00:00I'm so excited to talk about Beauty and Black season two.
00:03I know today the first eight minutes of the season dropped.
00:07I was able to get a look at them for this interview and I was so excited to watch.
00:11At the end, it kind of ends with this bombshell of you introducing yourself as Mrs. Bellary to the Bellary family.
00:19And you at the head of their kind of cosmetic empire.
00:23What was it like to see this evolution for Kimmy and to like film this across the season?
00:38It was really fun.
00:40You know, I feel like as an artist, as an actor, getting to have a character where there's such a transformative evolution
00:48where you go from the lowest of the low, the underdog to the literally top, the CEO of the company is just like a dream come true.
00:56But to do it so quickly from the first season to the second season like that, it was really, really fun.
01:03It's like I'm getting to play like three different characters in like a short span of time.
01:06I know that the Bellary family is really intense and there's a lot of different members.
01:10Who would you say is probably going to be the member this season that's going to be the biggest competition for Kimmy?
01:19Mallory, hands down.
01:20I think they're gunning for the same thing.
01:24They both want the top.
01:25Well, she was thrust into the top spot and Mallory is like, I got to keep my top spot because she's not there for love either.
01:32So I think they're going to be the biggest opposing forces in season two.
01:37And speaking of Mallory, in season one, it kind of was set up that you two had these like parallel lives
01:42and now we're seeing them kind of intersect.
01:44What was it like to go toe to toe with Crystal Stewart while filming these scenes?
01:50So first of all, it was funny because Crystal is literally the sweetest person in the world.
01:55So these lines coming out of her mouth.
01:58And that's the thing, too.
01:59Season one, we didn't really get to act with each other.
02:03Obviously, we were around each other, but our scenes weren't together because it was kind of building up.
02:08So season two was our first time having these face-offs.
02:12And I was like, this is so funny.
02:16Where is this coming from?
02:17This is crazy.
02:18But it was like it all kind of rises to a head.
02:21And I think in the show, it shows up like that, too.
02:24Like, finally, you're seeing them like showdown with each other.
02:27I know I was always kept on my toes while watching this show.
02:30Did you feel this?
02:31Yeah.
02:31Did you feel the same way while shooting?
02:34Like, were you ever shocked when you got the scripts?
02:36Like, how was your arc kind of introduced to you?
02:39Oh, 1,000 percent.
02:41Each script.
02:42So the way Tyler shoots is we shoot all at once.
02:46It's such a unique and fascinating experience how we do it.
02:50But we have all of the scripts in advance.
02:53And so as I was reading them, I'm like, what?
02:57What?
02:58I'm so shocked.
02:59And when we shoot it, you know, we already know what we're going into.
03:03So it's really, really fun.
03:04But also a lot to digest at one time, knowing that you're going to all these different places.
03:11Speaking of Tyler Perry, I know this marks your second project, working with him.
03:14I'd love to ask what your experience has been like working with him across these two different projects.
03:19It's been great.
03:20And I feel very honored, you know, to come back, to have a second season, first of all, for people to watch it.
03:27But the more times you get to collaborate with somebody, the deeper the trust goes, the more you get to play, the more comfortable you feel.
03:35And I think that's the biggest thing, being able to come back again and work with him again and work with the entire crew and everyone in the cast.
03:43And it's just into the second season, it feels more comfortable and even more space to just play and do our thing.
03:51So it's been really good.
03:52And I know with this show, one can't help but kind of draw some comparisons between Beauty and Black and Succession a little bit.
03:59But just in my mind, seeing, you know, this family empire, did these conversations ever take place on set?
04:07Like, has, like, any fan input ever, like, come out about this?
04:11Like, what's your experience been like with this comparison?
04:13So Succession is absolutely one of my favorite shows of all time.
04:16So that comparison, I am deeply honored.
04:19But I think it's that familial drama, the gunning of the companies.
04:26Like, I get that comparison.
04:28I think it's its own show, of course, in its own right.
04:30But I have seen that parallel online or people talking about it.
04:35But I think it's just the, we're very entertained by the juxtaposition of people that are supposed to love each other who seemingly hate each other.
04:45And that's where I think the parallel is.
04:49For last season, last year, I spoke with Bailey Tippin, who plays Sylvie, your sister.
04:54Oh, Bailey.
04:54And so in the season two trailer, we see Rain urge Kimmy to think about her sister.
05:00Kimmy, think about your sister.
05:01I am thinking about my sister.
05:03Can you tell us more about this dynamic and what fans can kind of expect from their sister relationship this season?
05:10Well, thankfully, Kimmy has her sister.
05:13She was looking for her all of season one.
05:18But I think sometimes the pursuit of getting something so badly, she was trying to find her sister.
05:23Now, what depths will she go to to ensure that she's safe and that she remains safe?
05:29And I think we see that in season two, that it's not as easy as, oh, now we're just riding into the sunset.
05:35She has a whole new level of threats.
05:38And it is the family that she's in now.
05:41So she's going to be protective.
05:42And this cast is such a powerhouse cast.
05:45Two actors that come to mind for me, Debbie Morgan and Richard Lawson, that you get to work with on screen.
05:50What was it like getting to work with them?
05:52And did you have any takeaways from getting to work with such iconic actors?
05:56So many.
05:57They are legends.
05:58You know, they've been on the screen for decades.
06:01And this was my second time working with them.
06:03We worked together in Divorce in the Black.
06:04So getting to work with them even more in Beauty in Black has been such a treat.
06:10Even just stopping and listening to them, the stories that they have with people that I looked up to, you know, Diane Carroll.
06:19So many wonderful people that they worked with.
06:21And I just asked them, like, what was it like?
06:22What was it like?
06:23But they impart so much wisdom to us as, you know, the next generation of artists.
06:29And even things like after a great scene, Richard saying, like, that was a good job.
06:33It's just very affirming to be seen by people that you respect so much.
06:37Can you tell me what working with the rest of the cast has been like?
06:40Like, just general relationship dynamics.
06:43Are you guys friends, family?
06:45What has it been like?
06:45We are absolutely family.
06:47In fact, it makes it difficult because there's so many high tension yelling, we hate each other scenes.
06:53And then after it was like, are you okay?
06:54I'm so sorry.
06:55I'm so sorry.
06:56Are you okay?
06:57Are you okay?
06:57You know, it's a very loving environment.
07:00We genuinely like each other.
07:01We joke around.
07:02And I think it is also because we all really love what we do and to be able to play these crazy, fun people.
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