- 5 weeks ago
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00:00Hi, Essence family. My name is Charisma Deberry and I'm the director of social media here at
00:11Essence. I am too ready to jump into the next conversation. We'll be having two amazing ladies
00:17from the Fox series 9-1-1 Lone Star to talk about their career journeys and what makes
00:23the 9-1-1 universe so unique and interesting and keeps a juicy storyline. So joining me today is
00:31actress Gina Torres. Hi, Charisma. Hey, how are you? Good, thank you. How are you doing? I'm so good
00:39and I'm so happy to have you here at Essence Festival. Thank you. I'm just thrilled to be
00:46able to do this today. Perfect. And we also have your co-star actress and singer Sierra
00:53McLean. Welcome, Sierra. Hi. Hey, y'all. We're all in the fold now. You ladies look amazing.
01:03I'm trying to get my curl game like Gina's. No, I'm trying to be like both of you. You guys look
01:12amazing and I'm so ready to get this conversation started. What about you? Yes, let's do it. Okay,
01:18let's jump right in. So let's first talk about how both of you got into the industry. Did you always
01:25know that you wanted to be a performer? Did you just fall into this dynamic career? How did it happen
01:31for you? Gina, we'll let you start first. I don't know if we have time. Yes, no, no.
01:42Yes, absolutely. I've always wanted to be an actor. I've always wanted to be a performer.
01:51Being on stage and getting to do what I love to do is truly a dream come true. It is one of the
01:59greatest blessings of my life to find myself where I am. Today, all roads leading right here to this
02:06very moment and beyond. It is not something that I can say I just fell into. It is very much something
02:17that I pursued doggedly, single-mindedly, passionately, and continue to do so. This isn't a
02:29one-and-done kind of a job. You have to continue to find ways of reinventing yourself, of finding the
02:38joy in a business that is not so much on your side. And we'll get to that. I know we're going
02:46to get to that later. But you have to remind yourself every day that you're in it for the
02:54love of the game. And I don't mean the game of playing it, but the game of acting, what we get
03:04to do, what we get to bring forward. And really, truly, because it's a heart-driven endeavor.
03:14Yeah. And I love you saying that because a lot of times people probably think it's such an easy job,
03:19right? But it takes a lot of hard work to get into the position that you're in. And for you too,
03:24Sierra, people may think that it was easier for you because you come from such a talented family.
03:29But can you tell us a little bit about your journey? Oh my gosh. Very similarly, I think,
03:36to Gina's, it was surely no accident. My parents started doing music in Atlanta many, many, many years
03:42ago. And from there, acting was just kind of something unexpected that came for China. And
03:48then it just happened for all three of us. But I think it was always part of what we were put here
03:56to do. Specifically, as a family, it's been a blessing to be able to act as work as individuals,
04:02especially as three young Black women in this industry, to be able to all have opportunity.
04:07But this is very much so a family-oriented thing. It's something that was not by accident
04:15at all. So it's been a journey. And we've learned a lot along the way. It takes time to build something
04:26that means something. And so I think in our careers and also where our careers are taking us is something
04:35that we are really understanding the true meaning of. So yeah, it wasn't easy, but it's been worth it.
04:43It's been worth it for sure. Yeah. And you are, listen, so where your career is taking you, let's
04:49stick there because you are equally talented as a singer, just as you are as an actress. So how do
04:54you balance having such passion for both crafts? This is a question my sisters and I, we never really
05:01know how to answer. Because like I said, acting was something that really came unexpected. We have
05:07grown up in music, parents been doing it for years. And, and music is one of the things that really ties our
05:15sisterhood together, the three of us, and the family in general, anytime music is being done, all six of us,
05:22including seven little Cujo writing and producing, you know? Um, so it would be near impossible to,
05:32to pick one. I think that they're all, I think that both of them play a very pivotal part in our purpose
05:39here. Yes. So ladies, this, this one is for all the dreamers, right? We're going to have a lot of
05:47people watching this Essence Festival who want to be in the place that you are. Can you give them a
05:52little motivation? Tell us about that first time when you really felt like you made it. Gina, when
05:59did you, when did you have that moment where you sat back and said, I did something like I'm here.
06:04When you were trending and you, you were trending, you were a whole trending topic. Like number one
06:18in the U S people were so, uh, passionate about speaking to your gift and how you contributed so
06:24much to the, um, Afro Latin X community and just about your talent. So listen, you've been doing this
06:31for a while and people appreciate you, but when, you know, I, I honestly, I have to say, I, um, and,
06:39and Sierra knows this about me, um, social media. Uh, I honestly did not know what that even meant
06:50until I, my phone starts blowing up. Uh, and I'm yesterday was my daughter's 14th birthday.
06:58I was at Disneyland with three other four, 14 teenage girls, 14 year old, uh, girls.
07:07And suddenly my phone starts blowing up and I'm like, what, what, what, what, what is this? Like
07:13what, what's going on? I don't even know how to navigate my Twitter feed, quite frankly.
07:16It's like, I kind of know how to respond and don't give away the secrets.
07:21I know. I, I, right. I'm just, I can't. So, but my boyfriend says, look at this. And we're standing
07:29outside of a ride and tears. Like start flowing. It was very emotional day. Cause I, I really make
07:40it a point not to read a lot of the comments and sometimes I do. And sometimes I don't, it's,
07:44it's a rabbit hole you can fall into. Um, but I didn't know what it was about. And I was,
07:50and it was just so nice that it was positive. And, and I say all this to say
07:55that after 30 plus years of doing the work that I'm doing and really like, just knowing that I
08:07had a vision for myself, had a vision for the kind of career that I wanted. And it didn't,
08:15you don't start off thinking I'm going to be a role model. I'm going to go, I'm going to impact
08:21people's lives. You, like I said, at the beginning of this, you go in for the love of the art.
08:28And I wanted to be as good as I possibly could get. And to know all these years later that I've had
08:36that kind of an impact is so overwhelmingly beautiful. Um, it's just, it's, it's hard to
08:45describe. So it does two things. It's like, Oh my God, here I am. It's a little easier to get jobs
08:53now, but it also says to me, there's so much more to do. There's so there's, I'm not done. I'm not
09:00done yet. There's so much more to do. There's so many more stories to tell that are so inclusive. And so
09:06that's my story. So again, if you have to approach this because it's not easy, you have to approach
09:16it really, truly with love, with love and a vision of, of love, knowing that it's going to be hard
09:23and knowing that there's hard work ahead. But if your heart's right and, and if your motivation
09:30is not just something that's unsustainable and fleeting, like fame, like possibly money, then,
09:39then you can, then you can stay in the game and then you can, you can make, uh, the most good.
09:47Absolutely. So yesterday is when you felt like you made it. Okay.
09:53I'm in process. I'm still in process. Yes. Sierra, have you had that big moment yet where you were
10:03able to just sit back and have that moment, not just of gratefulness, but where you realize like,
10:08wow, I've made it to a point where I can see my work paying off. Oh man. Um, if I can be completely
10:16honest, I think something happens every day that makes me feel that way, whether it's something
10:23that has happened for me or something that has happened for one of my sisters, one of my family
10:29members. Um, it just every day I feel like I wake up and it's just like, this is a day that I have
10:39made it. I know, uh, because it's, it's bigger than just the opportunity. I think it's bigger than just
10:46the roles and, and, and the beautiful things that Gina has talked about can come from, um, like
10:53impacting people and things like that. Um, because to me, that is what at least art is supposed to be
11:02about. I think sometimes it, unfortunately it has, it has the tendency to turn into something else,
11:10but being able to step into someone else's shoes and tell a story, um, and do it with empathy and do
11:20it with love and responsibility. Um, these are all things that are, are, are, should be grounded in,
11:29in, um, art and sharing art and storytelling, uh, in the first place. And, um, we really pride
11:38ourselves. I think a lot of us as artists, my family, we pride ourselves on, on those things.
11:43And so I think any, any moment where we say, I feel, I feel like I did what I was supposed to do
11:50in this area. I feel like, God, I feel like you're proud. You know what I'm saying? Any time that
11:56happens, I feel like I've, I've made it, so to speak. Well, I want to give both of you ladies
12:03your flowers. So clap, clap, clap for all of your contributions. And Gina, that was an amazing
12:09moment. We were so happy to see you trending on Twitter. So I'm glad that it was a magical
12:13moment for you as well. I'm the happiest place on earth.
12:17Where's no better story. Disneyland trending on Twitter. I mean, it's, it's fireworks, but
12:30so both of you ladies are sitting at an intersection right now where diverse storytelling is all the
12:37rage, but guess what? Fox has been telling diverse stories for a very long time when it
12:42comes to scripted programming from Martin to living single, uh, mad TV, and most recently
12:49empire and star. And now with the new shows coming out, our kind of people and the big
12:54lead. And of course, we're seeing plenty of diverse narratives on nine 11, nine 11 and nine
13:0011 lone star to close out. Talk about what drew you to your roles and what the experience has
13:07been like working on nine 11 lone star series with each other.
13:15Well, I'm going to say that, um, when the opportunity came up to be a part of the show
13:20and I started watching it, uh, and, and I fell in love with it for all the reasons that you
13:26just mentioned. Um, and then Tim, my near who's the head writer, executive producer said that
13:33I had an existing relationship with Grace and Judd. I was thrilled. I was absolutely thrilled
13:44cause they're my favorites. Um, not that I don't love the others. Um, but at the time, um, before
13:52I got to meet the rest of the cast, I just thought this is, this is beautiful. This is, um, such
13:57a, another opportunity to watch two women of color, uh, different generations, uh, different
14:06backgrounds, you know, sort of cultural, the Afro-Cuban, the, the African-American, you know,
14:11all, all, all that juicy, just all on one screen and what that looks like. Um, and it just made
14:19me happy and I've been happy. I've been ecstatic ever since Sierra doesn't disappoint. Oh my gosh.
14:28And so lovely. And it's just, yeah. Every time we get to be together on screen, it's, it's
14:36not just being on screen, but it's also, I get to spend the day with Sierra. Oh my gosh.
14:40I can't, this is my waterproof jeans. I'm not going to on this panel. Um, I, I feel the
14:48exact same way. I truly, uh, when I found out Tim, we were on a zoom call and he told
14:55me, yes. So, so Tommy Vega, this is, is an ad. Um, they, and she introduced grace and
15:03Judd and I fell out and I told my family after and I was like, ah, this is so cool. Um, I think
15:10to, to, to, to be so young and to be able to portray a younger, strong, intuitive, faithful
15:21young black woman on television. Um, and then it will is, is, was something special in and
15:28of itself. Um, and then for second season to come along and to be able to, um, work alongside
15:36someone who has paved the way for strong, powerful, intuitive, uh, faithful, you know, women of
15:44color before me, I think was, uh, it, it felt like a full circle moment. Um, and so I, I
15:52feel to, to be able to work with somebody like Gina and for her to be as, as grounded and beautifully
16:00open as she is. Um, I think you can feel it when you watch the show, which is my favorite
16:04part. I think just as a consumer, um, it is being able to watch and feel like, um, because
16:12you have to, sometimes your characters just, they just have what you have. You can't, you
16:16can't control it. Um, and I'm, and I'm kind of rambling cause there's so many things that
16:21I love about this relationship and how it's, uh, translated in the show. But, um, yeah,
16:29I don't even remember the question, but that's what festival is all about. It really is all
16:38about black women loving on each other, feeling the spirit of sisterhood and for, and knowing
16:46how it translates, not just in our personal lives, but into our work lives and into the
16:51this beautiful flourishing show that you have, look at the sisterhood that we're seeing
16:56right now. Like that's what festival is all about. So I just want to say thank you so much
17:02Sierra and Gina. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us today and being so open
17:07and sharing your sisterhood with us. We'd love to see it.
17:10We appreciate it. I, this was great. Um, I loved it.
17:15Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much.
17:17Yeah. And for everyone watching, please remember to mark your calendar,
17:21and do not forget to watch 9-1-1 Lone Star when it returns for its next season in January
17:28on Fox. You don't want to miss it because you will see some of this fabulous sisterhood
17:33on the screen and all these curls, all the hair, all the hair, all its shapes and forms.
17:42Bye everybody. Thank you for watching Essence Fest.
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