ESSENCE x The Woman King Roundtable

Essence Content

Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Adrienne Warren, and Thuso Mbedu discuss the making of 'The Woman King' with director Gina Prince-Bythewood for the September digital cover of ESSENCE.

Transcript

00:00:00we don't get to do anything like this ever you know sometimes you're you're in a project that's

00:00:05bigger than you that's that's on the level of significance you're not thinking about box office

00:00:11you're not thinking about you know success you're thinking about transcendence you know you're

00:00:18thinking about legacy so they they say 70% of directing is casting and clearly I'm a genius

00:00:38because because I brought all of us together and I mean I've said it a thousand times I feel like we

00:00:48have the dopest most incredible ensemble for this film the woman king and I could say a thousand

00:00:58things about each of you however I would I want to start this with you guys talking about each

00:01:09other and so Viola I want to start with you if you could just tell us about to so let's see to me

00:01:26Tussauds has a translucent talent where you know I forget the name of that paper that's so thought

00:01:34sort of thin that you can see through everything light comes through in every shade and that's how

00:01:45I see her emotional life coming through with this character of now we um it's that immediacy it's that

00:01:55accessibility that um only very few have and I think it's the building block of a really incredible

00:02:06actor I also find Tussauds to be incredibly have incredible integrity and I find her to be someone who

00:02:17absolutely works hard she is both someone who has a born talent and someone who's an outlier and I find her wisdom

00:02:30with her character as something that probably people don't have at her age and I find her an incredible

00:02:44um heartfelt person and I love being around her even behind the camera how's that oh my god wait a minute

00:02:57so um I really enjoyed working with Lashana um she takes her craft very seriously and I think I've said it

00:03:25to you a thousand times to a point where I feel a little creepy about how much I love foreign to you

00:03:31no it's sure it's embarrassing to be true whereas really I am looking forward to seeing Izogi because

00:03:36of the decisions that you made for her like not being afraid to take risks um going all the way through

00:03:42and just the fierceness that comes with it yeah thank you I'm not creepy though you're not really creepy

00:03:55oh my god now actually if you can tell us about Adrienne oh my god thank you

00:04:08you told me

00:04:10Adrienne Warren the Adrienne Warren

00:04:16performer extraordinaire the voice of some kind of angel slash ancestor slash um something out of

00:04:29this world out of this era I had the pleasure of seeing you on stage as Tina in London and you were

00:04:36absolutely incredible absolutely so easy to stand up at the end and go wow this person again takes

00:04:43her craft really seriously takes the cast really seriously is a fearless leader and also gives

00:04:49everything to every single moment of the performance you genuinely are a beautiful person as well like

00:04:55you're a beautiful person you're a pleasure to be around every day you're on set pleasure to be by the

00:05:03chairs with and I don't always want to be by the chairs um but you really just bring a lightness to

00:05:10the seriousness and the the intricacy of what we're doing in this movie and you absolutely just

00:05:18shun in ways and just you just made your character so meaningful and present and your moments were

00:05:26ever so present um and made me want to play opposite with you opposite you more and to um give more to

00:05:33you because you were giving so much to us oh my gosh thank you

00:05:37poor darling cry like

00:05:39Adrienne can you tell us about Sheila

00:05:44okay um thanks for giving us this opportunity

00:05:49okay um yeah seriously

00:05:52Sheila

00:05:54Sheila is

00:05:56Sheila is

00:06:00Sheila cracks me up

00:06:01Sheila cracks me up

00:06:07Sheila is such a force

00:06:09and she is so beautifully mysterious to so many people

00:06:15and I love that about her

00:06:19her heart is huge and she wouldn't want anybody to know that

00:06:24so I just told everybody

00:06:27it's like it's not true

00:06:30it's not true

00:06:31it's slander

00:06:32but your

00:06:36the beauty that you bring to every single role and every single thing you do

00:06:45I remember the first time I met you in London and I literally I didn't even I hadn't even seen her perform yet and I was just like

00:06:52who is that

00:06:53this goddess and you were so kind and to me and

00:07:00I'll never forget that because then your talent just blew me away

00:07:06you take everything you do so seriously

00:07:10and you are you execute in such a way that is I can't even believe the things that I see

00:07:20and also just your spirit and your strength and your grace all of it just exudes with you doing nothing

00:07:29because you are so unbelievably just powerful in your being

00:07:36and it's you know maybe intimidating to a lot of people

00:07:40and to

00:07:41and to

00:07:42and to

00:07:43and to those who like know you

00:07:46it's um

00:07:47it's an honor to be around you

00:07:49and just to be amongst that greatness

00:07:51that you are

00:07:52thank you

00:07:54you're welcome

00:07:55I know this is like your worst nightmare

00:07:56oh my god

00:07:57it's literally our worst nightmare

00:07:59that's what the gloves are for

00:08:04because it's going after you

00:08:05so Sheila can you tell us about

00:08:08I can

00:08:10Viola Davis is hands down one of the best actors I've ever worked with

00:08:21and ever seen

00:08:21and ever been in the presence of

00:08:23for

00:08:24I don't know so many reasons that I don't even think I could

00:08:29put here

00:08:31but

00:08:32your discipline

00:08:34your

00:08:35dedication

00:08:37your support

00:08:38of everyone around you

00:08:41your

00:08:42vulnerability

00:08:43your truth

00:08:45and

00:08:46your humour

00:08:47you're so funny

00:08:50yeah yeah yeah

00:08:51she's got jokes

00:08:53every day

00:08:55she's got jokes man

00:08:57like

00:08:58I was

00:08:59yeah

00:09:00cracking up on set

00:09:01constantly

00:09:02um

00:09:03your advice

00:09:05your guidance

00:09:06even in the moments where you weren't

00:09:08you know

00:09:09aware

00:09:10that you were guiding

00:09:11and advising

00:09:12your presence

00:09:16your

00:09:17I could just go on

00:09:18like you

00:09:19yeah

00:09:20I'm honoured

00:09:24there's not a single person on this table

00:09:26who would not break up

00:09:27and break out into a random dance

00:09:29at any point

00:09:33which is something I really love

00:09:34that's written in that

00:09:37whoa

00:09:38and you know what

00:09:41I'm also going to say

00:09:42that

00:09:43you deserve every flower

00:09:47and then some

00:09:48yes

00:09:48and there's flowers that you've been

00:09:50needing and deserving

00:09:52that are due to you

00:09:55yeah

00:09:55and we all know that

00:09:57a thousand times over

00:09:58a thousand times over

00:09:59a thousand times over

00:10:00wow

00:10:00thanks

00:10:01wow

00:10:02it's a privilege to be able to

00:10:03yeah

00:10:04be able to talk to any

00:10:05talk about anyone here at the table

00:10:07and just feel

00:10:08so filled with like

00:10:09love and honour

00:10:10and

00:10:10and like everyone being so graceful

00:10:13and taking their craft so seriously

00:10:14and having

00:10:15just the experience

00:10:17to know how to treat each other with respect

00:10:19every single time

00:10:20and to dance through it as well

00:10:22yeah

00:10:23thank you for that reminder

00:10:24because it's

00:10:24we needed it

00:10:25we needed it

00:10:26and we got it for each other

00:10:28yeah

00:10:29um

00:10:30and VT is not here

00:10:33because this is a

00:10:34chic table

00:10:35but uh

00:10:36King Gezzo

00:10:37John Boyega

00:10:38can you talk a little bit about

00:10:39the

00:10:40John

00:10:41John Boyega was

00:10:43a king

00:10:44you know

00:10:46um

00:10:47I find

00:10:48um

00:10:50just

00:10:51an observation

00:10:52that a lot of times

00:10:54that a lot of times

00:10:54as women

00:10:55we

00:10:56and especially

00:10:57as women of color

00:10:58especially as black women

00:11:00we don't have a lot of men

00:11:02who have our backs

00:11:03um

00:11:05we don't have

00:11:06um

00:11:07the support

00:11:08that's out there

00:11:10that's given to

00:11:11some of our peers

00:11:13and that's

00:11:14what was in

00:11:15John Boyega

00:11:16that

00:11:17that he wanted to be

00:11:18a part of this story

00:11:20he wanted to support it

00:11:21um

00:11:23uh

00:11:24and

00:11:25and his willingness

00:11:26to do that

00:11:27was

00:11:28for me

00:11:28a great show

00:11:30of character

00:11:30and then

00:11:31when he walked into

00:11:32the role of

00:11:33King

00:11:33Gezzo

00:11:34I felt that

00:11:36he approached it

00:11:37like King Lear

00:11:38he approached it

00:11:40like it was

00:11:41a filet mignon meal

00:11:43he understood

00:11:45the assignment

00:11:45he understood

00:11:47the assignment

00:11:48as a supporter

00:11:49and he understood

00:11:50the assignment

00:11:50as another actor

00:11:52in um

00:11:53in

00:11:54in this movie

00:11:55and um

00:11:56and my god

00:11:59does he deliver

00:12:00I mean

00:12:01you feel like

00:12:02he is in the entire movie

00:12:04that's how

00:12:06extraordinarily

00:12:07strong

00:12:08his presence is

00:12:09and um

00:12:11he is an actor

00:12:12he is an artist

00:12:13in every sense

00:12:14of the word

00:12:15now do me

00:12:18I'm kidding

00:12:20um

00:12:21so

00:12:24many people

00:12:25have heard

00:12:25the story

00:12:26of

00:12:26you know

00:12:27how this

00:12:27came to be

00:12:28with Maria Bello

00:12:29at an award ceremony

00:12:30presenting you

00:12:31with an award

00:12:32and pitching

00:12:32you this story

00:12:34and

00:12:35can you just

00:12:35take us

00:12:36a little bit

00:12:36from that moment

00:12:37to

00:12:37here we are

00:12:39we've finished

00:12:39the movie

00:12:40well um

00:12:42well the story

00:12:43is that Maria Bello

00:12:44has been

00:12:45nursing this story

00:12:47for a long time

00:12:48she had the treatment

00:12:49for it

00:12:49and

00:12:50I got an award

00:12:51at

00:12:51the Skirball Center

00:12:53in 2014

00:12:54National

00:12:55Women's History Museum

00:12:56and instead of

00:12:57presenting me

00:12:58the award

00:12:59traditionally

00:12:59she pitched

00:13:00the movie

00:13:01and everyone

00:13:02stood up

00:13:03and cheered

00:13:03I think

00:13:06there's an

00:13:06important part

00:13:07of this story

00:13:08though

00:13:09and the important

00:13:10part of the story

00:13:11is

00:13:12I'm saying this

00:13:12now because

00:13:13it's what

00:13:14it's been

00:13:15eight years

00:13:16right

00:13:16I would say

00:13:18at the time

00:13:19it didn't

00:13:20hit me

00:13:21not the story

00:13:24the story

00:13:24hit me

00:13:25the possibility

00:13:26of the story

00:13:27seeing light

00:13:27did not

00:13:28hit me

00:13:28and I think

00:13:30that that's

00:13:31important

00:13:31to say

00:13:32because

00:13:32we are

00:13:33sort of

00:13:34thrust

00:13:34into this

00:13:35business

00:13:36we're sort

00:13:36of thrust

00:13:37in the world

00:13:37too

00:13:38but that's

00:13:38a whole

00:13:38different

00:13:39conversation

00:13:40but we're

00:13:40thrust

00:13:41in the business

00:13:41automatically

00:13:42assuming

00:13:43that something

00:13:43is not

00:13:44going to happen

00:13:44if it's

00:13:45never been

00:13:45done before

00:13:46there's not

00:13:47going to be

00:13:47any support

00:13:48no one's

00:13:48going to

00:13:48want to

00:13:49do it

00:13:49no studio

00:13:50is going

00:13:50to give

00:13:50it the

00:13:50green light

00:13:51vote

00:13:51and who

00:13:52would want

00:13:52to see

00:13:52me

00:13:53like that

00:13:53and so

00:13:56I

00:13:56personally

00:13:57dropped

00:13:57it

00:13:58in my

00:13:59brain

00:13:59in my

00:14:00mind

00:14:00until

00:14:02it came

00:14:03back

00:14:03with her

00:14:04Kathy

00:14:04Shulman

00:14:05came with

00:14:06the script

00:14:07by Dana

00:14:07Stevens

00:14:08and I

00:14:08was like

00:14:09oh

00:14:09okay

00:14:10you know

00:14:11once again

00:14:13everything

00:14:13that happens

00:14:14with us

00:14:15is somehow

00:14:16under the

00:14:16headline

00:14:17of Miraculous

00:14:18and

00:14:20and then

00:14:21pitching it

00:14:22to different

00:14:22studios

00:14:23coming in

00:14:25with a

00:14:25huge amount

00:14:26of cynicism

00:14:27I must

00:14:28say

00:14:28and here

00:14:31we are

00:14:32and on

00:14:33the red

00:14:34soils

00:14:34of South

00:14:35Africa

00:14:35shooting

00:14:36this movie

00:14:37and it

00:14:38was the

00:14:38first time

00:14:39that it

00:14:40you know

00:14:40it gave me

00:14:41the strength

00:14:41of a warrior

00:14:42to have a

00:14:43belief in

00:14:43my ideas

00:14:44and my

00:14:46possibilities

00:14:46as an

00:14:47actor

00:14:47and the

00:14:47possibility

00:14:48of other

00:14:49black actors

00:14:50too

00:14:50younger black

00:14:51actors

00:14:51coming up

00:14:52actresses

00:14:53coming up

00:14:54so

00:14:55that's the

00:14:57journey

00:14:57in a nutshell

00:14:57every

00:14:58you know

00:14:59the thing

00:14:59about it

00:14:59is everybody

00:15:00always talks

00:15:00about when

00:15:01you're an

00:15:02actor

00:15:02it's the

00:15:03first time

00:15:04you decide

00:15:05to be an

00:15:05actor

00:15:05and it's

00:15:06the kind

00:15:06of actor

00:15:07you want

00:15:07to be

00:15:07how you

00:15:07see your

00:15:08career

00:15:08nobody

00:15:09talks about

00:15:09the in

00:15:10between

00:15:10and that

00:15:12in between

00:15:12conversation

00:15:13is something

00:15:14that is

00:15:16joyful

00:15:17is satisfying

00:15:19but ugly

00:15:20is blood

00:15:23sweat

00:15:23tears

00:15:24and cannot

00:15:25be encompassed

00:15:26in this

00:15:27conversation

00:15:27but here

00:15:28we are

00:15:29here we are

00:15:30wow

00:15:31alright so

00:15:33each of you

00:15:34guys play

00:15:34one of these

00:15:35beautiful

00:15:36agogia

00:15:36and I just

00:15:37want to hear

00:15:38about your

00:15:39characters

00:15:39why don't you

00:15:40tell us

00:15:40about Oday

00:15:41Oday

00:15:42silent assassin

00:15:44Oday

00:15:47silent assassin

00:15:51she's a

00:15:52mysterious

00:15:52young woman

00:15:54who is

00:15:56not of

00:15:56the Dahomey

00:15:57kingdom

00:15:57she's a

00:15:58mahi

00:15:58and

00:16:00she's

00:16:00the outsider

00:16:01and when

00:16:03she's

00:16:04she's very

00:16:06she's

00:16:09trying to

00:16:10find herself

00:16:11at the

00:16:11same time

00:16:12she's

00:16:12trying to

00:16:12survive

00:16:13she's

00:16:14tell us

00:16:14about

00:16:14Amenza

00:16:15Amenza

00:16:16is

00:16:17both

00:16:19a warrior

00:16:20and

00:16:21a spiritual

00:16:22leader

00:16:23within

00:16:25the

00:16:26Dahomey

00:16:27kingdom

00:16:27and

00:16:29I'm trying

00:16:31not to give

00:16:31I'm like

00:16:32and that's

00:16:33it

00:16:33no

00:16:34she

00:16:34I think

00:16:37like

00:16:37as Adrian

00:16:38said

00:16:39everyone

00:16:39within this

00:16:41group of

00:16:41women has

00:16:42their own

00:16:43personal

00:16:43challenges

00:16:44alongside

00:16:45the kind

00:16:46of wider

00:16:46challenge of

00:16:47their role

00:16:48their job

00:16:49and

00:16:51you know

00:16:52I think

00:16:53Amenza's

00:16:53had a kind

00:16:54of similar

00:16:54past

00:16:56to Ode

00:16:56and

00:16:58feels a sense

00:17:00of great

00:17:00responsibility

00:17:01to balance

00:17:02lots of

00:17:02things within

00:17:03herself

00:17:03and within

00:17:04the group

00:17:05she's

00:17:05kind of a

00:17:06caretaker

00:17:07of sorts

00:17:07so

00:17:08yeah

00:17:09and she's

00:17:10best friend

00:17:10to the Niska

00:17:10as well

00:17:11so yeah

00:17:14that's a

00:17:32great description

00:17:33oh my

00:17:35gosh

00:17:36Azogi

00:17:36the pleasure

00:17:38that is

00:17:39this character

00:17:40who

00:17:40is

00:17:42a

00:17:42complicated

00:17:43very

00:17:46she's

00:17:48full of

00:17:49pain

00:17:50and angst

00:17:51and trauma

00:17:51and all of

00:17:52the rest

00:17:53wrapped in a

00:17:54very slick

00:17:55proud uniform

00:17:56which

00:17:58at bedtime

00:17:59is a shame

00:18:00because she

00:18:01takes

00:18:02her role

00:18:03as being

00:18:04the caretaker

00:18:05the trainer

00:18:06the mentor

00:18:07the everything

00:18:09for these young

00:18:09trainees

00:18:10so seriously

00:18:11as if she's

00:18:13trying to

00:18:14emulate

00:18:15what Niska

00:18:16has done

00:18:16for her

00:18:17which is

00:18:18being

00:18:18the mother

00:18:19the family

00:18:20the everything

00:18:21for these

00:18:21young people

00:18:22who were

00:18:23lost

00:18:24or could

00:18:24potentially

00:18:24continue to be

00:18:25lost

00:18:26and she

00:18:27channels

00:18:27and she channels

00:18:27that in

00:18:28such a

00:18:28powerful

00:18:29forthright

00:18:32brutal

00:18:33strict way

00:18:36she's

00:18:38the disciplinarian

00:18:39of the palace

00:18:42but she also

00:18:43has

00:18:43such like

00:18:44joy and

00:18:45fun within

00:18:45her

00:18:46she's pulled

00:18:46it from

00:18:47somewhere

00:18:47and is able

00:18:48to really

00:18:49bounce off

00:18:49these people

00:18:50who give

00:18:51her life

00:18:52like all

00:18:53of the life

00:18:53there is a

00:18:54fly

00:18:54and that's

00:18:55fine

00:18:55and if

00:18:56she was

00:18:56here

00:18:57she would

00:18:58just

00:18:58she's

00:19:02incredible

00:19:03she's

00:19:04someone

00:19:04on paper

00:19:05that I've

00:19:06looked up

00:19:07to

00:19:07the way

00:19:08that she's

00:19:08taken

00:19:09her

00:19:09family

00:19:10experiences

00:19:11her life

00:19:11experience

00:19:12and churned

00:19:12it into

00:19:13this ball

00:19:13of fire

00:19:15is

00:19:16incredible

00:19:17and admirable

00:19:19and I just

00:19:21feel so proud

00:19:22of the journey

00:19:22that she

00:19:23has

00:19:23with

00:19:23the young

00:19:25people

00:19:25yeah

00:19:28the beauty

00:19:32because you

00:19:32just said

00:19:33something

00:19:33and the beauty

00:19:34of all your

00:19:35characters

00:19:35and all you

00:19:35and I will

00:19:36continue

00:19:37is what

00:19:37you brought

00:19:38what you brought

00:19:40personally

00:19:41to the character

00:19:42and

00:19:42on set

00:19:45embodying it

00:19:46not just

00:19:46as a character

00:19:48but as

00:19:49a cast

00:19:50member

00:19:50I know

00:19:51there's

00:19:52two moments

00:19:53in dailies

00:19:53that just

00:19:54strike me

00:19:55one involves

00:19:57there's a

00:19:57scene

00:19:59where

00:19:59now he's

00:20:01crying

00:20:01Tuso's

00:20:02crying

00:20:02and

00:20:03I said

00:20:06cut

00:20:06and you

00:20:08were still

00:20:08in it

00:20:09and there's

00:20:10just a little

00:20:10moment

00:20:11you had

00:20:11your arm

00:20:12on

00:20:12your hand

00:20:13on Tuso's

00:20:14arm

00:20:14and you

00:20:15just

00:20:15saw this

00:20:16little

00:20:16movement

00:20:17of comfort

00:20:18which was

00:20:19just so

00:20:20striking

00:20:21and then

00:20:22with you

00:20:23you had

00:20:24a slight

00:20:25injury

00:20:26on

00:20:26what do you

00:20:29mean

00:20:29in a scene

00:20:32and same

00:20:33thing

00:20:33as soon as

00:20:34I said

00:20:34cut

00:20:34you see

00:20:35you

00:20:35you get

00:20:36out of

00:20:36the scene

00:20:36and the

00:20:36first thing

00:20:37you do

00:20:37was you

00:20:38look to

00:20:38her

00:20:38to see

00:20:39if she

00:20:39was okay

00:20:39so again

00:20:40like that

00:20:41kind of

00:20:41thing

00:20:42just

00:20:42permeated

00:20:43the set

00:20:44and again

00:20:45you certainly

00:20:45took that

00:20:46role

00:20:46that you

00:20:47just talked

00:20:47about

00:20:48seriously

00:20:48it was

00:20:49really

00:20:49beautiful

00:20:50thank you

00:20:51just on that

00:20:52point

00:20:52I don't

00:20:55want to speak

00:20:55for everyone

00:20:56I felt like

00:20:57I wasn't

00:20:59channeling

00:20:59my own

00:21:00strength

00:21:01in this movie

00:21:02there were

00:21:02people coming

00:21:03in

00:21:03there was

00:21:04support

00:21:05from every

00:21:06era coming

00:21:07in

00:21:07and I don't

00:21:09believe we

00:21:09would have

00:21:10been able

00:21:10to accomplish

00:21:11what we did

00:21:12if we

00:21:13hadn't

00:21:13had

00:21:13the type

00:21:14of support

00:21:14that we

00:21:15did

00:21:15every day

00:21:16every night

00:21:17shoot

00:21:17every morning

00:21:18when we

00:21:18thought gosh

00:21:18we're gonna

00:21:18have to do

00:21:19better

00:21:19have to do

00:21:20more

00:21:20we have to

00:21:20push our

00:21:21bodies

00:21:21we have to

00:21:21push our

00:21:22minds

00:21:22there was

00:21:23something else

00:21:24that was

00:21:24propping us

00:21:25up

00:21:25I personally

00:21:26needed it

00:21:27and I felt

00:21:28that when

00:21:29we were

00:21:29depleted

00:21:30when I was

00:21:30depleted

00:21:31Tusa would

00:21:32come in

00:21:32when Tusa

00:21:33were depleted

00:21:34like Adrian

00:21:35would come in

00:21:36and we were

00:21:36just kind of

00:21:37maneuvering around

00:21:38each other

00:21:39in like a

00:21:39microcosm

00:21:40of positivity

00:21:42but not toxic

00:21:43positivity

00:21:43because it's

00:21:44hard

00:21:44and it's

00:21:45important

00:21:46to realize

00:21:47that this

00:21:48stuff is

00:21:48hard

00:21:49and it's

00:21:49okay for it

00:21:50to be hard

00:21:50because we're

00:21:51breaking through

00:21:52what the skin

00:21:53that we have

00:21:54right now

00:21:54and developing

00:21:55the thick skin

00:21:56that we need

00:21:56to get to

00:21:57the end

00:21:57of the shoot

00:21:58and I'm

00:21:58just grateful

00:21:59we were

00:21:59able to

00:22:00do that

00:22:00for each

00:22:01other

00:22:01in a safe

00:22:01and calm

00:22:02way

00:22:03every day

00:22:04so great

00:22:05casting

00:22:06well done

00:22:07genius

00:22:08genius that is

00:22:09the gene of

00:22:09Rinsby

00:22:09Tusa

00:22:10tell us about

00:22:12Naoi

00:22:13Naoi man

00:22:18she's

00:22:19determined

00:22:19very hit

00:22:20strong

00:22:21and stubborn

00:22:21and I think

00:22:23in everything

00:22:23in the fight

00:22:24that she puts

00:22:25up is because

00:22:26more than

00:22:28anything

00:22:28she wants

00:22:30to belong

00:22:30her deepest

00:22:32desire is

00:22:33to be wanted

00:22:33I think

00:22:34when you know

00:22:35working on her

00:22:36as a character

00:22:36I think

00:22:37one of the

00:22:38things that I

00:22:38said was that

00:22:39she fears

00:22:43being unwanted

00:22:44more than death

00:22:45which is why

00:22:46she is more

00:22:47than willing

00:22:47to join

00:22:49the Agogie

00:22:49and stay

00:22:50and put up

00:22:50with it

00:22:51even though

00:22:52it gets

00:22:52a little crazy

00:22:52Naniska

00:22:58Naniska

00:23:01is the

00:23:01general

00:23:02she is

00:23:04a leader

00:23:05and she is

00:23:07a leader

00:23:07in the deepest

00:23:07sense of the

00:23:08word

00:23:08I don't think

00:23:09that she's

00:23:09a leader

00:23:10that's

00:23:10as interested

00:23:12in ego

00:23:13as she is

00:23:14in not

00:23:14leaving

00:23:15the fallen

00:23:16behind

00:23:16and making

00:23:18sure

00:23:18that

00:23:19they don't

00:23:21fall

00:23:21I think

00:23:23that she

00:23:23definitely

00:23:24is a leader

00:23:24that will

00:23:25jump through

00:23:25the plate

00:23:25of glass

00:23:26first

00:23:26and also

00:23:28she is a

00:23:29woman

00:23:29that is

00:23:30trying to

00:23:31reconcile

00:23:31her past

00:23:32so

00:23:39I talked

00:23:40to each

00:23:41of you

00:23:41guys

00:23:41once

00:23:41you came

00:23:42aboard

00:23:42about

00:23:43the

00:23:43training

00:23:44about

00:23:44that

00:23:45I wanted

00:23:47you guys

00:23:47to do

00:23:47your own

00:23:48stunts

00:23:48do your

00:23:49own

00:23:49fighting

00:23:49it was

00:23:49imperative

00:23:51because

00:23:51for me

00:23:52the best

00:23:52action

00:23:53is

00:23:53personal

00:23:54and it's

00:23:54character

00:23:55driven

00:23:55and it's

00:23:55story

00:23:56driven

00:23:56and it's

00:23:56very hard

00:23:57to do

00:23:57that

00:23:57when you're

00:23:58dealing

00:23:58with

00:23:58doubles

00:23:59y'all

00:24:00looked me

00:24:01in the

00:24:01eye

00:24:01and said

00:24:01that you

00:24:02would do

00:24:02everything

00:24:03it took

00:24:04even those

00:24:05who hadn't

00:24:05done it

00:24:06before

00:24:06it's one

00:24:07thing to

00:24:07say that

00:24:08it's another

00:24:09thing to

00:24:09really do

00:24:09what you

00:24:10guys did

00:24:11which was

00:24:12I don't

00:24:13think anyone

00:24:15can ever

00:24:15really say

00:24:16how hard

00:24:17you guys

00:24:17well maybe

00:24:18you guys

00:24:18can

00:24:18but

00:24:19but I

00:24:22do

00:24:22want to

00:24:23start

00:24:23with

00:24:23Tuso

00:24:26because

00:24:27you

00:24:27sent me

00:24:27an email

00:24:28like

00:24:30after

00:24:30she said

00:24:31I could

00:24:32share

00:24:32some of

00:24:33this

00:24:33I'm not

00:24:33being an

00:24:33asshole

00:24:33like

00:24:38your second

00:24:38day of

00:24:39training

00:24:39and I'll

00:24:41just read

00:24:41the part

00:24:42your second

00:24:43day of

00:24:43training

00:24:43was running

00:24:45regular

00:24:47stance

00:24:47okay

00:24:47it was

00:24:50with

00:24:52Gabby

00:24:52thank you

00:24:57love you

00:25:00Gabby

00:25:01love you

00:25:01so you

00:25:06yes

00:25:07you wrote

00:25:07to me

00:25:07you said

00:25:08it was

00:25:08painfully

00:25:09amazing

00:25:09never in

00:25:10my life

00:25:10have I

00:25:11ever had

00:25:11a positive

00:25:12self-talk

00:25:12myself

00:25:13through

00:25:13anything

00:25:13lol

00:25:14because I

00:25:15guess I

00:25:15just opted

00:25:16to play

00:25:16it safe

00:25:17the mental

00:25:18conversation

00:25:18is definitely

00:25:19a huge

00:25:19part of

00:25:20this process

00:25:20that I'm

00:25:21welcoming

00:25:21wholeheartedly

00:25:22I remember

00:25:23in my second

00:25:23session with

00:25:24Gabby she

00:25:24asked me to

00:25:25lift my

00:25:25chin and

00:25:26chest and

00:25:26I found

00:25:27myself getting

00:25:27emotional

00:25:28talk a little

00:25:40bit about that

00:25:41and then I

00:25:42want y'all to

00:25:42just talk about

00:25:43the training

00:25:44and what it

00:25:45took to dig

00:25:46deep and find

00:25:47it and why it

00:25:48was emotional

00:25:48to dig that

00:25:49deep

00:25:50I think

00:25:51yeah again

00:25:52it's something

00:25:53that I've never

00:25:53had to do

00:25:54and in terms

00:25:56of just like

00:25:56physically being

00:25:57able to curve

00:25:57in was a

00:25:58means of

00:25:58protecting

00:25:58myself

00:25:59it's still

00:26:00hard

00:26:00like you

00:26:01had to push

00:26:01me constantly

00:26:02with Nawi

00:26:02to be able

00:26:03to you know

00:26:04approach the

00:26:04world in that

00:26:05way

00:26:05I remember

00:26:07that day

00:26:08it was hard

00:26:10but like I

00:26:13it says

00:26:13amazingly hard

00:26:14because I

00:26:16had to kind

00:26:17of face

00:26:18parts of me

00:26:18that one

00:26:20I wasn't

00:26:20aware

00:26:21were wounded

00:26:21but it

00:26:23was hard

00:26:24to run

00:26:24away from

00:26:25during that

00:26:26training

00:26:26and it's

00:26:26in the

00:26:27yeah

00:26:27you train

00:26:30yes

00:26:31you've never

00:26:32done anything

00:26:33on this level

00:26:34can you just

00:26:34talk a little

00:26:35bit about

00:26:35jumping in

00:26:37and the

00:26:39trust that it

00:26:39took that

00:26:40we're going

00:26:41to make you

00:26:41look good

00:26:42yes

00:26:43you know

00:26:44I can talk

00:26:44about it

00:26:45I call

00:26:49myself the

00:26:50OG warrior

00:26:51because I'm

00:26:51close to

00:26:5160 right

00:26:52OG

00:26:53OG

00:26:54you know

00:26:59what

00:27:00I will say

00:27:01this

00:27:01that there

00:27:02is something

00:27:03to be said

00:27:04about diving

00:27:05into something

00:27:06that you

00:27:06automatically

00:27:07assume you

00:27:08can't do

00:27:08that there's

00:27:11something that

00:27:11you have to

00:27:12tap into

00:27:13and when

00:27:14you bust

00:27:15out of it

00:27:15it's

00:27:16it's

00:27:17it's almost

00:27:18like you

00:27:19you become

00:27:19a new

00:27:20person

00:27:20you do

00:27:22it's like

00:27:23you're born

00:27:23again

00:27:24into this

00:27:25different

00:27:26sort of

00:27:27spirit

00:27:27it's a

00:27:28warrior

00:27:28spirit

00:27:29it's a

00:27:30spirit of

00:27:31I

00:27:31there is

00:27:32nothing

00:27:32I can't

00:27:33do

00:27:33now I'm

00:27:37still trying

00:27:37to get

00:27:38there

00:27:38now I'm

00:27:38not going

00:27:39to lie

00:27:39I'm still

00:27:39trying to

00:27:40get there

00:27:40then four

00:27:41hours a day

00:27:42five

00:27:42days a week

00:27:44of training

00:27:44but

00:27:45it was

00:27:51extraordinary

00:27:52it's

00:27:54extraordinary

00:27:55you know

00:27:56because

00:27:56I know

00:27:57for myself

00:27:58when

00:27:59just growing

00:28:00up in

00:28:01Central Falls

00:28:01Rhode Island

00:28:02little chocolate

00:28:03girl

00:28:03I think

00:28:05that I had

00:28:05more people

00:28:06who told me

00:28:07what I could

00:28:08not do

00:28:08than what

00:28:09I could

00:28:09do

00:28:10and so

00:28:12I grew

00:28:12up with

00:28:13restrictions

00:28:13not thinking

00:28:15I'm pretty

00:28:16not thinking

00:28:17I could be

00:28:17girly

00:28:17not thinking

00:28:18I could be

00:28:19funny or

00:28:19feminine or

00:28:20whatever

00:28:20it's all the

00:28:21things they tell

00:28:22you can't do

00:28:22and then you

00:28:23start your

00:28:23career and

00:28:23they say

00:28:24you can't

00:28:24do this

00:28:25you can't

00:28:25you know

00:28:25you're not

00:28:26you're miscast

00:28:26with this

00:28:27you're miscast

00:28:27with that

00:28:27miscast

00:28:28with that

00:28:28so this

00:28:29was like

00:28:29a great

00:28:30metaphor

00:28:30a great

00:28:31exercise

00:28:32in killing

00:28:33all of

00:28:34that

00:28:34that for

00:28:36me was

00:28:36the enemy

00:28:37the people

00:28:38who said

00:28:39you can't

00:28:40that's

00:28:42actually what

00:28:42it felt

00:28:43like

00:28:43I actually

00:28:44feel stronger

00:28:45now

00:28:45internally

00:28:46interestingly

00:28:47enough

00:28:48yeah

00:28:49can I say

00:28:50something about

00:28:51Viola

00:28:51please

00:28:51I remember

00:28:52there were

00:28:53moments when

00:28:54we were in

00:28:54the gym

00:28:55and we would

00:28:57all just be

00:28:58like I can't

00:28:59lift another

00:28:59weight

00:29:00I can't do

00:29:00nothing

00:29:01and then Viola

00:29:02would come in

00:29:02with a little

00:29:03dance every

00:29:04time

00:29:04like come on

00:29:05y'all

00:29:05let's go

00:29:06and I

00:29:07remember

00:29:08thinking

00:29:08golly

00:29:09all right

00:29:11if she

00:29:12she gonna

00:29:12keep pushing

00:29:13then who

00:29:14am I

00:29:14to stop

00:29:15now

00:29:15and you

00:29:17were just

00:29:17so inspiring

00:29:18in that

00:29:19way

00:29:20because you

00:29:20are the

00:29:21OG warrior

00:29:22and it

00:29:23made all

00:29:23of us

00:29:23like step

00:29:24up

00:29:24and work

00:29:25harder

00:29:26and train

00:29:26harder

00:29:27to like

00:29:27get to

00:29:28your level

00:29:29to keep

00:29:29up with

00:29:29you

00:29:30so

00:29:31yes

00:29:32she really

00:29:33really

00:29:33did

00:29:34and she

00:29:37like your

00:29:37first training

00:29:38session with

00:29:38Gabby

00:29:39I heard

00:29:39ended

00:29:40in some

00:29:41projecting

00:29:42it was mad

00:29:43ended

00:29:44began

00:29:45began with a

00:29:46vomit

00:29:46what do you

00:29:47mean

00:29:47listen I'd

00:29:49got off a

00:29:49plane like

00:29:50less than

00:29:5024 hours

00:29:51before that's

00:29:51my excuse

00:29:52I was

00:29:52dehydrated

00:29:53and there

00:29:55was this

00:29:55like

00:29:56amazingly

00:29:57beautiful

00:29:58petite

00:29:59Czech

00:30:00woman

00:30:00kind of

00:30:01smiling

00:30:01at me

00:30:02like hey

00:30:02can I do

00:30:03some

00:30:03do some

00:30:04I have to

00:30:04do some

00:30:05weights

00:30:05I was like

00:30:05yeah cool

00:30:06and then

00:30:0615 minutes

00:30:07in I was

00:30:08like what

00:30:08is this

00:30:09hell

00:30:09like what's

00:30:09happening

00:30:10what is

00:30:12happening

00:30:12do you know

00:30:13what I mean

00:30:14and I was

00:30:14alone

00:30:15and

00:30:16you guys

00:30:18were like

00:30:19training

00:30:19downstairs

00:30:19and I was

00:30:20like no

00:30:20no

00:30:21no

00:30:21this

00:30:21needs

00:30:22to

00:30:22I was

00:30:23talking to

00:30:24my body

00:30:24like you

00:30:24need to

00:30:24get used

00:30:25to this

00:30:25real quick

00:30:25because this

00:30:26is you

00:30:26now for

00:30:26six months

00:30:27you know

00:30:28and I

00:30:30think the

00:30:32belief that

00:30:33people like

00:30:34Gabby

00:30:35people like

00:30:35yourself

00:30:35you know

00:30:37the people

00:30:37like Danny

00:30:38Hernandez

00:30:38and the

00:30:39stunt

00:30:39training team

00:30:40had in

00:30:41us to be

00:30:41able to

00:30:42execute

00:30:42things

00:30:43and we'd

00:30:44be there

00:30:44like no

00:30:45that's not

00:30:46for me

00:30:47who's that

00:30:49for

00:30:49that's not

00:30:50for me

00:30:51and I

00:30:53also have

00:30:54to speak

00:30:55to

00:30:55the

00:30:56just the

00:30:58power

00:30:58of

00:30:59particularly

00:31:00the woman

00:31:00I think

00:31:00every single

00:31:01person here

00:31:02at some

00:31:02point was

00:31:03quite badly

00:31:04injured

00:31:04during this

00:31:05during this

00:31:06shoot

00:31:06I'm sorry

00:31:07there's a

00:31:07difference

00:31:07between

00:31:08hurt

00:31:08and injured

00:31:09no no no

00:31:10hurt

00:31:10okay

00:31:11everybody

00:31:13I have to say

00:31:14everybody at

00:31:15this table

00:31:15at some point

00:31:16during this

00:31:17shoot was

00:31:17quite badly

00:31:18hurt

00:31:18right

00:31:19which is

00:31:19just part

00:31:19and parcel

00:31:20of the

00:31:20thing

00:31:20even if

00:31:21you're

00:31:21doing

00:31:21everything

00:31:21right

00:31:22when you're

00:31:22working at

00:31:23high intensity

00:31:23it happens

00:31:24with athletes

00:31:24as well

00:31:25you just

00:31:25get hurt

00:31:26but I'd

00:31:28seen every

00:31:29single one

00:31:29of you

00:31:30be hurt

00:31:32hobbling

00:31:33like you know

00:31:34when the

00:31:35camera's cut

00:31:36and then when

00:31:36it's action

00:31:37you just

00:31:37can't see

00:31:37it

00:31:38every single

00:31:39one of you

00:31:40just transformed

00:31:41and I remember

00:31:42watching that

00:31:42sometimes and

00:31:43being like oh

00:31:44this thing

00:31:45that I've got

00:31:45here or I've

00:31:46got there

00:31:46like I've

00:31:48got to find

00:31:48a way

00:31:49through it

00:31:49you know

00:31:49and safely

00:31:50and that's

00:31:50a big

00:31:50that's you

00:31:51know saying

00:31:52thank you

00:31:52to you

00:31:53know Heinrich

00:31:53and the

00:31:54you know

00:31:55physio team

00:31:56as well

00:31:56who kept

00:31:57us standing

00:31:58you know

00:31:58but like

00:31:59to be able

00:32:00to do that

00:32:01you have

00:32:01to dig

00:32:02deep

00:32:03into layers

00:32:04like you guys

00:32:05have all said

00:32:06that you didn't

00:32:06know we're there

00:32:06you know

00:32:07you have to

00:32:08find something

00:32:09and sometimes

00:32:10you find it

00:32:10from the ground

00:32:11sometimes you

00:32:11find it

00:32:12from up

00:32:12sometimes we

00:32:12find it

00:32:13from each

00:32:13other

00:32:13man

00:32:15you guys

00:32:16are amazing

00:32:17you're on

00:32:18this side

00:32:19and you

00:32:22sorry

00:32:23you're on

00:32:23this side

00:32:23you

00:32:24you had

00:32:26trained

00:32:26for 007

00:32:27but what

00:32:28was different

00:32:29about this

00:32:30look you

00:32:32asked to do

00:32:33your own

00:32:33stance

00:32:34as like a

00:32:34kind of

00:32:35you can let

00:32:35me do

00:32:36my own

00:32:36stance

00:32:36and then

00:32:37they don't

00:32:37let you

00:32:37do it

00:32:37fully

00:32:38because you

00:32:39know

00:32:39there's so

00:32:39many dangerous

00:32:40aspects to

00:32:41the shoot

00:32:41that it's

00:32:42impossible

00:32:42so then

00:32:44when someone

00:32:45says you can

00:32:46do your own

00:32:46stance

00:32:46you're like

00:32:47no I'm not

00:32:48because it's

00:32:48dangerous

00:32:49I don't know

00:32:50how to fully

00:32:51do this stuff

00:32:51I don't know

00:32:52how to

00:32:52access the

00:32:53things that

00:32:54I don't

00:32:54know is

00:32:55there

00:32:55I don't

00:32:55know

00:32:55but I'm

00:32:56very competitive

00:32:57okay

00:33:00no I'm

00:33:02very competitive

00:33:03I know

00:33:04I can do

00:33:04something

00:33:05so if

00:33:06I've never

00:33:06done it

00:33:07before

00:33:07give me

00:33:0824 hours

00:33:08I'm

00:33:09mastering it

00:33:09even if

00:33:10I don't

00:33:10master it

00:33:11I'll just

00:33:11I'll

00:33:12master it

00:33:12somehow

00:33:13I'll try

00:33:14and just

00:33:14finesse it

00:33:15and

00:33:16I was so

00:33:17excited to

00:33:18be able to

00:33:18get into

00:33:19my body

00:33:19in a way

00:33:20that I

00:33:20hadn't before

00:33:21because that's

00:33:22how I access

00:33:23character anyway

00:33:24and it's how

00:33:25I was able

00:33:26to really

00:33:27appreciate

00:33:28these women

00:33:28that we're

00:33:29representing

00:33:29like fully

00:33:30in order for

00:33:32me to feel

00:33:32like I'm

00:33:32honouring them

00:33:33correctly

00:33:34I don't

00:33:35want there

00:33:36to be

00:33:36a vibe

00:33:37about me

00:33:38or on the

00:33:39set

00:33:39or even

00:33:40when people

00:33:41watch the

00:33:41movie

00:33:41as though

00:33:42we're like

00:33:42just emulating

00:33:43a part of

00:33:44them

00:33:44I wanted

00:33:45me

00:33:46personally

00:33:46to be able

00:33:47to embody

00:33:47these women

00:33:48so that they're

00:33:50proud of us

00:33:51you know

00:33:51that was my

00:33:52thing

00:33:53the entire

00:33:54shoot

00:33:54so

00:33:55the stunts

00:33:56was access

00:33:57to that

00:33:57and it was

00:33:58access to

00:33:59appreciating

00:34:00everyone's work

00:34:01on set

00:34:02when

00:34:03like you said

00:34:03Viola is there

00:34:05giving that

00:34:05one more take

00:34:06and it's as though

00:34:07it's the first

00:34:08take

00:34:08and I'm like

00:34:09I feel like

00:34:10I'm gonna

00:34:10break

00:34:10but she's

00:34:11not breaking

00:34:12so I'm not

00:34:12gonna break

00:34:13and you're

00:34:15like

00:34:15really trying

00:34:17to hold it

00:34:17together

00:34:18but you can

00:34:18see that

00:34:19we're feeding

00:34:20off of each

00:34:20other

00:34:20so if one

00:34:21link decides

00:34:22to do

00:34:22this own

00:34:23thing

00:34:23then it's

00:34:24pointless

00:34:25but I

00:34:26loved it

00:34:27Gabby

00:34:28Gabby

00:34:30McLean

00:34:31I just saw

00:34:31her this

00:34:32morning

00:34:32how

00:34:33and you're

00:34:34standing

00:34:34and you're

00:34:34here

00:34:35yeah

00:34:35see

00:34:36months after

00:34:39we've wrapped

00:34:40so yeah

00:34:41I thought it was

00:34:42absolutely incredible

00:34:43I'm genuinely

00:34:44and I don't say

00:34:45this out loud

00:34:46enough

00:34:46but I am so

00:34:47proud of being

00:34:48able to step

00:34:49up to what

00:34:50you asked

00:34:50of me

00:34:50because

00:34:51we could

00:34:54have been

00:34:54like

00:34:54are you

00:34:55out of your

00:34:55mind

00:34:56no

00:34:56that can't

00:34:57happen

00:34:57this is why

00:34:58we have

00:34:58stunt doubles

00:34:59I appreciate

00:35:00stunt doubles

00:35:00but for this

00:35:02I appreciate

00:35:02them in a

00:35:03different way

00:35:03because they

00:35:04were able to

00:35:04guide us

00:35:05and the

00:35:06Ness things

00:35:06and Danny

00:35:07Hernandez

00:35:07and the team

00:35:08were so

00:35:08incredible

00:35:08that I felt

00:35:09like in real

00:35:10safe hands

00:35:11and I felt

00:35:11like my body

00:35:12was somehow

00:35:13always capable

00:35:14I felt like

00:35:15every time we

00:35:16learned something

00:35:16new we were

00:35:17just capable

00:35:18and that's why

00:35:19I say our

00:35:20strength came

00:35:20from somewhere

00:35:21else

00:35:21because

00:35:22how

00:35:23how

00:35:24when people

00:35:25see this

00:35:26movie

00:35:26I think

00:35:27they'll probably

00:35:27doubt that

00:35:28we did it

00:35:28people

00:35:28when me

00:35:29that's not me

00:35:34bro

00:35:34don't ask me

00:35:35to do that

00:35:35now

00:35:36it's not possible

00:35:36this is the thing

00:35:38after every day

00:35:39I was like

00:35:39oh no I'm not

00:35:40doing that again

00:35:41oh no I'm done

00:35:42I can't physically

00:35:43do that

00:35:44literally

00:35:44oh you didn't say

00:35:45every take

00:35:45you find yourself

00:35:47just in the air

00:35:48like well I guess

00:35:48yeah

00:35:49so you know

00:35:53you guys have

00:35:53touched on

00:35:54some of the

00:35:54tough things

00:35:55in the shoot

00:35:55and you know

00:35:57for parts of it

00:35:58this was an

00:35:59incredibly tough

00:36:00and brutal shoot

00:36:02at times

00:36:02which I felt

00:36:04as well

00:36:05but there was

00:36:06a point where

00:36:07I literally

00:36:08I think it was

00:36:10three weeks in

00:36:11when I

00:36:12we were just

00:36:12so run and gun

00:36:13and everything

00:36:14was just

00:36:14it was a lot

00:36:16and I remember

00:36:17sitting alone

00:36:19and thinking

00:36:19the way I'm

00:36:20feeling right now

00:36:21I feel like

00:36:22I'm surviving

00:36:23and not thriving

00:36:24and I feel like

00:36:25I don't want to

00:36:26look back

00:36:27on this experience

00:36:27and that be

00:36:28my memory

00:36:29and it was

00:36:30that day

00:36:30that I just

00:36:31switched my mind

00:36:32to remind myself

00:36:33I get to do this

00:36:34I get to be on set

00:36:35with you guys

00:36:36I get to tell

00:36:37this story

00:36:37so I would just

00:36:39love for you guys

00:36:40given how tough

00:36:42it was

00:36:42and you've touched

00:36:43on it a little bit

00:36:44but that why

00:36:44like what

00:36:45kept you going

00:36:46what pushed you

00:36:47through the things

00:36:49that we had

00:36:49to go through

00:36:49I mean I'm

00:36:51going to stay

00:36:51for myself

00:36:52I got it

00:36:52really easy

00:36:53I remember

00:36:56I just

00:36:56every single day

00:36:57I was like

00:36:57I'm in a movie

00:36:58with Viola Davis

00:36:59and that honestly

00:37:03pushed me through

00:37:04and then I mean

00:37:05I was just so inspired

00:37:07by every single

00:37:08one of you

00:37:09and so every day

00:37:10I'd be like

00:37:11oh my god

00:37:11I'm in a movie

00:37:12with LaShawn

00:37:12like especially

00:37:13like as we were

00:37:14around each other

00:37:15more and more

00:37:15and seeing each

00:37:16other's work

00:37:16and Tussauds

00:37:17and Sheila

00:37:18I was just like

00:37:18this is crazy

00:37:19being directed

00:37:20by you

00:37:21that I would

00:37:22literally not

00:37:23be needed on set

00:37:24and if I knew

00:37:24Viola was doing

00:37:25a scene

00:37:25I would run

00:37:26to Video Village

00:37:27just so that I

00:37:28could sit and watch

00:37:29because first off

00:37:30it's Viola Davis

00:37:31and second off

00:37:32like I

00:37:33like there would

00:37:36be no us

00:37:37without her

00:37:38like in a way

00:37:39you know what I

00:37:39mean

00:37:39and so it was

00:37:40a masterclass

00:37:41every day

00:37:42just to watch

00:37:42each other work

00:37:43and that honestly

00:37:45pushed me through

00:37:46it was like

00:37:47that and doing it

00:37:48for the ancestors

00:37:49which is

00:37:52that's all

00:37:52inspiration you need

00:37:54we don't get to do

00:37:56anything like this

00:37:57ever

00:37:57you know that's

00:37:59the truth

00:37:59we don't we don't

00:38:00get to do anything

00:38:01like this ever

00:38:02you know sometimes

00:38:03you're you're in a

00:38:04project that's bigger

00:38:05than you

00:38:05that's that's on the

00:38:07level of significance

00:38:08you're not thinking

00:38:10about box office

00:38:11you're not thinking

00:38:11about you know

00:38:12success you're thinking

00:38:13about transcendence

00:38:15you know

00:38:16you're thinking about

00:38:18legacy

00:38:19that's what you're

00:38:21thinking about

00:38:22and um

00:38:23and and that's

00:38:25what pushes you

00:38:26through

00:38:26you know

00:38:27it's like you're

00:38:28leaving you're

00:38:29leaving something

00:38:30behind for the

00:38:31young actors

00:38:32and filmmakers

00:38:35gaffers

00:38:36directors

00:38:37to have

00:38:38because you know

00:38:39if it's never been

00:38:40done before

00:38:40then people feel

00:38:41like it can't be

00:38:42done

00:38:42so if it has

00:38:43been done

00:38:44this is our

00:38:46chance

00:38:47we don't know

00:38:48if we're gonna

00:38:48get another chance

00:38:49i sort of hate

00:38:51that

00:38:52i really do

00:38:53i hate to say

00:38:54that

00:38:54but it's true

00:38:56with this

00:38:57so um

00:38:58yeah

00:38:59and to be a part

00:39:01of something

00:39:01that looks

00:39:02like

00:39:03this

00:39:04this

00:39:06this

00:39:07this

00:39:08i don't

00:39:09really watch

00:39:10the monitors

00:39:11often

00:39:11of myself

00:39:12because i just

00:39:12like get freaked

00:39:13out

00:39:13but there were

00:39:14a few moments

00:39:15where i'd catch

00:39:17glimpses

00:39:18of other people

00:39:19whether it was

00:39:19their single shot

00:39:20or their two shot

00:39:21or even kind of

00:39:22sprawling wide shots

00:39:23that's just like

00:39:25wow

00:39:26just those little moments

00:39:28i think for me

00:39:29i'd be in my head

00:39:31about the details

00:39:32of what i had to do

00:39:32and then like you said

00:39:33remembering that

00:39:34it's bigger

00:39:34remembering that

00:39:36it was bigger

00:39:36than just

00:39:37us as individuals

00:39:38but then also

00:39:39seeing that

00:39:39visually

00:39:40having that

00:39:41represented

00:39:42just never

00:39:43seen so many

00:39:44dark skin

00:39:46women

00:39:46in the same

00:39:48frame

00:39:49i've just

00:39:50never seen it

00:39:50all looking

00:39:51the way we

00:39:52looked

00:39:52doing what

00:39:53we were

00:39:54doing

00:39:54you know

00:39:54just

00:39:55it's like

00:39:57oh yeah

00:39:57yeah yeah

00:39:58that's what

00:39:59we're doing

00:39:59okay cool

00:40:00let me go

00:40:00and chuck

00:40:01that spear

00:40:02one more time

00:40:02everything that

00:40:09everyone said

00:40:10but also

00:40:11the

00:40:12the backdrop

00:40:13being

00:40:14in south africa

00:40:16being on the

00:40:17continent

00:40:17um

00:40:18together

00:40:19you know

00:40:20we could have

00:40:21i say easily

00:40:22but i don't know

00:40:23been in a studio

00:40:24the entire time

00:40:25or been

00:40:25somewhere else

00:40:27um

00:40:28but we had

00:40:29the honor

00:40:29of being able

00:40:31to shoot

00:40:31on the land

00:40:32which felt

00:40:33like an

00:40:34already rich

00:40:35experience

00:40:36was becoming

00:40:36like a

00:40:37an honor

00:40:38it was just

00:40:39an honor

00:40:40to be able

00:40:41to represent

00:40:42these women

00:40:43on their land

00:40:44it just felt

00:40:45really special

00:40:45and i felt

00:40:47like it genuinely

00:40:48was a once in a

00:40:49lifetime

00:40:49experience

00:40:51i don't know

00:40:52how they felt

00:40:52when they

00:40:53first made

00:40:54that first

00:40:54black and white

00:40:55film

00:40:55or made

00:40:56that first

00:40:57you know

00:40:58film with a

00:40:58leading lady

00:40:59or but this

00:41:00felt like

00:41:01the first

00:41:02we are creating

00:41:02the blueprint

00:41:03and now

00:41:04we have it

00:41:05don't draw

00:41:08attention

00:41:08don't draw

00:41:08attention

00:41:09nothing's

00:41:10happening

00:41:10i'm proud

00:41:14to be a part

00:41:15of the blueprint

00:41:15with such

00:41:17fine artists

00:41:18who take

00:41:19their work

00:41:20as seriously

00:41:21as me

00:41:22and people

00:41:23that i care

00:41:24about do

00:41:24and this

00:41:26is something

00:41:27literally

00:41:28to tell

00:41:28my grandchildren

00:41:29you know

00:41:30that it

00:41:31happens

00:41:31and when

00:41:32you watch

00:41:32it

00:41:33you are

00:41:33seeing

00:41:33your mother

00:41:34and you

00:41:35are seeing

00:41:35mothers

00:41:36from other

00:41:37eras

00:41:38their energy

00:41:39is in this

00:41:39film

00:41:39and it's

00:41:40protected

00:41:41you know

00:41:42it's absolutely

00:41:43protected

00:41:44and i've

00:41:44not felt

00:41:45that before

00:41:46so thank

00:41:47you

00:41:47now the

00:41:48day i got

00:41:49to tell

00:41:49you that

00:41:49part of

00:41:50this film

00:41:50is going

00:41:51to be

00:41:51shot in

00:41:51quesadown

00:41:52which is

00:41:52where you're

00:41:52from

00:41:53um

00:41:53can

00:41:54can

00:41:57you

00:41:57tell us

00:41:59what that

00:42:02meant to

00:42:02you

00:42:03um

00:42:07oh

00:42:11i mean

00:42:15um

00:42:16um

00:42:20i think

00:42:21i've

00:42:22i've

00:42:22kind of

00:42:24taken the

00:42:25whole thing

00:42:26for granted

00:42:26until now

00:42:27like hearing

00:42:27people talk

00:42:28about it

00:42:28um

00:42:28i've tried

00:42:29not to

00:42:29think about

00:42:30it

00:42:30um

00:42:31coming from

00:42:34south africa

00:42:34um

00:42:35being in

00:42:37this

00:42:37place that

00:42:38i am now

00:42:39it's something

00:42:42that we

00:42:42i've always

00:42:43said where

00:42:44number one

00:42:45being able

00:42:45to come

00:42:46tell stories

00:42:47here was

00:42:47always a

00:42:48nice dream

00:42:48to have

00:42:49but it

00:42:49was not

00:42:49necessarily

00:42:50attainable

00:42:50and then

00:42:52having always

00:42:53wanted to

00:42:53work with

00:42:54viola

00:42:54having always

00:42:55wanted to

00:42:55do um

00:42:56an action

00:42:57film

00:42:57and getting

00:42:58to do

00:42:58both

00:42:59um

00:43:00you know

00:43:01was

00:43:02amazing

00:43:03and i had

00:43:05no clue

00:43:05that first

00:43:06one we were

00:43:07going to shoot

00:43:07it in south

00:43:08africa so that

00:43:08was exciting

00:43:09to hear

00:43:09and then to

00:43:11find out

00:43:11that the

00:43:12first two

00:43:12weeks

00:43:13would be

00:43:13in

00:43:13KZN

00:43:14which is

00:43:14my home

00:43:14province

00:43:15it

00:43:17it's like

00:43:23everything

00:43:24that one

00:43:25has gone

00:43:26through

00:43:26um

00:43:27in pushing

00:43:30to be

00:43:31where i am

00:43:31now

00:43:32none of it

00:43:32was in

00:43:32vain

00:43:33so all

00:43:33the fights

00:43:34that

00:43:34viola

00:43:35and them

00:43:35had to

00:43:36do as

00:43:36well

00:43:36to place

00:43:37me in

00:43:38this position

00:43:39was not

00:43:40in vain

00:43:40you know

00:43:41um

00:43:42believing

00:43:42in myself

00:43:44when others

00:43:45didn't see

00:43:45it

00:43:46was not

00:43:47in vain

00:43:47um

00:43:48it felt

00:43:50like

00:43:50it's just

00:43:52like the

00:43:52fulfillment

00:43:53or the

00:43:53alignment

00:43:54of purpose

00:43:54like

00:43:55everything

00:43:56working out

00:43:56the way

00:43:57it did

00:43:57was too

00:43:58good to

00:43:58be true

00:43:59but

00:44:00it had

00:44:02to happen

00:44:03like this

00:44:03and in

00:44:03this time

00:44:04and i am

00:44:05grateful that

00:44:06i could

00:44:07have been

00:44:07a part

00:44:08of that

00:44:08there's

00:44:09been an

00:44:09unfortunate

00:44:10dialogue

00:44:11that happens

00:44:11occasionally

00:44:12of a

00:44:13narrative

00:44:14created

00:44:14that there's

00:44:14conflict

00:44:15between

00:44:16us

00:44:17in terms

00:44:17of black

00:44:18folks

00:44:18from

00:44:18different

00:44:18parts

00:44:19of the

00:44:19world

00:44:19and

00:44:20it was

00:44:21wholly

00:44:23intentional

00:44:23that i

00:44:25wanted to

00:44:25tell this

00:44:26story

00:44:26with

00:44:27us

00:44:28and to

00:44:29bring

00:44:29you guys

00:44:31from all

00:44:31over

00:44:32our diaspora

00:44:34to tell

00:44:34the story

00:44:35of our

00:44:35ancestors

00:44:36so for

00:44:36me

00:44:37we

00:44:39absolutely

00:44:39celebrate

00:44:40our own

00:44:41cultures

00:44:42but

00:44:44when i

00:44:45looked out

00:44:46it was

00:44:47just

00:44:48black

00:44:48women

00:44:48coming

00:44:49together

00:44:49to

00:44:49tell

00:44:49the

00:44:50story

00:44:50and

00:44:51my

00:44:52hope

00:44:53for

00:44:53this

00:44:54film

00:44:54there's

00:44:54many

00:44:54hopes

00:44:55for

00:44:55this

00:44:55film

00:44:55but

00:44:56that

00:44:56it

00:44:57does

00:44:57start

00:44:58to

00:44:58heal

00:44:59it's

00:44:59almost

00:44:59as

00:45:00though

00:45:00not

00:45:00much

00:45:01needs

00:45:01to

00:45:01be

00:45:01said

00:45:02you

00:45:02just

00:45:03watch

00:45:03the

00:45:04movie

00:45:04and

00:45:04you

00:45:04see

00:45:04it

00:45:04play

00:45:05out

00:45:05which

00:45:06is

00:45:06nice

00:45:06you

00:45:07know

00:45:07it's

00:45:08like

00:45:08either

00:45:08you move

00:45:08forward

00:45:09together

00:45:09or you

00:45:09don't

00:45:10move

00:45:10forward

00:45:10at

00:45:10all

00:45:11I

00:45:12mean

00:45:12it's

00:45:12the

00:45:12beauty

00:45:12of

00:45:12what

00:45:13we

00:45:13do

00:45:13as

00:45:13artists

00:45:14that

00:45:14you

00:45:14know

00:45:14the

00:45:15final

00:45:15part

00:45:16of

00:45:16the

00:45:16collaboration

00:45:16in our

00:45:17art

00:45:17is

00:45:17the

00:45:18audience

00:45:18that

00:45:19they

00:45:19have

00:45:19to

00:45:20come

00:45:20locked

00:45:20and

00:45:20loaded

00:45:21with

00:45:21their

00:45:21heart

00:45:21with

00:45:22their

00:45:22experiences

00:45:22with

00:45:22their

00:45:23memory

00:45:23and

00:45:24they

00:45:24have

00:45:25to

00:45:25be

00:45:25open

00:45:26to

00:45:27the

00:45:27emotional

00:45:28artistic

00:45:29experience

00:45:29that we

00:45:29give

00:45:30them

00:45:30and

00:45:30somehow

00:45:31be

00:45:31shifted

00:45:32and

00:45:33in

00:45:33our

00:45:33life

00:45:34we

00:45:34have

00:45:34to

00:45:34be

00:45:34there

00:45:35for

00:45:35each

00:45:35other

00:45:35you

00:45:36know

00:45:36there

00:45:37are

00:45:37powerful

00:45:37rituals

00:45:38even

00:45:38in

00:45:38Africa

00:45:39you

00:45:40know

00:45:40where

00:45:40women

00:45:40come

00:45:41together

00:45:41who

00:45:41are

00:45:42infertile

00:45:42and

00:45:43they

00:45:44feel

00:45:44like

00:45:44God

00:45:44has

00:45:44passed

00:45:45them

00:45:45by

00:45:45that's

00:45:46why

00:45:46they

00:45:46couldn't

00:45:46have

00:45:46a

00:45:46child

00:45:47and

00:45:47what

00:45:48do

00:45:48they

00:45:48do

00:45:48they

00:45:49have

00:45:49a

00:45:49ritual

00:45:49where

00:45:50they

00:45:50go

00:45:50into

00:45:50compounds

00:45:51and

00:45:51they

00:45:51spread

00:45:52food

00:45:53and

00:45:53they

00:45:53scream

00:45:54really

00:45:54loud

00:45:55in order

00:45:55to part

00:45:56the

00:45:56heavens

00:45:56so

00:45:57God

00:45:57can

00:45:58hear

00:45:58them

00:45:59and

00:46:00hear

00:46:01their

00:46:01deepest

00:46:01prayers

00:46:05is

00:46:06first of

00:46:07all

00:46:07that

00:46:07there

00:46:07is

00:46:07a

00:46:08ritual

00:46:08like

00:46:09that

00:46:09which

00:46:09I

00:46:10think

00:46:10is

00:46:10dope

00:46:11but

00:46:12that

00:46:13everybody

00:46:13is

00:46:14joining

00:46:15with

00:46:15those

00:46:16women

00:46:16who

00:46:16have

00:46:17a

00:46:17deficit

00:46:17in

00:46:18order

00:46:18for

00:46:19them

00:46:19to

00:46:19get

00:46:20their

00:46:20blessing

00:46:20that's

00:46:22the

00:46:22beauty

00:46:23of

00:46:23connection

00:46:23that's

00:46:25the

00:46:25beauty

00:46:25of

00:46:25what

00:46:25we

00:46:26do

00:46:26and

00:46:26I'm

00:46:26telling

00:46:26you

00:46:27there

00:46:27is

00:46:27nothing

00:46:28that

00:46:28can

00:46:28be

00:46:29sort

00:46:29of

00:46:30cultivated

00:46:30in

00:46:31isolation

00:46:31and

00:46:33I

00:46:33hope

00:46:34that

00:46:34when

00:46:34people

00:46:34see

00:46:34this

00:46:35movie

00:46:35they

00:46:36understand

00:46:36see

00:46:37once

00:46:38again

00:46:38it's

00:46:39it's

00:46:39very

00:46:39difficult

00:46:40to

00:46:40talk

00:46:41about

00:46:42this

00:46:42in

00:46:42a

00:46:43setting

00:46:43like

00:46:43this

00:46:43because

00:46:43you

00:46:43need

00:46:4450

00:46:45years

00:46:46five

00:46:47hours

00:46:47a

00:46:47day

00:46:47but

00:46:48there

00:46:49is

00:46:49no

00:46:50words

00:46:50to

00:46:51describe

00:46:51the

00:46:52journey

00:46:53the

00:46:53sweat

00:46:54the

00:46:54blood

00:46:54the

00:46:55war

00:46:55that

00:46:56is

00:46:56being

00:46:56a

00:46:57black

00:46:57artist

00:46:58and

00:46:59being

00:46:59a

00:46:59black

00:47:00female

00:47:00artist

00:47:00and

00:47:01if

00:47:01people

00:47:01understood

00:47:02what

00:47:02goes

00:47:03on

00:47:03in

00:47:03the

00:47:03room

00:47:03what

00:47:04goes

00:47:04on

00:47:04in

00:47:04the

00:47:04studios

00:47:05what

00:47:05goes

00:47:05on

00:47:05in

00:47:06our

00:47:06hearts

00:47:06what

00:47:07friggin

00:47:07dies

00:47:07in

00:47:08us

00:47:08at

00:47:08times

00:47:09you

00:47:09know

00:47:10when

00:47:10they

00:47:10see

00:47:10the

00:47:10carnage

00:47:11of

00:47:12all

00:47:12the

00:47:12black

00:47:12actors

00:47:13who

00:47:13were

00:47:14out

00:47:14there

00:47:14even

00:47:15during

00:47:15Sidney

00:47:15potty

00:47:16potty

00:47:16years

00:47:16you

00:47:17know

00:47:17that

00:47:17never

00:47:18couldn't

00:47:18even

00:47:18couldn't

00:47:19even

00:47:19have

00:47:19an

00:47:19agent

00:47:20because

00:47:20there

00:47:20was

00:47:20nothing

00:47:21out

00:47:21there

00:47:21for

00:47:22them

00:47:22if

00:47:22they

00:47:22see

00:47:23the

00:47:23blood

00:47:23sweat

00:47:24and

00:47:24tears

00:47:25of

00:47:26what

00:47:26it

00:47:26took

00:47:26not

00:47:26just

00:47:27for

00:47:27this

00:47:27movie

00:47:27just

00:47:28what

00:47:28our

00:47:28journey

00:47:28is

00:47:29then

00:47:29they

00:47:29just

00:47:30would

00:47:30be

00:47:30on

00:47:30board

00:47:30they

00:47:34would

00:47:34be

00:47:34on

00:47:34board

00:47:35because

00:47:35they

00:47:35would

00:47:35understand

00:47:36the

00:47:36absolute

00:47:37importance

00:47:37of

00:47:38it

00:47:38and

00:47:39whatever

00:47:39sort

00:47:40of

00:47:40little

00:47:40jealousies

00:47:41which

00:47:41is

00:47:42very

00:47:42human

00:47:42because

00:47:43that's

00:47:43what

00:47:44it

00:47:44is

00:47:44it's

00:47:44jealousy

00:47:45it's

00:47:45envy

00:47:46it's

00:47:46I

00:47:46want

00:47:47to

00:47:47be

00:47:47there

00:47:47it's

00:47:48that

00:47:48just

00:47:48basic

00:47:49human

00:47:49instinct

00:47:49to

00:47:50take

00:47:50someone

00:47:50down

00:47:50because

00:47:51I'm

00:47:51not

00:47:51better

00:47:51than

00:47:52you

00:47:52I

00:47:52need

00:47:52to

00:47:52be

00:47:52better

00:47:53than

00:47:53you

00:47:53in

00:47:53order

00:47:53to

00:47:53feel

00:47:54some

00:47:54importance

00:47:55that

00:47:55is

00:47:56secondary

00:47:57to

00:47:59elevating

00:48:00the

00:48:00ultimate

00:48:01goal

00:48:01which

00:48:02is

00:48:02us

00:48:02being

00:48:03seen

00:48:03our

00:48:06togetherness

00:48:06also

00:48:07is

00:48:07resistance

00:48:09we

00:48:11are

00:48:11so

00:48:11much

00:48:11stronger

00:48:13together

00:48:14I

00:48:15didn't

00:48:15know

00:48:15I

00:48:15had

00:48:16sisters

00:48:16in

00:48:16places

00:48:17that's

00:48:18how

00:48:18I

00:48:18felt

00:48:18like

00:48:19being

00:48:19on

00:48:19this

00:48:19set

00:48:20my

00:48:21sisters

00:48:22have

00:48:23multiplied

00:48:24because

00:48:25of

00:48:25the

00:48:25beauty

00:48:26and

00:48:26the

00:48:26beauty

00:48:26in

00:48:27that

00:48:27and

00:48:27the

00:48:28beauty

00:48:28and

00:48:28what

00:48:28we

00:48:28have

00:48:28learned

00:48:29from

00:48:29each

00:48:29other

00:48:30because

00:48:30of

00:48:30our

00:48:30each

00:48:31individual

00:48:32lived

00:48:32experiences

00:48:33and

00:48:34the

00:48:34beauty

00:48:34that

00:48:35we

00:48:35present

00:48:35when

00:48:36we

00:48:36come

00:48:36together

00:48:37and

00:48:38we

00:48:38present

00:48:39what

00:48:39the

00:48:39world

00:48:39has

00:48:39never

00:48:40seen

00:48:40before

00:48:41and

00:48:42the

00:48:42doors

00:48:43and

00:48:44the

00:48:44walls

00:48:44that

00:48:45will

00:48:45be

00:48:45broken

00:48:45down

00:48:46just

00:48:47by

00:48:47us

00:48:48sitting

00:48:48next

00:48:48to

00:48:49each

00:48:49other

00:48:49because

00:48:51they

00:48:51love

00:48:52they

00:48:52meaning

00:48:53the

00:48:53system

00:48:53meaning

00:48:54everything

00:48:55else

00:48:55out

00:48:55there

00:48:56love

00:48:56to

00:48:56divide

00:48:57us

00:48:57because

00:48:59if

00:48:59you

00:48:59divide

00:48:59us

00:49:00then

00:49:00you

00:49:00can

00:49:00conquer

00:49:01us

00:49:01but

00:49:02if

00:49:02we

00:49:02are

00:49:02closer

00:49:03together

00:49:03if

00:49:04we

00:49:04are

00:49:04together

00:49:04try to

00:49:06penetrate

00:49:07us

00:49:07you

00:49:08won't

00:49:09because

00:49:10because

00:49:11we

00:49:11have

00:49:11been

00:49:11through

00:49:11so

00:49:12much

00:49:12and

00:49:13because

00:49:14each

00:49:14and

00:49:14every

00:49:14we're

00:49:14not

00:49:15superheroes

00:49:15we're

00:49:16actually

00:49:16warriors

00:49:16and

00:49:17we're

00:49:17just

00:49:17we're

00:49:18black

00:49:18women

00:49:19absolutely

00:49:20open

00:49:20well

00:49:27you

00:49:29guys

00:49:29did

00:49:30just

00:49:30touch

00:49:30on

00:49:31this

00:49:31but

00:49:31I'll

00:49:31end

00:49:31with

00:49:32you

00:49:34know

00:49:34in

00:49:35addition

00:49:35to

00:49:36the

00:49:36life

00:49:37affirming

00:49:38experience

00:49:39of

00:49:39working

00:49:39with

00:49:39me

00:49:39what

00:49:40what

00:49:42did

00:49:47you

00:49:47take

00:49:48away

00:49:48from

00:49:49this

00:49:49experience

00:49:50I know

00:49:50you can't

00:49:50show off

00:49:51your

00:49:51tats

00:49:51because

00:49:52you

00:49:52have

00:49:52the

00:49:53gloves

00:49:53look at

00:49:56that

00:49:56little

00:49:57baby

00:49:59little

00:50:00baby

00:50:00yeah

00:50:05we'll

00:50:05start

00:50:06with

00:50:06you

00:50:06Adrienne

00:50:06yeah

00:50:07we'll

00:50:07come

00:50:07in

00:50:08Adrienne

00:50:08and

00:50:08I

00:50:08sorry

00:50:11what was

00:50:12the

00:50:12question

00:50:12the

00:50:13impact

00:50:13of

00:50:14you

00:50:14and

00:50:16no

00:50:16what

00:50:17are

00:50:17you

00:50:17going

00:50:17to

00:50:17leave

00:50:18this

00:50:18experience

00:50:18with

00:50:19Gina

00:50:20Prince

00:50:21Bythwood

00:50:21tells

00:50:21you

00:50:22to

00:50:22do

00:50:22your

00:50:22own

00:50:22stunts

00:50:23be

00:50:23prepared

00:50:23no

00:50:24this

00:50:27was

00:50:27a

00:50:27gift

00:50:28that

00:50:28was

00:50:28unexpected

00:50:29for

00:50:29me

00:50:29and

00:50:30I

00:50:32think

00:50:33I

00:50:33have

00:50:33yet

00:50:34to

00:50:34truly

00:50:34know

00:50:35everything

00:50:36that

00:50:36it

00:50:36has

00:50:36done

00:50:37for

00:50:37me

00:50:37besides

00:50:41I

00:50:42got

00:50:43to

00:50:43work

00:50:43with

00:50:43someone

00:50:44I

00:50:44admire

00:50:45so

00:50:45much

00:50:45which

00:50:46is

00:50:46you

00:50:46who

00:50:47has

00:50:47become

00:50:48like

00:50:49family

00:50:49to me

00:50:50which

00:50:50I

00:50:50will

00:50:50always

00:50:51be

00:50:52grateful

00:50:52for

00:50:53and

00:50:53I

00:50:53now

00:50:54have

00:50:54sisters

00:50:54that

00:50:55I

00:50:55didn't

00:50:55have

00:50:55before

00:50:55all

00:50:56over

00:50:57the

00:50:57world

00:50:57you

00:50:58know

00:50:58everybody

00:50:59that

00:50:59worked

00:50:59on

00:51:00this

00:51:00on

00:51:01this

00:51:01piece

00:51:01and

00:51:02I

00:51:03don't

00:51:04even

00:51:04have

00:51:04the

00:51:04words

00:51:04really

00:51:05yet

00:51:05because

00:51:06I'm

00:51:06still

00:51:06processing

00:51:07I

00:51:07think

00:51:07the

00:51:08beauty

00:51:09and

00:51:09the

00:51:09impact

00:51:10of

00:51:10this

00:51:14we

00:51:15don't

00:51:15get

00:51:15this

00:51:15like

00:51:21even

00:51:21with the

00:51:21class

00:51:22we

00:51:22don't

00:51:22get

00:51:22this

00:51:23we

00:51:25don't

00:51:25get

00:51:25this

00:51:26a lot

00:51:27so

00:51:29man

00:51:29I'm

00:51:29just

00:51:29I

00:51:30can't

00:51:31wait

00:51:31to

00:51:31tell

00:51:31my

00:51:31grandkids

00:51:32one

00:51:32day

00:51:33that I

00:51:34was a

00:51:34part

00:51:34of

00:51:34that

00:51:35so

00:51:36thank

00:51:36you

00:51:37man

00:51:38no

00:51:43come

00:51:43back

00:51:43to

00:51:43me

00:51:44please

00:51:44come

00:51:44back

00:51:45to

00:51:45me

00:51:45I

00:51:45can't

00:51:45sorry

00:51:45well

00:51:46I

00:51:47can't

00:51:47same

00:51:52thing

00:51:52I don't

00:51:53I

00:51:54remember

00:51:56at the

00:51:56end

00:51:56of the

00:51:57shoot

00:51:57I was

00:51:57just

00:51:57like

00:51:58I

00:51:58don't

00:51:58really

00:51:58know

00:51:58what

00:51:58happened

00:51:59remember

00:52:02what

00:52:03happened

00:52:03I

00:52:03don't

00:52:04remember

00:52:04how

00:52:04we

00:52:04did

00:52:04it

00:52:05my

00:52:06body

00:52:06is

00:52:06just

00:52:07it's

00:52:07gone

00:52:08and

00:52:09like

00:52:10it's

00:52:10gone

00:52:10at the

00:52:12end

00:52:12of the

00:52:12day

00:52:12I

00:52:12was

00:52:12like

00:52:13yes

00:52:13my

00:52:14body

00:52:14can

00:52:15relax

00:52:15now

00:52:15do you

00:52:16know

00:52:16what

00:52:16I mean

00:52:17it's

00:52:18out

00:52:18it's

00:52:18out

00:52:19but

00:52:19I

00:52:20don't

00:52:20know

00:52:20what

00:52:21was

00:52:21in

00:52:21for

00:52:21something

00:52:22to

00:52:22be

00:52:22out

00:52:23like

00:52:23I

00:52:23don't

00:52:24know

00:52:24what

00:52:25happened

00:52:25I

00:52:26feel

00:52:26like

00:52:26my

00:52:27brain

00:52:27has

00:52:27just

00:52:28put

00:52:29it

00:52:29somewhere

00:52:30because

00:52:30I

00:52:31couldn't

00:52:31comprehend

00:52:32it

00:52:33I

00:52:34can't

00:52:36comprehend

00:52:36any of

00:52:37this

00:52:37from

00:52:39its

00:52:39inception

00:52:39to

00:52:41you

00:52:42being

00:52:43a part

00:52:43of

00:52:43this

00:52:43the

00:52:44Gina

00:52:44principally

00:52:45word

00:52:45to

00:52:46you

00:52:49just

00:52:49piss

00:52:49off

00:52:50of

00:52:50me

00:52:50that's

00:52:53all

00:52:53I

00:52:53just

00:52:54I

00:52:55mean

00:52:56this

00:52:56is

00:52:56a

00:52:56joke

00:52:56but

00:52:57like

00:52:57this

00:52:57right

00:52:57here

00:52:58there's

00:52:58a

00:52:58reason

00:52:58why

00:52:59this

00:52:59is

00:52:59so

00:52:59emotional

00:53:00for

00:53:00us

00:53:00this

00:53:01is

00:53:01it

00:53:01seems

00:53:01volumes

00:53:02like

00:53:03honestly

00:53:06I'm not watching this back today

00:53:07ever

00:53:08what does this tell you

00:53:09this is all I need

00:53:11strength

00:53:12right here

00:53:13I genuinely

00:53:18don't know

00:53:19I don't know

00:53:20I don't know

00:53:21what this

00:53:21I don't know

00:53:22what it is

00:53:22I don't know

00:53:23how it happened

00:53:24I'm grateful

00:53:25it happened

00:53:25I don't think

00:53:26I'll ever be able

00:53:27to comprehend

00:53:28the

00:53:30levels

00:53:32the whole production

00:53:33had to go to

00:53:34to make this happen

00:53:35to fight through

00:53:37adversity

00:53:39fight

00:53:39woo

00:53:40fighting the elements

00:53:41at the very least

00:53:43oh we

00:53:44like

00:53:45we went through

00:53:46we went to war

00:53:47like we were

00:53:48I felt like

00:53:49we were battling

00:53:50every single day

00:53:51for different reasons

00:53:52just being on a film set

00:53:53in general

00:53:54but this

00:53:54story in particular

00:53:56I

00:53:57I felt them

00:53:59I felt the

00:54:00I felt the women there

00:54:01I felt

00:54:02their presence

00:54:03and

00:54:04I can't comprehend it

00:54:06are you here now

00:54:07like where are you

00:54:08I feel like I'll have

00:54:11whatever spirit

00:54:12was conjured up

00:54:14for the shoot

00:54:15within us

00:54:15I feel like I'll have

00:54:16a little bit of that

00:54:17and I don't even know

00:54:19what it is

00:54:20I feel like I've met

00:54:21I've met this energy

00:54:23in a way

00:54:24and now

00:54:25I don't know what to do

00:54:26with it

00:54:26because will I get the chance

00:54:27to even exercise it again

00:54:28you know

00:54:29what does it mean

00:54:30how do I talk to it

00:54:32how do I use it

00:54:33but genuinely

00:54:36I'm just really

00:54:36grateful

00:54:38that

00:54:39all of my experiences

00:54:40and all of the no's

00:54:43and all of the complications

00:54:45and all of the

00:54:46we're going with

00:54:48a white girl

00:54:49a light-skinned girl

00:54:50a short girl

00:54:52a more experienced girl

00:54:54listen

00:54:55I'm like

00:54:56oh is it

00:54:57okay

00:54:57next time

00:54:59kill

00:55:00kill

00:55:01kill

00:55:01we're going with

00:55:02all of those girls

00:55:03because they're

00:55:04more aesthetically

00:55:06you know

00:55:07make more sense

00:55:08than

00:55:09the tall

00:55:10black

00:55:11curvy

00:55:12short-haired

00:55:12dark-skinned girl

00:55:13from London

00:55:15who

00:55:16doesn't

00:55:17you know

00:55:17the horizon

00:55:18cross their teeth

00:55:19all the time

00:55:20and who

00:55:21has opinions

00:55:22like these wonderful ladies

00:55:24and will say it

00:55:26and I know

00:55:28I've gone way off topic here

00:55:29but I just

00:55:30cannot comprehend

00:55:32how this is going to

00:55:33reverberate throughout our lives

00:55:34let alone throughout the world

00:55:36the world is one thing

00:55:37but in our lives

00:55:38there's

00:55:39there's something

00:55:40that we're going to have forever

00:55:41and I'm so excited

00:55:42to see what that

00:55:43collective experience

00:55:45is going to be

00:55:46I've said that

00:55:47to stop myself from crying

00:55:48beautiful

00:55:50I think my

00:55:52biggest takeaway

00:55:53is that

00:55:54I really

00:55:55am stronger

00:55:56than I think

00:55:57or believe

00:55:58or allow myself

00:55:59to believe

00:55:59you are

00:56:00you'll be okay now

00:56:07and that

00:56:11that there is a greatness

00:56:17that you saw

00:56:19that

00:56:20I have not been allowed

00:56:22to see in myself

00:56:24that I kind of need to

00:56:26take in

00:56:26so it's like

00:56:28with you

00:56:28and with Viola

00:56:29it's

00:56:30it's thank you

00:56:32for seeing me

00:56:32because I think

00:56:34I don't think

00:56:34even now

00:56:35I don't think

00:56:36I see myself

00:56:37you know

00:56:38and to

00:56:39I don't know

00:56:40what lens

00:56:40you guys

00:56:41are looking through

00:56:42but

00:56:42I need to shift

00:56:43that perspective

00:56:44when I

00:56:45got this job

00:56:47before I was announced

00:56:48so I wasn't allowed

00:56:49to tell anyone

00:56:50I met up

00:56:51with a really good

00:56:51friend of mine

00:56:52and

00:56:54I was like

00:56:55oh man

00:56:56I'm gonna go away

00:56:56to do this film

00:56:57and he was like

00:56:58oh yes man

00:56:59I've just seen

00:56:59he knows

00:57:00Nishana as well

00:57:01I've just seen

00:57:02Nishana the press release

00:57:03she's in The Woman King

00:57:03and I was like

00:57:04ah it's The Woman King

00:57:06and he was like

00:57:08what

00:57:08and he lost his mind

00:57:10and then he said to me

00:57:12why is it so hard

00:57:19he said to me

00:57:20the 10 year old boy

00:57:22in me

00:57:22is so happy

00:57:23ooh

00:57:25that's all I wanted

00:57:32thank you

00:57:32could I come quicker

00:57:33I'm gonna do that again

00:57:35because I was all

00:57:36the 10 year old boy

00:57:37yeah

00:57:38that's real

00:57:41it's real

00:57:42yeah

00:57:44he said

00:57:46the 10 year old boy

00:57:47in me

00:57:48is so happy

00:57:49and I was like

00:57:50I hadn't even thought

00:57:52about him

00:57:53you know

00:57:54or people outside

00:57:55of me yet

00:57:55and

00:57:58like everyone

00:58:00has said here

00:58:01I can't really

00:58:01comprehend

00:58:02what this is

00:58:03like it's

00:58:04it's huge

00:58:05you got people

00:58:06talking about

00:58:06their child selves

00:58:08and the effects

00:58:10that just your

00:58:10casting

00:58:11has

00:58:11before you've even

00:58:12seen the final project

00:58:13all my days

00:58:14so yeah

00:58:18and I think

00:58:18the other thing

00:58:19I'm really gonna

00:58:19take from this

00:58:20is

00:58:21how

00:58:23people like

00:58:24yourself

00:58:25and you

00:58:26protected us

00:58:27championed us

00:58:29and knowing that

00:58:30oh my gosh

00:58:32what do you mean

00:58:35knowing that

00:58:39we have that

00:58:40like

00:58:42I can now

00:58:43you know

00:58:44walk through

00:58:45my life

00:58:46my career

00:58:47knowing

00:58:48that you guys

00:58:49exist

00:58:50like

00:58:50that's

00:58:51you don't always

00:58:52know that

00:58:52you don't always

00:58:53know that

00:58:54I'm done

00:58:55innit

00:58:56whatever

00:58:56I'm done

00:58:57man

00:58:58just cut me

00:59:00at the thing

00:59:00byron

00:59:03we'll end with you

00:59:04well I

00:59:06you know

00:59:06I spoke to

00:59:07Miss Tyson

00:59:08a few weeks

00:59:09before she died

00:59:10I had a two hour

00:59:12conversation with her

00:59:13and Miss Tyson

00:59:16was the one

00:59:17who

00:59:17was the

00:59:18my inspiration

00:59:19to be an actor

00:59:20and I decided

00:59:22at six

00:59:23seven years old

00:59:23I was gonna be an actor

00:59:24in a dilapidated

00:59:25building in

00:59:26Central Falls

00:59:27Rhode Island

00:59:27where I was

00:59:28a bedwetter

00:59:29extreme

00:59:30alcoholic father

00:59:31domestic violence

00:59:32and somehow

00:59:33she opened

00:59:35a portal

00:59:35for me

00:59:36and made me

00:59:37dream

00:59:37and

00:59:39and became

00:59:42an inspiration

00:59:43then a peer

00:59:45and then a friend

00:59:47so I spoke to her

00:59:47a few weeks

00:59:48before she died

00:59:50and I remember

00:59:52one of the things

00:59:52that she said

00:59:53is when she did

00:59:54EastEnders

00:59:55on television

00:59:56in the 60s

00:59:58she was the first

00:59:58black woman on TV

00:59:59and she got

01:00:00a boatload

01:00:01of mail

01:00:02every single week

01:00:03from black women

01:00:05saying

01:00:06that she was

01:00:07a disgrace

01:00:08to them

01:00:09the way she wore

01:00:21her hair

01:00:21was ugly

01:00:23and why didn't

01:00:26she put something

01:00:27else on her head

01:00:28and every single week

01:00:31there was more mail

01:00:34and it's the effects

01:00:39of racism

01:00:40and how we're seen

01:00:45as black women

01:00:45dark

01:00:47that the hatred

01:00:49is so deep

01:00:50that we internalize it

01:00:52and we tear

01:00:53each other down

01:00:54and then I see this

01:00:59and it's like

01:01:01the famous saying

01:01:02right

01:01:02look what God

01:01:03has done

01:01:04where has he brought us

01:01:07and I keep

01:01:14thinking of

01:01:15Miss Tyson

01:01:16I think of

01:01:18the Gloria Fosters

01:01:19all the great actors

01:01:20and Mary Alice

01:01:22all the people

01:01:23who came

01:01:23even before me

01:01:25and I think

01:01:27of that famous saying

01:01:28you can leave

01:01:28something for people

01:01:30or you can leave

01:01:31something in people

01:01:31and that's why

01:01:33we're artists

01:01:34we're not artists

01:01:35just to get to

01:01:36the next big movie

01:01:38and get the next

01:01:39big paycheck

01:01:40that art has the power

01:01:42to change culture

01:01:45and it has the power

01:01:46to change spirits

01:01:48and I think

01:01:50that's the biggest gift

01:01:51that we can give

01:01:52to someone like

01:01:53a Miss Tyson

01:01:54because really

01:01:55all life is

01:01:56is what you do

01:01:57with that dash

01:01:58of time

01:01:59like a relay race

01:02:00and you pass

01:02:01a baton

01:02:02to the next

01:02:02great runner

01:02:03you really do

01:02:04and that's all

01:02:05it is

01:02:06and this

01:02:10experience

01:02:13not job

01:02:14made me feel

01:02:15like I passed

01:02:16a hell of a baton

01:02:17to some great runners

01:02:22you know

01:02:25I'm so incredibly

01:02:28proud of what

01:02:29we did

01:02:30in the movie

01:02:30we made

01:02:31but

01:02:31I'm more proud

01:02:33about this

01:02:34and

01:02:34I'm more proud

01:02:38of this

01:02:39and thank you

01:02:49all of you

01:02:50for being a part

01:02:51of this

01:02:51thank you

01:02:52thank you for seeing us

01:02:54yeah thank you for seeing us

01:02:55yeah

01:02:56yeah

01:02:57yeah

01:02:58I'm sorry to make up

01:03:16I'm sorry

01:03:16yeah they'll be strong

01:03:18you still look cute

01:03:20thank you

01:03:22thank you

01:03:22it's just me

01:03:27all right

01:03:28it's just me

01:03:29it's just me

01:03:29happy birthday

01:03:32happy birthday

01:03:38to you

01:03:40happy birthday

01:03:43to you

01:03:46happy birthday

01:03:49to you

01:03:51oh yeah

01:03:51wait wait wait

01:03:52happy birthday

01:03:53to you

01:03:55happy birthday

01:03:56to you

01:03:58Happy birthday, happy birthday to ya

01:04:03Happy birthday to ya

01:04:06Happy birthday, happy birthday

01:04:16Happy birthday

01:04:21Happy birthday

01:04:22Please stop giving me the drink!

01:04:24Make a win!

01:04:26Oh no!

01:04:28Oh wow!

01:04:30Thank you so much guys!

01:04:32Make a win!

01:04:34I can't blow on it.

01:04:36I can't blow on it.

01:04:38I'm just grateful. More than anything.

01:04:40Yeah.

01:04:44Yay!

01:04:46That now is strength!

01:04:52Yay!

01:04:54Yay!

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