1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,279 Speaker 1: By Next Guest is an Academy Award winning screenwriter playwright. 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: His script in Moonlight black Boards Like Excuse Me in 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Moonlight black Boards Look Blue, is the basis for the 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Oscar winning film moon Like, directed by Barry Jenkins, for 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: which mc craney and Jenkins wan and Oscar for Best 6 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: Adapted Screenplay. He wrote the film High Flanburg, which I 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: also saw it was on Netflix. Really really, you should 8 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: watch that own Nextflix right now. Mccraney's play includes Miss 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:32,480 Speaker 1: Black for President Cot with Tina Landau, their Brother's Sister Plays, Trilogy, 10 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: Head of Passes Without and choir Boy, which is nominated 11 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: for for Tony Awards. Please Welcome to Money Making Conversation. 12 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: The executive ducer and creative owns as Oprah's Network, David 13 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:52,279 Speaker 1: makes Man Terrell Alvin McCraney. Hey, how y'all doing? How 14 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: you on? My friend? Did I get everything right? Did 15 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: I get everything right? Had a lot to say about you, 16 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: young man. I get everything right? Sure, sure, good, Thanks 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: so much for having me. Good talk to about where 18 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: are yet right now? Where you based there right now? 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: And and uh tell me about what the yet right now? 20 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: I'm born and raised in Miami Florida, which is where 21 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: I live currently. UM, and that was the basis for 22 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: UM A lot of what we do UH and did 23 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: for the film in Moonnight WHI shout here in Miami. 24 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: And the show David Makes Man takes place in Homestead, Florida, 25 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: which is about UM fifty miles south of Miami proper 26 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 1: uh the suburb of the metropolitan area. And UM it's 27 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: about a young man, David, who is just lost his 28 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: best friend, his closest friend, and is trying to navigate 29 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: his home life and his rise at a very prominent 30 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: magnet school in Miami. UM. So it takes place in 31 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: the in the in the outer world and the inner 32 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: world of this fourteen year old black boy on on Wednesdays. Well, 33 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: you know it's really interesting. So they're just from a 34 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: business perspective, Now do you by by taking a show 35 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: and shooting a movie in Florida? Are their tax breaks 36 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: for productions or film and television productions in Florida. No, 37 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: there used to be there used to be incentives in 38 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: Florida for filming and sort of as a state, UM. 39 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: And now there are different municipalities that have taken on 40 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: trying to make sure that production stays. So Tampa, I know, 41 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: is trying to make sure that there is UM there. 42 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: There's a sentence for filming in Orlando, which has Universal 43 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: Studios and other studios UM Disney for example, try to 44 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: make sure that when filming happens in the in the 45 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: area that it is as gentivized. But now we lost 46 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 1: that tax break thanks to some wonderful leadership in the 47 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 1: government and UM and we we lost a lot of productions. 48 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: So filming in Florida can be costly. But one of 49 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: the ways in which we UM engaged that is that 50 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: we hired locally. UM. We had an incredible producer, Wayne Morris, 51 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 1: and an incredible crew UM designers and production and crew 52 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: in Orlando that helped us UM at Universal Studios and 53 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: off in and around the area. We shot a lot 54 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 1: of it on Dr. Phillips High School, which is right 55 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: there in the middle of Orlando, and we got UM 56 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,519 Speaker 1: we were able to you know, maintain a budget and 57 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: some a really great show. But UM, it was important 58 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: to film in Orlando. It was an important film in 59 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: Florida because one, that's where the that's where the piece 60 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: is set. Uh and to you know, if if someone 61 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: doesn't start bringing the business back there, then no one will. 62 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: And so we what we wanted to do a show 63 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: folks that there is a cost effective way to bring 64 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: business back to an area that is really great and 65 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: probably one of the best places to film. I mean, 66 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: the weather year round here is incredible. Um. In fact, 67 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: our current president was trying to start a film, a 68 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: film company, a film lot here in Homestead, Florida. Well, 69 00:03:57,880 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: I don't know how a lot of that got derailed, 70 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: but probably uh through the taxa centers. Last um, he 71 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: probably lost interest politics. That's what politics do, my friend. 72 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: They derailed. They pushed a good idea, but it doesn't 73 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: always come back to have value to anybody's individual life 74 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: or success stories. Now here's I'm a sitcom writer, you know, Uh, 75 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: the Parkers wrote Sister Sister Jamie Foxx show Robert Townsend. 76 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: And so you are considered what type of writer? And 77 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: what am I? What kind of writer? And yes, yesterday 78 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: we drama? Are you just you know, do your screenplays 79 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: for theater? Because I see a range of our different 80 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: types of writing deals that you possess. So you just 81 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: say that, so did you write for a particular like 82 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: this is a drama that you have on own. Correct, 83 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: that is correct? Okay, cool? And now just a series 84 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: drama on own and uh that's ten episodes. Um. And 85 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: we have a show brother who is M. D. Harris 86 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: Lawrence right who wrote on things like shots Fired and um, 87 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: the Biggie and Tupac story, um and things like that. Right, 88 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: So here's interesting about your career. So, so you're from Miami, Florida. 89 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: And so how does one on the show money make 90 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: a conversations? I try to just tell anybody's story to 91 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: a certain degree because everybody sees the end results, and 92 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: sometimes the results will tell you the true path or 93 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,839 Speaker 1: the path that you took off other individuals who been successful, 94 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: whether it's in business or film or entertainment or or 95 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: some other form of success. How did you? How did 96 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: your movie your script get in the hands of the 97 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 1: right people? Which one? Moonlight? Moonlight, Black Boys Look Blue? 98 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: So in the Moon? So I wrote in Moonlight when 99 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: I was twenty two years old. I just graduated undergrad 100 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: from DePaul University. My mother had died of age related complications, 101 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 1: and so I wrote that script um because I wanted 102 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: to make a film or kind of visual depiction of 103 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: what um it was like growing up UH in Liberty City, UM, 104 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: which is where the film takes place, and it was 105 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: shot UM and then UM it sort of sat around 106 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: for a very long time. UM. I went on to 107 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: the Yale School of Drama UM to study UH playwriting 108 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: and screenwriting and UM I graduated from there and wrote 109 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: about six or seven plays UM, and I think I 110 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 1: was on my way to UM. I'd come back to 111 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: Miami and shot a couple of short films that I've 112 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: written UM with a group called the bors To Film Festival. 113 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: Then a man named Andrew Heavier told me about a 114 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: young young man who also grew up in Liberty City, 115 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: not three or four blocks away from me UM named 116 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: Barry Jenkins. And Barry had gone on to become a 117 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: filmmaker as well, UM a creative as well, and he 118 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: had graduated from Florida State Film UH from the film 119 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: school at Florida State UM and was in San Francisco 120 00:06:55,760 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: making a few films. That had made a film UH 121 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 1: recently with Bush called chlorophyll Um that was based in Miami. 122 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 1: And one of one of the things that Bush really wanted, 123 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: similarly to what we talked about with David mcspan is 124 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: that coming back to the city and making uh, making 125 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: film and making work there makes you know, bills and industry. 126 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: And so they had brought Barry back to making film. 127 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: They've also brought myself back. And while we were here, 128 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: we didn't talk to we didn't get a chance to 129 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: meet but um, but through the internet we exchanged scripts. Um. 130 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: And so Barry had Moonlight for about you know, about 131 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: a year, and then he reached out to me and said, 132 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: you know, I think I want to make this into 133 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: a film. I said, I said, that's great. So that's 134 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: how that happened. Wow. And so when when when did 135 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: when he said, who want to make this into a movie? 136 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: Did money run through your mind? The opportunity? What? What 137 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: were you having any control over the script? Would you 138 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: be would you be pushed out of the project? What 139 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: were the thoughts that ran through your mind as a 140 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: as a as the person who wrote the script? Um? 141 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: None of those thoughts were in my mind. In fact, 142 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: I think maybe naively. I was just I trusted Barry's 143 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: integrity um, and which you know he has its face 144 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: and so none of those things ran through my mind. 145 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, here is a feature film that 146 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: is about a young man coming of age in Liberty City. UM, 147 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: in the margins of poverty. And people don't even know 148 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: where Liberty City is. Um. If you told them that 149 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: was in Miami, half of the people who you asked 150 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't even believe you. Um. And so he you know, 151 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 1: the venture of it was certainly coming from a personally, 152 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: a very personal place. UM. And and the end result 153 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: there too. And Verry finally UM, you know, sort of 154 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,160 Speaker 1: redrafted the script and and showed it to me. I 155 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,719 Speaker 1: was like, this is amazing. It's exactly what we started with. 156 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,199 Speaker 1: And um, it takes that and we've weaves together in 157 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: a feature length version what we what the voice of 158 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: the pieces and when we finally shot it, even seeing it, 159 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 1: I was like, this is a film that's very much 160 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:02,199 Speaker 1: of love letters to the place we grew up. So 161 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: none of none of the ideas of money and you know, 162 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: losing you're losing control. Ever sort of came came over me. Man. Uh, 163 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: Liberty City as Uh, they've got several specials. Little Lebron 164 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: James did a docuseries out of Liberty City. It's known 165 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: for athletes. Tremendous amount of talented uh professional athletes have 166 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: come out of that area. And UH over the years 167 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: and absolutely and so just just to name one of 168 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: the many, and that's what it's known for. But again 169 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: it's it was, it's in the hood. It's a neighborhood 170 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: that doesn't UH doesn't benefit people. They say, how do 171 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: you got to that neighborhood? Either fight your way out, 172 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: shoot your way out, or just luckily get out. Fortunately, 173 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: two individuals, Barry Jenkins and yourself have come out of 174 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: there and are changing the world in the movie and 175 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 1: entertainment industry. We're back with more. I've seen three episodes 176 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: of David makes Man. We're gonna talk about that series 177 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: coming back up in airrors every Wednesday on OWN. I'm 178 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: talking to executive producer and creator UH, David makes Man. Hi. 179 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: This ra Sean McDonald. You're listening to money making Conversations. 180 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: I am the host. We are talking and UH and 181 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: communicating with a very talented young man who's based in Miami, 182 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: Florida area. He is the executive producer and creator a 183 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: new series owned as ow n as Oprah Winfrey's network, 184 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: David makes Man. Um. Please walking back to the show. 185 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,720 Speaker 1: How are you doing that, sir? How you doing I'm great? 186 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: Thanks again, let's talk about this show. David makes Man. 187 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: Explained to me the title. First of all, um, David 188 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: makes Man is based on birds. I mean, the syntax 189 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: of it really means what it says. You watch for 190 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: ten episodes as a young person tries to make a life, 191 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: make adulthood, make manhood for themselves. So you literally watch 192 00:10:54,720 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 1: David makes Man and so so I sold three episodes 193 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: so far. Now it's more than just about him. Let's 194 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: put it this way. A little bit older than you. 195 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: You know, I grew up on good times. This is 196 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 1: not good times. This is not you know, it's it's 197 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: a very interesting story for a lot of rave reviews, 198 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: A lot of you know, ritting tomatoes gave me great reviews. 199 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: Would you get you get a great review of writing tomatoes? 200 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: You win in because first of all, they everybody's turning 201 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: to them for reviews. They're kind of like the Yelp 202 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: of entertainment. It's Rotting Tomatoes and so and so it's 203 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: a I grew up in the Fifth War, Texas, and 204 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,199 Speaker 1: I grew up in in Fifth War. It is kind 205 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: of like, it's not as bad as Liberty, but it 206 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: is pretty it was pretty bad, okay, and So with 207 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: that being said, is that my family allowed me has 208 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: six or sisters and two brothers. My family inside my 209 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: home and inside my two bedroom home. Uh, it was 210 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: nine of us. We include you know, include nine nine 211 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: nine children and two parents. Is a loving that's living 212 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: in this home. The world was beautiful outside a lot 213 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: was going on that was not beautiful. And that's kind 214 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: of the world that he lives in. Yeah, David lives 215 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: in a project called Homestead Village is based on this 216 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: project that I grew up in in Homestead called Homestead 217 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: Gardens um uh. And Homestead is again the suburbs outside 218 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: of Miami, UM made famous by a hurricane named Andrew 219 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: that came around and destroyed pretty much everything except for 220 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 1: actually these um these housing projects and UM. David lives 221 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: with his mother and her and and his younger brothers 222 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 1: Jonathan Gregg and they and he's been accepted to a 223 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 1: Magnet program, which is about you know, um forty minutes 224 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: away from his house by car UM. So David's coming 225 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: home to one experience, which is the experience of um 226 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 1: that we we can uh charged to being marginalized into poverty. UM. 227 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: There's you know, there's some there's some gang, there's some 228 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: drug gang activity UM, and David is managing to or 229 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: try to manage to stay clear of that, but while 230 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: also getting to school long time, making sure that his 231 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: brother has everything he needs, making sure his mother UM 232 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: is not stressed, UM and and maybe relapsing. UM. He 233 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: then goes to school, and then there's there's other pressures. 234 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: There's pressures to perform and pray, to pay attention, to 235 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 1: be fully alert to UM you know, to act in 236 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: a certain way. And I think a lot of us, 237 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: especially my age, UM, you know, in the age of 238 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:46,359 Speaker 1: you know, diversity and inclusion and bussing, when we experienced 239 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: this kind of double consciousness UH in ways that other 240 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: other folks might not have. And I think it was 241 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: it's important or it's an interesting conversation to have about 242 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: what we what it means to go outside of your 243 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,599 Speaker 1: community UM to and and to express your talents. You know, 244 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: David is extremely gifted. He has a sharp mind. He's 245 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: very into it is UM. And you get to see that, 246 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: so you can watching the show, you get to see 247 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: moments where his mind is you know, playing out the 248 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: scenario right in front of him, or you get to 249 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: see the moments where he imagines things one way, UM, 250 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: and then we see the reality of it, UM. And 251 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: I think many of us have that have that. Like 252 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: you said, you grew up in a specific ward, uh, 253 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: in a Texas neighborhood and and I'm sure your imagination 254 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: and the ability for you to UM to to see 255 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: the world as it is. We're always in conversation, and 256 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: that's what makes it beautiful when you have room to 257 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: sort of look at where you are, UM and envision 258 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: where you want to go. And I think a lot. 259 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: And so you know, we created the show or created 260 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: this idea for this show. And when we started going around, 261 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: we talked to people like Michael B. Jordan's who instantly said, 262 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 1: you know this, I didn't go up in the South, 263 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: but I grew up in Newark and this was my 264 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: experience and very similar to what I experienced by going 265 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: into you know, New York City on auditions. You know, 266 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: once he decided he wanted to be an actor, UM. Michael, 267 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: making himself into an actor meant that he had to 268 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: you know, best a little differently, speak, a little differently, UM, 269 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: get you know, bringing headshot, you know, and that kind 270 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: of experience for him was was different than the one 271 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: he was experiencing in his hometown, in his home streets 272 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: of Newark. UM. And then we brought it to Miss 273 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: Winfrey when we pitched it to own and one of 274 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: the things she she spoke to us about after, you know, 275 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: being really moved by the pitch, is this idea that um, 276 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: you know, young folks especially who grow up along the 277 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: margins of poverty, UM and UM, and the oppression that 278 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: race race can have in that we then are expected 279 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: to perform in these sort of very white uh spaces 280 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: in a certain way. UM. And sometimes that can bring 281 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: anxiety that we don't even know that we have. UM. 282 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: And she had just UM, she had just done a 283 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 1: special on sixty minutes about childhood trauma. UM. And how 284 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: you know, young folks who grow up in a certain 285 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: environment and then try to go out to the world 286 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: and start a career sometimes face that UM and don't 287 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,119 Speaker 1: recognize why they have that anxiety. And it was incredible 288 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: to us, UM that here I was pitching this story 289 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 1: about you know, this kind of double consciousness, this kind 290 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: of childhood trauma that I had carried over into adulthood, 291 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: and here Oprah was already you know, having starting a 292 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: conversation about that um and working towards healing, and so 293 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,800 Speaker 1: those were the sort of connective tissue that brought us 294 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: the show and why you see on screen so much 295 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: of David's inner life and his inner workings, but not 296 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: just him. You get to see what his mother's like. 297 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: You get to see the people around him and their 298 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: imagination in this community. Um. And again, his community has 299 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: problems like my all communities do, but it also has 300 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: a lot of joy, a lot of low a lot 301 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: of laughter, especially when you get to around the fourth 302 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: and this episode you get to see just how engaged 303 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: and his mother tries to make sure that regardless of 304 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: what they lived, just like you said about living in 305 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: the fifth ward, Um, they may not have much, but 306 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: they have joy. And that's really key, you know, because 307 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: I'm pride of him going out to the dance and 308 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: that young lady who you guys cast to be his 309 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:18,959 Speaker 1: date to the dance, Uh, incredible man, And that young 310 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: lady is going to be a star. Was she is 311 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 1: she a local actress or was she discovered someplace else 312 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: and then uh flowing in to do the role because 313 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:28,679 Speaker 1: she's amazing. The young lady who played his date to 314 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: the dance UH test. She actually sent in UH test. 315 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: She is amazing, She is amazing. She sent in the 316 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: tape UH from Nevada to read for the part of 317 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: Marissa originally. And when I saw her, I said, no, 318 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: she's tear. I mean just I mean just natural, I 319 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 1: mean just just you know, as she you know, you know, 320 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: I've been fortunately cast a lot of people and see 321 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: them going to success as being a producer like you, 322 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: you know, you get to sit in the room and 323 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: get people read your lines and you go. They bring 324 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: and everybody's talent can read a line differently or read 325 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: the script differently. And as she as she's as she's 326 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: picking up food or talking and being able to manipulate things. 327 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 1: So naturally, when this young ladies a star, is she 328 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: on future episodes or is that particular episode I saw, 329 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: it's her. It's the only role she's gonna play in 330 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 1: the series. No, she's throughout the series, you'll see you 331 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: get a chance to see her again and again, Oh, 332 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: she's amazing. And then let's go back to the mom's character, 333 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: because you know she's she's a waitress, she struggling, she 334 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: wants to be a manager, and then she falls her 335 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: to a hip, so she has this little wobbly walk 336 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: now and uh she gets fired and and she also 337 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:41,679 Speaker 1: crosses between reality and dream land, you know, like she says, 338 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: she thought that the gentleman was there to sweeper off 339 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: her feet, to carry out of the doctor's office. And 340 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,639 Speaker 1: while I know, no one's there for you, so that 341 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: that world that you're creating the world of, Like I said, 342 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: everybody has dreams. I had dreams. I always tell people 343 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 1: dreams carried me out of the hood. Now all I'm 344 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 1: doing is making them a reality today. That's all I 345 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: do nowadays. Every dream I've ever had as a kid, 346 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: I am actually living it today. And I have more 347 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: dreams as an adult that I'm going to live and 348 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: see it through because that's established in my DNA. But 349 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: her character is it's tragic but also um motivating because 350 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 1: she doesn't give up. She doesn't allow the system or 351 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: the to to enter and bring her her children down 352 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: or stop them from being dreamers. That was a really 353 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: really passionate development for that character for you correct well. 354 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: That episode particularly was written by our showrunner d Has Lawrence, 355 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 1: who again when we brought this this pitch to her 356 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: about about the series she said, you know, I'm a 357 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: I'm a I'm a she to quote her, I'm a 358 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: female David. Um. I grew up, Uh, she grew up 359 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: in south central l A. And you know, went to 360 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: schools um to gifted an accelerated programs outside of her 361 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: community and have to come back in and and sort 362 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: of you know, use her imagination to think of ways 363 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: of escape. But also you know, one of the things 364 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: that was important to her, but showing how single mothers, 365 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: how mothers, mothers like mine, find a way to bring 366 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: some joy into their into their young their their young 367 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: boys lives. And she and that part and that the 368 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: struggle to continue to do that I think is hopeful 369 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: for all of us. I mean, she she's doing a 370 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: lot in the face of a lot of adversity. And 371 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: I think the the other the other portion of that 372 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: that that you touched on, I think is um is 373 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: glorious about Gloria is that she you know, she she 374 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: she teaches her boys how to dream by dreaming. Um. 375 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: You know. One of the reasons why that episode is 376 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: so important is that we get to see that where 377 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: David gets his imagination from, if not from in the 378 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 1: stup is not from socialized. He gets it from his mother. 379 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: She has just as active in mind and creativity is 380 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: as he does, even if she did use it in 381 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: an academic way, and so a lot of his strength, 382 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: a lot of his intelligence comes directly from her. Absolutely 383 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: a great way for us to see that that that 384 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: you know, young mothers who are often discounted as good 385 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: nurturers can pass on traits that are very um powerful 386 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: to their young their young boys. I would tell you 387 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 1: this uh your show David Makes Band and every Wednesday 388 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 1: on own network that's Oprahs Network. It's very relatable. I 389 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,880 Speaker 1: would say that's in closing is that this show allows 390 00:21:28,960 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: a lot of people talk about athletes come and getting 391 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: out of the hood. This show is talking about people 392 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: like me. This is a story, this is me I was, 393 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 1: I was done. So many people share this story. But 394 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: academics can also get you out of the hood, and 395 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: people can help you get out of the hood through relationships. 396 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 1: That's what David Makes Man is about. Very relatable. Thank 397 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: you for coming to my show. I'm a fan as 398 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: you're making millions of fans every Wednesday on your show.