- 5 months ago
Actress, producer and director, Terri J. Vaughn, chats with Sharí Nycole at the EXCELERATEHer Summit about her new Netflix series, “She The People,” and how the hit show is a bright spot in her 30-year Hollywood career.
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00:00I've been in this business for 30 years.
00:03I've been pitching and trying to create my own show for 20 years.
00:10Everybody grab that.
00:12That's two decades.
00:13For those of you who want a show, you write out your deck,
00:16you write your script out today and you want the show next week.
00:20Now is when it's supposed to be.
00:23And there are moments along the journey where,
00:26you know, because I'm always trying to like breathe, enjoy the journey.
00:30Yeah.
00:31Enjoy the journey, even in the midst of it all.
00:33Yeah.
00:33Enjoy the journey.
00:35So there's moments where you do enjoy it.
00:37And then there's so many moments in this business where it's devastating.
00:43Yes.
00:44It's harsh.
00:45It's hard.
00:46It feels lonely and it's devastating.
00:49So, but now is the time that it's supposed to be.
00:53Yeah.
00:53I am looking forward to being the next Lieutenant Governor of our great state, Mississippi.
01:04I hate this politics shit.
01:07Mama, have you been smoking weed?
01:09I chew it.
01:09That's the best way to do it.
01:12What's going on Essence fam?
01:14It's your girl Cherie Nicole still here at the Accelerate Her Summit Conference.
01:19And I've got Terri J. Vaughn with me and she is literally a jack of all trades.
01:23And I was just calling her a seasoned staple in this industry before the camera started rolling.
01:28And Terri, it's been a lot of buzz around you the last 48 hours because of a huge announcement that went down while you were here.
01:35While I was here.
01:36She, the people is coming.
01:38Yes, it is.
01:39Yes, it is.
01:40I'm so, just no word.
01:42I'm so thankful.
01:44I'm so grateful, thankful, excited, just full of joy.
01:49Yeah.
01:50Yeah.
01:51You know, you work your butt off for something for so many years.
01:55Hmm.
01:56And it's, and it has come out, just to be honest, exactly how I envisioned it too.
02:05Wow.
02:06And this is a project that I've had for about six years or so.
02:11And timing is everything.
02:12And God knows so much more than we do.
02:15Because all those years I was like, why God?
02:17Why hasn't it?
02:17Why?
02:18Why?
02:18Why hasn't it happened?
02:19It's such a good show.
02:21Why don't people want it?
02:22Why?
02:22Why?
02:22Why?
02:24Because it wasn't time.
02:26And now it's, it's, it's so time.
02:30It's time.
02:30It's time.
02:31It's time.
02:32Terri, I, I'm a comment watcher.
02:34I go in the comments and it's interesting.
02:36You talk about just how much you've sown into this industry, because that's what I've been
02:41seeing in the comments.
02:42People are congratulating you, celebrating this.
02:44They're like, we're so happy for you.
02:46You've been in this for doing this for a long time.
02:48What, what does it mean for you?
02:50And I ask you this because one of the main veins of the conversations I've been having
02:53this last couple of days is community.
02:55You know, what does it mean for you to be embraced like you are by the creative collective
03:00that you have in?
03:02It really feels good.
03:04Because, you know, sometimes you feel like you're in a bubble.
03:08Yeah.
03:08You feel like you're, you're alone.
03:09You're fighting this fight alone.
03:10And I know I have several peers that I admire and I'm a full cheerleader.
03:15Full.
03:16Yes, you are.
03:16Every, I, yes, you are.
03:17Totally a cheerleader.
03:19And I'll never stop doing that no matter what, because that's how God made me.
03:24And there have been times when I've been like, okay, well, I'm going to stop cheering everybody.
03:30I don't hear nobody cheering me.
03:32You know, but it ain't even about that.
03:34Yeah.
03:34And then, and then you don't know.
03:36It's like, I'm living in this bubble thinking one thing.
03:41Yeah.
03:41And then this comes out today.
03:43And like you said, it's so much love being poured back.
03:46And I'm like, oh, I didn't even think they were paying attention.
03:48Where were y'all?
03:49When I thought that nobody was looking and giving me some claps and some hugs.
03:53So, but I think we all kind of feel that way.
03:55Absolutely.
03:56Because, you know, we are focused.
03:58Yeah.
03:58We're really grinding it out.
04:01We're doing stuff that we love.
04:02It's not an easy business.
04:04And we just keep going, keep going, keep going.
04:07Because if you don't keep going, then you don't get this opportunity.
04:10Absolutely.
04:11Because it will just stop.
04:13If you stop, it'll stop.
04:14Absolutely.
04:15And so, yeah, 20 years in of pitching my own show.
04:19I've been in this business for 30 years.
04:20I've been pitching and trying to create my own show for 20 years.
04:29I've got everybody grab that.
04:31That's two decades.
04:32For those of you who want a show, you write out your deck, you write your script out.
04:36Yeah.
04:37Today, and you want the show next week.
04:39Yeah.
04:3920 years.
04:40Yeah.
04:41Yeah.
04:41Yeah.
04:44And the 20 years in,
04:47And now is when it's supposed to be.
04:51Like, and there are moments along the journey where, you know, because I'm always trying
04:56to like breathe, enjoy the journey.
04:59Yeah.
05:00Enjoy the journey, even in the midst of it all.
05:02Yeah.
05:02Enjoy the journey.
05:03So there's moments where you do enjoy it.
05:06And then there's so many moments in this business where it's devastating.
05:12Yes.
05:12It's harsh, it's hard, it feels lonely, and it's devastating.
05:17So, but.
05:19But God.
05:20But God.
05:23Now is the time that it's supposed to be.
05:25Yeah.
05:26You know, it's supposed to happen now, and it feels amazing.
05:29It's interesting.
05:30You talk about the ebbs and flows, and over the course of your career, let's stick with
05:33his 20 years, and now this news comes out this week.
05:37Is there one thing that's come to light for you about that journey, now that you're seeing
05:44your creation blossom and bloom as it has, that you didn't necessarily consider before
05:50this accomplishment?
05:51In all honesty, I felt like, like I've always obviously believed that I could have my own
06:00show.
06:00I've always believed that.
06:02So that's why I've never stopped trying.
06:03Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:04Because I really did believe that.
06:05But when I sold this show to Tyler Perry, and when did we sell it?
06:16Like, it's been a year, two years.
06:17It happened fast.
06:18Once it happened, it happened fast.
06:21I really felt, like, I felt the shift in me when, so for this particular project, which
06:29I was inspired to do this project about six years ago, and when it first came to me, and
06:37I tried to share it and pitch it with people, people were like, I don't want to, they don't
06:41want to touch a political, a show about politics, a political show.
06:44I was like, it's a funny show.
06:45Right.
06:45It's a political satire.
06:46We'll have fun.
06:47Ha, ha, ha.
06:48But I truly believe it.
06:50I didn't believe enough.
06:52Like, I believed I could have my own show, but there was also a part of me that did not
07:00believe enough that I should be chosen to be the one, maybe, or that I was on the same
07:09caliber of, like, a Kerry Washington or even Issa Rae.
07:13And I didn't realize, I didn't believe, I believed, but not enough.
07:18Like, it gotta be, like, dead on enough.
07:22Yeah.
07:23And with this project, when we went on strike in 2023, I had had this project already, but
07:33we were all on strike, and I was like, you know what?
07:36This is the perfect time.
07:37Let me get back focused on this show that I have set aside.
07:41I called my writing partner, who I had met, like, a couple of years before and told her
07:47about it.
07:48So when we vibed, and I loved her, her name is Naya Palmer.
07:51And I called her.
07:52I was like, I know we're on strike, but would you be willing to write, like, the 15-page
07:57proof of concept, if I could get together a team and we shoot a proof of concept while
08:02we're on strike, so when the strike is over, we'll have something that we could show people
08:07instead of trying to pitch it?
08:08Because I've been pitching for 20 years.
08:11And I haven't sold anything yet.
08:13I've gotten close a bunch of times, but, so, and she was like, hell yeah, let's do it.
08:18So that's what we did.
08:20She wrote the same.
08:21When I started putting together the team to shoot this two-day proof of concept that
08:28we were going to shoot, I thought because of the topic of our show, it was important to
08:34find a voice to join me on the team as a producer that would make sense.
08:42I was in Atlanta.
08:44I live in Atlanta.
08:45Kisha lands the bottom, makes sense all day.
08:47Real easy.
08:49In the political space.
08:50Absolutely.
08:51And so I called her and I was like, I have this show idea I want to run by you.
08:55You know, would you meet with me?
08:58And she was like, yeah.
08:59So we met and I told her what the show idea was and she loved it.
09:02And she was like, absolutely, yes.
09:04Let's do it.
09:05So this is me because I was even, I even was worried about calling her like, hey, we don't
09:11talk all the time.
09:12I don't really, I'm that close with her.
09:13I know her and we're cool, but I'm just calling her out the blue.
09:16Should I call her?
09:17And I kept telling her, yes, call her, call her.
09:20But that was me like forcing myself, no, you believed.
09:23Believe, call her.
09:25Believe that she's going to say yes.
09:27Believe that this project is moving forward.
09:29So I had, along this whole process, I kept reminding myself, believe more.
09:34Wow.
09:34Believe more.
09:35Because maybe 10 years ago, I may not have been so bold to call her out the blue.
09:41Yeah.
09:42And so it's that kind of belief.
09:44And so stuff like that kept happening along the journey with this particular show.
09:50And so put all my heart and soul, was able to find an investor because now I got Keisha
09:55Lance Byte producing with me.
09:58So I was able to get the funding to shoot the proof of concept.
10:02We shot it.
10:03It was edited.
10:03And these are all with my peers, my friends.
10:06We're doing this.
10:08Community.
10:08Community.
10:10And so we shot it.
10:11It came out exactly like I wanted it to because I was like, guys, when we shoot, it has to look like it could air on TV.
10:19It can't look like it's a, you know, it's anything less than something you would see on TV.
10:24And we got it right.
10:25And we got it right.
10:26They got it right.
10:27The team got it right.
10:28And so when that strike was over, I had it ready to go.
10:33Ready to go.
10:34It went out into the world.
10:35And we got calls back to back, wanting to meet, wanting to meet, wanting to meet about this show.
10:42And so we're prepping ourselves, me, Nia, and Keisha, we're prepping for these meetings.
10:48When I tell you, from the first meeting, our first meeting was with Tyler's team.
10:53And they offered it right there in the meeting.
10:57We didn't even pitch.
10:58They were pitching why we should go to them.
11:01They were telling us all the reasons why it makes sense for us to go there to do the show.
11:06And every meeting after that was just like that.
11:09Everybody pitched us for our show.
11:14And Tyler was the one.
11:15It just made sense for us.
11:18He made sense.
11:19And I'm so happy.
11:21So happy.
11:21Do you know how inspiring that is?
11:23Because it's so cool how you sew and you do the work and you do the work and you do the work.
11:30And then you get to a place where it's done.
11:33You don't have to do it anymore, even in spaces where it's assumed that you will have to.
11:37Yeah.
11:38If you all don't take anything else from this conversation, you better do the work and keep going.
11:43Yeah.
11:43And believe more, like Terry is saying.
11:45I do want to ask, as we sit at the precipice of a very challenging political climate, even in this country, what can people expect from She the People?
11:55And I know we're going to laugh and have a good time, but the overall of what you want people to walk away with when they experience the show.
12:01So the show idea came to me when my friend, London Breed, became the mayor of San Francisco.
12:08I'm from San Francisco.
12:10And when she became the mayor of San Francisco, she had so much pushback, so many challenges.
12:17First time ever San Francisco had a black female mayor, one of the richest cities in our country.
12:28Yeah.
12:28So it was a big deal.
12:30It was a huge deal.
12:31And watching, knowing her story, knowing her upbringing, very humble beginnings.
12:35We both grew up in different hoods in the city, in San Francisco.
12:39She grew up in Fillmore.
12:41I grew up in Hunters Point.
12:42So I know her upbringing.
12:43She was raised by her grandmother because her mother wasn't able to care for her and her siblings.
12:48So that's her upbringing.
12:51That was her life.
12:52And to watch her come up in this political climate in a city like San Francisco and become the mayor, I was like, that's a character that is juicy.
13:04Yeah.
13:05With all kinds of experiences and challenges.
13:09So I was inspired when that happened.
13:13And I've told her this.
13:14I was like, I'm going to create a show.
13:16It's inspired by your journey.
13:20So we will, we are really talking about all the crazy obstacles and disparities and racism and sexism.
13:33We're talking about all the things.
13:34And our political climate that we've been in for the past couple of years has given us so much material.
13:41So it's on the show.
13:42The material is in the show.
13:45God, I'm like, God, he knows what he's doing all the time.
13:48And when we were shooting, we didn't know that Kamala was going to, well, run for purpose.
13:57None of that was existing when we started doing this.
14:00But all this kept happening.
14:02So we're pulling stories from what's happening as we're working.
14:07So it was just beautiful.
14:11I love the divine timing of this.
14:14Divine.
14:14And as we've talked about your journey and self-discovery even in this conversation, I do want to ask you one word or adjective that describes your makeup.
14:25How God wired you.
14:27How you're made.
14:28One word or adjective.
14:29Oh, wow.
14:30How God made me.
14:31Sensitive.
14:35Sensitive.
14:37You carry the sensitivity with a sense of calmness.
14:40Like, from the moment I met Terry, I was actually very kind of shocked.
14:44Because I've seen the other characters you play on TV and sometimes even relate the character to the person.
14:48So when I met you the first time some years ago, I was like, she's so calm and centered and sweet.
14:54And this industry can be nuts.
14:56Like, let's just be honest.
14:58Like, it can be volatile.
14:59Yeah.
14:59How do you stay grounded in your calm amidst all of the things that encompass this industry?
15:07Especially because you're in front of and behind the camera.
15:10You experience energies on both eyes.
15:12For me, I think it's always just been in perspective.
15:15That my career, my work, I love.
15:18But it is my career, my work.
15:20It's my job.
15:21And I use my job to make a difference, to be a voice, to represent myself, my person, my kids, my husband, my mom, my sister, my grandma.
15:36That's my foundation.
15:37I'm so blessed because I get to really live out fully in both sides of my life.
15:44And I don't want to not have either one.
15:48Yeah.
15:48So my life is very chaotic.
15:51It's very messy and chaotic because I got three kids.
15:55I got a husband.
15:56And I have a wonderful career that I love.
15:59Um, so my time for me, my, my meditation, my prayer, like I have an altar set up in my closet where I pray and meditate every day.
16:14There's something about that closet.
16:15Every day.
16:16Every day.
16:17And it's really important for me.
16:20I have to do that.
16:22Um, and just, just really valuing this.
16:28Yeah.
16:29You know, I love connection.
16:31Yes.
16:32Yeah.
16:32I love sharing.
16:33I love understanding.
16:36So, yeah.
16:36So connection with people and feelings.
16:39And that's why when you ask me, nobody's ever asked me that before, an adjective that describes myself.
16:44So, um, that's why I say I feel like sensitive is one.
16:47Yeah.
16:47And not sensitive like I'm like.
16:50Fragile.
16:51Yeah.
16:51Not that sensitive.
16:53Sensitive and I feel like I feel your energy.
16:56Yeah.
16:57I feel connection.
16:58I feel love.
16:59I feel, and I like to, I like give it.
17:02You give it back.
17:03Yeah.
17:03You give it back.
17:04When I hug you.
17:05You may feel it.
17:06I mean it.
17:07If I'm going to hug you, I'm going to mean it.
17:09Yeah.
17:10Sensitive it that way.
17:11And I think all of that keeps me branded.
17:16Terri, I adore you.
17:18I love you.
17:18You know that.
17:19Thank you for doing this.
17:20I am so, so happy for you.
17:23I cannot wait to support this show.
17:25You guys make sure you support it as well.
17:28Black creatives.
17:29We have to band together.
17:31Yeah.
17:31We talked about a season two.
17:33It happens right now.
17:35So when this releases, make sure you check it out.
17:37May 22nd, Netflix.
17:41We'll see you next time.
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