00:00well Naomi thank you for joining us here today so tell us how does it feel to be
00:12honored at the essence black women in Hollywood luncheon it's massive for me
00:15you know especially since so many of the people that are being honored are huge
00:20icons I've looked up to them for so many years and I'm thinking I'm particularly
00:24thinking of Oprah Winfrey of course it's massive for me to walk down the stairs
00:28you know going to the event and to see her photo near my photo it just feels
00:33unbelievable it's a pinch-of-self moment what does it mean to you to be a black
00:38woman in Hollywood and to me it adds complexity and to your career in terms
00:47of you know the the amount of opportunities are more limited but I'm
00:51really excited also about the changes that are happening in this industry I'm
00:55really excited about you know directors like Sam Mendes because for Skyfall he
01:00did colorblind casting so they just wanted to find the best person for that
01:03role and they weren't you know and necessarily after a black woman and
01:08likewise Danny Boyle when I auditioned for 28 days later it was colorblind
01:12casting as well and I'm so proud and excited about directors like that and and
01:17the fact that the industry is moving more in that direction so it sometimes can
01:22feel frustrating but I also think where you know we're on the cusp of real change
01:26and that's a really exciting time so people really took notice of your
01:30character in Skyfall I think because a you're in the opening of the film your
01:35character is so important throughout so how was that for you as an actor and it
01:41was a brilliant experience for me because it was incredibly liberating to be
01:46able to to get a role like that you know because it never really interested me
01:50playing just the sex symbol or just the tough girl I think you know the mixture
01:56of the two because as a woman you're all things you know you are that you have
01:59your sexuality you have your toughness you have your softness and so to get to
02:04play a role where you get to show all those different sides of yourself is it's
02:08very rare actually and I really embrace that growing up what actress or film
02:15inspired you to become an actor there wasn't any and I really don't know how
02:20or why I've always wanted to be an actress just literally from the moment I can
02:24speak almost you know and answer the question what do you want to be I would
02:28say actress I'm Naomi Harris Essence black women in Hollywood Awards the
02:34power of our presence
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