00:04Hi, this is Mariah Gullo from The Hollywood Reporter and I'm in studio today with Yolanda Ross.
00:09Hello. Hi, how's it going? It's going great.
00:12Let's talk about The Chi. Let's do it.
00:15So how did you get involved in this project? I auditioned for it the first time around and didn't get
00:21it.
00:22Like most of us didn't get it. And second time around I ended up booking it.
00:28And I got to say it was the best thing that I had read in the year of auditioning where
00:33I really did want it.
00:35I really related to the dialogue. It came off the tongue easy and Jada made sense to me.
00:43Excellent. And did you know about Lena before?
00:47I knew of her, but I hadn't seen Master of None and I just knew she was a really good
00:54writer.
00:55When you looked at the character of Jada, what characteristics about her did you like?
01:04She used common sense. She used common sense. She was a hard working woman.
01:12She had her unique way of showing her love for a kid and also guiding him in a way that
01:22I think is unique with them.
01:24And I find that it's probably unique with a lot of mothers and sons that are together without a father.
01:31Sometimes they're almost like siblings, you know.
01:35And in the audition scene was the one with Keisha, you know, under the bed.
01:40So it was a unique way to show how she dealt with that situation, you know,
01:46and still tried to pay the young lady respect, but also show her son how to respect the young girl
01:53under the bed.
01:54Yeah. It's so wonderful how the characters just kind of overlap in each other's lives.
02:00Yeah.
02:00There's so much crossover and, but you know, as a woman, I really want to see more of the female
02:07characters.
02:07I'm hoping they really come out more.
02:09I do too.
02:10And I was really excited about the episode that's coming up for you because you have more time with Ethel.
02:17And I just.
02:19Ethel's hilarious.
02:20Yeah.
02:21LaDonna.
02:22If y'all don't know.
02:23That is the character.
02:23Yeah.
02:24She is a lot.
02:25She's so much fun.
02:27She, um, she has a cooking show on YouTube.
02:29She does?
02:29Yes.
02:30She, um, she's flirtatious.
02:32She's, she's a lot.
02:33She's a lot.
02:34She's a lot.
02:34She is Ethel.
02:35A little bit.
02:36A little bit.
02:37That's it.
02:38Excellent.
02:39I love to hear that.
02:40Um, not, not the mean parts of Ethel.
02:43No, but even with that, like, you know, Ethel shows love.
02:47I mean, Ronnie could be a headache.
02:48Come on.
02:50Ronnie could be a headache.
02:51So, I mean, she's got that tough thing, but then she'll slide, you know, she'll slip
02:55some love in there.
02:56Like, mm-hmm.
02:57You know.
02:57Mm-hmm.
02:58Yeah.
02:58She does it, like, under the breath kind of.
03:01Did you lose something, Miss Ethel?
03:03My nail kit.
03:04And I know you stole it.
03:14Don't think I don't know what you're doing, girl, with your evil mind tricks.
03:18That motherfucking voodoo shit don't work on me.
03:20I'm a Christian.
03:24What you looking for now?
03:26My pocketbook.
03:28So we can go get our nails done.
03:33But I do my own nails.
03:36I know.
03:36That's why we're going.
03:38And not another word.
03:40I'm paying, so act grateful.
03:42Okay, but I got my own money.
03:44You are the hand.
03:45I said I'm paying.
03:48Least I can do for what you did for my Ronnie.
03:51Now let's go.
03:53It's nice to see, I mean, you know, there's so many moments of, like, tragedy or really
03:59intense, painful situations that happen in the show.
04:04And then it kind of.
04:05And then there's laughter.
04:06Yeah, there's laughter.
04:08It changes a little bit.
04:09Every character changes a little bit.
04:11I mean, at the beginning, you know, Ethel is such a hard ass.
04:16And then she kind of softens up once he, you know, once Jada helps her.
04:21Yeah.
04:22Well, I mean, I think she has it there in the first place.
04:24Because she knows that Jada does look out for her.
04:29And does take care of her.
04:31We also have to remember she is an elderly woman.
04:34So she can be dealing with a lot of things.
04:37You know, forgetfulness, possible onset of dementia.
04:40You know, like things like that.
04:42She could be going through.
04:43So, you know, like the lasagna in the microwave.
04:47You know, that kind of thing.
04:49Yeah.
04:49And lost batteries that I took.
04:52So, you know, things like that.
04:54But I think she knows overall Jada's there for her.
04:58Yeah.
04:59Yeah.
04:59And it is sweet to see their relationship as time goes on, how it kind of evolves a little.
05:06Mm-hmm.
05:07Mm-hmm.
05:08You're also a writer and director.
05:10I am.
05:11So that's why I really do appreciate this writing.
05:14And, you know, this world that Lena's created.
05:17It's such an amazing thing to see stories about us that are accurate, that have all the minute details that
05:30we can pick up that, say, if somebody else is telling our story, they just get looked over.
05:36And don't, you know, they don't, they're not there because that person's not living our lives.
05:42Yeah.
05:42You know.
05:43Yeah.
05:43Are there any particular scenes that stick out to you as moments where you felt they were, like, truly authentic?
05:50Well, I think they're all authentic to me.
05:52I mean, I love seeing the Jerrica and Brandon stuff, just all the little things between them as far as
05:58girlfriend and boyfriend.
06:00You know, it's like that early love of, like, a black couple and just, you know, she wants her dude
06:06to stay on his path, you know, like, stay out of the streets.
06:09And that's, like, a real thing.
06:12And in our case, like, say, me and Ethel, well, Jada and Ethel, Ethel is everybody's black grandma.
06:21You know, it's like she's everybody's grandmama.
06:23She really is.
06:24It's like, you know, I see it online, so many people, like, comment about her.
06:29And that's just, like, it's a simple, easy thing, but it's such a real thing, like all the little characteristics
06:36of Ethel.
06:37Yeah.
06:37Yeah.
06:39You know, one of the things I noticed is that Jada seems to be headed towards possibly some romantic entanglement.
06:48I feel like that's coming.
06:49I wouldn't mind that.
06:51I feel like there's been some conversations about being closed off.
06:54Uh-huh.
06:54And I noticed that with a lot of the women on the show is there's that kind of through line
06:59of we've been hurt so many times before by people, like, we're starting to close ourselves off.
07:06Well, you know, I think it's a coping mechanism.
07:10Uh-huh.
07:10I think it's a real one because, I mean, I know for myself, I don't have any friends really that
07:17are, well, I have very few that are partnered up.
07:20Mm-hmm.
07:20You know, it's like we all have great jobs, have homes, have things going on, but nobody to share that
07:27with in our lives.
07:28And that's a very real thing.
07:30And that's why I feel like, you know, having Jada, the single mother who's working hard, and not to say
07:37that the others aren't, but it's such a part of our country of life these days, the single motherdom.
08:16Yeah.
08:18Yeah.
08:19But that's like, again, another through line is that, you know, people are, you know, on the hustle, you know?
08:26People are on the hustle, and those monkey riches can be fast and furious.
08:30Yeah.
08:31And you have to take them, figure out how to deal with them, but keep your hustle going because life
08:39doesn't stop, you know?
08:40Ultimately, that's the bottom line.
08:43Life doesn't stop, and you have to just figure out how to continue on.
08:47Yeah.
08:47Let's talk a little bit about the career woman.
08:51Mm-hmm.
08:52Because, like I said, you're a writer and director.
08:55Yeah.
08:55And there is this, you know, this talk in Hollywood about this is a great time to be a female
09:01director.
09:02People are looking for female directors.
09:04Has that been your experience?
09:06It's, I can truthfully say, they definitely have been looking.
09:11You know, it still has been for a while.
09:14How they've been looking at certain ones, you know?
09:18I think it's a really good time to be a black female, you know, in this business.
09:23Because I feel like we're finally being heard, you know, and listened to and valued.
09:29And, you know, with this show becoming the success as it has been, and I just found out, like, it's,
09:36like, the highest, like,
09:38has the highest amount of viewers that Showtime has had for series behind billions.
09:44Amazing.
09:45Or since billions, I should say.
09:47Mm-hmm.
09:47So I'm, like, psyched about that.
09:49But, I mean, it does all help.
09:52And now that we're being listened to and they see value in us telling our stories, we have an audience,
10:00you know?
10:01If you give us something of quality, if we're allowed to make our own projects and put them out there,
10:11there are viewers for it.
10:13Yeah.
10:13You know?
10:14We've been held back for so long.
10:17It's crazy.
10:17Mm-hmm.
10:18Yeah, people are hungry for content that they haven't seen before.
10:21Yeah.
10:22And it's there.
10:23That's what sucks.
10:23You know, it's there and it's been there.
10:26Because, I mean, as an actor, you get to read all these things that never get greenlit.
10:31Mm-hmm.
10:31And, you know, the audiences don't know half of what you know as far as projects.
10:36And, you know, you hear what people are saying about they want to see this, they would like to see
10:40that, da-da-da.
10:41Well, it's like, yeah, I read that kind of script, like, I don't know how many years ago, or whatever,
10:46whatever.
10:47And that stuff never sees the light of day.
10:49Didn't get pushed out.
10:49Because back then, you know, if it was like ten years ago, there were way more reality shows.
10:54Oh, yeah.
10:55Well, yeah.
10:55Like, scripted content is really having its day now.
10:59And it's in television a lot, you know?
11:01Yeah.
11:01Yeah.
11:01So I'm thankful for all of it.
11:03Yeah.
11:03Yeah.
11:04So I have four more questions for you before I let you go.
11:07Uh-oh.
11:08First job that made you think, I've made it.
11:12Stranger Inside.
11:13Yeah, this is my first film.
11:15So, yeah.
11:17Excellent.
11:17Um, best day on the set of The Chi?
11:20Oh, my goodness.
11:22Oh, you know what?
11:23Um, the scene with Emmett laying in my lap.
11:29It's a short little scene, but it's such a beautiful, quiet moment.
11:34That was like my favorite scene on the set, day on the set.
11:39It's just sitting in that moment and it being like still and peaceful.
11:44That's nice.
11:45Last time you cried at a movie.
11:52I just did.
11:55Um, well they were, I cried at a play too.
11:59Um, you know, I, I did tear up at Mudbound.
12:03Oh.
12:04When Jason, yeah.
12:07Yeah.
12:07Yeah.
12:08Yeah, Mudbound.
12:09Yeah.
12:09Um, are you excited about the Academy Awards this year?
12:13I am and I really hope Get Out gets something.
12:17Cause I mean, it was such a fantastic movie in so many different ways and I hope we're
12:22not scared of it.
12:23I hope, you know, the Academy's not scared of it and gives it its just due.
12:27Yeah.
12:28Yeah.
12:29Last question.
12:30Worst audition story?
12:32Oh my gosh.
12:34Well, um, I went in for somebody in New York and, um, I had gone in for him before and
12:42this is one of these things like, okay, just listen to this.
12:45So as a black person, you go in for a part that's for a black person and you get told
12:52that you're not black enough sounding.
12:56But then somebody else auditioning you for the same part says, well, she's a little too
13:02black.
13:04You know, I'm sorry, but I got it all in me.
13:07I'm black all over.
13:08So it's just like, you can't win and then you have white people judging you.
13:13So that's like a funny thing, somebody telling you you're black or too black, not black enough.
13:17But I had this guy and he had, it was something that I was supposed to read, get put on
13:24tape for.
13:26And, um, he talked throughout it.
13:30His reader, she couldn't look me in the eye.
13:35She messed up, like this was a time, it was a time period piece.
13:39And she messed up all the dialogue.
13:40So you're standing there, you're not being taped.
13:44He's talking on the phone.
13:45She can barely talk.
13:46And I'm just like, oh, if I could curse right now, what am I doing here?
13:51Like that was the feeling.
13:52And I'm like, I never want to go in for him again.
13:56Yeah.
13:56Yeah.
13:57That was a horror story.
13:58Yeah.
13:59Last time.
14:03Are there any like interesting words that people use to describe when they're trying to tell you that you're not
14:08this enough or not that enough?
14:10Um, be curious to know what they're, what they're trying to say.
14:14Black, they used urban in that case.
14:16Ah, yes.
14:16So.
14:17Okay.
14:18I come from Nebraska, so I'm not urban at all, first off.
14:23And, um, like seriously, I'm about as country as you can get.
14:26Um, or Midwestern.
14:29Yeah.
14:29It, uh, I don't know.
14:30I think that, you know, yeah, I don't know.
14:33Without trying to like, be too whatever.
14:37Not PC.
14:38Or be PC.
14:40You know, just say it.
14:42Well, I'm very excited to see what happens with Jada.
14:45Me too.
14:45Hoping that she has.
14:46Season two.
14:47I hope she gets to open her heart.
14:48Yeah.
14:49I do too.
14:49And I hope, you know, I'm excited about it.
14:51Um, I'm excited where it can go and what we can, you know, get out there on screen.
14:56Because telling real women's stories, I think is important.
15:01Mm-hm.
15:01You know, so that we can see ourselves.
15:03Yeah.
15:04Yolanda, thank you so much for being here.
15:06Check out The Chi on Showtime.
15:08Yep.
15:09Bye.
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