00:00What is the Bel Air area called? Is it 90210?
00:02Or is that Beverly Hills?
00:04It's Beverly Hills.
00:05That's Beverly Hills.
00:06Not even important. Never mind.
00:08Y'all don't live in Bel Air? All right, whatever.
00:10Now you no good.
00:13Yo, Uncle Phil.
00:15I'm glad you're safe. We'll talk later.
00:18Yo, is this really baby Ashley?
00:20You're a long way from home, Ma.
00:22Oh, Tim. How you been?
00:24You know, thriving.
00:26I hope one day we can talk about why you're really here.
00:34What up? Yo, Essence. What's good?
00:36Hi. How are you?
00:38I'm fantastic. And you?
00:40I'm doing well. Thank you so much for taking the time this evening.
00:42You guys are filling some pretty big shoes as the Banks children.
00:47What is that experience like for you?
00:49I'm assuming you all were pretty familiar with the source material coming in, correct?
00:53Mm-hmm.
00:55So what's the experience been like for you filling these big shoes of like the original bougie black kids on TV?
01:01I mean, look, I always say that we're standing on the shoulders of giants.
01:05And I think that really reframes the way I thought about it in that, you know, I don't I don't have to think of it as if I'm donning this coat that might be too big for me and I have to see if I fit in it.
01:17But rather, I'm building upon an incredible legacy that's been set.
01:22And I'm I'm being supported by Alfonso Rubiero's brilliant, incredible performance.
01:27So, yeah, that's if anything, I I think having those characters in the back of my mind has liberated me because it's like I don't need to try to recreate that because it's already been done.
01:38You know what I mean? And I just have to.
01:40That was beautiful.
01:42But I wanted to throw in there that because this is a more transparent and a more raw and authentic and at times like ugly and scary and intimidating storyline and the risk that we take.
02:00It's kind of like, yes, we come from this area code where we are supposedly supposed to be these bougie kids, but the storylines and the things we go through, anyone goes through them and there's a storyline for everyone, no matter your area code.
02:13So it's really awesome to be able to bring these characters to the ground and make them feel attainable and relatable because of the journeys that they go through.
02:21Now that each of you get a chance to talk to the actors that were your predecessors in these roles to kind of inform the way you were going to tackle this.
02:27Yeah, I actually did talk to Tatiana Ali. We talked for like 15, 20 minutes and she was so nice.
02:33And she told me all about her playing Ashley so young and the only not the only thing, but the one thing that I remember that's so iconic to me is when she said that she had the role of Ashley.
02:46Now she's passing it down to me. I felt so honored and I was so excited.
02:51Yeah, iconic. That's iconic. I got to talk to Karen and she was super warm and friendly and we laughed at how she's completely opposite from Hillary.
03:01She created her from a couple people she knew and she really showed me her support.
03:07And when she was saying that I'm exactly like Hillary and that it's awesome that I get to portray somebody who is driven and competent and headstrong and determined.
03:18And she really was like, I see what you're doing and it's great. Like, you've got my thumbs up for sure.
03:24Yeah. You know, Alfonso, there have been a bunch of scheduling changes, scheduling conflicts. Alfonso and I have not gotten to hang out, but, you know, we'd be texting frequently, you know, be like, hey, yo, homie was good.
03:37We're going to the club later next week. So, you know, we'll see.
03:41We need to have a Fresh Prince and Bel-Air reunion, two classics coming together and that's going to be another classic, right?
03:48Well, make sure there's cameras there as we definitely want to see.
03:51Absolutely.
03:52For sure.
03:53Now, what was some of the, without giving too many spoilers away, what are some of the topics that were tackled during this season that you felt were really important that it's good that you guys are taking on this way for a new audience?
04:06I love that for Carlton, we look at a substance abuse, which is, you know, something that is very pervasive in a lot of kids today and also mental health.
04:17You know, he struggles with anxiety and his own mental health sort of throughout the series.
04:23And if one, you know, little black kid can watch that and see themselves in Carlton and see themselves reflected on screen and feel seen, then, you know, that warms my heart.
04:34And I feel like I've done my job.
04:36That was beautiful.
04:37Thanks.
04:38That was beautiful.
04:39I'm excited to tell Hillary's story because it reflects the plights of the black woman trying to make it in an industry that isn't catered to her.
04:51All the opportunities that come at a cost, all the interesting positions that you get yourself in, all the opposition and all the strength that it takes to come back to center when you could, you could fold and, you know, get a check.
05:05I definitely relate to that in my own life.
05:08And I'm excited to expand on that as well as what it means to be an influencer, because it's not all it's cracked up to be.
05:14And in this social media, Instagram, pretty perfect life that people are thinking people have, it's not realistic.
05:21So I get to open that storyline up as well.
05:24I'm excited for people to just see the wisdom of Ashley because I feel like it's really representing how kids are now, you know, with social media and everything.
05:34They learn a lot.
05:35And so that's how Ashley is.
05:38She learns a lot from social media and she's super woke because of that, you know, on climate change and all that.
05:44So I'm excited for people to see, like, she's not just the baby of the family.
05:48She's like basically the glue that keeps the family together.
05:51She's like, I'm great.
05:54Y'all welcome.
05:55Now, were you able to turn?
05:57I know a lot of you are relative newcomers or you don't have as many credits as some of the older actors on the show.
06:03Were you able to turn to them for a little bit of advice on how to maneuver on a film set of this size or anything else regarding taking these roles on?
06:11In a way, I feel like this this set was so easy to navigate, I think, because, again, the energy is there.
06:18All of us just sort of lead with love.
06:20But, yeah, Cass and Adrian are just a treasure trove of endless information and endless anecdotes.
06:27I think Adrian's hair disappeared because of all the knowledge that doesn't make any sense.
06:34But that's what I'm going with.
06:35That's literally what I'm going with.
06:37And with Morgan just letting us be so free with our characters, he has he gives us so much freedom with our characters.
06:43We all just make it into our own.
06:45Like we don't do stuff that we don't want to do.
06:49Yeah. Yeah.
06:50Yeah.
06:51We definitely get that creative openness to really put our two cents in and not just feel like we're just actors who have to say lines like we get to make it as authentic as possible.
07:04So I feel like I learn a lot from everybody just in different ways.
07:08Some to do with acting and some to just being human and like.
07:12What do you learn from me?
07:13Well, you know what?
07:15Let me think.
07:16I'm like, you really just want me on the spot.
07:18I know.
07:19You know, you know, skip it.
07:20Skip this question.
07:21Don't even do it.
07:22But what I've learned from everybody is just like authenticity.
07:25Like we all just have this love for each other and it just shows on and off screen.
07:30But also like don't sleep on AK and Coco because they are veterans.
07:33You know what I'm saying?
07:34Like they've been doing this.
07:35Like you're literally a superhero.
07:37I watched Let It Shine.
07:39That was such a good movie.
07:40Oh, my God.
07:41Oh, my God.
07:43Thank you guys so much for your time to see.
07:45Oh, Ali, do you do the dance?
07:47You're going to have to watch and find out.
07:49Streaming.
07:50February 13th.
07:51Oh, big up.
07:52Super Bowl Sunday, baby.
07:54Thank you all so much for your time this evening.
07:57Have a good one.
07:58You too.
08:00Are you talking to me?
08:02Are you talking to me?
08:03Are you talking to me?
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