1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: And it was also just so great to be introduced 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: to vets and to share a space with them. And 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: that's right. 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 2: I haven't been I haven't been referred to as a 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: VET before. 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: I hope you take it as a compliment and not 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: an insult. Well I don't believe that. Yeah, Bryan. 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 2: Against me, No, But I mean when I showed up 9 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: on set, it must have it must have been just 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: it was unnerve intimidating for you. Oh stop it, stop it. 11 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: Hi. I am Ashley Murray and I play Hazel in 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: the Other Black Girl. 13 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: We're back, everybody with another episode of Off the Beat. 14 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: This is your host, as always, Brian Baumgartner, and my 15 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: guest today is my old pal, Ashley Murray. She is 16 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: a super smart, super dynamic actor who you may recognize 17 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: best with Caddiers on She played Josie of Josie and 18 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 2: the Pussycats in both Riverdale and Katie Keen. She also 19 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 2: played Senzi on Tom Swift and recently starred as the 20 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: titular Other Black Girl in our new show The Other 21 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: Black Girl. Now I say ours because I also make 22 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: an appearance in that show. Along with my guest from 23 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 2: last week, Sinclair Daniel if you haven't listened to that episode, 24 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: you should go back and listen. And if you haven't watched, 25 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 2: you should watch the Other Black Girl on Hulu. But first, 26 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 2: sit right here and get to know my hilarious friend 27 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: and castmate, Ashley Murray. 28 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 3: Bubble and Squeak. I love it, Bubble and squeak on 29 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,679 Speaker 3: Bubble and Squeak, I cook get every mole left over 30 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 3: from the ninety before. 31 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: Hi, Ashley, how are you? 32 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: Hie? 33 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 2: I'm good. 34 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 3: How are you? 35 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 2: I'm good. It's so good to see you. 36 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: It's so good to see you too. 37 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: Oh my god, it's been a year. 38 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: No, it has it's been a year. 39 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 2: Have you missed me? Terribly? 40 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: Terribly? I don't know how I've slept, to be quite honest. 41 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, there's there's a lot of reasons for not 42 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 2: sleeping over the last several months. Are you in New York? 43 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: I am, Yeah, I'm in New York. 44 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: Okay, how's New York? 45 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: It's cold now? 46 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: Okay, she's cold, she's cold. Well. I want to talk 47 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 2: a lot about us meeting and working together, but but 48 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 2: I want to start with with you, just just you, 49 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 2: and how you got into this crazy business. I researched 50 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,839 Speaker 2: which I did not know. Did you You grew up 51 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: originally in Missouri? Is that right? 52 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: Kansas City, Kanas City, Missouri, that's where you were born. Yeah, 53 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: That's where I was born and I lived there for 54 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: the majority of my childhood. I moved around a little bit, 55 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: but the majority of my childhood was in Kansas City. 56 00:03:53,000 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 2: How was that? How was Kansas City for you? 57 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: You know, it's hard because I'm in that group of 58 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: people that didn't quite gel with their hometown. Okay, you know, 59 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: they're really beautiful historical things about Kansas City that I 60 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 1: will champion to the day I die. Also, I am 61 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 1: just not meant for the pace of life that exists 62 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: in Kansas City. 63 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:25,679 Speaker 2: What's that pace? 64 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: It's slow, you know, it's it's slow, very easy going, 65 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: very minimal. You know, I live in New York City. 66 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: There's so many people from everywhere doing everything at any 67 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: given moment. Life is much simpler in Kansas City. 68 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 2: So well, you know, there must be something about the 69 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 2: water there in Kansas City, though, that that that breeds, 70 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 2: that's the wrong world, that that nurtures funny, funny, funny people, 71 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 2: because it's crazy. There was aeriod of time when on 72 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: this podcast I was talking to people, and every single 73 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 2: funny person, Paul Rudd, Eric stone Street, Rob Riggle, Dave Keckner, 74 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: like everyone's from Kansas. You wouldn't. You wouldn't think, Well, 75 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 2: I don't know. 76 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: I ain't from Kansas. I'm from Missouri. Now, okay, there's 77 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 1: a kansaity Kansas, and there's a Kansasity Missouri. I'm the 78 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: Missouri side. I'm not from Kansas. 79 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 2: What does that mean? Well, Kansas is in the name 80 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 2: of the city. 81 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: Well, the thing is, Kansas City falls on the state line, 82 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 1: so like a portion of it is in one side 83 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: and the other. And similarly to the way that people 84 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: you know are down for their sports teams, you can't 85 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: be calling somebody from Kansas City, Missouri from Kansas. It's 86 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: just disrespectful God, and you can fight me on it. 87 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, but. 88 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: Okay, it is okay. So do you root for other 89 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 2: sports teams besides the Kansas City once? 90 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,559 Speaker 1: Well, I used to root for the Saint Louis Rams 91 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 1: because my cousin Mike Jones played for them for a while. 92 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: But I am very much so a Kansas City Chief fan. 93 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: Kan City Cheese can see Royals. I also did for 94 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: a spell. I was very much so for the forty 95 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: nine ers and the Giants because I lived in Oakland 96 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: for two years of my childhood. 97 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, now that's what I heard that you spent some 98 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 2: time in Oakland living with your aunt. 99 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, right, I did. I lived with my aunt. 100 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 2: How was How was that different? 101 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 1: It was very different because you know, it was just 102 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: myself and my older brother for one year and then 103 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: it was just me. And it's the one time in 104 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: my life I've been an only child. And I'm sure 105 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: that many only children can speak to the fact that 106 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:55,720 Speaker 1: you have a lot more access to things. There's a 107 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: lot more time from the parents, there's a lot more 108 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: money to go around for extra curricular activities. So that 109 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,679 Speaker 1: was actually the time that I discovered that I wanted 110 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: to be an actress was when I was living with 111 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: my aunt. I was in my first ever play at 112 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: ten and a half eleven. 113 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 2: Okay, what was the play? 114 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: It was? It was a play that was written by 115 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: the children, so it wasn't you know, anything published, and 116 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: I came in. 117 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 2: So better than most television. 118 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: Actually the play was I think the play was entitled 119 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: Channel zero We're watching you there you go? Uh, And 120 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: I had a non speaking role. I was a mute 121 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: narrator and I got a standing ovation at the end 122 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: of the show. So I was like, oh, I don't 123 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: even have to say anything. 124 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 2: To move people. And that was when you decided it 125 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 2: was what you wanted to do. 126 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I was. I was in the throes of 127 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: so many other things creatively. I wanted to be a seamstress. 128 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a dance choreographer. I wanted to 129 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: be a potter. I think that's what they're called people 130 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: who throw pots, a sculptor. I discovered a lot of 131 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,239 Speaker 1: things in that two year range, but I fell deeply, 132 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: madly in love with acting. 133 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: Wow. Yeah, And so from then on you were doing 134 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: it either in school or whatever. 135 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was doing when I moved back to Kansas 136 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: City to live with my mom again, I was doing 137 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: like an after school program of acting. And then once 138 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: I got into high school, I started to compete. They 139 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: have this thing called competitive drama or speech and debate 140 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: depends on where you're from. What it's called forensics, Yes Fordic, 141 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: Oh my god, the away trips for forensics. I did 142 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 1: a lot of forensics in high school, and I, if 143 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: I may, I will toot my horn that I was 144 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 1: the third person in my high school's history to break 145 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: the amount of points that you can score as a 146 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: whole in the forensics league. It's very difficult to reach 147 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: that point. You have to do very well, and I 148 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: maxed out of the points halfway through my competitive career, 149 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: so then I just kept doing it for fun. 150 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 2: So you're like, so I did this. 151 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: I did because when you came out with the forensics. 152 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 2: No, I know, I think three time state champion. 153 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: I think. 154 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 2: Not to too. But the point is we both it 155 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 2: appears enjoyed acting but also winning, so you know. 156 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: It wasn't really the winning. To be honest with you, 157 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 1: I just know. I'm serious, I'm serious. I really just 158 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: loved being challenged. It actually kind of made me feel 159 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: a way. I remember we walked into a a like 160 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: a cafeteria. It was a Saturday because it was, you know, 161 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: one of those type of competitions, and I saw a 162 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: young girl that I recognized from other competitions, and she 163 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: came up to me and I was like, hey, how 164 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: are you, and she goes, I was doing really well 165 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: until you walked in, because I knew I was going 166 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: to place. But now I'm not, and I was like, oh, 167 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, really nice to see you. I just I 168 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: like competing with myself. And I really loved directing, quite frankly, 169 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: because you remember how you'd have to cut all of 170 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: your work down to fit into the time frame. That 171 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: was my favorite thing to do, was to help all 172 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: of my other friends in class and on the team 173 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: to whittle down their work, to hone in on what 174 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 1: the important parts of the stories were and help them 175 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: express it like it was great, Like winning was great. 176 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: But I just really loved I loved the competition. I 177 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,599 Speaker 1: loved to just like challenge myself to see if I 178 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: could do better. I wasn't really about beating anyone else. 179 00:10:58,040 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 1: I thank you. 180 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 2: I think mine was about beating people. But I know, 181 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 2: but I believe you. So you were doing for forensics, 182 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 2: you were doing school plays. Did you do any screen 183 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 2: work or commercials or an agent? Did you? Were you 184 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:17,719 Speaker 2: on that path at all? 185 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: I was trying to get on that path, and I 186 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: was very close to Actually I was semi on the 187 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: radar of Disney back when I was like fourteen, I 188 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: want to say. But then the first writer strike happened. 189 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: Oh really yeah, and then everything went silent. We didn't 190 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 1: hear from anybody for ages, and I was like, well, 191 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 1: got to start over. And that was it. Like it 192 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: was just regular school productions. And I didn't do any 193 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 1: television or screen until I was nineteen. I did my 194 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: first short ever, okay, and it was with this young 195 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: woman who is now, if I'm not mistaken, an Emmy 196 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 1: winning director. Her name is Morgan Damren. We met at 197 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:08,560 Speaker 1: the Missouri Finears Academy and she was doing her first 198 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: short film. It's called Finding Harmony. I think she and 199 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 1: I might be the only ones with that DVD. That 200 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: was my first film related work. But I actually graduated 201 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: high school early so that I could start working in 202 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 1: children's theater. I did children's theater when I was eighteen. 203 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 2: That was in Kansas City. And then what prompted you 204 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 2: the move? The big move to New York and to 205 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 2: attend the New York Conservancy for Dramatic Arts, which is 206 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 2: a fancy, fancy title. 207 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: Yes, it used to just be called. When I first 208 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: discovered it, it was called the School for Film and Television. Okay, yes, 209 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: I know, I know that's why they changed it. I 210 00:12:54,920 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: found that school when I was also at the like 211 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 1: yearly statewide competition where all of the musicals that were 212 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: nominated were competing to win the best Musical, Best Stage Play. 213 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: And then there was this secondary competition to win scholarship money, 214 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: and if you were inducted into the ability to compete, 215 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,359 Speaker 1: you had to do a monologue. And I was competing. 216 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 1: And at that time, they also had schools from around 217 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: the country giving seminars to introduce themselves to graduating students. 218 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: And that's where I found my conservatory, and I also 219 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: I fell in love with that conservatory. I decided that 220 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: that's where I wanted to go. It was in New York, 221 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: and I also won that two thousand dollars scholarship. 222 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 2: It's winning again. There you go. 223 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: Maybe I do like it. Listen, if money is attached 224 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: to it, I'm gonna get it, all right. I got 225 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: places to go, I got things to study. It costs 226 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: money I need, that's right. But yeah, I discovered my 227 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: college there and I actually couldn't afford to go when 228 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: I graduated, I didn't have the money to go to 229 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 1: New York, so I moved back to California for the summer. 230 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: My aunt helped me get a job with her friend 231 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: who was an attorney. So I was her office assistant and. 232 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 2: I did that work too. God, we did many connected. Yes. 233 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 2: My job was to count pages that they were they 234 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 2: were going to submit, like for evidence, which was important work, yes, 235 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 2: but I had to go through and make sure all 236 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 2: the pages were actually there. Oh yeah, that sounds like 237 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 2: office work. 238 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: It's it is office work, and that's that's accurate. It's 239 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: one of the many things that paralegals do. And I 240 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: only know that because later on in life, due to 241 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 1: that one three month office job, I ended up becoming 242 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: a legal assistant almost four years while I was pursuing 243 00:14:56,440 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: my career here in New York. Okay, but anyway, I 244 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: worked as an office assistant. I was also teaching theater 245 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: at my aunt's summer program. And this was I don't 246 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: know if she had actually opened up the school. She 247 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: may have opened it at that point. My aunt, Angela Wellman, 248 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: excuse me, doctor Angela Wellman. She has the first and 249 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: only non public or non privatized public conservatory of music 250 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: in the United States. It's in Oakland. It's called the 251 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: Oakland Public Conservatory of Music. And I taught theater there 252 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: in the summer. So I did that and I also 253 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: put on a one woman show. I cooked all the 254 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: food and put together a lineup of performances and raised 255 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: money to afford to go to college. And I got 256 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: there and was about ten thousand Somewhere between seven and 257 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollars short, I can't remember now, but we 258 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: were able to thankfully get money from family friends. They 259 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: lent me money so that I could stay in school. 260 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: I went to my little two year conservatory. It was wonderful. 261 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 2: How much singing were you doing at this time, either 262 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 2: with your aunt or growing up in high school. 263 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: I only sang in the musicals. I didn't really sing 264 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: anywhere else. I come from a very musical family. My 265 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: mom's a singer, my aunt sings, my grandmother was a 266 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: beautiful singer. So naturally I have it, but it wasn't 267 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: my main focus. It's actually the thing that I'm most 268 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: afraid of. But I sang in musicals, and I didn't 269 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: really sing in college, now that I think about it, 270 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: I don't unless it was karaoke. That was it. Like, 271 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 1: I wasn't really doing anything else. 272 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 2: Right, Did you have a focus either being on stage 273 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 2: or were you looking right away to try to get 274 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 2: into on screen film and television work. 275 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: It was always film and television. It was okay, yeah, 276 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: it we When I went to this particular school, they 277 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: didn't have any coursework for the stage. They were implementing 278 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: that the year that I was graduating, but I opted 279 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: not to participate. I just wanted to get right in 280 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: to the nitty gritty. I love film, I love movies, 281 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: and I also loved television because I thought, comparatively, it 282 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: was the closest thing to theater. You know. I didn't 283 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,959 Speaker 1: understand that you had to get renewed and that, you know, 284 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: sets and crews could change, and that you never have 285 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 1: the same director. Like I was clueless. I just thought, well, 286 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: everybody loves Raymond was on for nine years, Like it's 287 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: the same thing as being on a show for six months, 288 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: you know. So foolish. But film and TV was always 289 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: my goal, and training for it in New York was 290 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 1: also always my goal. 291 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 2: Now, you mentioned the early short film work. I have 292 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 2: pulled up here that some of your other on screen 293 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:08,640 Speaker 2: early work included a coke commercial, yeah, Diggy Simmons yeah, 294 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 2: and Lady Gaga's MTV VMA promo video. 295 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 296 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 2: So how how were these early experiences for you? Where 297 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,200 Speaker 2: you know, you were you were actually getting paid. 298 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: I'll say that the second screen work that I did 299 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: was well film wise, was Welcome to New York that 300 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 1: I did with a very dear friend of mine, Steven 301 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: Tyler O'Connor. He is a creator, a director, a writer, 302 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,199 Speaker 1: and he was doing this movie and I auditioned for 303 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: it and I got in, and I believe that we 304 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: were paid. It's been so long ago, but like we 305 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: probably made you know, some small amount of money what 306 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: he could afford because it was, you know, it was 307 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: a small budget. But I got the chance to like 308 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 1: hold the cam. You know, I was running around New 309 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: York City and hitting marks and it was right. That 310 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: beginning of that experience was far more valuable than what 311 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 1: I got paid, because I don't even remember. I remember 312 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: what I learned from it more than anything. But once 313 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: I then graduated into having representation, I had a manager, 314 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: I was freelancing with agents, and that commercial money I 315 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:32,959 Speaker 1: miss it, I do that was good, good, easy money. 316 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 1: And the commercials were fun. Like the auditions did never 317 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: match what you were doing, Like for that Lady Gaga 318 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: MTV promo commercial, I was wearing pretty much what I'm 319 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,679 Speaker 1: wearing in the commercial walking down you know the street 320 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: in Manhattan with a pink two two and ripped fish 321 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: nets and a faux hawk and crazy makeup. It's like 322 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: one o'clock on a Tuesday. Nobody gives a fuck. I'm 323 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: just on my way to this audition. And I get 324 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: in there and they were like, so what would you 325 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: be if you weren't an actor? Like what did that 326 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: have to do with anything? Just asking you questions and 327 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: they narrow the line down and then all of a 328 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: sudden you book the commercial. So you know, it was 329 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: fun and quite frankly like I'm not lying when I 330 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: say I missdoing commercials. It was just it was so 331 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 1: easy and so fun. 332 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 2: I was told before you were cast in Riverdale that 333 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 2: you almost quit acting. 334 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, why because I was broke. I was so broke. 335 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 1: I was so many months behind on rent. I was 336 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 1: like four months behind on rent. I was selling my 337 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: belongings just to be able to pay my utilities so 338 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: that my roommates wouldn't get pissed off. You know. I 339 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 1: was really truly like scraping the bucket. And I had 340 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: just met with my now agent at Innovative, and I 341 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:24,479 Speaker 1: was like, how am I going to tell them that 342 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 1: I can't audition. I've been waiting and working so hard 343 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: to get to this point to get representation, and now 344 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: I have to tell them I can't do it. So 345 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: my manager and I were conspiring up a story as 346 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 1: to why I would have to take a break. I 347 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: was going to take a break for a year. I 348 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: actually had finished my second round of interviews to be 349 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: an executive assistant at some office in Columbus Circle, and 350 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 1: I walked to Whole Foods to buy some groceries for 351 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: the first time because I had gotten a proved for 352 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: food stamps that day. And while I was shopping, my 353 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: manager called me and told me that I had an 354 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 1: audition for Riverdale. And I was like, all right, fine, 355 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: I'll just do this one thing. But then like that's it, 356 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to get this job at this office. Like 357 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: I have to pay my rent, I can't leave the city. 358 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:21,439 Speaker 1: I just have to take a break. And within it 359 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: was like what four days after that, I got the job. 360 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 2: Wow. 361 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was a very intense turn of events. I'd 362 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: never tested for anything before, I'd never been to LA 363 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: for work in any sort of capacity. It was insane, 364 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: Like I washed my clothes in my bathroom sink and 365 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: ran up the street to my local laundromat, and the 366 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: guy recognized me, and I begged him to please drive 367 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 1: my clothes for free, because I had just spent the 368 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: last money I had on my credit card to go 369 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 1: downtown to get prints of my resume to staple to 370 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: all of my head shots, and I needed to wear 371 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: this outfit. They asked me to wear the same outfit 372 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,239 Speaker 1: I did in the first audition. It was desperate. I 373 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:09,199 Speaker 1: was up all night stapling my stuff together waiting to 374 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 1: find out the flight information. Went to JFK, got to LA, 375 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 1: took a cab to the wrong lot, and walked twenty 376 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 1: minutes to get to the right one, and everybody thought 377 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: I was insane because I guess people don't walk in LA. Yeah, 378 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: And I was blinking one eye at a time because 379 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,400 Speaker 1: I hadn't slept. I was way too broke to care 380 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: whether or not I booked the job. I was just like, 381 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: I could leave here this as broke as I am 382 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 1: when I got here. But at least Warner Brothers now 383 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 1: knows that I exist. I didn't even know that there 384 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: was a WB office in New York, and now they 385 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,760 Speaker 1: know who I am so either way, it's gonna work 386 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 1: out well for me, and I ended up being lucky 387 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: enough to book it. 388 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,640 Speaker 2: Wow, how much singing did you do on that audition? 389 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: I sang one song twice, and the first time I 390 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: sang it was in front of the studio I believe. 391 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: I think it was a studio, and then the network 392 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: that following day, but I forgot the song halfway through. 393 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:14,919 Speaker 1: I was so tired. I literally was singing and I 394 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 1: stopped mid sentence and was just standing like an oppose 395 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: waiting to find and then it came back and I 396 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: kept singing again. Ended that that was it. 397 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: Cast is Josie from Josie and the pussy Cats, which 398 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 2: I didn't even realize. But I'm an idiot that it's 399 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 2: a comic book. Were you a comic book fan? Were 400 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 2: you aware of Josie and the Pussy JH. 401 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: I was aware of Josie the Pussycats. I was aware 402 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: of Archie comics. I was obsessed with that. 403 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 2: I knew Archie comics, but I didn't know Josie and 404 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 2: the Pussycats were I knew them both? Okay? Were you 405 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 2: a fan? 406 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: Yes? And I watched the cartoon. I loved it when 407 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,399 Speaker 1: they also would make a debut on this we do 408 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 1: cartoon like. 409 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 2: I'm okay it. 410 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:10,160 Speaker 1: Into animation and comics. That was my thing. I loved it. 411 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 2: How'd you find out that you got cassed? 412 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: I was in my hotel room. 413 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 2: After you were You were still in La. 414 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I was still in La. We had just 415 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 1: finished the studio audition and the head of Archie Comics 416 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 1: came up to me and congratulated me on how well 417 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: I did and I was like, oh, thank you. And 418 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: then they left and I got back to the hotel 419 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: and I found a tray of chocolate dip, strawberries and champagne. 420 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 1: I thought it was a gift from my manager and 421 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: my agent congratulating me on my first test. I was like, 422 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: this is so nice. So I called my manager. I 423 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:50,639 Speaker 1: was like, hey, Kim, thank you so much. She was like, 424 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: what are you talking about. It was like for the 425 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 1: champagne and strawberries like I need. It was so stressful 426 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: the day. She was like, call the front desk right now, 427 00:25:57,960 --> 00:25:59,719 Speaker 1: call the manager. I did not send those to you 428 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: so much. One knows where you are. It was like 429 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: deaf Con nine. I don't understand why it went from 430 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: zero to one hundred. She was convinced that somebody was 431 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: like trying to poison me. My manager's very protective, bless her, 432 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 1: I love her so much. And so she starts going 433 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: on a rampage down the directory trying to figure out 434 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: who put this food and this alcohol in my room. 435 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: Shes like, don't drink it, don't touch it. I need 436 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: to find out where it came from. And she discovered 437 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: that it was sent over as a congratulations from the studio, 438 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:36,439 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh, that's nice. And then like 439 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: twenty minutes later, my agent called me and said that 440 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: they were offering me the role. So I still went 441 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: home poor as hell, but I had a job. She 442 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: had a job. 443 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 2: So you flew back to New York, obviously, But did 444 00:26:52,640 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 2: you feel Was it relief? Was it excitement? Was it gratitude? 445 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 2: Was it yeah, the plan has worked? What was your 446 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 2: overwhelming feeling? 447 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: Honestly, I it was all of those things. I was 448 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: so grateful, and there was a major sense of relief, 449 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,199 Speaker 1: and a part of me, not even a part of me, 450 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: so much of me. I've always known that this is 451 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: what I'm meant to do. And I am a firm 452 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 1: believer in what's mine is mine, and when it's my time, 453 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 1: it's my time. And that helps keep those very human 454 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: emotions of jealousy or fear, any of those things that 455 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: naturally occur at Bay. You know, I'm able to quell 456 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: those things because I just try to bring it back 457 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,880 Speaker 1: to myself and remind myself that my path is my own. 458 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: Nothing about what we do is ordinary or planned, So 459 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:57,120 Speaker 1: I just have to sit deeply within myself and show 460 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,199 Speaker 1: up as best I can and keep pushing. And I 461 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: got this. It was met with so much excitement because 462 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:07,160 Speaker 1: also it was such a quick turn of events of 463 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 1: me not having a job to having it to the 464 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,159 Speaker 1: day that I flew back, it was already announced on 465 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 1: deadline that I had been cast in the role, so 466 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: so much of my world changed very quickly. 467 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:25,199 Speaker 2: It's an iconic character. Did you feel pressure about that? 468 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 2: Obviously it's being reimagined in a new way, yeah, But 469 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 2: did you feel pressure of the history? I guess I didn't. 470 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 1: Good I didn't because I knew the love I had 471 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: for the comics as a whole. I also was very 472 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: brave and honest with the CEO of Archie Comics that 473 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: I told him to his face that I stopped reading 474 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: the comics after they turned into a graphic novel. I 475 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: preferred the original Digest version. And this is before I 476 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: booked a job. I was like, listen, I'm just being honest, Like, 477 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 1: I go hard for Archie comics, but I love I'm 478 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: partial to the Digest, right, And I knew that the 479 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 1: characters that I grew up watching were not me. They 480 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: didn't look like me, you know. I was not the 481 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: same age they were when I was playing it. And 482 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to bring as much love and care and 483 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: respect as well as my own idea to the work. 484 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: And I knew that it would be met with nothing 485 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: but respect. So I wasn't worried about the pressure of 486 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 1: the history behind it. I was more concerned about the 487 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: public reception around the fact that I was playing a 488 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: character that on paper didn't look like me. 489 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 2: Hmm interesting. 490 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was more worried about that. 491 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. And did you feel that ever? 492 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, yes, I did. Yes, I felt it 493 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: right after the I felt it throughout the portrayal actually 494 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: working and doing the show. There were too many people 495 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: comfortable with trying to pigeonhole my character simply because of 496 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: the restraints that are placed on black women just in general, 497 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: you know, having any ounce of emotion. Oh, she's angry, 498 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: she's aggressive, she's this, you know, being standing up for herself. Well, 499 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: she's bossy and she's sassy, and it's like no, and 500 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: having to feel that. Even the pushback with my character 501 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 1: hooking up with Archie's character, that received a lot of 502 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: unsavory feedback, So it was that was one of the 503 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: more difficult things to deal with. I wasn't really too 504 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: concerned about my performance to the character. 505 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, I read that there was a period where you 506 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:04,240 Speaker 2: were tact for things that Josie did in the show, 507 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 2: which is a crazy, crazy idea. How ultimately did you 508 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 2: deal with that? 509 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: It's really hard. You know, the type of attacks that 510 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: I was experiencing are not new, but having such constant 511 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: access to me was a different It's a different experience 512 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 1: in our industry, having social media on the Internet, and 513 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: it's a part of my job and my contract to 514 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: be socially active and push the show. And I'm also 515 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 1: being met with so much vitriol and hate. Not to 516 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: say that that's all it was, because it definitely wasn't. 517 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:52,000 Speaker 1: There are a lot of really wonderful supportive people who 518 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 1: love the work that I do. But trying to mitigate 519 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 1: all of the nastiness is something that I am not 520 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: totally sure how I did. Like sometimes I just had 521 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: to disengage. And a part of that is also a 522 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: reason why I have such a difficult relationship with social media. 523 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: It's hard to be a public figure and manage other 524 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 1: people's ability or inability to disassociate you from what you do. 525 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 2: Do you feel like or have you thought about I mean, 526 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 2: this is six or seven years before Hallie Bailey was 527 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:39,719 Speaker 2: cast as Aerial in The Little Mermaid. It seems like 528 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 2: a lot of things that you're talking about right now 529 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 2: may be similar things that well, I'm sure she's experienced 530 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:49,720 Speaker 2: because I've read about it even now. 531 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 1: Oh, I mean, we can track it back to even 532 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: Candice Patten when she was cast on The Flash. The 533 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 1: amount of of hate and she was constantly being attacked constantly. 534 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: You know, it's somehow, some way, these things just don't 535 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:14,959 Speaker 1: seem to disappear because they're not dealt with, you know. 536 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 1: I Unfortunately we are not anomalies. It's actually quite common. 537 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 2: You do Riverdale for three years, then they decide to 538 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: give you a bump give you a up grade, give 539 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 2: you a start another show where you're higher up in 540 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 2: the on the on the call sheet. I guess I 541 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 2: don't know Katie Keene. So you're playing the same role. Yes, 542 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 2: And by the way, you're still playing a sixteen year old, right? 543 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 2: Can you still play a sixteen year old? 544 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: I mean, listen, yes, I can. Do I want to know? Well, 545 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, no, I don't think I would. The 546 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: only way that I could is if everybody else around 547 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: me was so older, or I just didn't have to 548 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: make out with anyone that was also sixteen. But at 549 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 1: that point in Katie Keene, my character was aged up. 550 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:14,440 Speaker 1: There wasn't an exact age given, but it's like somewhere 551 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 1: in their early twenties, but she was no longer a teenager. 552 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 2: Okay, all right? Was it fun for you to keep 553 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:26,840 Speaker 2: playing that character in a different world. 554 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 1: I was excited to be home because we actually shot 555 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 1: it in New York yea, So it was really really 556 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:39,760 Speaker 1: great to just be at home. And I'd say roughly 557 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 1: ninety percent of our location were spots that had such 558 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: deep meaning for me. Because there's a scene between Lucy 559 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:54,040 Speaker 1: and I who were sitting out on a park bench, 560 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: and there's like a big lighthouse or something, and that 561 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: was up in the heights, and that was like a 562 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 1: ten minute walk from the one and only studio I'd 563 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 1: ever lived in in New York, the one and only 564 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 1: time I'd ever lived by myself. You know, there were 565 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:11,719 Speaker 1: just so many memories that I got to look back 566 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: at and say, I remember when I was that age, 567 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 1: and I always said I'm going to be shooting a 568 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:18,880 Speaker 1: TV show one day, I'm going to be in film, 569 00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to do this, And then here I was 570 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:23,719 Speaker 1: actually doing it in all of these spots. So it 571 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: was quite special for me. 572 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 2: Do you miss the ears? You're going to wear the 573 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 2: ears again? Are you? Are you gonna? Are you gonna 574 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:34,600 Speaker 2: play it again? Play it? 575 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: Play it. I think if the right thing came along 576 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: for me to do it again, I wouldn't say no, 577 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:51,880 Speaker 1: you know I do. I wouldn't want to be doing 578 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: the same thing. That's the thing, you know, the character 579 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:58,080 Speaker 1: Josie is Josie. But and I wouldn't want to keep, 580 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:00,560 Speaker 1: you know, spinning the same wheel at all. I don't 581 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: have any interest in that. But there's always new people 582 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: and new ideas being born. And I think if the 583 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 1: right fresh idea came along and I felt like I 584 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,359 Speaker 1: could lend myself to it, and they felt like I 585 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,239 Speaker 1: was right for it. Then. Yeah, but right now I 586 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:18,240 Speaker 1: don't really have an interest breaking news. 587 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 2: I heard a yes out of that. All right, No, 588 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:28,279 Speaker 2: we's just we'll move along. Last year, two years ago, 589 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 2: whenever it was you started in another CW show, Tom Swift. Oh, yes, 590 00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 2: spin off of the Nancy Drew series. Was that a 591 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,879 Speaker 2: positive experience for you playing a mystery? 592 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,359 Speaker 1: Actually it was because that was also the first time 593 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:50,759 Speaker 1: that I got to be funny. I used to be 594 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 1: real funny, and I just felt like that was gone. 595 00:36:56,440 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 1: You know, Riverdale was a very dangerous town. Nothing funny 596 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:05,840 Speaker 1: was ever really happening. And when I got to Tom Swift, 597 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 1: I got to be funny, smart, mature, rich because this 598 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,440 Speaker 1: character was ridiculously rich. 599 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. 600 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: I also got to shoot in Atlanta, and I'd never 601 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:23,360 Speaker 1: worked there before, and it was the first time that 602 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 1: I was on a set where there were copious amounts 603 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 1: of black people. I'm used to being one of like 604 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: four and that's across the board, and to be in 605 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 1: a place where the city is so black, and then 606 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,719 Speaker 1: to be at work and not feel like I'm on 607 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:46,319 Speaker 1: a different planet. You know, there are people there that 608 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:51,360 Speaker 1: look like me, that are working alongside me. And it 609 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:55,440 Speaker 1: was the first time that I actually felt myself relaxed, 610 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: and I didn't realize that I had been held for 611 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:01,720 Speaker 1: so long. I was just kind of just a little 612 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 1: held in and I felt like, oh, I can, I 613 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 1: can kind of chill, which is such a weird thing 614 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:11,839 Speaker 1: to have to expe what do you mean. 615 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,680 Speaker 2: Wait, what do you mean that you could kind of chill? 616 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:20,880 Speaker 1: It's because once I left Kansas City, which has a 617 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:24,080 Speaker 1: very strong black population, and I moved to New York. 618 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:25,560 Speaker 1: There are so many different people here. But I was 619 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:28,560 Speaker 1: also going to a you could call it. It's a 620 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: privatized conservatory. It's an institution. You have to pay a 621 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: lot of money. And so there weren't that many of 622 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: us there. And for some people, they were intimidated by me. 623 00:38:38,760 --> 00:38:42,719 Speaker 1: They were intimidated by my confidence, they were intimidated by 624 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 1: my talent. They were just intimidated by me being comfortable 625 00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 1: as myself. And there was like verbal and nonverbal pushback 626 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 1: to that. And because I don't want to be isolated, 627 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:58,880 Speaker 1: I then made myself smaller so that these people wouldn't 628 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:03,399 Speaker 1: feel as uncomfortable around me that, oh, well, now if 629 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 1: I kind of dumb parts of myself down a bit, 630 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:11,040 Speaker 1: then everybody can be on the kind of the same 631 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: level and we don't feel threatened and we can just be. 632 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,440 Speaker 1: And so I just sort of lived in that compact state, 633 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: and not everyone that I was around was like that, 634 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:24,200 Speaker 1: but I found it to be necessary, whether it was 635 00:39:24,239 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 1: blatantly said or inferred. So I just began to That 636 00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:31,600 Speaker 1: was the way that I had to assimilate in order 637 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:36,399 Speaker 1: to maintain surviving in these spaces and then getting into 638 00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:40,480 Speaker 1: a space where I could just be myself, because I've 639 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 1: been around people who are like, oh, you're black, black, 640 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:45,600 Speaker 1: Like what do you think? Of course, I'm black. I 641 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 1: don't understand. Like, if I'm just myself, like you do, 642 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 1: what does that mean? 643 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:53,799 Speaker 2: Tell me what does that mean? I don't know. 644 00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:59,920 Speaker 1: It's like people who are because when I like, probably 645 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 1: soften some of my countryness, or soften some of my twang, 646 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:08,920 Speaker 1: or soften some of my expressiveness. And then if something 647 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:12,200 Speaker 1: is said or something happens and my twain comes out 648 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:15,160 Speaker 1: or I have a real expressive reaction to it, They're like, oh, 649 00:40:15,320 --> 00:40:17,680 Speaker 1: I didn't know that was in you, and I'm like what. 650 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:21,840 Speaker 1: And part of that is because I've been in situations 651 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 1: where I am myself and I'm ostracized for it. I 652 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:28,840 Speaker 1: culturally show up as me, and it's a problem for 653 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:31,399 Speaker 1: some people. And when you're not exposed to so many 654 00:40:31,400 --> 00:40:36,760 Speaker 1: people like that, people repel it. And so in order 655 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:39,719 Speaker 1: for me to survive in the spaces where I have 656 00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:45,000 Speaker 1: to be in order to work, I truncate. And now 657 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:48,759 Speaker 1: being in a place where there are people who are 658 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:54,799 Speaker 1: like me, and I know or feel like, I'm not 659 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,279 Speaker 1: going to be judged for just being myself. They're going 660 00:40:57,320 --> 00:40:59,920 Speaker 1: to understand my twang, they're going to understand my expression, 661 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,400 Speaker 1: and I can relax and I can just be myself, 662 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:06,239 Speaker 1: you know, I can be my full self. And I 663 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,719 Speaker 1: feel like I didn't realize that I was only being 664 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:14,040 Speaker 1: probably like ninety to ninety five percent of myself. It 665 00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:18,240 Speaker 1: was just like just this little like just a little 666 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:20,759 Speaker 1: like tuck it in just a little bit and then 667 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,520 Speaker 1: you'll be fine. And now I realize, oh my god, 668 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:26,400 Speaker 1: I can just I can let all that go. It 669 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 1: was a very strange experience, but that's what that's what 670 00:41:29,239 --> 00:41:29,640 Speaker 1: it was like. 671 00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:36,320 Speaker 2: That's fascinating. It is and I think that the part 672 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:40,360 Speaker 2: that had not really occurred to me was the idea 673 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 2: of the shooting city too. The location. Yeah, that's an 674 00:41:45,160 --> 00:41:47,120 Speaker 2: element that I'm not really considered. 675 00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:51,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I wouldn't expect you to. And I say that 676 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: because we have two very different existences, right, you know, 677 00:41:56,680 --> 00:41:59,520 Speaker 1: and I didn't even expect it to happen. You know, 678 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:02,040 Speaker 1: It's not like I've never been around black people. You know, 679 00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:04,480 Speaker 1: my whole life I have, I have never been around 680 00:42:04,520 --> 00:42:06,800 Speaker 1: that many black people. Atlanta got all the black people. 681 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 1: It's so great. 682 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:11,120 Speaker 2: Well it's funny because you know, I'm from Atlanta, I know, 683 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:15,759 Speaker 2: so that's where I that's where I grew up culturally. 684 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:18,960 Speaker 1: Like that wasn't different for you. 685 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,080 Speaker 2: And that's partly what I say. I mean, obviously we 686 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:25,360 Speaker 2: have a different experience because you're a black woman and 687 00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 2: I'm a white male, but also like, yeah, that was 688 00:42:31,000 --> 00:42:32,279 Speaker 2: you know, and we'll talk about it in a minute 689 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:34,839 Speaker 2: when we were working down there. In some ways it 690 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 2: was for me, it was it was like, oh no, 691 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:40,640 Speaker 2: this is this is like this is what I'm. 692 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:46,160 Speaker 1: Used to exactly exactly. And that is what was so 693 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:49,279 Speaker 1: strange for me is that it was something that I 694 00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 1: would have expected to have even in a place like 695 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:55,600 Speaker 1: New York, New York, right, which is you know, just 696 00:42:56,280 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 1: ferociously diverse, and yet it still wasn't really that way 697 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,880 Speaker 1: on set, the way that it was in Atlanta. And 698 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:06,799 Speaker 1: that's how that's what I mean about the ways in 699 00:43:06,840 --> 00:43:10,279 Speaker 1: which I had to kind of shrink myself because I 700 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:14,239 Speaker 1: was in environments that were not diverse enough. You know, 701 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:17,320 Speaker 1: you grew up in Atlanta, so that wasn't that that 702 00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:19,360 Speaker 1: was normal for you to be around a bunch of 703 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,239 Speaker 1: black folks, Like that's just normal. And when I'm the 704 00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:25,880 Speaker 1: one black person that you know, eighteen people are ever around, 705 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:29,520 Speaker 1: it's like, oh right, you know, it just it changes 706 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:30,239 Speaker 1: the dynamic. 707 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:35,279 Speaker 2: Well, I am so glad that you had such a 708 00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:40,120 Speaker 2: positive experience on Tom Swift. I'm sorry for you that 709 00:43:40,239 --> 00:43:44,120 Speaker 2: it didn't get renewed, But uh, I left the door. 710 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 1: Open because of that very reason. 711 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 2: I left the door open for something that was to come. 712 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:14,600 Speaker 2: The other Black Girl. You were cast as Hazel the Titular, 713 00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:16,880 Speaker 2: which to me is just a funny word. 714 00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:19,480 Speaker 1: Such a funny word, other black. 715 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:23,840 Speaker 2: Girl to Sinclair Daniels Nella in the show. Talk to 716 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:28,840 Speaker 2: me about meeting the folks there and how that project 717 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:36,160 Speaker 2: came about for you, Oh you audition seventy nine times. 718 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 1: I auditioned a lot in the sense of my first 719 00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:46,560 Speaker 1: round of auditions. I went to a producer's session, but 720 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:50,239 Speaker 1: I didn't pass to the cam read, and so I 721 00:44:50,280 --> 00:44:53,200 Speaker 1: was knocked out. I was very very sad about it, 722 00:44:53,719 --> 00:44:56,279 Speaker 1: and I had actually when I got the audition, I 723 00:44:56,360 --> 00:45:02,680 Speaker 1: had just bombed and auditioned the day prior, yes on 724 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,279 Speaker 1: a movie that I really wanted to be a part of, 725 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:10,480 Speaker 1: but I did so horrible. And the next day I 726 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:12,200 Speaker 1: found out that I had an audition for The Other 727 00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:16,239 Speaker 1: Black Girl. I saw the book actually in a bookstore 728 00:45:16,360 --> 00:45:18,800 Speaker 1: in my neighborhood. It was a bookstore that I'd walked 729 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:21,040 Speaker 1: by for two years and never went in, And the 730 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:22,640 Speaker 1: one day that I went in, I saw the book 731 00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:24,920 Speaker 1: on the table and I was like, huh, And so 732 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:26,880 Speaker 1: I picked it up and I started reading it, and 733 00:45:26,920 --> 00:45:28,680 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, I love this did 734 00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:31,960 Speaker 1: the auditions, was feeling really good about it, got knocked out, 735 00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:35,280 Speaker 1: was heartbroken for about a month or two, I think, 736 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:38,680 Speaker 1: And then they came back around and asked to see 737 00:45:38,719 --> 00:45:40,960 Speaker 1: if I would be willing to come back in and reread, 738 00:45:41,560 --> 00:45:43,480 Speaker 1: and I did, and I did that, I think for 739 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:48,759 Speaker 1: about a month, and the last round of zoom testing, 740 00:45:50,239 --> 00:45:53,319 Speaker 1: it was like how many hours we were doing it. 741 00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:56,280 Speaker 1: It was probably a total collectively of like eight hours, 742 00:45:56,280 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 1: but like four and a half each each time. It 743 00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:03,080 Speaker 1: was a lot, and I was like, well, I don't 744 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:04,840 Speaker 1: have anything else to give, Like, I don't know what 745 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:10,280 Speaker 1: else I could do. I was terrified the whole time 746 00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:13,279 Speaker 1: because I've never played a character like Hazel before. I'm 747 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:19,360 Speaker 1: typically more cast type as Anella than I am a Hazel. 748 00:46:19,719 --> 00:46:23,239 Speaker 1: And I really wanted to do Hazel because I wanted 749 00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:26,200 Speaker 1: to see if I could push myself to be you know, 750 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:30,800 Speaker 1: mysterious or intimidating. You know, I didn't find myself naturally 751 00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:32,920 Speaker 1: to be, and so I was so worried that I 752 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:35,120 Speaker 1: wouldn't be able to perform. 753 00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:40,800 Speaker 2: And then I got awesome. Now we had the luxury 754 00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:43,680 Speaker 2: the author was on set. How much did you talk 755 00:46:43,719 --> 00:46:44,800 Speaker 2: to her about Hazel? 756 00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:49,919 Speaker 1: You know, I think I spoke more to our directors 757 00:46:50,080 --> 00:46:56,520 Speaker 1: than I did Zakiyah. But I just kept checking in 758 00:46:57,239 --> 00:46:59,799 Speaker 1: to make sure that what I was doing was on 759 00:46:59,840 --> 00:47:06,880 Speaker 1: the right right path. And the things that I wanted 760 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:11,040 Speaker 1: to lean into, mostly that I felt comfortable with was 761 00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:16,879 Speaker 1: her empathy. That's where I am most comfortable because that's 762 00:47:16,880 --> 00:47:20,560 Speaker 1: so much of who I am as a person, and 763 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 1: so when I'm bringing myself to the work, I'm trying 764 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:25,920 Speaker 1: to find the things that I can align with in 765 00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:31,359 Speaker 1: that character. And I really leaned into my empathy for her. 766 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:35,000 Speaker 1: So when it came to the part of being a 767 00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:38,480 Speaker 1: little nefarious, yeah, I would have to try to find 768 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:42,360 Speaker 1: a way to justify that through her empathy. It was 769 00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:43,279 Speaker 1: very uncomfortable. 770 00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,000 Speaker 2: How similar do you feel or was there a pressure 771 00:47:46,120 --> 00:47:49,640 Speaker 2: for you to play the Hazel that was in the 772 00:47:49,680 --> 00:47:51,960 Speaker 2: book or did you view it as a more an 773 00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:55,320 Speaker 2: inspiration and you were recreating this character. 774 00:47:56,280 --> 00:48:01,600 Speaker 1: I would say, I don't know if inspiration so much 775 00:48:01,680 --> 00:48:05,560 Speaker 1: as it is just similarly to the way I knew 776 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:10,040 Speaker 1: the Archie comics, you know, and Josie. It was just 777 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 1: additional information. But I chose to take what the writers 778 00:48:15,560 --> 00:48:18,359 Speaker 1: were giving me and make it out of that. So 779 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:22,600 Speaker 1: I would just entrusted my art into what they were 780 00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:23,000 Speaker 1: giving me. 781 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:26,080 Speaker 2: In words, Well, that makes sense, you know. By the way, 782 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:28,120 Speaker 2: there's been a there's been an actor strike. There's been 783 00:48:28,160 --> 00:48:29,960 Speaker 2: a writer strike and an actor strike. I don't know 784 00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:33,720 Speaker 2: if you've heard about that. The last few the last 785 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:41,440 Speaker 2: few months, I felt so badly. I told Sinclair this 786 00:48:42,120 --> 00:48:46,000 Speaker 2: for the two of you, because I felt like your 787 00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:50,360 Speaker 2: work in the show was so tremendous and I felt 788 00:48:50,719 --> 00:48:55,480 Speaker 2: so sad that you weren't able to get the attention 789 00:48:55,920 --> 00:48:59,160 Speaker 2: and to ensure that as many people as possible could 790 00:48:59,200 --> 00:49:01,960 Speaker 2: see the show. I mean, here's a good thing about streaming. 791 00:49:02,120 --> 00:49:03,799 Speaker 2: It's still there, so. 792 00:49:03,920 --> 00:49:06,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and people are still discovering it, which is great. 793 00:49:06,680 --> 00:49:10,400 Speaker 2: People are still discovering it now, which is great. But 794 00:49:10,480 --> 00:49:12,640 Speaker 2: I felt so badly for the two of you. How 795 00:49:12,680 --> 00:49:15,839 Speaker 2: difficult was it to not be able to talk about 796 00:49:15,880 --> 00:49:18,200 Speaker 2: this thing that I know you were so proud of. 797 00:49:19,040 --> 00:49:20,480 Speaker 1: It was really heartbreaking. 798 00:49:20,640 --> 00:49:21,040 Speaker 2: Brian. 799 00:49:21,480 --> 00:49:27,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I have worked hard for a long time and 800 00:49:28,400 --> 00:49:32,560 Speaker 1: to be a part of something that I was so 801 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:37,080 Speaker 1: utterly proud of, not just for the work that we did, 802 00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:39,440 Speaker 1: but for the people that I got to work with, 803 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:44,280 Speaker 1: you know, our culture at work. I loved coming to work, 804 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:49,080 Speaker 1: for the people, for the experience, for the work. It 805 00:49:49,120 --> 00:49:51,600 Speaker 1: was just I loved being at work. I really wanted 806 00:49:51,640 --> 00:49:55,800 Speaker 1: to share this, not just for myself but for everyone else. 807 00:49:56,640 --> 00:49:58,560 Speaker 1: And I wanted to get the chance to go on 808 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:01,920 Speaker 1: like daytime television I've never done any of those things before. 809 00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:04,399 Speaker 1: I've never had that experience, and this would have been 810 00:50:04,440 --> 00:50:07,480 Speaker 1: that chance. And it was very, very it was a 811 00:50:07,520 --> 00:50:11,640 Speaker 1: hard pill to swallow, you know. I am and have 812 00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:16,640 Speaker 1: been in support of both strikes wholeheartedly, and the sacrifice 813 00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:20,680 Speaker 1: that we had to take was not being able to 814 00:50:20,719 --> 00:50:25,240 Speaker 1: give our show more attention. It was really, really, really, 815 00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:26,440 Speaker 1: it was really hard. 816 00:50:27,680 --> 00:50:32,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, I think one of the unintended casualties 817 00:50:33,040 --> 00:50:36,960 Speaker 2: that happened out of it. You felt good about the 818 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:40,320 Speaker 2: culture there on the other Black Girl, Oh my god. 819 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:45,160 Speaker 1: I loved it. I just loved it. It was honestly, 820 00:50:46,120 --> 00:50:48,960 Speaker 1: it was so chill, you know, but like and chill 821 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:51,719 Speaker 1: with respect to the fact that, you know, what we 822 00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:54,320 Speaker 1: do day in and day out can be very chaotic. 823 00:50:55,200 --> 00:50:57,239 Speaker 1: You know. The days were so long, we were block 824 00:50:57,280 --> 00:51:01,320 Speaker 1: shooting the entire season. That puts a lot of strain 825 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:06,200 Speaker 1: on everyone. And to still come in and kind of 826 00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:08,719 Speaker 1: feel like I'm hanging out with my friends and we're 827 00:51:08,719 --> 00:51:11,160 Speaker 1: also going to make this thing. The last time I 828 00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:13,640 Speaker 1: felt that was like in high school, you know, like 829 00:51:13,680 --> 00:51:16,600 Speaker 1: when you're just school's over and it's after school and 830 00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:20,160 Speaker 1: now we get to it's play rehearsal, you know, like right, 831 00:51:20,360 --> 00:51:22,239 Speaker 1: that's what it felt like. And it was also just 832 00:51:22,280 --> 00:51:30,520 Speaker 1: so great to be introduced to vets and to share 833 00:51:30,560 --> 00:51:34,719 Speaker 1: a space with them. And that's right. 834 00:51:35,120 --> 00:51:37,400 Speaker 2: I haven't been I haven't been referred to as a 835 00:51:37,560 --> 00:51:38,360 Speaker 2: VET before. 836 00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:40,880 Speaker 1: I hope you take it as a compliment and not 837 00:51:40,920 --> 00:51:46,840 Speaker 1: an insult. Well, I don't believe that, Yeah, Bryan, I 838 00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:48,000 Speaker 1: need convince. 839 00:51:47,800 --> 00:51:51,840 Speaker 2: Me no, But I mean when I showed up on set, 840 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:55,880 Speaker 2: it must have it must have been just it was 841 00:51:56,000 --> 00:52:03,799 Speaker 2: unnervesting for you. Oh stop it, stop it. Hey, Look, 842 00:52:03,880 --> 00:52:08,920 Speaker 2: I mean I attempt to make everyone as comfortable as possible, 843 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:09,600 Speaker 2: which is so. 844 00:52:09,719 --> 00:52:13,319 Speaker 1: Funny considering the character that you had to play was unbearable, 845 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:16,320 Speaker 1: which is why it was. It was just so great. 846 00:52:16,480 --> 00:52:22,040 Speaker 2: I know my time there, I wasn't there for that long, 847 00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:27,839 Speaker 2: but I felt a real sense of community and sort 848 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:33,279 Speaker 2: of what you're describing that like, let's get together and 849 00:52:33,400 --> 00:52:36,920 Speaker 2: quite frankly in a way, very much like the office 850 00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:44,560 Speaker 2: in terms of feeling a real sense of no ego 851 00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:50,200 Speaker 2: or self aggrandizing and just like, how can we make 852 00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:54,040 Speaker 2: this the best that it can be? How can we 853 00:52:54,239 --> 00:52:56,600 Speaker 2: tell this story in the best way. 854 00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:01,200 Speaker 1: I really felt that, Yeah, that's it, exactly right. We 855 00:53:01,200 --> 00:53:04,200 Speaker 1: were all advocating for the same thing. We all just 856 00:53:04,280 --> 00:53:06,919 Speaker 1: wanted to make a really good show, and we all 857 00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:09,759 Speaker 1: wanted to do the best we could to provide that 858 00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:14,439 Speaker 1: and to also, you know, keep the day moving, keep 859 00:53:14,560 --> 00:53:17,880 Speaker 1: keep the ball rolling, and keep everybody happy and healthy 860 00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:22,720 Speaker 1: and you know, said and hydrated so that we could 861 00:53:22,960 --> 00:53:25,520 Speaker 1: make this thing and go home because we were under 862 00:53:25,560 --> 00:53:29,880 Speaker 1: so much pressure to shoot so much in such a 863 00:53:29,920 --> 00:53:30,840 Speaker 1: little amount of time. 864 00:53:31,360 --> 00:53:34,000 Speaker 2: Now I got nothing from Sinclair on this shoot. I 865 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:37,759 Speaker 2: shouldn't have said that. Damn it. I shouldn't have said that. Now, 866 00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:40,399 Speaker 2: I'm not going to get anything out of you. Damn it. 867 00:53:41,120 --> 00:53:43,360 Speaker 1: Oh, I feel like I know what you're about to 868 00:53:43,360 --> 00:53:44,920 Speaker 1: ask me, and I'm going to take the same thing. Well, 869 00:53:44,920 --> 00:53:46,319 Speaker 1: go ahead. Uh. 870 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:51,600 Speaker 2: There was an unexpected hiatus that happened. Oh yeah, Suddenly 871 00:53:51,719 --> 00:53:54,440 Speaker 2: there was a period of time that we were to 872 00:53:54,560 --> 00:53:58,279 Speaker 2: be shooting that we were not shooting, and there was 873 00:53:58,360 --> 00:54:01,879 Speaker 2: some discussion that I just heard that it appeared as 874 00:54:01,920 --> 00:54:06,040 Speaker 2: though there was some reworking to be done to the 875 00:54:06,160 --> 00:54:11,080 Speaker 2: later episodes. This is what I recall being told, and 876 00:54:11,320 --> 00:54:16,800 Speaker 2: after watching the show, loving the show, and also reading 877 00:54:16,880 --> 00:54:21,600 Speaker 2: the book and loving the book, there was a divergence. 878 00:54:21,920 --> 00:54:25,880 Speaker 2: I would say that occurred in the two stories, and 879 00:54:25,960 --> 00:54:29,400 Speaker 2: to me, it appeared as though it was done to 880 00:54:29,560 --> 00:54:35,400 Speaker 2: potentially come back for a second season. Do you believe 881 00:54:35,480 --> 00:54:38,920 Speaker 2: that to be true? Was that something you heard or not? 882 00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:42,960 Speaker 1: I did not know you were going to say that. 883 00:54:43,160 --> 00:54:45,880 Speaker 2: No, I did not hear this, But you know what 884 00:54:45,880 --> 00:54:48,040 Speaker 2: I'm you know what I'm referring to, right. 885 00:54:48,480 --> 00:54:52,239 Speaker 1: I think I know what you're referring to, but like 886 00:54:52,320 --> 00:54:56,480 Speaker 1: the reasoning behind it, No, I have no that I 887 00:54:56,560 --> 00:54:56,960 Speaker 1: don't know. 888 00:54:58,320 --> 00:54:58,720 Speaker 2: Brian. 889 00:54:58,920 --> 00:55:01,560 Speaker 1: You know you've been doing this longer than I have, 890 00:55:01,719 --> 00:55:03,600 Speaker 1: but I've been doing it for a hot minute, and 891 00:55:03,760 --> 00:55:07,759 Speaker 1: I know not to trust anything, like you could be 892 00:55:07,840 --> 00:55:10,720 Speaker 1: doing something that's so great and you it never sees 893 00:55:10,760 --> 00:55:12,839 Speaker 1: the light of day again. And then there people who do. 894 00:55:13,160 --> 00:55:13,719 Speaker 2: I know that? 895 00:55:14,040 --> 00:55:17,000 Speaker 1: No, No, I'm horrible, and then they go, you know 896 00:55:17,080 --> 00:55:17,640 Speaker 1: you just don't. 897 00:55:17,800 --> 00:55:20,920 Speaker 2: I don't know, no, but to me, so, let me 898 00:55:20,960 --> 00:55:25,879 Speaker 2: be clear that the story in the book ends, right, 899 00:55:26,160 --> 00:55:29,560 Speaker 2: there's not a sequel to that story, right, But at 900 00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:34,879 Speaker 2: the end of the series there is open. It is 901 00:55:35,000 --> 00:55:39,799 Speaker 2: more open than it is closed. And that was my 902 00:55:40,120 --> 00:55:43,480 Speaker 2: that was my question. But you're saying you didn't hear 903 00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:44,239 Speaker 2: anything about this. 904 00:55:44,920 --> 00:55:48,600 Speaker 1: No, I didn't. And even to that, to that thought, 905 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:53,520 Speaker 1: everything that I've been a part of has always been 906 00:55:53,680 --> 00:55:56,880 Speaker 1: open ended, whether it was from a book or not. 907 00:55:57,160 --> 00:56:00,959 Speaker 1: And so when I signed on, it was never made 908 00:56:00,960 --> 00:56:03,359 Speaker 1: clear that it was going to be like a what 909 00:56:03,400 --> 00:56:06,480 Speaker 1: are they called. It's not a mini series, it's well, 910 00:56:06,480 --> 00:56:06,839 Speaker 1: there's a. 911 00:56:06,760 --> 00:56:09,320 Speaker 2: Mini series or continual series. 912 00:56:09,760 --> 00:56:16,400 Speaker 1: Contractually, there was no verbiage that insinuated that this wouldn't 913 00:56:16,719 --> 00:56:19,120 Speaker 1: that this would stop after the tenth episode. 914 00:56:19,200 --> 00:56:22,000 Speaker 2: So I know, right, But what I'm saying is is 915 00:56:22,040 --> 00:56:26,239 Speaker 2: that to me, there was a clear decision made to 916 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:28,400 Speaker 2: leave it more open than in the novel. 917 00:56:29,040 --> 00:56:34,759 Speaker 1: Oh okay, I set it to me three times and 918 00:56:34,800 --> 00:56:36,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh no, wait, that's what he's saying. 919 00:56:37,320 --> 00:56:40,920 Speaker 2: I'm not trying to trick you. This is not this 920 00:56:41,080 --> 00:56:44,759 Speaker 2: is not like, yeah, I'm not trying to trick you. 921 00:56:45,160 --> 00:56:47,400 Speaker 1: I know you're not. I'm just trying. I'm trying to 922 00:56:47,440 --> 00:56:51,520 Speaker 1: get on the same train, but I keep missing the car. Well, 923 00:56:51,600 --> 00:56:53,960 Speaker 1: I think I'm in the same car now. And I 924 00:56:54,040 --> 00:56:55,919 Speaker 1: did not hear anything like that. I don't. 925 00:56:56,000 --> 00:56:57,759 Speaker 2: I don't know, So you don't know. You don't know 926 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:00,879 Speaker 2: why there was a pause in production I know. 927 00:57:00,800 --> 00:57:04,120 Speaker 1: Why there was a pause, but I don't know that 928 00:57:04,120 --> 00:57:11,080 Speaker 1: that choice of redirection was solely to leave it open 929 00:57:11,280 --> 00:57:14,239 Speaker 1: for a second season. I don't, I don't. I do 930 00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:17,520 Speaker 1: know why the pause, but not the full life. 931 00:57:17,800 --> 00:57:23,479 Speaker 2: Fine done, don't know you do you want to come back? 932 00:57:24,400 --> 00:57:25,040 Speaker 1: Oh my god? 933 00:57:25,160 --> 00:57:28,680 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean, is there a way that Colin comes back? 934 00:57:28,800 --> 00:57:31,040 Speaker 2: I mean, that's really all I'm concerned about. Is there 935 00:57:31,080 --> 00:57:35,920 Speaker 2: a way that he can redeem himself in some way? 936 00:57:37,200 --> 00:57:41,760 Speaker 1: Redemption? I don't think it's in Colin wheel house. Although 937 00:57:42,560 --> 00:57:48,000 Speaker 1: you know there's nothing wrong. Life is cyclical, history repeats itself. 938 00:57:48,280 --> 00:57:51,120 Speaker 1: There's always going to be Colin. Colin can always keep 939 00:57:51,160 --> 00:57:54,240 Speaker 1: coming back. You know. It's just a question of whether 940 00:57:54,360 --> 00:57:56,520 Speaker 1: or not people have learned from Collin. 941 00:57:57,360 --> 00:57:58,320 Speaker 2: Very very true. 942 00:57:58,680 --> 00:58:01,040 Speaker 1: Well, I don't see why Colin can't show up again. 943 00:58:01,560 --> 00:58:04,600 Speaker 2: I agree. Well, it would be my pleasure to work 944 00:58:04,640 --> 00:58:07,560 Speaker 2: with you again on this or anything else. I think 945 00:58:07,600 --> 00:58:11,960 Speaker 2: you are fantastic in the show. I want to congratulate you, 946 00:58:12,760 --> 00:58:16,680 Speaker 2: and I want America in the world to see it 947 00:58:17,040 --> 00:58:22,480 Speaker 2: and your work. The other Black Girl streaming now on Hulu. 948 00:58:23,280 --> 00:58:27,640 Speaker 1: That's right. Thank you so much, Brian, I really appreciate it. 949 00:58:27,760 --> 00:58:28,840 Speaker 1: I appreciate you. 950 00:58:29,600 --> 00:58:32,120 Speaker 2: Thank you. I appreciate you, and it was such my 951 00:58:33,000 --> 00:58:36,960 Speaker 2: pleasure to work with you, and I hope for nothing 952 00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:42,120 Speaker 2: but the best for you in continuing this show or 953 00:58:42,160 --> 00:58:46,400 Speaker 2: something else very soon. Thank you all right, thanks for 954 00:58:46,480 --> 00:58:46,920 Speaker 2: coming on. 955 00:58:48,040 --> 00:58:48,680 Speaker 1: You're welcome. 956 00:59:02,480 --> 00:59:06,200 Speaker 2: Ashley. You are such a talent and a joy. Thank 957 00:59:06,240 --> 00:59:08,640 Speaker 2: you so much for being here. I just feel lucky 958 00:59:08,920 --> 00:59:12,040 Speaker 2: that I get to work with people like you. Now, 959 00:59:12,120 --> 00:59:14,080 Speaker 2: I promise this is going to be my last plug 960 00:59:14,280 --> 00:59:16,960 Speaker 2: for the show, but I've been holding it in for 961 00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:20,320 Speaker 2: four months now, so I think I've earned this. Watch 962 00:59:20,960 --> 00:59:23,920 Speaker 2: The Other Black Girl on Hulu. You can binge it 963 00:59:24,000 --> 00:59:26,240 Speaker 2: right now if you want. It's all out there and 964 00:59:26,280 --> 00:59:28,560 Speaker 2: it's really really good. And I'm not just saying it 965 00:59:28,640 --> 00:59:31,360 Speaker 2: because I'm in some of it, but because of people 966 00:59:31,440 --> 00:59:37,560 Speaker 2: like Ashley Sinclair, Bellamy Young, Eric McCormick, Carcel Movey, Langston Kerman, 967 00:59:37,760 --> 00:59:42,320 Speaker 2: are creators and writer Zakiya and Rashida Jones, so many 968 00:59:42,400 --> 00:59:46,280 Speaker 2: great people. It's smart and funny, it's a little scary 969 00:59:46,440 --> 00:59:51,320 Speaker 2: and complex and nuanced, and it's just it's just good. 970 00:59:51,720 --> 00:59:55,280 Speaker 2: So meet me back here next week, when I'll catch 971 00:59:55,360 --> 00:59:59,840 Speaker 2: up with another amazing guest about what they've been sitting 972 00:59:59,840 --> 01:00:03,360 Speaker 2: on these past few months. Until then, have a really 973 01:00:04,080 --> 01:00:16,280 Speaker 2: really good week. Off the Beat is hosted and executive 974 01:00:16,320 --> 01:00:21,120 Speaker 2: produced by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Lang Lee. 975 01:00:21,400 --> 01:00:25,640 Speaker 2: Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Liz Hayes, 976 01:00:25,760 --> 01:00:29,680 Speaker 2: Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. Our talent producer is Ryan 977 01:00:30,000 --> 01:00:34,280 Speaker 2: Papa Zachary, and our intern is Ali Amir Saheen. Our 978 01:00:34,320 --> 01:00:38,040 Speaker 2: theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by the one and 979 01:00:38,120 --> 01:00:39,480 Speaker 2: only Creed Bratton.