00:30Hi, everybody.
00:34The Essence Universe is welcome to the Beverly Hills Hotel.
00:39I'm Tanika Ray, and you get a front-row seat to the fifth annual Black Women in Hollywood Red Carpet Special here on Essence.com.
00:49You know, I've been here many times.
00:51It's only five years, and each year it gets better and better.
00:55And I have to say, look at all the hoopla.
00:57Everyone's so excited to see the stars that are coming, and the first star to arrive, Miss Constance White.
01:03You're the first star to arrive to meet her.
01:05Oh, that's true. You're the second star to arrive. My bad.
01:07She's the editor-in-chief of Essence.com.
01:10As you know, she's the woman behind the vision, behind the fabulousness of Essence,
01:15and this is your first time here.
01:16As I said, she doesn't like to say it, but it's her virgin voyage.
01:19Yeah, she's a good virgin voyage.
01:21How are you?
01:21I'm great. And you?
01:23I'm fantastic. I mean, this is the time for us to celebrate each other.
01:26It's so rare.
01:27It's so exciting, and everyone in Hollywood, and all the actresses and actors in Black Hollywood
01:32are so psyched for this event because it really is consistent with what Essence is.
01:38Celebration, affirmation, recognition of the talent and the beauty.
01:43This room is going to be electric.
01:45What is this?
01:51How are you?
01:52I haven't seen you in a long time.
01:54Miss Thing, how are you doing?
01:56I'm good. I'm good. I'm doing better, for sure.
01:58Doing better. It's definitely been rough.
02:00It's been a really crazy week, and I want to say you're so blessed to have gotten Sparkle done.
02:05Exactly.
02:06Before the passing of Miss Whitney Houston, do you want to talk about how would you like to remember her?
02:12Do you want to share any thoughts with people?
02:14It's not how I would like to remember her because I got the amazing honor of being able to actually stand face-to-face with her,
02:20and I have amazing memories that I get to cherish.
02:23I didn't know her very long.
02:25It was two months, but it was 12 hours a day for two months, and you get really close when you're in that kind of setting,
02:31and she was so motherly and just so kind and hilarious.
02:35She was so funny, and she would just bust out with these crazy stories and just jokes and be like,
02:42I know you're not doing that, and it was just like, it was so great, and it was so fun to be around her,
02:47and I loved her.
02:48I grew up with her music, and then all of a sudden, I was face-to-face with her.
02:52And I love that you're here, Jordan, because I met you when you were like a babe.
02:55I mean, you were 16, 17, on red carpets.
02:58You're a woman now.
02:59I know. It's so weird, isn't it?
03:00She's a woman.
03:01She's officially a black woman in Hollywood now.
03:04Thank you very much.
03:06Why is it important for you to be here and sort of celebrate with us?
03:08I'm actually really excited because I know about these red carpets when they happen,
03:13and I look at the pictures, and I'm like, that's so awesome that they're honoring her.
03:16For me personally, just seeing these elegant, classy women walk this carpet
03:20and see the impact that they're making on the industry,
03:23it's a great example for up-and-coming artists and actresses that want to do the same thing
03:28and eventually be able to come in here and be honored for their body of work that they've put out.
03:32So one day, one day I'll be here as well.
03:35Can I just say, Ms. Shonda, she's having a shoe moment, but it's okay.
03:39It's fine.
03:40But you look gorgeous, that's all that matters.
03:41Thank you, thank you.
03:42Congratulations.
03:43Thank you. I'm so excited.
03:44Okay, can I just say, first of all, I have to do this.
03:46Aw.
03:47Because you are killing it in this game.
03:50It is highly unusual to have not one but two shows in primetime,
03:54three and almost four shows in primetime.
03:56I'm excited. I feel like things are going good.
03:58I think so.
03:59Yeah.
04:00That's an understatement of the year.
04:01What's it like having all this power slash pressure in Hollywood as a black woman?
04:07You know, it's interesting. I don't feel a lot of pressure.
04:09I feel like I'm in a place finally where I just get to do my job and enjoy it, which is wonderful.
04:15And when you first got Grey's Anatomy, greenlit and on the air, did you feel like you'd arrived?
04:21No, I think for the first two years I was terrified all the time that it would go away.
04:25Yeah, absolutely.
04:25You're very nervous and you want to do a good job, and I think that's important.
04:29And then when they said, can you give us 14 more shows, you're like, I think I've arrived now.
04:32I started to feel comfortable and started to feel like I earned the right to be trusted.
04:36What is the dream project down the road that you hope one day you can get done?
04:39At this moment, I feel like I'm pretty much living my dream.
04:41Things are good.
04:42I wonder about you. You're like a genie.
04:43Things are good right now, so I'm pretty happy, yeah.
04:45I'm very happy for you.
04:46And now do you have women that you mentor in order to help them do what you do?
04:50Yeah, I have some young writers that I'm trying to help along and sort of bring up, and I think that that's important.
04:54I think bringing up the next generation of writers is a very important thing.
04:57One day they'll be giving me a job.
04:59So nice to meet you.
05:00So nice to meet you, too.
05:01She's one of the real ones.
05:03You went to acting school.
05:04You got your degree.
05:05Meryl Streep has called her extraordinary.
05:09I mean, do you, like, pop your collar all day?
05:12What does that feel like to be so critically acclaimed?
05:14And you're relatively new to this Hollywood world.
05:17Yeah, I mean, it's just all surreal.
05:19And at the same time, I feel very thankful.
05:21I feel thankful to be embraced by all of this and everyone.
05:25And it's just, it's, I was saying earlier, it's not even a dream come true.
05:29It surpassed all my dreams.
05:31And so I'm just very thankful.
05:32I'm just taking it all in and smiling a lot.
05:36The cheeks start to hurt after a while, I know.
05:39And, yeah.
05:41Your mama bear, Shonda Rhimes, is getting honored today.
05:44It is.
05:45How cool is that?
05:46It's very cool and so well-deserved.
05:49This woman has done so much for television.
05:53So much for you.
05:54Come on now.
05:55She, I mean, she put you on and you killed it.
05:59I mean, the Nazi and now it's evolved and now you're just, everybody knows your face.
06:03Listen to you.
06:04But just, I mean, she's just been monumental.
06:07And it was like a slow creep, too, which is what I really liked.
06:10It took a while for people to even know what Shonda Rhimes looked like.
06:13And by that time, she'd already put the shirt on.
06:15Too late.
06:16Yeah.
06:16You know what I'm saying?
06:17So crazy.
06:18Too late.
06:18Can't take it back now.
06:19Can't take it back.
06:19Can't take it back.
06:20Not just one, but she does private practice.
06:21And now she's going to have scandal with Carrie.
06:24She's got a pilot being shot right now in Boston on Gilded Lilies.
06:28So the chick is just creating opportunity all over the place.
06:32And her thing is she just, she wants to write.
06:36She wants to write.
06:37But she understands how to work this machine.
06:40Okay.
06:41We have the bell of the ball.
06:43Miss Octavia Spencer is here.
06:45Won a sack.
06:46Won a Golden Globe.
06:47Might win a pretty little gold thing this weekend.
06:50So you must be feeling overwhelmed right now.
06:54A little bit.
06:55Well, it hit me yesterday that I was nominated for an Oscar.
07:00Yesterday it hit you?
07:01Well, I've become a pro at compartmentalizing.
07:04In the moment.
07:05You've been living in the moment.
07:05You have to.
07:06Otherwise, you miss out if you start thinking too far ahead.
07:09And I didn't want to get too far ahead and miss out on today.
07:13You know, I mean, there's some beautiful women that I've always been a fan of here today.
07:18So I just, I've learned not to be too far ahead of myself.
07:23It's funny because when you look at Octavia's resume, it goes on for miles.
07:27What's it like for you not only getting honored but celebrating your sister?
07:30You know, Essence has always been the epitome of excellence and beauty for African-American women.
07:38There haven't been that many outlets that celebrate us.
07:41So to be celebrated and to celebrate alongside these stunning, beautifully intelligent women
07:47is something that we all should aspire to.
07:51And I certainly feel honored to be here today.
07:53I'm here with the fabulous Miss Kerry Washington.
07:56You missed us squealing.
07:57We were just squealing because we were so happy to see each other.
07:59And that's what we all do.
08:00This luncheon is about, oh my God!
08:02It's so obnoxious.
08:04But it's true.
08:04And I'm going to ask that question.
08:06What are you wearing?
08:06Because it's leather.
08:07I was touching her.
08:09It's very ladylike silhouette, but it's white leather, so it's badass.
08:12Yeah, it's kind of like a bad girl, but like going to the office.
08:16With the red lipstick too?
08:18Cushy et ooch.
08:19You know those girls.
08:21Oh, yeah.
08:21And this great Kate Spade bag that looks like a magazine, but it's actually a purse.
08:26It does.
08:27It says Chanel on it.
08:28No, it doesn't.
08:29It says Charm.
08:30Oh, Charm, Charm.
08:30My bad.
08:31Well, you know, it's like Chanel.
08:32Yeah.
08:33Can I just say, I'm so, I've always been a fan of yours just because you're so eloquent.
08:37You're so intelligent.
08:39You're such, you are badass.
08:41You're beautiful.
08:42Your body is like pa-pow, pa-pow, and you kill it when the camera's on you.
08:47And that's like the mark of it.
08:48That's why you're getting honored today.
08:50You know that, right?
08:50You're getting honored?
08:51She's trying to be funny.
08:53She's trying to be funny.
08:54That's crazy.
08:55I better figure out something to say.
08:57Oh, does that pressure hit you?
08:59Yeah.
08:59It's a little pressure.
09:00In this room, you know, it's such a special event with so many talented, gorgeous women.
09:05And so, you know, it's really, for me, it's really about just being grateful.
09:09You know, I'm so happy that I was born into a world where essence exists.
09:15Natural girls out there, you're going to squeal.
09:17Look who's here, Miss Viola Davis, with her natural hair.
09:20I love it.
09:22I love it.
09:23So is it certain occasions when you like to bust out your real hair?
09:27No, there hasn't been any occasion that I felt brave enough to do it until this year.
09:34My husband, well, actually in the past, I did when I lived in New York, and I was a hardcore New Yorker.
09:40But since living here, not so much.
09:43But my husband told me to step into who I am.
09:46I would like for you to do that same thing.
09:48And I think a lot of girls feel the same way.
09:50Not only that, you're freaking talented.
09:52Hello?
09:53Oh, thank you.
09:54You kill it, Viola.
09:55Oh, thank you.
09:56I appreciate it.
09:57I've worked hard for it.
09:58Yes, you have.
09:59And I talked to Octavia.
10:00You guys have been on this, like, award show tour.
10:03Does it sink in at some point?
10:04You must know that you've arrived by now, right?
10:08I feel definitely that there's been a shift in my career.
10:11But, you know, what comes with it is a great sense of responsibility.
10:16And that can be daunting and exciting.
10:20Well, I had a blast, you guys, as always on the red carpet.
10:23But for me, it's like my own personal party.
10:26I'm so glad you can be with us this year to see all the gorgeous ladies strut their stuff.
10:30We're all going to go inside now to start the show.
10:32And I just keep saying, celebrate black women.
10:35We're fabulous.
10:36And I love you.
10:37Let's all love each other.
10:38All right?
10:38See you next time.
10:39Bye, guys.
10:40Bye.
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