Speaker 1: Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me,
Speaker 1: Tommy di Dario. I hope that you are in the
Speaker 1: mood to feed your soul today, because my guest came
Speaker 1: into the studio. She sprinkled her joy and wisdom all
Speaker 1: over that room, and she left me feeling like I
Speaker 1: was ready to take on the world. That is the
Speaker 1: magic of the one and only Academy Award winning actress
Speaker 1: Davine Joy Randolph. You may have caught one of her
Speaker 1: inspiring speeches during the award circuit for her film The Holdovers,
Speaker 1: which is just, oh my god, it's such a gorgeous movie,
Speaker 1: the movie that she won the Oscar for. But to
Speaker 1: sit across from this woman and to look into her
Speaker 1: eyes and to listen to her speak, it's probably one
Speaker 1: of the most soul shaking experiences I have had on
Speaker 1: my show. And now I am just so excited to
Speaker 1: share this conversation with you. I don't want to delay
Speaker 1: this a second more. We just have to get to it, Okay,
Speaker 1: So let's see if today we can get Davine to
Speaker 1: say something that she has never said before. Dave I
Speaker 1: Joy Randolph, how are you, my friend? I'm good I'm
Speaker 1: so happy to be hanging out with you today. Are
Speaker 1: you feeling good?
Speaker 2: I am. Today is a gorgeous day in New York.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're not from New York.
Speaker 2: I'm from Philadelphia, but I lived here in New York.
Speaker 2: These are the days you dream of.
Speaker 1: East Coast girl. I'm from Jersey, so when I meet
Speaker 1: a fellow East Coaster, I already know I love you.
Speaker 2: Yeah. What part of Jersey? Are you? Philly Jersey or
Speaker 2: New York.
Speaker 1: No, I'm more New York Jersey, more Central Jersey. But
Speaker 1: you know I go to the Jersey Shore, which isn't
Speaker 1: that far from Philly.
Speaker 2: Yes, so I have respect, I respect.
Speaker 1: I spent some days in Philly in my in my time,
Speaker 1: which we're not going to talk about, but I've had
Speaker 1: some fun.
Speaker 2: I already know.
Speaker 1: Oh you do.
Speaker 2: What about you feeling in the blinks. I'm aware you've
Speaker 2: seen me.
Speaker 1: You've seen me, uh huh, I certainly did.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 1: I am so happy you're here. I feel like you
Speaker 1: were one of these artists that I have had my
Speaker 1: eye on for quite some time, and I've been so
Speaker 1: excited to see where you've gone and what you're doing
Speaker 1: and where you continue to go and grow and I
Speaker 1: feel like the world is yours, like what can't you do?
Speaker 2: Thank you? I really appreciate that.
Speaker 1: I truly, I truly mean it. So to begin, this
Speaker 1: is my burning question for you. You ready for it?
Speaker 1: Do you ever randomly during your day, whether you're grocery
Speaker 1: shopping or doing laundry or at work, just stop and think.
Speaker 1: I'm an Academy Award winner.
Speaker 2: Never never, never, No. And I think when people say it,
Speaker 2: it thwarts me that I'm like, oh, yeah, that happened.
Speaker 1: Why.
Speaker 2: I think it's because it was such and is still
Speaker 2: an odd of body of experience that it was a
Speaker 2: whirlwind and then it just happens. Right, You're on this
Speaker 2: campaign for eight months. I'm still to me very early
Speaker 2: in my career. So of course we all have goals
Speaker 2: and wants and needs, but I never was like it
Speaker 2: wasn't until quite honestly, the very end of all of
Speaker 2: a war season and I was like, oh, maybe I
Speaker 2: hope I might maybe get nominated, do you know what
Speaker 2: I mean? So when it happened, still feels very very surreal. No,
Speaker 2: I don't think about it, and I think, if anything,
Speaker 2: what I am hyper focused on is using whatever that
Speaker 2: will and can garner me to create other opportunities only
Speaker 2: for myself, but for other people. That I would say
Speaker 2: I've been very focused on less of the title, but
Speaker 2: more of how can I use that to gain access
Speaker 2: to the right doors and with the right people, to
Speaker 2: not only help myself, but to help others, because I
Speaker 2: know that I'll have more longevity in my career by
Speaker 2: helping other people. Right, Like, if it was just me,
Speaker 2: I can only get but so far. If I just
Speaker 2: kept tunnel vision to just me, I can only get
Speaker 2: so far. But if I made it more about other
Speaker 2: people and a community and building a community, I think
Speaker 2: we can can not only accomplish more, but it would
Speaker 2: behoove me as well.
Speaker 1: That's pretty cool that you see this big win in
Speaker 1: your career as a way to pay it forward.
Speaker 2: I think you have to wow right so that it
Speaker 2: then doesn't feel like a fleeting moment or oh yeah,
Speaker 2: that thing that happened, Because sometimes the biggest of moments
Speaker 2: can feel like that, right that you spend all this
Speaker 2: time and energy towards trying to make this thing happen, right,
Speaker 2: whatever it is for any type of person, and then
Speaker 2: it happens and you're like okay, and now what you
Speaker 2: know what I mean, especially I've exerted so much energy
Speaker 2: on that thing, and so I think it's always people
Speaker 2: in my circle joke with me of like, you're such
Speaker 2: a planner, you always have a strategy of something, and
Speaker 2: I think it's because of the fact that you know,
Speaker 2: I just it's never just right in front of you.
Speaker 2: There always needs to I love a zoom and zoom
Speaker 2: out right short term, long term, and so I just
Speaker 2: think even with that award, I was always keenly focused
Speaker 2: then on Okay, now what can we do with this
Speaker 2: long term? Because now people are listening, right, And so
Speaker 2: when you have a platform, I think you better have
Speaker 2: a very clear intention and it can change and evolve,
Speaker 2: but a clear intention on what you want to do
Speaker 2: to pave the road for others and to really make
Speaker 2: a difference.
Speaker 1: Do you feel like when something that monumental happens in
Speaker 1: your career, which it did, that you have this pressure
Speaker 1: to keep one upping yourself.
Speaker 2: I already have that irregardless you're really honest, which maybe
Speaker 2: how and why I got there I don't know, but yeah,
Speaker 2: but I'm like that in general with anything at all things,
Speaker 2: and it probably can be intent sometimes to be around me.
Speaker 2: But I think at the same time, I'm always looking
Speaker 2: as to how to maximize any experience. I guess that
Speaker 2: could be the nice way of saying it, but truly
Speaker 2: that I'm like, how can we get the most out
Speaker 2: of this? How can we, you know, really make an impact?
Speaker 2: That no thing is a small thing. And I think,
Speaker 2: especially since my career thus far has been of a
Speaker 2: supporting actress, you learn that of like okay number one,
Speaker 2: you quite literally are here to support the other actor,
Speaker 2: but to you are contributing and moving this forward, the
Speaker 2: story forward. How can you make the most impact with
Speaker 2: what you're given? And I think that's something that I've
Speaker 2: just been a huge part of my life since the
Speaker 2: very beginning, but also even more so as an actor,
Speaker 2: I've been able to lean into that even more. I
Speaker 2: think now in this day and age, there's so many
Speaker 2: potentials for opportunities. It's not like you know, when our
Speaker 2: parents were younger, where was much more you know, cutthroat
Speaker 2: of you do this, you go to that school and
Speaker 2: bring bang boom. You know one plus one equals too.
Speaker 2: It's way good bad, are indifferent. There's way more opportunities.
Speaker 2: You have to keep your eyes open and be ready.
Speaker 2: And so I think it's about diversifying yourself as much
Speaker 2: as possible so that you know you never know what
Speaker 2: will stick. But I think it's always good and crucial
Speaker 2: to constantly be in tune with yourself and your wants
Speaker 2: and needs. And I always do this like a like
Speaker 2: a scan, like a check in with myself of like
Speaker 2: who am I now, what are my wants and needs?
Speaker 2: How can I help others? What do I need to improve?
Speaker 2: It's a constant thing for me so that hopefully I'm
Speaker 2: constantly evolving and as you said, leveling up. Yeah.
Speaker 1: And what I love about you is not only have
Speaker 1: you created such incredible work and you have a new
Speaker 1: movie coming out which we're going to talk about in
Speaker 1: a bit, but you also stand for so many things
Speaker 1: that make people feel seen and just by being yourself,
Speaker 1: just by giving beautiful speeches like you did at the
Speaker 1: Oscars where you said, for so long you want it
Speaker 1: to be different, but in that moment and now you
Speaker 1: realize you just want to be yourself.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I mean to just pour that out is magical for people.
Speaker 1: It's medicine for people.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's funny because the other speeches I wrote them
Speaker 2: we wrote them, and my prop says was like, we're
Speaker 2: going to do this off the dome. I was terrified.
Speaker 2: I cried as we were getting ready. I'll never forget.
Speaker 2: I went into the corner of the hotel and I
Speaker 2: was like, I'm scared. I don't know what to say
Speaker 2: if it happens, and she just was like, we just
Speaker 2: like recapped on all of it, and so it's wild
Speaker 2: to watch it back. But I really do mean that.
Speaker 2: I think often, at least my generation was taught like
Speaker 2: be different, br unique, have that niche have that thing.
Speaker 2: And the more and more I do this, and having
Speaker 2: the opportunity to travel the world and interview with people
Speaker 2: and meet all these different people from all different walks
Speaker 2: of life, what I realize is that there's a lot
Speaker 2: of people that don't know just how important and special
Speaker 2: they are just as is. And I find that people
Speaker 2: are constantly searching outside of themselves for inspiration and motivation,
Speaker 2: which is great, but I think people a lot of
Speaker 2: times people miss that it's within, and so I try
Speaker 2: to just like I said that, like psychological scan as
Speaker 2: much and it changes right you. And it's not to
Speaker 2: say you're not gonna have bad days or not feeling
Speaker 2: one hundred percent. But I find with those check ins,
Speaker 2: it allows you to be truthful to where you really are,
Speaker 2: and it allows you to have more empathy for where
Speaker 2: you're at and how you can grow from there, because
Speaker 2: sometimes we can be striving for that thing over there,
Speaker 2: not even acknowledging where we're at here right, and so
Speaker 2: in missing that connection, we're just getting more and more frustrating,
Speaker 2: not realizing, well, you're not evaluating where you're at now
Speaker 2: and what can be done here and now. I think
Speaker 2: there's a mis nomenclature of like you got to like
Speaker 2: dreaming is a privilege, or you have to wait for
Speaker 2: that thing, And I just kind of of the philosophy
Speaker 2: nowadays of it's always the thing, you can always be
Speaker 2: doing something. I'm always telling my team, but we can
Speaker 2: do something, we can do something right now. What can
Speaker 2: we create for ourselves now? What opportunity can we do now?
Speaker 2: How can we have an impact now? Yes, we have
Speaker 2: that long term goal of whatever that thing is at
Speaker 2: the time, but what can you do for yourself in
Speaker 2: the present?
Speaker 1: And I'm sure having that mentality just makes you feel
Speaker 1: seen right, and it helps you feel like this is me.
Speaker 2: And it grounds yourself into who you are, and you
Speaker 2: then grow in this. It takes time, a confidence in
Speaker 2: knowing for yourself what you want and what you want
Speaker 2: to do, and you then kind of when your intentions
Speaker 2: are right, when your heart is open and pure, and
Speaker 2: when it comes from a place of giving. Oftentimes I
Speaker 2: just say it to myself, it's not about me being right,
Speaker 2: it's not. But then I'm like, not everyone's gonna get
Speaker 2: it yet, but it'll catch on. And so it requires
Speaker 2: consistency and persistency to execute it. And sometimes you're doing
Speaker 2: that alone, and that I feel like it is the
Speaker 2: true test. How can you stick with something, bet on yourself,
Speaker 2: root for yourself even if no one else is, And
Speaker 2: then when they do sign on, how can you still
Speaker 2: do that with an open heart and not be like, well,
Speaker 2: you guys weren't here. What it doesn't matter. They're there
Speaker 2: now right, It's aligned now right. And so that takes
Speaker 2: humility and patience. And so that's why all these things
Speaker 2: can happen. And I don't sit there thinking like I
Speaker 2: don't even think I would be able to accomplish things
Speaker 2: if I just sat thinking of like, oh my god,
Speaker 2: I'm gonna asking winter and to be fair, I also
Speaker 2: need to work on acknowledging things that I accomplish if
Speaker 2: I'm being completely transparent with you. But at the same time,
Speaker 2: I don't allow myself to get caught up into that,
Speaker 2: and instead, I don't know. I look at it as
Speaker 2: like a joyful reminder of you accomplish that, so great,
Speaker 2: So what are we going to do? Let's continue to
Speaker 2: bet on ourselves because I think if you do. I
Speaker 2: think the world honestly would be a better place if
Speaker 2: we bet it on earth. Right, there's so much insecurity
Speaker 2: and fear and understandable. It's hard, it's really hard. But
Speaker 2: sometimes the best support system is within and then through
Speaker 2: doing so, you radiate and attract the right people to
Speaker 2: come into your circle to further. Yeah, but that takes discernment, right,
Speaker 2: That's why I'm like, it's the inside work first, because
Speaker 2: if it's not, you will always attract things good, better
Speaker 2: and different. And there are moments right where we're like
Speaker 2: how when you look at your circle and your like
Speaker 2: or you know, the moves that you're making, like what
Speaker 2: is going on? Why am I? And a lot of
Speaker 2: times it's just because you're not taking the time to
Speaker 2: look in or checking in or identifying your wants and
Speaker 2: needs and you're just going along with the flow. Sometimes
Speaker 2: comfortability is like one of the most dangerous things, right,
Speaker 2: even when it feel good, that things that feel good
Speaker 2: aren't always good for you. And that's a tough lesson
Speaker 2: because some people are like, but I just I just
Speaker 2: made it. I just started feeling comfortable, and it's like, okay, cool,
Speaker 2: keep some of that, but it's on to the next
Speaker 2: with the other stuff.
Speaker 1: What I'm gonna need you to do before you leave
Speaker 1: today is record three hundred and sixty five inspirational messages
Speaker 1: in my phone so that every single day I can
Speaker 1: wake up and press play and just hear you say something.
Speaker 1: Because you are are giving me all the good fuel
Speaker 1: in the world that I need right now. And I
Speaker 1: love that and I appreciate you sharing your insights because
Speaker 1: I think we can't grow and learn and be better
Speaker 1: people unless we take these yeah lessons, these little nuggets
Speaker 1: of wisdom as I like to call it, and then
Speaker 1: go make it our own.
Speaker 2: Yes, I think that's the key, right you and I
Speaker 2: only can say these things because I've experienced it, right,
Speaker 2: It's not that I'm just saying, you know, high falutin
Speaker 2: things that sound good. Anyone knows when you know, you know,
Speaker 2: you have to experience it to know it. And I
Speaker 2: think it's our job and part of our purpose is
Speaker 2: to pass those lessons along. Like you have friends right
Speaker 2: that if you go through something or they ask you
Speaker 2: for advice, you can give them the advice. Some of
Speaker 2: your nearest and DearS, you're like, Okay, nope, they're not
Speaker 2: ready for it yet, heard it, yeah, or they either
Speaker 2: don't want to hear it, or they heard it and
Speaker 2: it just washed over them. But I do genuinely believe
Speaker 2: that the consciousness does take it in. Yes, right, and
Speaker 2: we'n't even experienced ourselves, almost like deja vu. It comes
Speaker 2: back and we're like, like, where did that sounded familiar?
Speaker 2: Where did that come from? And it's like, well, you
Speaker 2: had that soul exchange where a gem was a lesson
Speaker 2: was told to you. You just weren't ready for it then.
Speaker 2: And I think that will help us require more patience
Speaker 2: and empathy with one another of like we all want
Speaker 2: the best for ourselves, we all want to be good
Speaker 2: people and make the most of it. But sometimes there's
Speaker 2: blocks and things in the way, or sometimes you gotta
Speaker 2: deal with something else in order to get to that.
Speaker 2: So yeah, I think it's important that we listen to
Speaker 2: our feelings and intuitions. I read something the other day
Speaker 2: that I thought was really really great. They were saying
Speaker 2: that triggers, when one is triggered, it is one of
Speaker 2: the greatest gifts you can ever get and one of
Speaker 2: the best indicators that your body is giving you to
Speaker 2: let you know, like we need to look into this.
Speaker 2: It may not be bad like whoa, but it's that
Speaker 2: voice or that thing that's a gift of like I
Speaker 2: just want to bring this to your attention, like just
Speaker 2: look at this, right. And I think sometimes we get
Speaker 2: so caught up and overwhelmed and anxiety over triggers, but
Speaker 2: their gifts right when our nervous system, when our body
Speaker 2: is like ah, that's something, and it's ultimately trying to
Speaker 2: protect you and alert you. And so I say all
Speaker 2: this as a like give you. We need to give
Speaker 2: ourselves more grace, just more grace because life is lifing
Speaker 2: all the time. But I really think it's just a
Speaker 2: series of tests and it's just seeing how we're navigating
Speaker 2: it to just go through, right. You can't force it.
Speaker 2: You just got to go through it.
Speaker 1: You gotta go through it. You have to go through
Speaker 1: what's thrown in front of you and what you're meant
Speaker 1: to go through, and it gives you clarity to continue
Speaker 1: on and live your life and do your job and
Speaker 1: be the best you you can be and bring your
Speaker 1: best self to whatever it is you're doing, which you,
Speaker 1: my dear, have done with Shadow Force.
Speaker 2: Oh thank you.
Speaker 1: You are in the action world now, yeah, you are
Speaker 1: kick ass.
Speaker 2: Thank you.
Speaker 1: Tell me about the movie, why you wanted to do it,
Speaker 1: about your role.
Speaker 2: So Joe Carnahan, which I was obsessed with with in
Speaker 2: particular when he did Smoking Aces I think it's a classic,
Speaker 2: had reached out and he said he thought of me
Speaker 2: for this role, which I was like, what, I was
Speaker 2: blown away that he even would consider as such. And
Speaker 2: he was like, I want it to bring in some
Speaker 2: comedy and warmth to this movie yet still having all
Speaker 2: the beautiful fun elements of, you know, an action movie.
Speaker 2: And he felt as though this character and the character
Speaker 2: other role who I'm partnering with with method Man perspectively
Speaker 2: and Auntie could bring that to life. And I just
Speaker 2: think what's so cool about this movie is that while
Speaker 2: it is an action movie. What's really unique is that
Speaker 2: it is targeting, to me from my perspective, not only
Speaker 2: a female conscious by having the gender roles kind of flipped,
Speaker 2: by having this woman being arguably the better assassin, as
Speaker 2: well as like a single dad kind of right raising
Speaker 2: his son, but also seeing a black family at the
Speaker 2: center of an action movie. I don't think we've ever
Speaker 2: had that. So it has all these great elements of
Speaker 2: like you know, femforward, a black family, a loving family,
Speaker 2: international aspect to it in this sense of community and
Speaker 2: you know, going by any means necessary for fighting for
Speaker 2: what's yours. So the themes of it was just so
Speaker 2: great that I was like, yeah, yeah, sign me up.
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. So what's been fun about doing an action
Speaker 1: based movie versus some of the other work you've.
Speaker 2: Action requires, at least for me, trust because there are
Speaker 2: elements when filming an action movie that you don't know
Speaker 2: about yet. Does that make sense? Like you they have
Speaker 2: to add in sound and CGI and special effects, so
Speaker 2: not that it feels empty, but there are like missing
Speaker 2: parts does that make sense when filming it that later
Speaker 2: have to be layered in where like something else, I
Speaker 2: know what it is, I know I can see what
Speaker 2: it is all these things are here, So that was
Speaker 2: a really nice challenge. And it's also it's a lot
Speaker 2: of synchronicity, meaning we were lucky enough to have about
Speaker 2: a month almost two months of training with a marine
Speaker 2: specialist and so like the dutiful student and me was
Speaker 2: like okay, okay, I got it. But then it's like
Speaker 2: a little bit of this right of the action element
Speaker 2: but then also acting and because it's action, you want
Speaker 2: to be super safe, but they make it look supernatural
Speaker 2: and flow. So that was a great way to like
Speaker 2: stretch my brain because it wanted to compartmentalize, you know
Speaker 2: what I mean almost like can we do all the
Speaker 2: action stuff and then do the acting stuff. I don't
Speaker 2: do the core. That's totally what it felt like, right,
Speaker 2: so I really have a lot of respect for people
Speaker 2: who do that. And then to make it look so
Speaker 2: effortless was really great. Also, uh tonally like delivery wise,
Speaker 2: it's a bit more straight in regards to your delivery,
Speaker 2: which at first I was like, oh my gonna sound
Speaker 2: like really monotone. But there's just there's like little things
Speaker 2: stylistically that I honestly just had to like watch everyone
Speaker 2: and take it in of like okay, okay, so that's
Speaker 2: how I do that and that. So it was really
Speaker 2: really cool to learn these new tools or ways of
Speaker 2: acting in that action format.
Speaker 1: So what's your number one tip to successfully kicking some butt?
Speaker 2: Uh? Passion?
Speaker 1: Passion?
Speaker 2: No, it really is passion, I think. So I found,
Speaker 2: like from an acting point of view, when it was like, okay,
Speaker 2: you know, like you said, the choreography, you know it,
Speaker 2: and when they say action, it's really of like the
Speaker 2: connection of what's driving you to do what you're wanting
Speaker 2: to do, you know what I mean, and just be
Speaker 2: passionate about it, knowing you know what I mean? The
Speaker 2: why is it? Because I realize, like you know, when
Speaker 2: I started, I was like, oh, I get it, there's
Speaker 2: a shooting a gun. It's like, no, why what is
Speaker 2: the relationship? What did they do to you? What did
Speaker 2: they do to your friend? Like? What is the reason?
Speaker 2: And that is when I saw that it connected much
Speaker 2: more profoundly.
Speaker 1: Do you sound like you have the action bug? Like
Speaker 1: you might want to do some more.
Speaker 2: I think it's fun. I think it's really fun. I
Speaker 2: think it stretches another side of my brain and I
Speaker 2: never want to limit myself. So I think it's really
Speaker 2: cool to have that option in your back pocket.
Speaker 1: Maybe another action movie with you and someone I know
Speaker 1: at the top of your list Bradley Cooper.
Speaker 2: Oh, that would be yeah. Project I'm thinking of in
Speaker 2: particular too, that could be fun. He's a cool guy.
Speaker 2: He's a cool guy. He's a very hard worker, very sweet.
Speaker 2: Like just watching in recent years like If a Star
Speaker 2: is Born and the recent movie he did that man
Speaker 2: is just he really is passionate and he's all in
Speaker 2: and there's so much humility, and I just in general,
Speaker 2: I would love to be around as many creatives as
Speaker 2: possible that have that kind of intention, that really care
Speaker 2: still possessed because there's a lot of smoke of mirrors
Speaker 2: and other things in this industry that I feel like
Speaker 2: you have to work harder to be focused. Then it
Speaker 2: requires more energy, right, So I really admire people at
Speaker 2: the top of their game who I know have so
Speaker 2: many things coming at them, and yet they choose, in
Speaker 2: my opinion, the right path, which is like good work,
Speaker 2: hard or you know, hard working, good work, ethic, honest, honorable,
Speaker 2: passionate people.
Speaker 1: Not always easy to find, no, and it's.
Speaker 2: Not their fault, right, Like it's almost in a weird
Speaker 2: way intended that way to be all this other stuff. Yeah,
Speaker 2: so it really means a lot. When I meet that,
Speaker 2: I'm like, wow, that took a lot of conscious effort.
Speaker 1: So what's the I'm sure you can't say, or you're
Speaker 1: keeping it close to your heart, but what's the type
Speaker 1: of projects that you have in mind for you?
Speaker 2: There is a movie, an older movie called to Catch
Speaker 2: a Thief with Carrie Grant and I am blinking on
Speaker 2: her name, Grace Kelly, and it is actually a Alfred
Speaker 2: Hitchcock movie that is supposed to be adapted, and I
Speaker 2: think that could be a really from project.
Speaker 1: We're declaring it right now. Yes, I love that. I
Speaker 1: love that for you.
Speaker 2: That's movie.
Speaker 1: That's a good one.
Speaker 2: A little spy, yeah yeah, great fashion set in the
Speaker 2: South of France.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, okay, I'm in. I'll just like blow a
Speaker 1: fan your away on set because I want to be
Speaker 1: there for all that. Okay, I'm in. I'm in. What's
Speaker 1: so cool about you is you speak so beautifully from
Speaker 1: the heart. You've had so much success, You're so accomplished,
Speaker 1: And when I meet people like you, I'm always very
Speaker 1: interested because I don't think publicly we see the hardships right,
Speaker 1: and rejections over the years. Was there ever a time
Speaker 1: in your career that you can remember where you maybe
Speaker 1: really wanted a roll and you had your whole heart
Speaker 1: in it and it just didn't work out and you
Speaker 1: had to pick yourself up and keep.
Speaker 2: Going constantly, and I would say less of a role
Speaker 2: and more of the This industry is a mare, and
Speaker 2: there's constantly things that will come your way that challenges
Speaker 2: you your worth. It's hard not to take it personal because
Speaker 2: you know, I used to, I guess I still am
Speaker 2: a musician, and so I used to always be jealous
Speaker 2: of the instrumentalists because I felt as though, and this
Speaker 2: could be wrong, but to me, they could quote unquote
Speaker 2: hide behind their instrument and as a vocalist, I felt
Speaker 2: so naked and quite literally like your heart is open.
Speaker 2: It felt a lot, right, Yeah, And so similarly in
Speaker 2: this industry, of course, you're literally portraying these roles. It's very,
Speaker 2: very hard not to take this personally. It's filled with
Speaker 2: tons of rejection. You're constant being compared and contrasted. It's
Speaker 2: very competitive. There's strategy, there's so many layers to it,
Speaker 2: and I think the biggest hardship has been staying in it.
Speaker 2: Not because I've lost the passion, far from it, but
Speaker 2: there's just constantly things that are coming at you. But
Speaker 2: I will say the reason why I can speak to
Speaker 2: you in this way is because of right, like when
Speaker 2: I say the lessons and almost feels like and I
Speaker 2: don't know, maybe because it's in my scope, but the
Speaker 2: entertainment business and at this level it's like life on speed. Right,
Speaker 2: So we're an average person may have a really bad day,
Speaker 2: like I don't know, once a month, like a really
Speaker 2: bad day once a month. In this industry, it might
Speaker 2: be once a week, right where you're like whoa, Okay,
Speaker 2: this might be it, right, but you have to be
Speaker 2: like no, okay, regroup, have your support around you. And
Speaker 2: I've grown to take my time, reclaim my time, but
Speaker 2: also give myself a beat. And I've been trying to
Speaker 2: tell this to other loved ones too, of like, you
Speaker 2: don't have to answer everyone immediately right in the moment.
Speaker 2: If something's coming up by the thing they're asking, just say,
Speaker 2: let me get back to you. They do it all
Speaker 2: the time, right, But we as the talent or the
Speaker 2: thing of focus, feel like, oh okay, because sometimes we
Speaker 2: don't make the right decisions for ourselves because we're trying
Speaker 2: to people.
Speaker 1: Please or not seem difficult or whatever it may.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, And so that's the stuff I think is
Speaker 2: the hardest, continuing to challenge yourself, being open, but also
Speaker 2: at the same time advocating for yourself. And so the
Speaker 2: only way I know how to stay in this is
Speaker 2: to do those check ins, those scans, having a support
Speaker 2: system around me, having a belief in something other than myself,
Speaker 2: so it doesn't feel so incl and like it's engving
Speaker 2: in on you, cause it's a lot. It's a lot.
Speaker 2: Like I think people should have empathy for more artists,
Speaker 2: Like there's a reason why. It's slightly off topic, but
Speaker 2: I think there is a reason why some of your
Speaker 2: favorite musical or you know whatever, any kind of creative entity,
Speaker 2: there's reasons why sometimes they spiral or will have Like
Speaker 2: it's a lot, and I don't think people will realize that.
Speaker 2: And if you don't have the necessary tools and prioritizing
Speaker 2: the care needed, there's a reason why some of the
Speaker 2: greatest artists we ever know haven't had long lives. It's
Speaker 2: this weird, interesting exchange. And so I think it's a lesson,
Speaker 2: but it's it's to say that, you know, I think
Speaker 2: you can have it all. You just got to take
Speaker 2: care of yourself and know when to be like, this
Speaker 2: is going to be here, It's always going to be here.
Speaker 2: Let me take care of myself.
Speaker 1: Especially when you have so much going on. I mean,
Speaker 1: even here, you're doing this press tour for this new
Speaker 1: movie that everybody's gonna go out watch. Right, We're gonna
Speaker 1: go see that movie. We want to go see its
Speaker 1: shadow for us. But you're also filming things as you're
Speaker 1: doing it. Aren't you currently filming yea only murders a
Speaker 1: new season, right, So there's a lot you have to
Speaker 1: protect your own well being while you're doing all of that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I'm very lucky my team has they've gotten
Speaker 2: I think they know me very well and know like
Speaker 2: before early in my career, I would say yes to everything,
Speaker 2: and I find by me saying no to certain things,
Speaker 2: I'm open and willing to do more if that makes couch.
Speaker 2: When I said yes to everything, I burned out in
Speaker 2: like two months. When I was more particular about what
Speaker 2: I wanted, more, not only more things came to me
Speaker 2: in abundance, but of the right things, but my longevity
Speaker 2: was able to sustain for far more.
Speaker 1: We need you to be here forever. Don't you be
Speaker 1: burning out on us? Okay, yes, we need more work
Speaker 1: from you, We need more art from you. How it
Speaker 1: is only murders going than it.
Speaker 2: Is so much fun. It literally honestly gets better and
Speaker 2: better every season. I don't know how they do it,
Speaker 2: but it literally gets better and better every season. And
Speaker 2: the cast that we get every year, they just top.
Speaker 2: It's beyond.
Speaker 1: Do you have more scenes with Meryll's I know that's
Speaker 1: what you wanted. You finally got it.
Speaker 2: Yes, yes, so we I've shot half of my episodes, uh,
Speaker 2: so far and then I'll do the last half in
Speaker 2: like two weeks, three weeks, and so yeah, I get
Speaker 2: to real.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you did it. You're doing it. Very blessed you're
Speaker 1: doing it. And you know you you are a singer.
Speaker 1: We alluded to that. Of course, you are a very
Speaker 1: accomplished singer on stage that we know and love. Do
Speaker 1: you ever bust out a tune on set?
Speaker 2: You?
Speaker 3: No, not that never, not even with Selena Gomez. You
Speaker 3: aren't like, let's do what you West's interesting. This is
Speaker 3: my theory on like karaoke. People who can actually sing
Speaker 3: hate doing karaoke. I don't even like going no.
Speaker 2: No, I've tried it, and then it's cringey because inside
Speaker 2: you're like, you're flag at this, Like it's like little
Speaker 2: judgments going on in my head. People who actually can
Speaker 2: sing rarely sing. Selena is silent. You I've never heard her.
Speaker 2: If she's in the best mood, she may hump and
Speaker 2: you're like, right, Martin short constantly. He's actually a very
Speaker 2: good singer. Actually, it's like it's giving like Broadway one
Speaker 2: on one really, yeah, it's show.
Speaker 1: Tunes and you don't jump in come on.
Speaker 2: Unless they pay me to do that. On this episode
Speaker 2: they have which they have that, which they definitely have.
Speaker 2: No he no, but it's it's it's beautiful to see
Speaker 2: I love to see him sing. But you know what,
Speaker 2: I actually need to work on that. I I don't know.
Speaker 2: I don't sing enough even for my own enjoyment. And
Speaker 2: that's interesting, Like since becoming an actor, I haven't engaged
Speaker 2: in that as much, and I need to, Okay, I
Speaker 2: definitely we.
Speaker 1: Look forward to more of that from you, for sure, Davine.
Speaker 1: I could speak for hours with you. This is so
Speaker 1: much fun. But as we wrap up, Yes, the name
Speaker 1: of the show is called I've never said this before,
Speaker 1: and it was born we were talking earlier from this
Speaker 1: idea that I cover a lot of our carpets and
Speaker 1: press junkets, and as you know, you get three minutes
Speaker 1: or six minutes with the reporter and it's just not
Speaker 1: real conversation. We all try our best, but it's so
Speaker 1: quick and we have to get the bites in. And
Speaker 1: it was born from an idea of wanting to connect
Speaker 1: with people on a more human level because we all
Speaker 1: go through the same stuff, and when we talk about
Speaker 1: it or share lessons or advice, I think we're better collectively.
Speaker 1: So with all of that being said, is there anything
Speaker 1: today you can think of that maybe you've never said
Speaker 1: before in an interview that you want to share.
Speaker 2: I think I probably have said some version of this,
Speaker 2: but I think I just want to really reiterate kind
Speaker 2: of what you just said. Like I really wish people
Speaker 2: would understand and know that the same life I live
Speaker 2: in many ways is still the same life you live.
Speaker 2: Does that like you don't need to be a movie
Speaker 2: star or a rock star or whatever, Like we all
Speaker 2: go through the same things. They're just in different settings.
Speaker 2: And so I just wish that people will give themselves
Speaker 2: more grace, and I wish that people would be honest
Speaker 2: and take down the masks so that they can connect,
Speaker 2: because I think a lot of times we're scared to
Speaker 2: be vulnerable and share with friends and loved ones what's
Speaker 2: going on. And I think if we did, not only
Speaker 2: would we be healthier, but we will learn the lessons quicker.
Speaker 2: I really so like these past two weeks, right, so
Speaker 2: many people have called me and been like, girl, is
Speaker 2: mercury and retrograde? Because the hell? And I was like,
Speaker 2: I think it is. I really think like everybody, And
Speaker 2: I use as an example, right that all people from
Speaker 2: all walks of life reached out to me and was like, girl,
Speaker 2: I am going through it now. I could have lied
Speaker 2: because of what they assume my life is. Right. I
Speaker 2: think a lot of times people assume with success is
Speaker 2: smooth sailing. One of the realest things Jay z Ever
Speaker 2: said was more money, more problems, more success, more problems,
Speaker 2: more anything. The more you have, the more you have
Speaker 2: to deal with, point blank. Period. So I could have
Speaker 2: lied and been like, oh really, oh so sorry, I
Speaker 2: was going through it, and I say that to say it.
Speaker 2: We don't just because people are. And I say this
Speaker 2: because it's such a social media driven world right now,
Speaker 2: and there's so many people like all respect in the
Speaker 2: world to influencers and how they've been able to, you
Speaker 2: know what I mean, really catapult themselves and quite literally
Speaker 2: create revenue and exposure for themselves that is amazing. I
Speaker 2: think if we all could have a bit of that,
Speaker 2: that's great. But in that I think now which is beautiful,
Speaker 2: that it inspires like anybody can make it, which I
Speaker 2: love that aspect of it, because I do believe anyone can.
Speaker 2: But I think now there's this desire to reach for
Speaker 2: fame or celebrity or whatever, and I think that's to
Speaker 2: be less of the goal of what we're going for,
Speaker 2: and I think it's more of the community and the collective.
Speaker 2: And so I think, like, you know, just because a
Speaker 2: lot of people are aspiring for that, but please understand
Speaker 2: it comes with its whole new you know, I mean,
Speaker 2: bag of tricks. And so more so than anything, I'm
Speaker 2: just kind of like life is gonna life me the
Speaker 2: same way it's gonna life you, and we just need
Speaker 2: to connect with one another and not let these other
Speaker 2: things and signs of status and stuff get in the way.
Speaker 2: Because I'm also very well aware even being in this
Speaker 2: position tomorrow you may never see me, you know what
Speaker 2: I mean, Like all that I've accomplished. You know how
Speaker 2: the world is, Like, I'm not gonna do You're not
Speaker 2: gonna find me, no scandal. I'm not messy like that,
Speaker 2: but do you know what I mean? Like I could
Speaker 2: be hot and then it'd be like what was her name? Right?
Speaker 2: So I gotta feel good about who I am and
Speaker 2: what I've contributed in the legacy that I'm creating, so
Speaker 2: that I'm not relying upon that. That's why I don't
Speaker 2: wake up every morning being like, oh why I'm an
Speaker 2: oscar because okay, cool that happened. Now what else? Right?
Speaker 2: Like okay, cool, that's that. What else can you bring
Speaker 2: to the table outside of your career? How are you
Speaker 2: as a human being? What other things are interesting about you?
Speaker 2: And I like to surround myself around a mix of
Speaker 2: people where it isn't all just industry people, or if
Speaker 2: it is industry people, like we were saying, grounded people
Speaker 2: because life is so much important, more important, And that's
Speaker 2: why I became an actor and I choose the roles
Speaker 2: that I do. I like to play women who have
Speaker 2: complexities and stuff of them and making the ordinary extraordinary,
Speaker 2: right Like, I intentionally like to go for more blue
Speaker 2: collar like women and make them into these superheroes. I
Speaker 2: looked out having this action movie, but you know what
Speaker 2: I mean, who's actually kicking butt? But let's also give
Speaker 2: voice to the voiceless of these women who are just
Speaker 2: getting by in their day to day, right because that's
Speaker 2: really important. The fancy stuff is fine, we have the
Speaker 2: fancy moments, but life is really more of that stuff.
Speaker 2: And so I just hope people are encouraged of like,
Speaker 2: you don't have to have what you think this life
Speaker 2: is in order to be special and understand whatever you're
Speaker 2: dealing with in Wisconsin, I'm dealing with the same thing here.
Speaker 2: It's the same thing. It's just on a different scale
Speaker 2: or a different amalclamation, but it's the same. And I
Speaker 2: think though allow people to have empathy.
Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you, thank you for sharing that. I think
Speaker 1: it's really powerful to hear and it's why we all
Speaker 1: kind of yearn and search for connection because we all
Speaker 1: do feel the same things. So I couldn't love that more.
Speaker 1: I also couldn't love more that. Here's my phone for
Speaker 1: those three hundred and sixty five inspirational messages, Avine, what
Speaker 1: a joy. Thank you for hanging out. I adore you.
Speaker 1: I'm always rooting for you from Afar and everybody needs
Speaker 1: to go out and see Shadow Force. It is out.
Speaker 1: It is fantastic and we can't wait to see it.
Speaker 1: Thank you hanging out.
Speaker 2: I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1: Thank you. I've Never Said This Before is hosted by
Speaker 1: me Tommy Dedario. This podcast is executive produced by Andrew
Speaker 1: Puglisi at iHeartRadio and by me Tommy, with editing by
Speaker 1: Joshua Colaudney. I've Never Said This Before is part of
Speaker 1: the Elvis Duran podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more,
Speaker 1: rate review and subscribe to our show and if you
Speaker 1: liked this episode, tell your friends. Until next time, I'm
Speaker 1: Tommy Dedario