasn't ready. So yeah, 792 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:06,799 Speaker 3: so it was a it was a big thing, you 793 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 3: know for me to even kiss you know, nestor really yeah, 794 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,479 Speaker 3: of course, I mean, of course Grant would be getting around. 795 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:14,920 Speaker 3: Of course Grant would be getting. 796 00:38:14,719 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 2: The black girl. 797 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:22,280 Speaker 3: Ye black lovers off camera kidding me and she's a dancer, 798 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 3: come on, So talking about Stevie, Yeah, I. 799 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 2: Could have calmed Darren. 800 00:38:35,280 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 6: Did you feel that, like through the course of season one, 801 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:40,000 Speaker 6: did you feel like the writing was there for you 802 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:42,320 Speaker 6: or like, did you see as the show is evolving, 803 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:44,799 Speaker 6: because we've had people say like, and I think you've 804 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 6: even mentioned in interviews, like there were no black writers. 805 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 2: And they didn't really know what to do with your character. 806 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 2: They didn't know what. 807 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:52,440 Speaker 3: To do with my character, which is why eventually, like 808 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:54,879 Speaker 3: I left, especially when the show turned from like it's 809 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 3: just gonna be nighttime soap opera and everybody's gonna be 810 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 3: sleeping with everybody's like they didn't know what to do. 811 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 3: But I never felt it. I never felt it. I 812 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,719 Speaker 3: got just as many fan letters. I was. I went 813 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 3: to Spelling's house, you know, when we got through, when 814 00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 3: we got the pickups, I thought, I was going on, 815 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 3: we're the rest with everyone. 816 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: Everyone's going to be sleeping with everybody, and I that's 817 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:17,239 Speaker 1: such a fascinating No. No, of course, you know what. 818 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:19,359 Speaker 1: I brought outside people in for me, so I got 819 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 1: to keep my good girl here. I sleep with outside people. 820 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 1: But but that's an interesting thing. If they don't have 821 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:28,759 Speaker 1: people sleeping with everybody, and if they can't have interracial couples, 822 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:30,719 Speaker 1: how complicated that my. 823 00:39:30,719 --> 00:39:33,479 Speaker 3: Mind is being it was going to be, and they're 824 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 3: not being a writer in the room to reflect you know, 825 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 3: that storyline, that character, you know, it just it just 826 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 3: it matters, It really really matters. And so I didn't 827 00:39:44,640 --> 00:39:48,200 Speaker 3: feel like I needed to, you know, go in there 828 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:51,480 Speaker 3: and advocate for any kinds of storylines. I was having 829 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:55,080 Speaker 3: a good time. Yeah, the clothing and the camaraderie. I 830 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 3: was engaged with all of the certain line. No matter 831 00:39:57,239 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 3: what the storyline is, Ronda always had something to say 832 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,680 Speaker 3: take on it. So you know, I was fine. And 833 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:04,960 Speaker 3: and like I said, it turned from her being like, 834 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 3: you know, hard to date and everything to like having 835 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:09,359 Speaker 3: lots of dates and then eventually you know, getting married 836 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:12,200 Speaker 3: and whatever. So I was that was fine, right, living 837 00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:15,800 Speaker 3: my best life getting married, you know, between episodes and stuff. 838 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:16,920 Speaker 3: It was so funny. 839 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:20,120 Speaker 2: So you got married during off hour, See I did? 840 00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:20,960 Speaker 2: I did. 841 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 3: It was so crazy, eleven months of dating and then 842 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 3: I married my my ex. You know, we had a 843 00:40:26,239 --> 00:40:28,719 Speaker 3: good sixteen year run and two beautiful kids and so 844 00:40:29,239 --> 00:40:31,839 Speaker 3: but it was really and exciting, you know, that was 845 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:34,800 Speaker 3: my experience. It was my first series of regular job. 846 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:38,160 Speaker 3: I'm not complaining about a damn thing. That was pretty great, 847 00:40:38,280 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And all of you, all 848 00:40:40,520 --> 00:40:43,200 Speaker 3: of it, we were so it was so much fun, 849 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:47,000 Speaker 3: you know, working. Yeah, so I know this is boring, right, 850 00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 3: there's no like drama. 851 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:51,719 Speaker 6: But I know, but it's yannimous, like you know, we're 852 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:53,920 Speaker 6: all telling the truth. Yeah, it happens to be. 853 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:56,359 Speaker 3: And lots of people were getting married too, Like didn't 854 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:57,920 Speaker 3: Josie get married that year. 855 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:02,320 Speaker 1: Too, honeymoons short as we kept filming, we never stopped 856 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:03,440 Speaker 1: filming filming. 857 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:05,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, was Thomas already married? 858 00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 1: No, Thomas met Liz during the film first season. 859 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it was that time in our lives. Thomas 860 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:12,440 Speaker 3: and who else speaking a. 861 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:16,680 Speaker 2: List, these guys at me till later. 862 00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: Did not marry me, but Andrew got married during Yes 863 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:31,160 Speaker 1: he did babies, right, Heather, I'm not sure divorced and 864 00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:33,799 Speaker 1: remarried during the show going on. 865 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 3: Well, and Heather came our first season too, And okay, 866 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:41,400 Speaker 3: so so when it when it was not tracking that this, 867 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:45,759 Speaker 3: this twenty something angsty thing was going to really be 868 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 3: what hooked us in because you were saying, this is 869 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 3: another thought that I had. We had so much publicity, 870 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:55,280 Speaker 3: remember all of those weeks and and and photo shoots, 871 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 3: and we had no we hadn't seen the script, and 872 00:41:57,520 --> 00:41:58,759 Speaker 3: they were like, so what did it? 873 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:01,040 Speaker 1: And we were on like, yeah, your character, Like I 874 00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:03,040 Speaker 1: couldn't I tell you yet? 875 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:05,080 Speaker 2: Yeah? Wow? 876 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:07,239 Speaker 3: And they were hooking, you know, putting us together in 877 00:42:07,239 --> 00:42:09,239 Speaker 3: different shots. We went out to a desert and did 878 00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:12,799 Speaker 3: a shot that we had a whole block party in 879 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:16,520 Speaker 3: the middle of melwork. They shut they shut down to 880 00:42:16,560 --> 00:42:17,719 Speaker 3: have that. Do you remember that? 881 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:21,040 Speaker 2: No, I remember going to this mountain. 882 00:42:21,239 --> 00:42:23,799 Speaker 1: They were doing an event autographs anding Magic Mountain. I 883 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:25,279 Speaker 1: don't think you came that day because there were just 884 00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:27,640 Speaker 1: a few of us, the people who weren't shooting, and 885 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:31,719 Speaker 1: nobody came, people are like, who are you? People were saying, 886 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:33,000 Speaker 1: why are we sitting here? 887 00:42:33,040 --> 00:42:34,480 Speaker 2: Like in this outdoor thing? 888 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,319 Speaker 3: So much publicity, it was like a hole. That's when 889 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:41,200 Speaker 3: I saw what a publicity machine was. And again, because 890 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:43,160 Speaker 3: we were on the fumes of nine to two one oh, 891 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:45,200 Speaker 3: that had so much hope. So they were hoping it 892 00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:47,279 Speaker 3: was going to be the same kind of impact, just 893 00:42:47,880 --> 00:42:50,960 Speaker 3: young adults and not teenagers, which they were. And so 894 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 3: during the course of the show, then they started finding it. 895 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:58,160 Speaker 3: What's what's it gonna be? Then it was like, let's 896 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:01,959 Speaker 3: bring in the ringer, Let's in Neather, Heather to save 897 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:03,120 Speaker 3: the day. 898 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:05,560 Speaker 1: That was when it was falling apart. So did you 899 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:07,640 Speaker 1: do all the episodes in the first season. I did, 900 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:10,480 Speaker 1: so it was like thirty thirty, so you remember Heather 901 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:11,000 Speaker 1: coming on. 902 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:16,360 Speaker 3: Indeed, I remember I remember Billy getting recast. That was 903 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:19,360 Speaker 3: another like, yes. 904 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:22,960 Speaker 2: The other guy shot a week, shot shot a day, 905 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:26,920 Speaker 2: not a day, not a day, shot a day. 906 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:29,560 Speaker 3: But wasn't. But I feel like they were all these 907 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:30,279 Speaker 3: things leading up. 908 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:32,520 Speaker 2: We did a ton of press with him. We did 909 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:35,920 Speaker 2: press guy, this guy. 910 00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:38,160 Speaker 1: Just when everybody was together. It just didn't that I 911 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: ended up working with him later so he did what's 912 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:42,799 Speaker 1: his name again, Stephen Fan Steve. 913 00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:46,000 Speaker 2: Really good actor. It's just such a time. 914 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:49,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, such a marvelous actor. And yeah, so I thought 915 00:43:49,719 --> 00:43:52,080 Speaker 3: we were working because we were We had so much 916 00:43:52,080 --> 00:43:54,120 Speaker 3: publicity to do before the show, so it was just 917 00:43:54,160 --> 00:43:54,759 Speaker 3: the one day. 918 00:43:55,719 --> 00:43:58,359 Speaker 1: I remember it as being one day, and we kept 919 00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:00,960 Speaker 1: redoing the scene and redoing the scene and redoing the scene, 920 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:04,000 Speaker 1: and then they just said it wasn't like whatever they were. 921 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:06,200 Speaker 2: They were watching us so carefully because of the press. 922 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:08,919 Speaker 1: I think there hadn't been so much attention on would 923 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:11,480 Speaker 1: have gotten more legs because he was great. 924 00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:12,920 Speaker 3: It was wonderful. 925 00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:15,480 Speaker 1: But then I think Aaron had an idea and then 926 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:18,680 Speaker 1: brought this energy in with Andrew, which also worked really 927 00:44:18,719 --> 00:44:21,120 Speaker 1: well obviously, But I think it was he was a 928 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,520 Speaker 1: victim of the intensity of the pressure we were all under. 929 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:27,040 Speaker 3: Yeah. I think, like anything, they were trying to find 930 00:44:27,120 --> 00:44:28,799 Speaker 3: what the show was. They had an idea of what 931 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:31,400 Speaker 3: the show is, and then and then they're shooting the show. 932 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:33,279 Speaker 3: It's like what you write, what you shoot, and then 933 00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:35,000 Speaker 3: what you got, you know, So it was like like 934 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:38,960 Speaker 3: them figuring out that. But I just remember those these 935 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:42,239 Speaker 3: were shocking, like, Okay, you could just lose it, okay, 936 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:46,440 Speaker 3: you know, for your own like not bad acting or anything. 937 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 2: It's like they're creating. 938 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:49,520 Speaker 3: A whole piece. 939 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:52,759 Speaker 2: Yeah with that, you're just a piece of it, you know. 940 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:55,759 Speaker 2: I over the years and all the rejection that comes 941 00:44:55,760 --> 00:44:58,560 Speaker 2: with it, I remember calling my mom or talking to 942 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:01,960 Speaker 2: her and crying about something much later, about something I 943 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:03,960 Speaker 2: didn't get, and she just said, you know, Daphn, you 944 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,799 Speaker 2: try to think of it as a painting, and you're 945 00:45:07,000 --> 00:45:10,440 Speaker 2: you're a color. You're a color rose. But they needed 946 00:45:10,600 --> 00:45:14,479 Speaker 2: rose matter, they needed rose, you know, they needed they 947 00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:19,480 Speaker 2: wanted the visuals. The visionaries wanted just something slightly different 948 00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:22,520 Speaker 2: from your rose color. So they just want something different, 949 00:45:22,560 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 2: and we all actors are literally just that's a hard 950 00:45:26,800 --> 00:45:27,680 Speaker 2: you're a victim to that. 951 00:45:27,719 --> 00:45:30,120 Speaker 1: They could come and go, well yeah, because the second 952 00:45:30,120 --> 00:45:31,839 Speaker 1: you start working on the script, you're like, oh, yeah, 953 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:35,480 Speaker 1: this is me exactly to immediately see yourself as it 954 00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:36,839 Speaker 1: and you're well, of course it was me, and they 955 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:38,120 Speaker 1: have a completely different idea. 956 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:40,520 Speaker 3: And even when you're watching something and be like I could. 957 00:45:40,280 --> 00:45:47,719 Speaker 2: Do that, yeah right, well that yeah, all actors think exactly, yeah, yeah, total. 958 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:48,400 Speaker 3: Color that you know. 959 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:53,600 Speaker 2: Yeah you so Vanessa, do you know again, looking back 960 00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:56,319 Speaker 2: thirty years later, with the lens of being in twenty 961 00:45:56,360 --> 00:46:00,480 Speaker 2: twenty four, I mean, I just want to ask, Obviously, 962 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:02,880 Speaker 2: no black writers in the room back then, no people 963 00:46:02,920 --> 00:46:07,080 Speaker 2: of color pretty much shit anywhere, and you know, making 964 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:09,480 Speaker 2: the rules and calling the shots and writing the stories 965 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:13,600 Speaker 2: and stuff. Do you feel for your career as an 966 00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:16,640 Speaker 2: actress that it has changed? And where are we now? 967 00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:20,080 Speaker 3: Oh? Yes, certainly, And even on Meloe's place. I mean, 968 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:23,040 Speaker 3: it wasn't like the show was in a vacuum, even 969 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:26,279 Speaker 3: though I didn't watch it after I was dismissed. And 970 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:29,359 Speaker 3: I'll tell you about that later, but there were Yeah, 971 00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:31,440 Speaker 3: as my guy came on, and you know the people 972 00:46:31,440 --> 00:46:35,360 Speaker 3: that populated Allison's office, you know, the real world, there 973 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:40,359 Speaker 3: were occasional black actor occasional occasional. But I took note 974 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:43,160 Speaker 3: of it, of course, because I had been fired and 975 00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:46,680 Speaker 3: so I or let go, you know, and that that 976 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:50,520 Speaker 3: was traumatic. I gotta tell you, like, it's my first series, 977 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:53,200 Speaker 3: and I'm like in LA and it's my second job, 978 00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:56,480 Speaker 3: my first series. I'm like, I'm on my trajectory. It 979 00:46:56,520 --> 00:46:58,480 Speaker 3: was a really good lesson for me. So I had 980 00:46:58,520 --> 00:47:01,080 Speaker 3: done the I had done all thirty episodes, and I 981 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:05,080 Speaker 3: worked the last day of the last show for the 982 00:47:05,120 --> 00:47:07,480 Speaker 3: season and then I get a call from Chuck and 983 00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:10,440 Speaker 3: actually because my my my ex husband was my manager 984 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:13,719 Speaker 3: at the time, and so Chuck Charles Pratt called him 985 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:17,360 Speaker 3: to say, yeah, it's not going on, and I was yeah, 986 00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:20,680 Speaker 3: he was one of my Yeah, he's a writer, executive producer. 987 00:47:20,840 --> 00:47:23,640 Speaker 3: So he gets the call and he's like grave and 988 00:47:23,640 --> 00:47:25,120 Speaker 3: he's not da da And he gets off the phone. 989 00:47:25,160 --> 00:47:29,840 Speaker 3: He says, Vanessa, they're they're letting you go. I was like, huh. 990 00:47:29,880 --> 00:47:31,600 Speaker 3: And I had already been to Spelling's house. We had 991 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:33,480 Speaker 3: already had champagne that we got picked up for the 992 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:35,919 Speaker 3: second season and all that stuff, and I was like what. 993 00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:39,279 Speaker 3: He was like, yeah, no, they're not You're not going 994 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:40,400 Speaker 3: to be in the next season. 995 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:42,759 Speaker 2: I was devastated. 996 00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:46,440 Speaker 3: Oh, I mean like devastated because there was no indication. 997 00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:48,520 Speaker 3: It wasn't like, oh, you're not getting the fan mail, 998 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:50,200 Speaker 3: and it was like am I and you So you 999 00:47:50,239 --> 00:47:52,880 Speaker 3: start thinking, oh, was I horrible to work with? Was 1000 00:47:52,880 --> 00:47:54,799 Speaker 3: my acting that I could, you know, just all of 1001 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:57,600 Speaker 3: the things. And then it took me into like a 1002 00:47:57,800 --> 00:48:02,440 Speaker 3: very like let me go into like a spiritual let 1003 00:48:02,440 --> 00:48:05,239 Speaker 3: me go to. What I know is like, this is 1004 00:48:05,280 --> 00:48:08,600 Speaker 3: not whether I'm working or not is not the value 1005 00:48:08,960 --> 00:48:11,080 Speaker 3: of who I am, who I am as an artist, 1006 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:13,240 Speaker 3: and and I got really clear. I went to agape, 1007 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:16,520 Speaker 3: I got involved into taking classes. I just went deeply 1008 00:48:16,560 --> 00:48:19,239 Speaker 3: into my spiritual roots. You know, I was raised Baptist, 1009 00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:21,400 Speaker 3: but you know I was doing the New Thought, you know, 1010 00:48:21,560 --> 00:48:27,560 Speaker 3: kind of practical mysticism and practical spiritual just basically a 1011 00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:30,959 Speaker 3: way to make God real and part of my everyday life, 1012 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:33,680 Speaker 3: not just something I did on Sunday or whatever. God 1013 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:35,680 Speaker 3: is love and God is you, and you are an 1014 00:48:35,719 --> 00:48:38,360 Speaker 3: expression of God's love. And so all of that resonated 1015 00:48:38,440 --> 00:48:40,760 Speaker 3: so wonderfully for me. So I was happy to find 1016 00:48:40,800 --> 00:48:43,880 Speaker 3: like a spiritual home at a GOPE with Reverend Michael 1017 00:48:43,920 --> 00:48:46,480 Speaker 3: and all the teachings there. And so as I said, 1018 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:49,120 Speaker 3: I went, I took classes because I was so hurt. 1019 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:51,360 Speaker 3: I was so so hurt. I mean, so much of 1020 00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:55,759 Speaker 3: your value, you know you. So what I came to 1021 00:48:56,600 --> 00:48:59,319 Speaker 3: was that, oh, if I let whether I'm working or 1022 00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:02,319 Speaker 3: not be the measure of how good I am as 1023 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:05,759 Speaker 3: an actor, then I'll always be at the mercy of 1024 00:49:05,840 --> 00:49:09,080 Speaker 3: this business of someone else. I said, I'm still that 1025 00:49:09,280 --> 00:49:12,280 Speaker 3: fine actor who booked that job and booked the jobs before, 1026 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:15,080 Speaker 3: whether I'm working or not. So it was a very 1027 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:19,960 Speaker 3: painful but very purposeful lesson to take going forward. And 1028 00:49:19,960 --> 00:49:22,799 Speaker 3: then regards I booked, other things happen. So I went on, 1029 00:49:23,640 --> 00:49:26,440 Speaker 3: but it was really it was so it was it 1030 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:28,319 Speaker 3: was I felt like a bait and switch kind of thing. 1031 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,000 Speaker 3: And again I was like, well, if I had known 1032 00:49:30,080 --> 00:49:32,440 Speaker 3: I wasn't coming back, because the other thing about not 1033 00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:35,439 Speaker 3: know being known, not knowing that I was coming back 1034 00:49:35,680 --> 00:49:39,080 Speaker 3: was I could have auditioned for other shows living. I 1035 00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:41,759 Speaker 3: could have gotten an on Living Single. I could There 1036 00:49:41,840 --> 00:49:43,399 Speaker 3: was like a bunch of shows. I mean I taught. 1037 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:46,560 Speaker 3: I think, you know, there would have been opportunities. I 1038 00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:50,120 Speaker 3: wouldn't have been like sitting out the whole next season 1039 00:49:50,120 --> 00:49:52,919 Speaker 3: because I would have had my next show. But what that, 1040 00:49:53,080 --> 00:49:55,680 Speaker 3: what that gave me opportunity to do was go to Spain, 1041 00:49:56,280 --> 00:49:59,359 Speaker 3: go to Europe and be the face of Melrose Place 1042 00:49:59,520 --> 00:50:02,200 Speaker 3: in your So then I got a show in Spain 1043 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:05,120 Speaker 3: on Tellasinco, and I had like all these people like 1044 00:50:05,239 --> 00:50:08,440 Speaker 3: mobbing my car because Melwoy's Place was playing in all 1045 00:50:08,440 --> 00:50:11,000 Speaker 3: these places. And so you guys go on to set 1046 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:13,360 Speaker 3: working and I was getting all the love and kudos, 1047 00:50:13,680 --> 00:50:17,600 Speaker 3: and from that appearance in Madrid, Teleasinkle offered me a 1048 00:50:17,719 --> 00:50:22,680 Speaker 3: variety show, So now, of course I did. I did 1049 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:26,200 Speaker 3: a show called Vivanos Novios grand Fiesta. I was in 1050 00:50:26,239 --> 00:50:31,960 Speaker 3: Spain for four months, getting tutored in Spanish, speaking in Spanish, 1051 00:50:32,239 --> 00:50:36,000 Speaker 3: singing Gloria Stefan's shows. I'm like a whole lola Forlana. 1052 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:41,680 Speaker 3: Yea variety show thing. It was amazing, That's incredible, amazing. 1053 00:50:41,719 --> 00:50:43,600 Speaker 2: I've done a show in Spain. I was a guest 1054 00:50:43,640 --> 00:50:46,799 Speaker 2: on one of those. I know what you mean, like literally. 1055 00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:48,520 Speaker 3: Like you know, in terms of like what the format 1056 00:50:48,560 --> 00:50:51,120 Speaker 3: of these shows, but I was I would I did 1057 00:50:51,160 --> 00:50:52,680 Speaker 3: like full on production numbers. 1058 00:50:52,920 --> 00:50:53,240 Speaker 2: Wow. 1059 00:50:53,480 --> 00:50:55,880 Speaker 3: It's just the best thing ever, isn't it amazing? 1060 00:50:57,120 --> 00:50:59,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, just hearing your story about this first time I've 1061 00:50:59,600 --> 00:51:01,839 Speaker 2: heard all this, and I think we've all had that 1062 00:51:01,960 --> 00:51:04,520 Speaker 2: in our careers at times where you just you know, 1063 00:51:04,560 --> 00:51:07,279 Speaker 2: have gotten let go or something isn't working out and 1064 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:09,000 Speaker 2: you have to go deeper and you have to find 1065 00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:13,400 Speaker 2: yourself worth and your value because even if you you're 1066 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:16,960 Speaker 2: constantly being rejected, and I remember it being My story 1067 00:51:16,960 --> 00:51:21,919 Speaker 2: came later about this, but just thinking it's over falling. 1068 00:51:21,640 --> 00:51:24,640 Speaker 3: To day I ever work again, And also like who. 1069 00:51:24,520 --> 00:51:25,160 Speaker 2: Am I do? 1070 00:51:25,360 --> 00:51:26,279 Speaker 3: Is my my child? 1071 00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:28,160 Speaker 2: Because you have done this your whole life since you 1072 00:51:28,200 --> 00:51:30,360 Speaker 2: were child, and your dreams, and you just think is 1073 00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:31,840 Speaker 2: your child dream over? 1074 00:51:32,080 --> 00:51:33,000 Speaker 3: Is that it? 1075 00:51:33,080 --> 00:51:36,960 Speaker 2: They are discarding you, And kudos for you for freaking 1076 00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:41,760 Speaker 2: going deeper and finding that spiritual anchor and the truer truth, 1077 00:51:42,160 --> 00:51:46,040 Speaker 2: the bigger truth of you. And then you find there's infinite, 1078 00:51:46,080 --> 00:51:47,440 Speaker 2: There's more infinite. 1079 00:51:47,640 --> 00:51:51,360 Speaker 3: You are so much more than that. Bronda's Deep, Puck 1080 00:51:51,640 --> 00:51:54,480 Speaker 3: and Wayne Dyer and all of these truth teachers that 1081 00:51:54,600 --> 00:51:57,160 Speaker 3: I was able to find as a result. I mean, 1082 00:51:57,160 --> 00:51:59,320 Speaker 3: I think I would have found them anyway because I was. 1083 00:51:59,360 --> 00:52:02,239 Speaker 3: I'm a seekert. We're all, you know, trying to you know, 1084 00:52:02,360 --> 00:52:04,920 Speaker 3: balance that and I and I thank my my my 1085 00:52:05,080 --> 00:52:07,440 Speaker 3: religious roots, my Baptist church, you know, going to church 1086 00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:09,880 Speaker 3: every Sunday. My grandmother was the was the organist. So 1087 00:52:10,040 --> 00:52:12,520 Speaker 3: I have all that. So I had a spiritual practice 1088 00:52:12,760 --> 00:52:15,440 Speaker 3: and then I sharpened it and tuned it to make 1089 00:52:15,520 --> 00:52:18,680 Speaker 3: sense for my life, you know, I tailored it to 1090 00:52:19,120 --> 00:52:21,360 Speaker 3: you know, Okay, I want this part of it, not 1091 00:52:21,520 --> 00:52:23,400 Speaker 3: that part of it. I want the love message. I 1092 00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:25,520 Speaker 3: want like I want to live as Jesus, you know, 1093 00:52:25,680 --> 00:52:27,919 Speaker 3: I want to do I want to know that I'm 1094 00:52:29,040 --> 00:52:31,680 Speaker 3: you know that he came as an example of how 1095 00:52:31,719 --> 00:52:34,000 Speaker 3: you can live in peace and be kind to you know, 1096 00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:38,040 Speaker 3: your your your community and your world and make a difference. 1097 00:52:38,400 --> 00:52:42,080 Speaker 3: So it was a yeah, it was a it's like, 1098 00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:44,759 Speaker 3: how are you going to survive this Hollywood thing, this 1099 00:52:45,080 --> 00:52:49,040 Speaker 3: monster if you don't have something deeper and richer to 1100 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:52,120 Speaker 3: anchor you and hold you because most of it is no, 1101 00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:55,640 Speaker 3: most of our lives as actors is no. And it's 1102 00:52:55,719 --> 00:52:57,319 Speaker 3: only a like it's like. 1103 00:52:57,440 --> 00:53:00,239 Speaker 2: You are bigger than this than this job that you 1104 00:53:00,360 --> 00:53:03,279 Speaker 2: came in to do and A and B. Most people 1105 00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:06,719 Speaker 2: they quit before they even had a chance, but we 1106 00:53:07,000 --> 00:53:09,440 Speaker 2: have all you know, you did that and you kept 1107 00:53:09,480 --> 00:53:11,759 Speaker 2: going and kept going, and it's like you were meant 1108 00:53:11,800 --> 00:53:13,239 Speaker 2: to do this. Well that was the thing. 1109 00:53:13,280 --> 00:53:13,600 Speaker 1: It was like. 1110 00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:16,160 Speaker 3: It was also like a calling, right, So it's like 1111 00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:20,400 Speaker 3: it's not like I could really quit and be happy 1112 00:53:20,480 --> 00:53:23,840 Speaker 3: like this was what my calling is? My service? You know, 1113 00:53:24,080 --> 00:53:27,640 Speaker 3: like when when you know that you would do it 1114 00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:29,800 Speaker 3: and have done it, whether they were paying you or not, 1115 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:32,839 Speaker 3: you it's like, oh, and that's when I would talk 1116 00:53:32,840 --> 00:53:34,160 Speaker 3: to people. It was like, well, find the thing that 1117 00:53:34,280 --> 00:53:36,719 Speaker 3: really you love that you would do whether we're paying 1118 00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:40,640 Speaker 3: you or not, because then that's your passion. So yeah, 1119 00:53:40,680 --> 00:53:42,200 Speaker 3: I mean it was, it was. It was a good time. 1120 00:53:42,239 --> 00:53:44,520 Speaker 3: But oh girl, but it got me ready for hell. 1121 00:53:44,640 --> 00:53:47,359 Speaker 3: Welcome to Hollywood, like for real, for real, Like they'll 1122 00:53:47,440 --> 00:53:49,800 Speaker 3: roll out the red carpet for you and they'll snatch 1123 00:53:49,880 --> 00:53:51,759 Speaker 3: that in a litter. 1124 00:53:55,120 --> 00:53:58,800 Speaker 6: A lot of fans were so excited that you're a podcast. 1125 00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:00,680 Speaker 6: I mean there's you know, you've got a ton of 1126 00:54:00,719 --> 00:54:02,719 Speaker 6: fans for Melrose. Do you feel that in your life, 1127 00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:04,600 Speaker 6: like you still have people like, oh I. 1128 00:54:04,640 --> 00:54:10,480 Speaker 3: Love your Melrose. Melrose brought me into a wider America, right, 1129 00:54:10,600 --> 00:54:12,440 Speaker 3: so like like my fans are from like so so 1130 00:54:12,560 --> 00:54:14,840 Speaker 3: when people recognize me in airport, I don't know what 1131 00:54:14,920 --> 00:54:19,080 Speaker 3: they're what they're linked in too. You know, certainly people 1132 00:54:19,080 --> 00:54:21,960 Speaker 3: of a certain age well like Melrose and being and 1133 00:54:22,200 --> 00:54:26,440 Speaker 3: being that representation on Melrose Place was also very crucial 1134 00:54:26,480 --> 00:54:29,000 Speaker 3: and very very marvelous. I know, lots of black people said, 1135 00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:31,040 Speaker 3: I start watching it when you left, I started watching it, 1136 00:54:31,160 --> 00:54:33,279 Speaker 3: so you you know you left a whole It was 1137 00:54:33,320 --> 00:54:36,800 Speaker 3: a whole connection. Yeah, yeah, so a whole swath of 1138 00:54:36,840 --> 00:54:39,479 Speaker 3: the audience was left, you know, but you went. 1139 00:54:39,440 --> 00:54:41,879 Speaker 2: On to do I'm just I went on and looked 1140 00:54:42,280 --> 00:54:44,919 Speaker 2: Murder One. You did several episodes Chicago Hope, of course, 1141 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:45,439 Speaker 2: Soul Food. 1142 00:54:45,480 --> 00:54:48,840 Speaker 3: I was a series regular Murder one. Yeah, and that 1143 00:54:49,120 --> 00:54:51,200 Speaker 3: was like a very I talked about that being I 1144 00:54:51,280 --> 00:54:55,840 Speaker 3: was really a very high, very highly paid extra because 1145 00:54:56,520 --> 00:55:00,680 Speaker 3: while I okay, so the the oh J trial was 1146 00:55:00,719 --> 00:55:02,719 Speaker 3: going on, so we were doing the first sort of 1147 00:55:02,800 --> 00:55:04,960 Speaker 3: like well maybe not the first, but like a court 1148 00:55:05,600 --> 00:55:10,080 Speaker 3: trial like law office kind of show, and then the 1149 00:55:10,320 --> 00:55:14,360 Speaker 3: real life crime you know, court show of a century 1150 00:55:14,760 --> 00:55:18,239 Speaker 3: took over the airway be televised. So then our little 1151 00:55:18,320 --> 00:55:21,080 Speaker 3: murder show, you know, people were like, yeah, okay, whatever, Boddy, 1152 00:55:21,320 --> 00:55:24,000 Speaker 3: let's really see what's going on. And this is on 1153 00:55:24,160 --> 00:55:29,080 Speaker 3: the heels of the Rodney King thing, right, So right, 1154 00:55:29,400 --> 00:55:33,719 Speaker 3: so it's volatile times and LA's smoking, you know, and 1155 00:55:34,680 --> 00:55:38,520 Speaker 3: and and and and because you know, the community felt 1156 00:55:38,640 --> 00:55:41,560 Speaker 3: the way it did about how those officers got, you know, free, 1157 00:55:42,160 --> 00:55:45,440 Speaker 3: when when that verdict came, even though there was questionable, 1158 00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:47,640 Speaker 3: we said, this is American law. This is what if 1159 00:55:47,680 --> 00:55:49,759 Speaker 3: you have enough money, you can get off. And so 1160 00:55:49,960 --> 00:55:52,440 Speaker 3: this man is going to you know, I mean all 1161 00:55:52,480 --> 00:55:55,919 Speaker 3: of us knew, you know, they look very mean. Yes, 1162 00:55:56,600 --> 00:55:59,160 Speaker 3: you know, so none of no one was convinced, but 1163 00:55:59,239 --> 00:56:01,360 Speaker 3: we were like, this is how all goes down. This 1164 00:56:01,520 --> 00:56:03,520 Speaker 3: is how it went down. You know, these those white 1165 00:56:03,520 --> 00:56:08,040 Speaker 3: guys got to off can afforded, don't Yeah, exactly, you know, 1166 00:56:09,280 --> 00:56:11,880 Speaker 3: American justice has a has a price stag and and 1167 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:15,720 Speaker 3: certainly a color, but it definitely it can be bought. 1168 00:56:16,040 --> 00:56:16,200 Speaker 7: Right. 1169 00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:19,040 Speaker 2: So, and you were on Murder one. 1170 00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:28,120 Speaker 3: I'm a Murder one track girl one exactly, Well, what 1171 00:56:28,280 --> 00:56:33,080 Speaker 3: was that this podcast? Why do you think we need 1172 00:56:33,360 --> 00:56:37,680 Speaker 3: exactly to my own my own cheat notes. But so, 1173 00:56:38,120 --> 00:56:40,760 Speaker 3: so I had an episode of a little breakout episode 1174 00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:44,720 Speaker 3: on Murder one, and you know, my boyfriend got arrested, 1175 00:56:44,840 --> 00:56:46,800 Speaker 3: and then I went to my bosses and so it 1176 00:56:46,920 --> 00:56:49,360 Speaker 3: was really really great. And then they got into the 1177 00:56:49,920 --> 00:56:55,279 Speaker 3: show the anchoring, the anchoring storyline, and it didn't really 1178 00:56:55,360 --> 00:56:58,920 Speaker 3: include or they didn't really include Ron disppointed. I mean, Ronda, 1179 00:56:59,000 --> 00:57:01,319 Speaker 3: what was my character? And that my character's point of view? 1180 00:57:01,640 --> 00:57:03,719 Speaker 3: So I was just answering the phone, and I'd I'd 1181 00:57:03,760 --> 00:57:06,400 Speaker 3: be chilling in my dressing room on that Fox a lot. 1182 00:57:06,400 --> 00:57:08,239 Speaker 3: I'd be like Okay, yeah, I want to pay me 1183 00:57:08,320 --> 00:57:11,759 Speaker 3: this series of regular money. I'm here for it. And 1184 00:57:12,680 --> 00:57:15,200 Speaker 3: so but it was it was still wonderful. I was 1185 00:57:15,320 --> 00:57:17,800 Speaker 3: on the set, I was watching what the directors do 1186 00:57:17,960 --> 00:57:19,720 Speaker 3: and you know, lighting and all that stuff. So it 1187 00:57:19,840 --> 00:57:21,640 Speaker 3: was it was a great education and it was wonderful. 1188 00:57:21,800 --> 00:57:24,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and not lasted a better none of you. Yeah, 1189 00:57:24,080 --> 00:57:26,360 Speaker 2: that soul Food, So how is it to be on 1190 00:57:26,440 --> 00:57:28,520 Speaker 2: soul Food after all of these other being sort of 1191 00:57:28,600 --> 00:57:30,760 Speaker 2: minimalized on the whole food. 1192 00:57:30,640 --> 00:57:33,640 Speaker 3: Was a mecca. So the only you know, I wish 1193 00:57:33,680 --> 00:57:35,840 Speaker 3: it were different that we were shooting in La but 1194 00:57:35,960 --> 00:57:38,200 Speaker 3: I think that would have turned that would have I 1195 00:57:38,280 --> 00:57:40,800 Speaker 3: don't know if we would have bonded the same way 1196 00:57:41,160 --> 00:57:44,880 Speaker 3: because sort of like being at away camp and forging 1197 00:57:44,960 --> 00:57:48,480 Speaker 3: friendships and being and the show was so big and 1198 00:57:48,800 --> 00:57:50,880 Speaker 3: we didn't really know because we're tucked away in Canada 1199 00:57:50,920 --> 00:57:53,680 Speaker 3: and Toronto shooting it. So we had no idea that 1200 00:57:53,880 --> 00:57:55,920 Speaker 3: I mean, we had an idea because Melinda Williams was 1201 00:57:55,920 --> 00:57:59,919 Speaker 3: telling us, listen, this is about to be thing. You know, listen, listen, 1202 00:58:00,000 --> 00:58:02,000 Speaker 3: people gonna be making babies like all this. He predicted 1203 00:58:02,040 --> 00:58:05,080 Speaker 3: all of it, but we it might have been more 1204 00:58:05,160 --> 00:58:09,800 Speaker 3: distracting being in La with everyone's life and their connections. 1205 00:58:10,320 --> 00:58:13,800 Speaker 3: You know, coming in we've had you know access, We 1206 00:58:13,880 --> 00:58:16,120 Speaker 3: had lots of wonderful guest stars, but we've had more. 1207 00:58:16,440 --> 00:58:21,800 Speaker 3: The casting extras was sometimes difficult. We're doing it because 1208 00:58:22,120 --> 00:58:25,320 Speaker 3: Canada is really a different country and so some of 1209 00:58:25,480 --> 00:58:29,439 Speaker 3: the cultural differences. You know, Canada, the African American people 1210 00:58:29,480 --> 00:58:32,520 Speaker 3: there are from the Caribbean, and so, you know, I 1211 00:58:32,640 --> 00:58:36,120 Speaker 3: remember the director having to like teach these people, teach 1212 00:58:36,200 --> 00:58:38,520 Speaker 3: the guy who was the was hired to be the 1213 00:58:38,600 --> 00:58:40,840 Speaker 3: pastor how to lay his hand on somebody. You know, 1214 00:58:40,920 --> 00:58:44,400 Speaker 3: these things that are like part of the culture of 1215 00:58:45,000 --> 00:58:48,200 Speaker 3: the African American church in the States. It was different 1216 00:58:48,680 --> 00:58:51,080 Speaker 3: in at least this actor. You know, maybe I won't 1217 00:58:51,080 --> 00:58:54,280 Speaker 3: put it all on you know, but this particular but 1218 00:58:54,400 --> 00:58:56,360 Speaker 3: we had that like lots of times with the extras. 1219 00:58:57,560 --> 00:58:59,160 Speaker 3: I mean, they were wonderful. It was a wonderful pool 1220 00:58:59,160 --> 00:59:02,040 Speaker 3: of actors, but they weren't as well trained because there 1221 00:59:02,120 --> 00:59:04,440 Speaker 3: wasn't a whole lot of things for black actors in 1222 00:59:04,520 --> 00:59:05,080 Speaker 3: Canada to do. 1223 00:59:05,200 --> 00:59:06,320 Speaker 2: Egather so different. 1224 00:59:06,360 --> 00:59:08,240 Speaker 3: Now, Yeah, it was like so all of the white 1225 00:59:08,280 --> 00:59:10,720 Speaker 3: actors had like lots of training and lots of opportunities. 1226 00:59:10,760 --> 00:59:15,040 Speaker 3: But lots of the African American actors that we weren't 1227 00:59:15,160 --> 00:59:18,360 Speaker 3: you know, flying in from LA and other places. You know, 1228 00:59:18,560 --> 00:59:20,439 Speaker 3: this was their first job or you know, they didn't 1229 00:59:20,480 --> 00:59:23,200 Speaker 3: have a lot of training or a lot of time 1230 00:59:23,280 --> 00:59:27,920 Speaker 3: on set. So yeah, it was, it was. It was marvelous, 1231 00:59:28,280 --> 00:59:30,320 Speaker 3: you know. And again like you make a family and 1232 00:59:30,400 --> 00:59:32,840 Speaker 3: your your your cast is your family. And so those 1233 00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:36,600 Speaker 3: are my sisters for life. And the showrunner who like 1234 00:59:36,720 --> 00:59:39,880 Speaker 3: the show writing was like got used. It was. It 1235 00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:42,600 Speaker 3: was everything. There was nothing that needed to be explained. 1236 00:59:42,880 --> 00:59:44,600 Speaker 3: I didn't have to come in and make a case 1237 00:59:44,680 --> 00:59:47,040 Speaker 3: for it. Listen, I can't say those people, you know, 1238 00:59:47,240 --> 00:59:50,320 Speaker 3: like it was, things were understood and and we were 1239 00:59:50,400 --> 00:59:55,120 Speaker 3: all so really trying to humanize the African American experience 1240 00:59:55,320 --> 00:59:58,080 Speaker 3: on screen, like we we came in our curls, we 1241 00:59:58,400 --> 01:00:00,400 Speaker 3: went to bed with our night capsle you like all 1242 01:00:00,440 --> 01:00:03,720 Speaker 3: these things that we wanted to like humanize the gamut 1243 01:00:03,800 --> 01:00:05,800 Speaker 3: of emotion. And yes, in one family, you could have 1244 01:00:05,880 --> 01:00:08,720 Speaker 3: somebody who was having some criminal element done of stuff 1245 01:00:08,760 --> 01:00:11,400 Speaker 3: they're going through and an attorney at a top firm, 1246 01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:15,040 Speaker 3: like the whole gamut of what is the African American 1247 01:00:15,120 --> 01:00:18,080 Speaker 3: experience in this one family, and again we were on 1248 01:00:18,200 --> 01:00:20,840 Speaker 3: the heels of the popularity and the great success that 1249 01:00:20,920 --> 01:00:24,320 Speaker 3: the movie was, and so then that was, you know, amazing. 1250 01:00:24,400 --> 01:00:26,240 Speaker 3: We were stepping into the shoes. So again a lot 1251 01:00:26,280 --> 01:00:29,240 Speaker 3: of like pressure at the beginning right where you're there's 1252 01:00:29,360 --> 01:00:32,440 Speaker 3: already an ip as it's called today, Right, there's already 1253 01:00:32,480 --> 01:00:36,480 Speaker 3: the ip. You're stepping into the shoes of other wonderful 1254 01:00:36,520 --> 01:00:40,640 Speaker 3: actors who had made this show. But when we would 1255 01:00:40,640 --> 01:00:43,880 Speaker 3: get questioned and interviews and stuff like that, well, why 1256 01:00:43,920 --> 01:00:46,800 Speaker 3: do you feel stepping into Vivica A. Fox's role? And 1257 01:00:46,920 --> 01:00:48,640 Speaker 3: I was like, you know, it's like a great song. 1258 01:00:48,800 --> 01:00:50,600 Speaker 3: We want to hear Billy sing it. We want to 1259 01:00:50,640 --> 01:00:53,960 Speaker 3: hear Dinah Washington sing it. It's like when you've got 1260 01:00:54,040 --> 01:00:57,360 Speaker 3: like a great character and a great story, it's just 1261 01:00:57,480 --> 01:00:59,440 Speaker 3: going to be another take on a wonderful thing, and 1262 01:00:59,480 --> 01:01:02,200 Speaker 3: you're going to see what you're going to see. And 1263 01:01:02,280 --> 01:01:05,280 Speaker 3: then we as as the series actors, got to really 1264 01:01:05,480 --> 01:01:09,760 Speaker 3: expand these roles that that those initial actors in the 1265 01:01:10,000 --> 01:01:13,480 Speaker 3: movie set up so wonderfully. So it was really great 1266 01:01:13,560 --> 01:01:17,360 Speaker 3: and as a as a training ground of how to 1267 01:01:17,480 --> 01:01:20,040 Speaker 3: be on set, how to like everything that they're souped 1268 01:01:20,040 --> 01:01:22,720 Speaker 3: and nuts. I got to direct. I wrote and directed 1269 01:01:22,760 --> 01:01:26,520 Speaker 3: a piece. Yeah not because they wouldn't let me direct 1270 01:01:26,520 --> 01:01:29,360 Speaker 3: an episode, which is a time on the tradition. So 1271 01:01:29,480 --> 01:01:31,680 Speaker 3: my agents go in like second season, it's like, okay, 1272 01:01:31,720 --> 01:01:33,680 Speaker 3: we'd like to have this, and they're like, well, you 1273 01:01:33,760 --> 01:01:38,080 Speaker 3: know whatever. But but the heads of the network was 1274 01:01:38,120 --> 01:01:40,480 Speaker 3: like Jerry Offset, he was like, yeah, I heard you 1275 01:01:40,520 --> 01:01:42,480 Speaker 3: guys wanted to direct and let me how about this? 1276 01:01:42,880 --> 01:01:44,960 Speaker 3: And so they gave us a budget and I got 1277 01:01:45,000 --> 01:01:49,600 Speaker 3: to direct an independent a thirty minute film and so 1278 01:01:49,800 --> 01:01:53,160 Speaker 3: out budget to do your own thing, and you wrote 1279 01:01:53,160 --> 01:01:56,520 Speaker 3: it and I wrote and directed it. Yes right now, 1280 01:01:56,840 --> 01:01:58,840 Speaker 3: Yeah I do, I do, I do, But I haven't 1281 01:01:58,880 --> 01:02:00,520 Speaker 3: directed in such a long time, you know. 1282 01:02:00,520 --> 01:02:00,840 Speaker 2: What I mean. 1283 01:02:00,920 --> 01:02:05,000 Speaker 3: But it was that was such a marvelous opportunity. It 1284 01:02:05,080 --> 01:02:07,600 Speaker 3: was like that that sort of doggedness, that resilience, like 1285 01:02:07,640 --> 01:02:10,200 Speaker 3: what I still want to direct. And it was like 1286 01:02:10,920 --> 01:02:14,240 Speaker 3: this because I think because they were not in Canada, 1287 01:02:14,760 --> 01:02:18,760 Speaker 3: they had an obligation to hire local hires in Canada, 1288 01:02:19,080 --> 01:02:21,959 Speaker 3: so that it was a tricky thing getting the cast 1289 01:02:22,080 --> 01:02:24,600 Speaker 3: to direct an episode, you know, which is which is 1290 01:02:24,640 --> 01:02:26,280 Speaker 3: a time of tradition. You get to direct episode of 1291 01:02:26,320 --> 01:02:30,240 Speaker 3: America because you're from the Yeah, they need to employ Canadians, right. 1292 01:02:30,360 --> 01:02:33,160 Speaker 3: That was part of like the buy into being able 1293 01:02:33,200 --> 01:02:35,240 Speaker 3: to shoot in Canada and get all of those write offs. 1294 01:02:35,240 --> 01:02:38,160 Speaker 3: And remember I think it was like an Ayatzi strike 1295 01:02:38,280 --> 01:02:41,120 Speaker 3: or something like that. So being in Canada, we had 1296 01:02:41,400 --> 01:02:44,400 Speaker 3: acts we could keep going. Yeah, it was yeah, you know, 1297 01:02:44,440 --> 01:02:45,680 Speaker 3: it was like some weird stuff going on. 1298 01:02:46,120 --> 01:02:49,040 Speaker 2: We have time for one question. There were so many 1299 01:02:49,160 --> 01:02:52,080 Speaker 2: great questions, fans so excited to have you here. But 1300 01:02:52,280 --> 01:02:56,280 Speaker 2: like one of the really fantastic questions is what do 1301 01:02:56,400 --> 01:02:59,800 Speaker 2: you think Ronda would be doing today? I got it. 1302 01:03:00,760 --> 01:03:04,440 Speaker 3: She's running a wellness center called Body and Soul and 1303 01:03:04,560 --> 01:03:09,960 Speaker 3: it's dancing and it's all massage and you know, all 1304 01:03:10,000 --> 01:03:15,760 Speaker 3: the things wellness and health and diet and all you 1305 01:03:15,800 --> 01:03:18,160 Speaker 3: know she's getting she's keeping, she's keeping it in the body. 1306 01:03:18,560 --> 01:03:21,000 Speaker 3: But because her husband said her up, you know, with 1307 01:03:21,040 --> 01:03:24,000 Speaker 3: the nice little package, did she marry Terrence, she's but 1308 01:03:24,040 --> 01:03:27,400 Speaker 3: they're divorcing. There was wonder. 1309 01:03:31,800 --> 01:03:33,840 Speaker 2: That sounds amazing. I want to go to body. 1310 01:03:34,000 --> 01:03:37,360 Speaker 3: I know comes to Body and Soul. That just downloaded 1311 01:03:37,480 --> 01:03:40,560 Speaker 3: from the angel that you know, I was looking at 1312 01:03:40,560 --> 01:03:42,680 Speaker 3: the fan questions we asked most of them because there 1313 01:03:44,720 --> 01:03:45,880 Speaker 3: we asked all those the. 1314 01:03:45,880 --> 01:03:49,760 Speaker 2: Only one we actually didn't get to just questions of 1315 01:03:49,880 --> 01:03:53,720 Speaker 2: one mind. That's great. I love I love envisioning Ronda 1316 01:03:53,960 --> 01:03:55,480 Speaker 2: exactly where Vanessa. 1317 01:03:55,880 --> 01:03:59,480 Speaker 1: And I love envisioning all of us there right exactly. 1318 01:03:59,640 --> 01:04:01,160 Speaker 2: I mean, we could talk all day, But is there 1319 01:04:01,160 --> 01:04:03,360 Speaker 2: anything else that you wanted to like say or you 1320 01:04:03,480 --> 01:04:06,240 Speaker 2: remember from what I was going to say? 1321 01:04:06,480 --> 01:04:09,400 Speaker 3: Just in terms. I was having a wonderful dinner catching 1322 01:04:09,480 --> 01:04:13,480 Speaker 3: up with my other castmate, dear friend's sister friend, Melinda Williams, 1323 01:04:13,960 --> 01:04:16,960 Speaker 3: and and she was talking about, you know this, this 1324 01:04:17,240 --> 01:04:21,520 Speaker 3: impact that we have in the in the minds, in 1325 01:04:21,600 --> 01:04:25,640 Speaker 3: the zeitgeist of American television, and and that these characters 1326 01:04:25,800 --> 01:04:29,440 Speaker 3: live in the context, in context of their time and 1327 01:04:29,560 --> 01:04:32,760 Speaker 3: in the context of our lives, and what a beautiful 1328 01:04:32,920 --> 01:04:36,760 Speaker 3: like opportunity and honor we've had to like tell these 1329 01:04:36,800 --> 01:04:39,680 Speaker 3: stories through these characters, and that this is all a 1330 01:04:39,760 --> 01:04:41,840 Speaker 3: part of the context of who we are as artists. 1331 01:04:42,400 --> 01:04:45,280 Speaker 3: So I thought that was like a really powerful way 1332 01:04:45,440 --> 01:04:48,160 Speaker 3: to hold what we do as sacred. Is so easy 1333 01:04:48,200 --> 01:04:49,919 Speaker 3: to be like, oh, what have you done for me lately? 1334 01:04:50,040 --> 01:04:51,560 Speaker 3: Like what's your next thing? And all you know, all 1335 01:04:51,560 --> 01:04:54,640 Speaker 3: those things and I I just feel like, you know what, 1336 01:04:55,040 --> 01:04:58,160 Speaker 3: what we're doing, the stories we were able to tell, 1337 01:04:58,240 --> 01:05:01,200 Speaker 3: what we get to do, this rarefied air to be 1338 01:05:01,360 --> 01:05:05,080 Speaker 3: actors working as often, you know, to work at all 1339 01:05:05,480 --> 01:05:08,200 Speaker 3: is a is a blessing, you know. So I feel 1340 01:05:08,240 --> 01:05:13,240 Speaker 3: like I feel so grateful to have shared this space 1341 01:05:13,320 --> 01:05:16,560 Speaker 3: and this time in our lives that was long ago 1342 01:05:16,640 --> 01:05:18,160 Speaker 3: and yesterday, you know what I mean. It's just like 1343 01:05:18,520 --> 01:05:20,200 Speaker 3: it goes by in a blink. And and I we 1344 01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:22,480 Speaker 3: got like grown children who are married in and starting 1345 01:05:22,520 --> 01:05:23,000 Speaker 3: all the things. 1346 01:05:23,040 --> 01:05:26,600 Speaker 2: I love to give it real value beyond just what 1347 01:05:26,720 --> 01:05:28,320 Speaker 2: the ratings did or whatever. 1348 01:05:28,280 --> 01:05:29,920 Speaker 3: Or what it was just to do, like we mean 1349 01:05:30,080 --> 01:05:33,120 Speaker 3: something to people. We're part of people's story, you know, 1350 01:05:33,360 --> 01:05:38,400 Speaker 3: and part of people's life and nurtured their their beingness 1351 01:05:38,480 --> 01:05:42,280 Speaker 3: and growing up and entertained and enlivened and enlightened you 1352 01:05:42,360 --> 01:05:43,120 Speaker 3: know all the things. 1353 01:05:43,240 --> 01:05:46,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, partly shift when that comes up for us a lot. 1354 01:05:46,120 --> 01:05:48,680 Speaker 1: We shared that time. We were the same age as 1355 01:05:48,760 --> 01:05:51,520 Speaker 1: the people watching it, so we have this shared memory 1356 01:05:51,520 --> 01:05:53,040 Speaker 1: all of us. We have the experience of the show. 1357 01:05:53,520 --> 01:05:55,400 Speaker 1: They watched the show, like we really share it with people. 1358 01:05:55,440 --> 01:05:58,040 Speaker 1: It's a really special thing coming of age, right. 1359 01:05:58,200 --> 01:06:00,680 Speaker 6: And It's such a great way to sort of wrap 1360 01:06:00,920 --> 01:06:03,400 Speaker 6: this up book. We have loved being with you as 1361 01:06:03,440 --> 01:06:05,280 Speaker 6: a as a person, and we shared this thing in 1362 01:06:05,360 --> 01:06:07,080 Speaker 6: our past, but we're so happy to have you in 1363 01:06:07,160 --> 01:06:07,720 Speaker 6: our presence. 1364 01:06:08,360 --> 01:06:12,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, we love We hope. I want to I do. 1365 01:06:12,400 --> 01:06:13,000 Speaker 3: I want to come back. 1366 01:06:13,040 --> 01:06:22,360 Speaker 2: Guys and you and everyone, We're getting there, and thank you, thank. 1367 01:06:22,240 --> 01:06:26,320 Speaker 3: You for heaven. Thank you. I look forward to us all, 1368 01:06:26,520 --> 01:06:29,800 Speaker 3: you know, being out together and meeting our fans again. 1369 01:06:29,880 --> 01:06:30,880 Speaker 3: That would be really really. 1370 01:06:31,120 --> 01:06:34,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're so party. Or you can write us something 1371 01:06:34,040 --> 01:06:39,600 Speaker 2: and we can all do something now another excuse to 1372 01:06:39,600 --> 01:06:40,120 Speaker 2: sit down and. 1373 01:06:40,240 --> 01:06:44,360 Speaker 3: Chay exactly all the things. So I was so thrilled 1374 01:06:44,400 --> 01:06:48,520 Speaker 3: and excited to come. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 1375 01:06:49,040 --> 01:06:51,960 Speaker 6: We'll see you next time too, and thanks again all 1376 01:06:52,000 --> 01:06:54,680 Speaker 6: the for all the fan questions and all the listeners. 1377 01:06:55,320 --> 01:07:01,640 Speaker 6: Keep keep subscribing and morning, well we'll see you next week.