00:00Hi, this is Mariah Gullow from The Hollywood Reporter, and I'm in studio today with Yolanda Ross.
00:09Hello.
00:09Hi, how's it going?
00:11It's going great.
00:12Let's talk about The Shies.
00:13Let's do it.
00:15So how did you get involved in this project?
00:17I auditioned for it the first time around and didn't get it, like most of us didn't get it.
00:24And second time around, I ended up booking it.
00:27And I got to say, it was the best thing that I had read in the year of auditioning, where I really did want it.
00:35I really related to the dialogue.
00:39It came off the tongue easy, and Jada made sense to me.
00:42Excellent.
00:43And did you know about Lena before?
00:47I knew of her, but I hadn't seen Master of None, and I just knew she was a really good writer.
00:55When you looked at the character of Jada, what characteristics about her did you like?
01:04She used common sense.
01:06Yeah.
01:07She used common sense.
01:10She was a hardworking woman.
01:11She had her unique way of showing her love for a kid and also guiding him in a way that I think is unique with them.
01:24And I find that it's probably unique with a lot of mothers and sons that are together without a father.
01:30Sometimes they're almost like siblings, you know?
01:35Yeah.
01:35And the audition scene was the one with Keisha, you know, under the bed.
01:40So it was a unique way to show how she dealt with that situation, you know, and still tried to pay the young lady respect,
01:49but also show her son how to respect the young girl under the bed.
01:54Yeah.
01:55It's so wonderful how the characters just kind of overlap in each other's lives.
01:59Yeah.
02:00There's so much crossover.
02:02But, you know, as a woman, I really want to see more of the female characters.
02:07I'm hoping they really come out more.
02:09And I was really excited about the episodes that were coming up for you because you have more time with Ethel.
02:18And I just...
02:19Ethel's hilarious.
02:20Yeah, LaDonna, if you don't know, she is a lot.
02:25She is so much fun.
02:27She has a cooking show on YouTube.
02:28She does?
02:29Yes.
02:30She's flirtatious.
02:32She's a lot.
02:33She's a lot.
02:34She is Ethel.
02:35A little bit.
02:36A little bit.
02:37A little bit.
02:38Excellent.
02:39I love to hear that.
02:41Not the mean parts of Ethel.
02:43No, but even with that, like, you know, Ethel shows love.
02:47I mean, Ronnie could be a headache.
02:48Come on.
02:49Ronnie could be a headache.
02:51So, I mean, she's got that tough thing, but then she'll slide, you know, she'll slip some love in there, like, you know.
02:57Mm-hmm.
02:58Yeah, she does it, like, under the breath kind of.
03:01Did you lose something, Miss Ethel?
03:03My nail kit.
03:04And I know you stole it.
03:05Don't think I don't know what you're doing, girl, with your evil mind tricks.
03:18That motherfucking voodoo shit don't work on me.
03:20I'm a Christian.
03:21What you looking for now?
03:26My pocketbook, so we can go get our nails done.
03:30But I do my own nails.
03:36I know.
03:36That's why we're going.
03:38And not another word.
03:40I'm paying, so act grateful.
03:42Okay, but I got my own money.
03:44You ought to hear.
03:45Man, I said I'm paying.
03:47Least I can do for what you did for my Ronnie.
03:51Now let's go.
03:53It's nice to see, I mean, you know, there's so many moments of, like, tragedy or really intense, painful situations that happen in the show.
04:03And then there's laughter.
04:06Yeah, there's laughter.
04:08It changes a little bit.
04:09Every character changes a little bit.
04:11I mean, at the beginning, you know, Ethel is such a hard ass.
04:16And then she kind of softens up once Jada helps her.
04:21Yeah.
04:21Well, I mean, I think she has it there in the first place because she knows that Jada does look out for her and does take care of her.
04:30Um, we also have to remember she is an elderly woman, so she can be dealing with a lot of things, you know, forgetfulness, possible onset of dementia, you know, like things like that she could be going through.
04:43So, you know, like the lasagna in the microwave, you know, that kind of thing.
04:49So, and lost batteries that I took.
04:52So, you know, like things like that.
04:53But, um, I think she knows overall Jada's there for her.
04:58Yeah.
04:58Yeah, and it is sweet to see their relationship as time goes on, how it kind of revolves a little.
05:06Mm-hmm.
05:07Um, you're also a writer and director.
05:10I am.
05:11So that's why I'm really accurate that have all the, um, the minute details that we can pick up that say if somebody else is telling our story, they just get looked over.
05:24And don't, you know, they don't, they're not there because that person's not living our lives.
05:30Yeah.
05:30You know?
05:31Yeah.
05:31Are there any particular scenes that, uh, stick out to you as moments where you felt they were, like, truly authentic?
05:38Well, I think, I think they're all authentic to me.
05:40I mean, I love seeing the Jerrica and, uh, Brandon stuff.
05:43Just all the little things between them as far as girlfriend and boyfriend.
05:47Um, you know, it's, like, that early love of, like, a black couple and just, you know, she wants her dude to stay on his path.
05:55You know, like, stay out of the streets.
05:57And that's, like, a real thing.
05:59Um, and in our case, like, say, me and Ethel, well, Jada and Ethel, Ethel's everybody's black grandma.
06:09You know?
06:09It's, like, she's everybody's grandmama.
06:11She really is.
06:12It's, like, you know, I see it online.
06:14So many people, like, comment about her.
06:16Mm-hmm.
06:17And that's just, like, it's a simple, easy thing, but it's such a real thing, like, all the little characteristics of Ethel.
06:25Yeah, yeah.
06:26Um, you know, one of the things I noticed is that, uh, Jada seems to be headed towards possibly some romantic entanglement.
06:35I feel like that's coming.
06:37I wouldn't mind that.
06:38I feel like there's been some conversations about being closed off.
06:41And I noticed that with a lot of the women on the show is there's that kind of through line of we've been hurt so many times before by people.
06:51Like, we're starting to close ourselves off.
06:54Well, you know, I think it's a coping mechanism.
06:58Mm-hmm.
06:58I think it's a real one because, I mean, I know for myself, I don't have any friends, really, that are, well, I have very few that are partnered up.
07:08You know, it's like, we all have great jobs, have homes, have things going on, but nobody share that, to share that with in our lives.
07:16And that's a, that's a very real thing.
07:18And that's why I feel like, you know, having Jada, the single mother who's working hard, and not to say that the others aren't, but it's such a part of our, our country of life these days, the single motherdom.
07:36Yeah.
07:36You know, and then there's nobody to share things or be able to have a little relief of life with in your own personal life.
07:46Mm-hmm.
07:47Yeah.
07:47And Lena has said before about, like, the spirit, she really wanted to capture the spirit of Chicago.
07:52Mm-hmm.
07:53And what she notices about people who live in Chicago is that they're working really hard to accomplish their dreams.
07:59Yeah.
08:00And, yeah, there's a lot of, you know, bullshit in the road, in the way, you know, and a lot of obstacles.
08:06Yeah.
08:07But that's, like, again, another through line is that, you know, people are, you know, on the hustle, you know.
08:14People are on the hustle, and those monkey riches can be fast and furious.
08:19Yeah.
08:19And you have to take them, figure out how to deal with them, but keep your hustle going because life doesn't stop, you know.
08:28Yeah.
08:28Ultimately, that's the bottom line.
08:30Life doesn't stop, and you have to just figure out how to continue on.
08:35Yeah.
08:35Let's talk a little bit about the career woman.
08:39Mm-hmm.
08:40Because, like I said, you're a writer and director.
08:42Yeah.
08:43And there is this, you know, this talk in Hollywood about this is a great time to be a female director.
08:50People are looking for female directors.
08:52Has that been your experience?
08:53It's, I can truthfully say, they definitely have been looking, you know.
08:59It still has been for a while.
09:02They've been looking at certain ones, you know.
09:06I think it's a really good time to be a black female, you know, in this business because I feel like we're finally being heard, you know, and listened to and valued.
09:16And, you know, with this show becoming the success as it has been, and I just found out, like, it's, like, the highest, like, has the highest amount of viewers that Showtime has had for series behind billions.
09:32Amazing.
09:33Or since billions, I should say.
09:35So I'm, like, psyched about that.
09:36But, I mean, it does all help, and now that we're being listened to and they see value in a series behind billions.
09:44Amazing.
09:45Or since billions, I should say.
09:47So I'm, like, psyched about that.
09:49But, I mean, it does all help, and now that we're being listened to and they see value in us telling our stories, we have an audience.
10:00You know, if you give us something of quality, if we're allowed to make our own projects and put them out there, there are viewers for it.
10:13Yeah.
10:13You know, we've been held back for so long, it's crazy.
10:18Yeah, people are hungry for content that they haven't seen before.
10:21And it's there.
10:22That's what sucks.
10:23You know, it's there, and it's been there.
10:25Because, I mean, as an actor, you get to read all these things that never get greenlit.
10:31And, you know, the audiences don't know half of what you know as far as projects.
10:36And, you know, you hear what people are saying about they want to see this, they would like to see that, da-da-da.
10:41Well, it's like, yeah, I read that kind of script, like, I don't know how many years ago, or whatever, whatever.
10:47And that stuff never sees the light of day.
10:49Because back then, you know, if it was, like, ten years ago, there were way more reality shows.
10:54Oh, yeah, well.
10:55Like, scripted content is really having its day now.
10:59And it's in television a lot, you know.
11:01Yeah.
11:01So, I'm thankful for all of it.
11:03Yeah.
11:03Yeah.
11:04So, I have four more questions for you before I let you go.
11:07Uh-oh.
11:08First job that made you think, I've made it.
11:12Stranger Inside.
11:14Yeah, this is my first film.
11:15So, yeah.
11:16Excellent.
11:18Best day on the set of The Chi.
11:20Oh, my goodness.
11:22Oh, you know what?
11:22Um, the scene with Emmett laying in my lap.
11:29It's a short little scene, but it's such a beautiful, quiet moment.
11:34That was, like, my favorite scene on the set, day on the set.
11:39It's just sitting in that moment and it being, like, still and peaceful.
11:44Oh, that's nice.
11:45Last time you cried at a movie.
11:51I just did.
11:56Well, they were, I cried at a play, too.
11:59Yeah, I did tear up at Mudbound.
12:03Oh.
12:03When Jason, yeah.
12:06Yeah.
12:07Yeah.
12:07Yeah.
12:07Yeah, Mudbound.
12:08Yeah.
12:09Yeah.
12:10Um, are you excited about the Academy Awards this year?
12:13I am, and I really hope get a fantastic movie in so many different ways, and I hope we're
12:19not scared of it.
12:20I hope, you know, the Academy's not scared of it and gives it its just due.
12:24Yeah.
12:25Yeah.
12:25Yeah.
12:25Last question.
12:27Worst audition story?
12:29Oh, my gosh.
12:31Well, I went in for somebody in New York, and I had gone in for him before, and this is
12:40one of these things, like, okay, just listen to this.
12:42So, as a black person, you go in for a part that's for a black person, and you get told
12:49that you're not black enough sounding.
12:52But then somebody else auditioning you for the same part says, well, she's a little too
12:58black.
13:01You know, I'm sorry, but I got it all in me.
13:04I'm black all over.
13:05So, it's just like, you can't win, and then you have white people judging you.
13:10So, that's like a funny thing, somebody telling you you're black or too black, not black enough.
13:14But I had this guy, and he talked throughout it.
13:21His reader, she couldn't look me in the eye.
13:25She messed up, like, this was a time period piece, and she messed up all the dialogue.
13:32So, you're standing there.
13:33You're not being taped.
13:35He's talking on the phone.
13:36She can barely talk.
13:37And I'm just like, oh, if I could curse right now, what am I doing here?
13:41Like, that was the feeling.
13:43And I'm like, I never want to go in for him again.
13:47Yeah.
13:47Yeah.
13:48That was a horror story.
13:49Yeah.
13:50Last time.
13:54Are there any, like, interesting words that people use to describe when they're trying to
13:58tell you that you're not this enough or not that enough?
14:01Be curious to know what they're trying to say.
14:03Well, they didn't say black.
14:05They used urban in that case.
14:07Ah, yes.
14:07So.
14:08Okay.
14:09I come from Nebraska, so I'm not urban at all, first off.
14:13And, like, seriously, I'm about as country as you can get.
14:18Or Midwestern.
14:20Yeah.
14:20It, I don't know.
14:21I think that, you know, yeah, I don't know.
14:24Without trying to, like, be too whatever, not PC or be PC.
14:31You know, just say it.
14:32Well, I'm very excited to see what happens with Jada.
14:35Me too.
14:36I'm hoping that she has.
14:37Season two.
14:37I hope she gets to open her heart.
14:39Yeah.
14:40I do too.
14:40And I hope, you know, I'm excited about it.
14:42I'm excited where it can go and what we can, you know, get out there on screen.
14:48Because telling real women's stories, I think, is important.
14:52You know, so that we can see ourselves.
14:54Yeah.
14:55Yolanda, thank you so much for being here.
14:57Check out The Chi on Showtime.
14:59Yep.
14:59Bye.
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