00:00I would say I would describe this season as interesting.
00:09I think me personally, my storyline is very interesting,
00:12and I'm excited for people to watch and state their opinions.
00:18Some of them are going to be unpopular opinions.
00:21Talk about our partnership.
00:22You're a boss.
00:23I'm just trying to bring it out.
00:24If you don't set the tone, she's going to keep on walking all over you.
00:30Hi, ladies. I'm Rafei Ruff with Essence. How are you?
00:33Hello. You look wonderful, beautiful. Love this shirt. Yes, great.
00:37Thank you. I guess to kick things off, you know, season one going in,
00:40I'm sure you weren't certain what the audience response was going to be,
00:43and, you know, you were waiting with bated breath to see, like, what, you know,
00:46even though you clearly had a hit on your hands.
00:48Now that you all are established, people are anticipating season two,
00:51what was it like going back into filming knowing that you, you know,
00:54have such high expectations coming in?
00:57I think it's mixed emotions because there's a confidence knowing that you have
01:00the culture behind you, and then there's also an apprehension to make sure that
01:04they stay engaged and they like what else we have to offer with these storylines.
01:09And I think the best that we can do is what we did season one,
01:11be authentic in every opportunity, be in the moment,
01:14continue to be inspired to, like, give more life to our characters
01:18and let the rest unfold how it unfolds.
01:20Period.
01:23I mean, I didn't feel like I ate that.
01:24You really did.
01:26Okay, I can't add anything.
01:28That says it all, yeah.
01:30That was an answer.
01:32Now, Cassandra, even though the show is sort of told through Will's eyes
01:35and kind of focusing on the cousins and their relationship,
01:40I feel as though it kind of gives us a bigger peek into what's going on in the adult lives
01:44than the sitcom kind of did.
01:46What is it like for you, you know, to have such a big role in this,
01:50and what are you looking forward to people seeing from Aunt Viv
01:53and her continued story arc this season, without getting spoilers, of course?
01:58Of course.
01:58I think Morgan Cooper baked in early on that Aunt Viv would be more than just a matriarch
02:04of the show, that you would actually see a woman living her life today in modern times.
02:10And I think Carla Waddles has done a great job of creating storylines where it's about,
02:14like, what makes this woman so vulnerable today?
02:18Why is it so vulnerable to speak your truth, take up space?
02:21And when you're an artist, it's like so many different evolutions of being an artist,
02:25whether it's claiming your space and then defining that space for other people
02:29and then making room for other people.
02:31I just love Aunt Viv's storyline because I think there's so many teachable moments
02:35for all of us to glean from.
02:36And hopefully it inspires people to go after their dreams,
02:40no matter how messy it might be.
02:43Awesome. Beautifully said.
02:45Now, Akira, last season you told us that, you know,
02:47you did get some chance to have a little, you know,
02:50talk with Tatiana Leigh, the original Ashley,
02:53and, you know, get a little mentorship for her.
02:55But this season you're working side by side with her.
02:58What was that like, you know, old Ashley and new Ashley meeting up
03:02on screen this season?
03:05I mean, that was honestly a surreal moment for me,
03:08especially now that I'm in her playing her character.
03:13I felt a little intimidated, but she definitely reassured me
03:16that I was on the right path and I was doing well playing her character.
03:21So I felt like that was really an honorable moment for me.
03:24Wonderful. Thanks so much.
03:25Now, Coco, you've put a different spin on what we knew of Hilary Banks.
03:30Like, she's got so many more layers to her and she's kind of, you know,
03:33this businesswoman with all these aspirations.
03:36What are you looking forward to fans seeing from her, you know,
03:38more layers of Hilary in season two?
03:41I'm excited for fans to see Hilary be more vulnerable.
03:45She's in love with Jazz and they commit to being in this relationship.
03:50And not to spoil it, but some things happen because, you know,
03:52this is a drama.
03:53But I'm excited for them to see that more vulnerable side of her
03:57and also kind of the uncertainty of Hilary.
03:59I think she, in season one, she was very determined.
04:02She had a lot of, like, clear, clear-headedness about where she wanted to go in life.
04:07But I think when these certain situations happen that I won't mention,
04:11it kind of, like, rocks her internally and she has to figure out, like,
04:16what she's going to do.
04:17And I don't know what people are going to think about what she decides to do.
04:20Thanks for that.
04:23Now, I guess for all three of you, you were all, I'm sure,
04:27recognized to some degree before, but now your profile is so much higher
04:31in the public, and especially, Coco, you have new singles on the CP.
04:35What is it like just being recognized in the street so much more
04:38than you were prior to the show, King the Airway?
04:40Well, for me, it kind of feels like deja vu because I, as a child actor,
04:49I had a lot of success in a short window of time,
04:52and it kind of felt like this, a lot of momentum,
04:55a lot of people curious about who I am and recognition in a way.
05:01So it kind of feels like I've done this life before,
05:05but now I'm more myself instead of just, like,
05:08this little doe-eyed girl from Tennessee, like,
05:10what is happening?
05:11Why are these people staring at me?
05:14That is really it.
05:15I'm lucky that I live in Brooklyn, New York,
05:18and so, you know, people in New York aren't those type of people.
05:23I did have one moment where a Mack truck, like,
05:25stopped while I was walking my son down the street,
05:28and this driver was like, yo, Aunt Viv, you in Brooklyn?
05:32And my son was like, Aunt Viv in Brooklyn.
05:35But I feel so blessed that people, you know,
05:41you can be famous for a lot of things out here,
05:42and I'm happy to be known for something that gives people such inspiration.
05:47So it's just, it's good.
05:49When people see me, I can know from a moment why they know me from whatever.
05:53They feel so excited.
05:54But, you know, I do like my privacy.
05:57I don't think, you know, I'm not interested in being like,
05:59I can't go out and do things.
06:01That's the worst.
06:02I went to Legoland, I went to, like, the Lego tour with my son one day,
06:06and this woman was following me around with her camera,
06:09and be like, and so she's here right now,
06:11and it looks like that's her son.
06:12And I was like, we can just take a picture, too.
06:15You know, we're just, we're still regular people.
06:18Fame is a funny thing.
06:19Like, all it means is that a lot of people know you,
06:21but you actually don't change.
06:23So it's, like, so interesting to see everybody else change,
06:26but you still remain the same, right?
06:27Yeah, that's how I feel, though, because I, it's weird being recognized
06:32because it doesn't happen a lot.
06:33So when it does happen, I'm like, are they talking to me?
06:36Like, I was in the bathroom one time at a football game,
06:39and some girl just starts recording me.
06:41Like, I was over there just, like, fixing my hair and stuff.
06:44She's recording me for, like, 10 minutes.
06:45My cousin is like, I think she's, like, recognizing me or something.
06:48I was like, I don't know.
06:49She's just recording me out of nowhere.
06:51And then she, all of a sudden, she goes, are you from Bel Air?
06:53And I'm like, yeah.
06:55But it's just weird.
06:56Like, why are you recording me?
06:58Yeah, I don't know.
06:59I think it's, I like it, but sometimes it's a little, like, weird.
07:03You know?
07:04It sounds like it can be quite a bit, honestly.
07:07I guess just to wrap things up,
07:10can each of you describe this season in one word as you see it?
07:14I would say I would describe this season as interesting.
07:23I think me, personally, my storyline is very interesting,
07:27and I'm excited for people to watch and state their opinions.
07:32Some of them are going to be unpopular opinions.
07:35So that's what I'll say.
07:40I'm going to stick with my word that I always use, hope.
07:42I feel like this applies to each character this season.
07:49Each character has to have hope because they don't know what the outcome is going to be.
07:56I guess my word for the day has been grace about who are you when you're under pressure,
08:01and you hope to give the other person grace and that you receive that in return.
08:06That's amazing what you said.
08:07Well, thank you all for your time today.
08:08Thank you so much.
08:10Thank you so much.
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