November 12, 2021 • 29 mins
Nika King has been making her rounds in the industry for nearly 20 years. Before her breakout role playing Leslie on the Emmy-winning HBO series Euphoria, you have seen her on "Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History", "Greenleaf," "2 Broke Girls", "50 First Dates", and "Modern Family."
Nika joins Tanya as she tells us about her journey in the entertainment business. Her first acting paycheck, going from teacher to acting, her first acting paycheck, the struggles of pursuing your dream while trying to be financially stable, and how being a stand-up comedian helped her find her own voice. She talks about her tech startup "Jeli Life," a platform for marginalized communities to help one another within the entertainment sphere and her upcoming non profit rose of sharon.
Host IG: @itstanyatime
Guest IG: @iamnikaking
Website: Jelilife
Nonprofit (coming soon): http://www.roseofsharonla.com/
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Money Movers, Welcome back to the Money Moves podcast
powered by Greenwood. Euphoria is one of the most well
known television shows out right now, and I think it's
fair to say that most of us are on the
edge of our sheets and patiently waiting for the arrival
of season two, or at least I know Aya. And
while the world has been long trackings and day since
her Disney career, I'm here to tell you about the
(00:22):
woman who plays her mother on the HBO series, Nika King.
But Nika, Mika, Nika, Nika, thank you for joining us today.
(00:43):
This woman is incredible and it has making her rounds
in the industry for nearly twenty years and his way
past the time that she gets her due. Prior to Euphoria,
you've seen her on Kevin Heart's Guide to Black History,
Green Leaf, to Broke Girls, Fifty First Dates, and Modern
Family Money Moves. Let's welcome the beautiful, amazing and wildly
(01:04):
talented Nika King to the podcast. Hi Nika, Hi, how
are you? Thanks for having me? I'm great. I'm so
excited to chat with you today and share your journey
with our Money Moves family. Yes, I have a lot
of little nuggets I want to drop. So thank you,
thank you again for having me. Well welcome. So right
now you are on a super popular show and known
(01:25):
for your role as Leslie the mom in Euphoria, but
you've been in this industry for way longer than just Euphoria.
Can you take us back to how you got your start?
Oh girl, all the way back, all the way back.
You want to go, way, way way back. So I
came to l A a little under twenty years ago,
(01:46):
and um, I was right out of college. I went
to the University of Florida, eventually changed my major to theater.
I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be
on Broadway, and so I graduated EDGE and I went
to New York and I hated it absolutely. I could
not I could not hang. I did not like the
(02:06):
train system. It was too many people, was overcrowded. So
I went back home. I started teaching high school at
my old high school, Carol City in Miami, and I
did that for two years and then I came to
l A. And so when I came to l A,
it was more like Florida. You know, the weather was similar.
You had the palm trees, you had the beach, and
(02:27):
so then I just started hitting the ground, you know,
doing uh, sketch comedy, doing stand up, modeling, Braden hair,
I was doing anything, everything and everything, finding okay, grime, mold.
So it's just been a journey of like following my dreams,
but at the same time kind of fueling my dreams
(02:50):
with other jobs. So it kept me balanced for the
most part. I mean, na, this is why I left
to tell these stories and share these stories because the
ups and downs, you know, when you look back twenty
years later, they're still there and they're really meaningful to
share with other people. You know, talk about that two
years where you're like, I went back to Miami. I said,
forget New York. I'm not acting. What was it and
(03:11):
what was the moment that you decided, Okay, two years
or down the drain, I'm going to l A and
I'm going to pursue those dreams. Well, the first year
I had to get a job okay loans. My mom
was like, what are you doing. I told you not
to major in theater, but to beat it anyway, So
you need to find a job. So thank god my
my high school remembered me. I played sports. I was
(03:32):
the president of the class. So I was always you know,
um doing my thing at a very early age. So
went went, got a job, started teaching drama and dance,
and then actually quit. I quit my first year because
I'm like, one year is enough and then I'll go
to l A. Well, then nine eleven happened, and then okay,
(03:54):
and you know the world was just like on Paul's
and I said, okay, I'll wait an another year. So
that's how I ended staying. You know, I ended up
staying two years in Miami before coming to l A.
But during those two years, you know, I became more
focused on what it is that I really wanted, and
(04:16):
I did everything I could and Miami. I actually booked
my first pilot in Miami called Miss Miami Funny Story,
because it was supposed to be an extra roll. I
was supposed to just walk by right and have a
little line. It was supposed to be like one little line.
And then the director loved me and he made me
the secretary of the Chief of Police, come on, come up,
(04:37):
and I was just like, oh my gosh. And then
I saw that paycheck. I'm like, oh, I'm definitely moving
to say no extra money. This is this is good money.
So okay, I want to stop you right there. Do
you remember how much that first paycheck was that made
you like open your eyes wide? I think it was
like three thousand dollars, yeah, for the secretary for for
(04:59):
a day play year, because you know, it was one
of those things where I wasn't a part of the union.
You know, I was sad eligible. I didn't really really
know how much an actor made because I wasn't working
as an actor. I was working as a teacher. I know,
as a teacher, I wasn't getting paid exactly. I think
(05:19):
as a teacher I was making like under thirty thousand
dollars a year. Yeah. Yeah, and then I was coaching basketball,
so that kind of gave me. Uh girl, it was
it wasn't a lot, girl, it was not a lot. Okay.
So now thost forward, you used that two years to
really and this is what I love about this, to
(05:41):
really understand who you were, what you wanted. And then
you hit the road to go to l A. Yes,
I was. I got my car. Ships, I didn't know anyone.
I knew one guy that I met at the a
BFF and he was like, yeah, I'm out in l A.
I'm doing my thing, like come out here, you need
to come girl. He picked me up from the airport
(06:02):
in a hoopie. It's a red who I don't know what.
That car was making so much noise on the freeway.
I was so embarrassed. I'm like, Okay, stay focused. You're
in l A. Your your car is gonna be here
in two weeks. You're in l A. Just just stay
just stay focused. But yeah, it was whoop girl. I
got my stories for days. They love it. So. Prior
(06:24):
to landing this role as Leslie, most of your work
has been in comedy. Um, talk a little bit about
your journey through comedy, especially as a black woman on
your own in l A. You are pretty funny though,
so I can see how this is a natural talent
for you. Yeah. I've always been a class clown, always
been the person who's you know, coming to school doing
(06:46):
the whole Act Max Act from JEF Comedy Jam, doing
all the characters from the Living Color. Like that's just
been like my whole life, just always entertaining, making people laugh.
And then when I came to l A, I enrolled
at Growling Improv School because I wanted I wanted to
be on and Living Color. That was my dream to
like be on a sketch show like that was that show.
(07:08):
I'm gonna be on a sketch show. So I was
doing that, I was doing stand up, and then I
started um performing with an all black female sketch group
in l A called Elite Delta Force three. So it
was like it was like six or seven of us
doing it, you know, doing the characters, going around the city,
performing throughout the city, really just honing our craft. And
(07:32):
then I kind of stopped that and started doing stand
up more seriously. And then because stand up gave me
my voice, you know, it made me feel empowered. I
didn't need anyone else. I didn't need music. I just
needed I needed some jokes and I needed to be funny,
you know. And after time, it just it just became
like my my saving grace because it made me feel like, Okay, yes,
(07:56):
I'm in an industry where you know, you're waiting for
people to choose you, but here it is I have
a talent that I can do on my own without
you know, without having someone validate me. Yeah, that's an
interesting trajectory. It makes me like I'm already proud for
you because you know hearing you say, like, hey, stand up.
You have to have your own voice. You're not telling
(08:17):
someone else's jokes. You're not playing a role. You're not
you know, on a sketch. It's your own voice. What
was it like, you know, starting to really write those jokes,
perform them and realize that people wanted to hear what
you had to say. Well, it was tough in the
beginning because people didn't think I was a stand up comedian.
I didn't fit in the box, right, I didn't fit
(08:39):
in the box. You don't look like a stand up comedian.
Now we have stand up comedians like Tiffany Hattish and
you know, like breaking out of that box where you
can be pretty as well as be funny. So but
in the beginning, no, it was a lot of like,
oh you funny, make me laugh, you know, but then
I would have to do something self deprecating. But now
(09:02):
my voice is more solid where I'm like, this is
who I am. Get into it. Yeah, you know, I'm
not gonna I'm not gonna like appease my audience. I'm
gonna be myself. I'm gonna tell my stories. I'm gonna
talk about my family, being single, working on the show,
being in Hollywood, whatever comes to mind, and and people
people appreciate it when you're being yourself. I love that. Yeah,
(09:23):
I think the funniest comedians you know certainly are authentic
and they're telling stories that you know are grounded in
the truth. And that's because now it's a girl as
a whole. It's a whole new world, you know, like
people want to know the truth. People want to feel
like you're being honest with yourself. You're being honest with
them and at the same time make them laugh. Because
(09:46):
I always felt like doing stand up was my calling
because it was really healing people by making them because
I've seen people respond to a joke or respond to
me being silly. It does lift your mood, I mean
it does. Laughter is the best medicine, Like, hands down,
I got it out, absolutely all right. So let's fast
(10:08):
forward to Leslie. Um. The role of Leslie Bennett is
definitely a heavy one. What was it about that role
and Leslie's story that drew you into taking on this
like certainly very dramatic role. Well, I was definitely appreciative
of just the opportunity to do drama because I do
have a theater degree, and even even though I love comedy,
(10:32):
I also want to do drama. So when I got
the role, I'm like, yo, like, this is it, you know,
this is my opportunity to show Hollywood that I can,
you know, break out of the box and I can
you know, do uh do really good work. And so
I just got Leslie and you know, growing up for me,
(10:52):
growing up you know, in the inner city, having my
parents being on drugs, my uncle's being on drugs like
air air, but everybody girl, everybody hooked on something. So
it was a reversal, right because my daughter and the
show route she's But I was able to empathize because
I was also in a situation where as a kid,
(11:13):
you just feel helpless, you know, alone, you feel scared,
You really don't know what's going to happen day to day.
And so I was able to kind of use that
as my internal work and project that in a way
where you know, someone who sees the parent of an
addict can can totally feel what what Leslie going through. Yeah,
(11:37):
and for those of us who have watched the show,
we really feel that coming through the screen. It's it's
it's it's a beautiful performance. Thank you. Yes. So let's
um talk a little bit about sort of the business
side of acting, you know and comedy. Um, can you
share with us, you know, some of the more integral
steps that you've taken to help grow your career of course,
(12:00):
so you know, as an act or, um, you know,
you spend a lot of time kind of struggling unless
you have you know, someone in the business who gonna
hook you up, you have an uncle who's a big
time producer, or you know, nepotism. I didn't I didn't
know anything exactly exactly, girl, I don't know nobody name
(12:22):
us Wilberg. I know Stephen that's it, but not for
real fun. So, you know, you spend a lot of
time kind of like um, you know, like trying to
make things work, keeping your finances together. And then eventually
you kind of have like you have some wins, right,
You're recurring, your your guest starring, You're doing things, people
(12:45):
are knowing your name, people are becoming familiar with your talent,
and then you you have to really step into I
am a business, right like I am my business. So
then you have to look at yourself like a company.
So for a long time I always wanted to be incorporated,
but I didn't really I wasn't really making the money
(13:07):
to really incorporate. I wasn't on a show as a
series regular. Now with Euphoria, I am a series regular,
so that means I'm on contract, yes girl, And so
now I was able to do all things exactly gre
it feels good or it feels good. So I was
able to kind of do the things that I've always
(13:27):
wanted to do when I wrote down my plan of
action then years ago. You know, so I think the
biggest um part about being a performer is making sure
that you take care of the legal side of show business.
Right you don't have the business part, you're just literally
(13:47):
spinning your wheels. And I mean you even said, like
my plane of action that you crafted years ago. You know,
I think a lot of people think people in the
entertainment industry or comedy they're just happy, go lucky, and
you're like, I just walked on set and rolled out
of bed and I got but like it's planning. It's
a business. You are your own business, and you have
to write the vision and make it plain. Like I
(14:09):
used to have binders where I was submitting myself to castings,
and I would write down what I wore that day,
how my makeup was, how my hair was, so if
I got a call back, I knew to have the
same look I was. I was very organized in that way,
you know, because I wanted to. I wanted to take
(14:30):
my I was taking my career seriously, and I wanted
people to take me seriously. So I wanted to show
up cigificant and show up in a way where I
knew like I did my absolute best. And if I
don't get the if I don't get the gig, that's okay,
because I came. I came to win, and that's enough. Wow.
I hope you money movers are picking up what she's
laying down because these are nuggets and jewels, like binders
(14:52):
filled with information, you know, clocking her makeup this like
this is serious business. Yes it is, girl, that is.
I love it. I love it all right. So aside
from just your acting career, you've got quite a few
other ventures going for the One of them is Jelly Life, um,
and that is really trying to make a difference in
the entertainment field. Can you tell us a little bit
(15:14):
more about that. Okay. So Jelly Life is actually my
baby is a tech startup that look with and I know,
I know, like I look up to you, girl, I
don't send you a couple of links damn messages like girl,
what you do? Good? We're connected? Now we're connected. Yes, bro,
(15:36):
I listen. It's it's it's all divine. Nothing is coincidental
at all. So, um, during the pandemic, of course, you know,
production shut down. You were like, I didn't know what
was going to happen, and so I said, I really
started thinking about just my purpose, you know, like, okay, yeah,
I'm an actor someone to show that's wonderful and amazing, like,
(15:58):
but what more can I my platform for? So I
started thinking about the stories that I have and the
stories I like to watch, and the stories that are
missing from a lot of these networks and streaming services
that involve black and brown people. So why not create
a company where people who want to be in the
(16:18):
business in front of and behind the camera can come
to almost like an online community, get the support they need,
and also tap in with other industry leaders. And so
Jelly came, I mean it came to me, Yes, girl,
it came to me and it jelly is actually a
West African term that means storyteller. So it was like okay, okay,
(16:43):
because it's like it's like peanut butter and jelly, and
then it's like, you know, shake your jelly. But then
it's like right exactly. It just made me feel more empowered.
You know, I was actually using you know, my gifts
and my talent to actually help other people. And so yeah,
(17:03):
that's how Yelly came to be. So it's a platform
where all these folks in the entertainment industry. Is its
specifically for black and brown people or just across the board,
black and brown people, marginalized communities, underserved communities. Yes, And
it's a double sided market, right you have the online
community and then you have the business resource hub. So
(17:25):
and right now, you know, I'm I'm I don't know
a lot about tech. I'm learning, which anything for me
that is new, it's always it's like I want to
eat it up. I want to observe I can. So
every day I'm always kind of tapping in and seeing
what's going on in the world and black women like
yourself doing their thing in this industry, and I just
(17:47):
love to see it. So I'm I'm excited and I'm hopeful.
I'm so excited for you and what I love about
this and this is why I think you know, you
are picking something that you're super passionate about and like
this is your superpower. You've been in this entertainment field
for twenty years and you know what's broken, and you're
creating a resource and a platform to fix it. Because
the more and more I understand this field, it's so broken.
(18:09):
It's disjointed in terms of how people connect, they get hired,
they get jobs, and they can even tell their stories.
So being able to fix that solves like a huge problem.
And also the generation behind us, right, you know, letting
letting kids know like you don't only have to be
an actor, writer, director. You can be a storyboard artist,
you can be a visual effects artists, you can be
(18:30):
an editor. It's so many professions that are available to you,
but you don't know that because you're not. So we
create those mentorship you know, um pods where people are
connecting with with with the younger generation so they know,
like this is also available to you. And I've had
so many of these conversations, you know, working on just
(18:50):
different shows where we look around and we're like, why
are there no black people on the set? And I
think a lot of it comes from you know, I spoken,
We've spoken about this before on the show, like our
parents and and they got jobs and they wanted us to,
you know, either go into professional occupations and work that
job for the rest of their lives. They weren't saying, hey, listen,
there's a lot of money in you know, working behind
(19:11):
a camera, running the graphics, the design that this they
we just weren't exposed to it in the way others
might have been. And so being able to like disseminate
this and provide opportunities like this is how we sort
of take over the world. Be afraid, I'll be afraid
it also take off the world for show, and also
just let people know that, like, you know, the color
(19:32):
of someone's skin should not be a hindrance from them
achieving their goals and the man, you know, of course,
I live in a utopia, you know, mindset, but I'm like,
you know, I would love to just be on set
and see all kinds of not have to say, ain't
know black people on the set, you know. So that's
(19:54):
that's what Jelly is about. Well, I'm with you on
your utopia because I feel like we'll get there, and
it's platforms like this, conversations like this. You know, the
past couple of years, we've had um that are just
helping us to move the needle. Slowly, but surely we'll
get there. Time. The time is now. Yes, So, Nika,
you wear many hats and you recently also launched your
(20:15):
own nonprofit. Can you tell us a bit about that too?
Of course, Tanya, this is UM. This is an honor
to my mom, who is a three time cancer survivor. Uh.
You know, I just spent the last month at home
with her, you know, making her vegan meals, making her
fresh juices, and I just was like, you know, when
(20:38):
you when you're dealing with a family member who has can't,
you know, it's it's so palpable and you're like, you know,
you don't want to have those thoughts, and you're like,
and I said, you know what, I'm gonna do something
to honor my mom while she's still here. You know,
created rows of share in community, land trust, and my
main focus for this is just to create a black
(21:02):
utopia for black people and brown people. It's I'm black
and brown girl, I'm I'm pretty. That's my life right there.
That's my life to make sure our people are taken
care of, you know. And a lot of a lot
of communities around the world are going through food insecurities. UM,
the unhoused UM is a huge population here in Los Angeles,
and we just want we just want people to feel like,
(21:25):
you know, their mental health and their housing and their food.
It's it's not a luxury, it's a basic human So
you know, with the nonprofit, it's just another one of
my streams of income. That once again my plan of
action five years ago when I when I was in
(21:46):
sitting in church and my pastor was like, y'all need
eight streams of income, and I'm right. He was right, though,
is what we're talking about. It's multiple screams of income
so that you can make true money moves. Yes, and
and and so she and she was and she had
just left South Africa where she was sitting with some
dignitaries and women, black powerful women, and they were like, girl,
(22:10):
where are you the days that girl? Well, all your
edge strings up income like eight, if you do not
have one, you need to four. You need it. So
I said Okay, Well let me acting. Okay, I said,
Oh I gotta catch up. I started counting, And so
in my mind now, as like you said, everything I
(22:33):
do is fueled by my passion for people, my my
passion for just the world really to see everyone in
their own you know, humanness and where where where color
is not a thing, and of course we know it
is what it is, but let's let's start somewhere. Yes, Nika,
(22:56):
I love what you're doing, not just for your family
but your community around you. Oh my gosh, Nika, you
are so impressive. You know, not only are you a
critically acclaimed actress, you're super funny. Um. And you have
all these other outside business ventures that are continuing to
provide for yourself and your family. Um, what else do
you have coming up? If your plate is not already
(23:17):
full enough as we see, girl, it's very full. But
I think there's room for one more thing. And I'm
getting up for a stand up tour, stand up comedy tour. Yes,
we you know. Think the world is opening up now, girl,
So I'm ready to get on the road. I'm ready
(23:38):
to start going to different cities throughout the country and
and just get get people laughing. We need girl, Yes,
because I know I love stand up like I I
do stand up, but I absolutely love watching stand up
as well. And if I think like that one on
one interaction, you know. So hopefully by the end the
(24:00):
summer we're on tour and the the goal is an
all female tour. So that'll be great. That'll be great.
And you know what, there's here's the thing. I feel
like stand up in comedy got a lot of us
through the pandemic. We're at home in our houses and
we're kind of like watching and laughing by ourselves. I
laugh out loud by myself a lot. But there's nothing
(24:21):
like a collective belly laugh when you're surrounded by tons
of people in a comedy um in a comedy club.
Like that feels good. I miss that. It feels good.
And also you never know what's gonna happen. It's like
live theater, you know, so you any anything could could
prompt uh ad lib or a joke that maybe because
(24:43):
I like doing stuff off the cuff, you know my set,
but I also leave room to I don't I don't
you know Jones on the audience. But we will have
a little given take. I will not say in the
front that the front row grow. I wouldn't. I wouldn't.
I might miss with you. I'd be like, oh, so
you think you tire our banks? Huh? Oh so you
(25:04):
you came here? Oh you you're americath next top model.
You can I have been skinned. I might cry. Don't cry.
Don't cry. I might cry. No, I'm just kidding. Well,
maybe I'm not the banks. Okay, one last question for
you. You You know people look up to you, they look
up to your career directory, and now all these businesses.
What's the best advice you've received um that you think
(25:28):
has you know, allows you to get to this point
of success. The best advice I've received was actually from
Andre three thousand. Yes, eons ago. I was doing a
music video here in l A and we had a
lot of downtime, and anytime I meet a celebrity, I
(25:49):
like to ask, you know what, what, what's some advice
you can give me? He said, you know what, my
advice is always be yourself because that way you never
have to worry about not being yourself. You always know
you're consistently showing up as your authentic self. If you
pretend to be somebody else, you. You gotta always do that,
(26:09):
you gotta well, I forgot do I have to do it?
He said? Just be you, Just be yourself. I said,
thank you. I love that. I appreciate you, and I
always and I always remember that. And and sometimes you know,
we we we get into you know, phases where we
we create different uh, personalities or characters because we're not
(26:36):
we're not comfortable and we're not rooting in who we are.
But as time and experiences go on, it's an opportunity
for you to be more and more of yourself, you
know what I mean? Like I and I and I
noticed that, like being in l A. I love it,
and you have so many different characters here, but ultimately
it's taught me to just leave the characters for the TV. Yeah,
(27:01):
just be yourself. Okay. So, Nika, now that I feel
like we've had this like in depth girlfriend's chat, can
you spill the t on some behind the scenes entertainment
um stories that you might want to share with us?
What do I want to share that's not gonna get
me in trouble? Uh? You know that some one that
(27:21):
has a life lesson in it a life a life lesson? Yes,
So I remember I was at this comedy club, right,
and my homeboy, he's a big time producer on a show.
So I walked up to him. I'm like, yo, like,
you think you can hook me up with a writing
gig on the show. He was like, well, you know
that's at least worth the blow job. I said. I
(27:46):
couldn't believe it. That was my face. I'm like, wait,
you just in the me too movement? Can you believe that?
I was like, what, who do you think I am? Right?
He was like, nah, says I'm kidding. And then I
was like, uh so now I'm writing on Blackish, so
you know things are going good. Joke j jokes, No,
(28:15):
just know you it's Hollywood. It may it may, it
may come off as you know, people trying to live
their life, right, but you still got somebody tries to
live like somebody gonna always be a producer, always gonna
be a producer, trying to get in your pants. The
casting couch is real. Okay, yes, it's real. Man. I
(28:36):
was about to end with oh my god, Nika, I
needed that lot girl. That was really funny. But the
punchline is the casting couch is real. The couch is
very real. Stay off the couches, y'all, stay off the couch.
She's Oh my gosh, well, Nika, it was such a pleasure.
Thank you for showing up in your authentic self. We
receive it, we love it. We've learned so much and
(28:59):
your journey is so incredible and inspiring to so many.
So thank you so much for joining us. Thank you
for having me. Daniel Okay, money Movers, thank you for
joining in for another episode of the Money Moves podcast
powered by Greenwood. Make sure you tune into our next
episode as we continue to find all the ways we
can make our money Moves. Money Moss an I Heart
(29:23):
Radio podcast powered by Grading. It's executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc.
For more podcast on iHeart Radio, visit the i heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts
from
Hey, Money Movers, Welcome back to the Money Moves podcast
powered by Greenwood. Euphoria is one of the most well
known television shows out right now, and I think it's
fair to say that most of us are on the
edge of our sheets and patiently waiting for the arrival
of season two, or at least I know Aya. And
while the world has been long trackings and day since
her Disney career, I'm here to tell you about the
(00:22):
woman who plays her mother on the HBO series, Nika King.
But Nika, Mika, Nika, Nika, thank you for joining us today.
(00:43):
This woman is incredible and it has making her rounds
in the industry for nearly twenty years and his way
past the time that she gets her due. Prior to Euphoria,
you've seen her on Kevin Heart's Guide to Black History,
Green Leaf, to Broke Girls, Fifty First Dates, and Modern
Family Money Moves. Let's welcome the beautiful, amazing and wildly
(01:04):
talented Nika King to the podcast. Hi Nika, Hi, how
are you? Thanks for having me? I'm great. I'm so
excited to chat with you today and share your journey
with our Money Moves family. Yes, I have a lot
of little nuggets I want to drop. So thank you,
thank you again for having me. Well welcome. So right
now you are on a super popular show and known
(01:25):
for your role as Leslie the mom in Euphoria, but
you've been in this industry for way longer than just Euphoria.
Can you take us back to how you got your start?
Oh girl, all the way back, all the way back.
You want to go, way, way way back. So I
came to l A a little under twenty years ago,
(01:46):
and um, I was right out of college. I went
to the University of Florida, eventually changed my major to theater.
I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to be
on Broadway, and so I graduated EDGE and I went
to New York and I hated it absolutely. I could
not I could not hang. I did not like the
(02:06):
train system. It was too many people, was overcrowded. So
I went back home. I started teaching high school at
my old high school, Carol City in Miami, and I
did that for two years and then I came to
l A. And so when I came to l A,
it was more like Florida. You know, the weather was similar.
You had the palm trees, you had the beach, and
(02:27):
so then I just started hitting the ground, you know,
doing uh, sketch comedy, doing stand up, modeling, Braden hair,
I was doing anything, everything and everything, finding okay, grime, mold.
So it's just been a journey of like following my dreams,
but at the same time kind of fueling my dreams
(02:50):
with other jobs. So it kept me balanced for the
most part. I mean, na, this is why I left
to tell these stories and share these stories because the
ups and downs, you know, when you look back twenty
years later, they're still there and they're really meaningful to
share with other people. You know, talk about that two
years where you're like, I went back to Miami. I said,
forget New York. I'm not acting. What was it and
(03:11):
what was the moment that you decided, Okay, two years
or down the drain, I'm going to l A and
I'm going to pursue those dreams. Well, the first year
I had to get a job okay loans. My mom
was like, what are you doing. I told you not
to major in theater, but to beat it anyway, So
you need to find a job. So thank god my
my high school remembered me. I played sports. I was
(03:32):
the president of the class. So I was always you know,
um doing my thing at a very early age. So
went went, got a job, started teaching drama and dance,
and then actually quit. I quit my first year because
I'm like, one year is enough and then I'll go
to l A. Well, then nine eleven happened, and then okay,
(03:54):
and you know the world was just like on Paul's
and I said, okay, I'll wait an another year. So
that's how I ended staying. You know, I ended up
staying two years in Miami before coming to l A.
But during those two years, you know, I became more
focused on what it is that I really wanted, and
(04:16):
I did everything I could and Miami. I actually booked
my first pilot in Miami called Miss Miami Funny Story,
because it was supposed to be an extra roll. I
was supposed to just walk by right and have a
little line. It was supposed to be like one little line.
And then the director loved me and he made me
the secretary of the Chief of Police, come on, come up,
(04:37):
and I was just like, oh my gosh. And then
I saw that paycheck. I'm like, oh, I'm definitely moving
to say no extra money. This is this is good money.
So okay, I want to stop you right there. Do
you remember how much that first paycheck was that made
you like open your eyes wide? I think it was
like three thousand dollars, yeah, for the secretary for for
(04:59):
a day play year, because you know, it was one
of those things where I wasn't a part of the union.
You know, I was sad eligible. I didn't really really
know how much an actor made because I wasn't working
as an actor. I was working as a teacher. I know,
as a teacher, I wasn't getting paid exactly. I think
(05:19):
as a teacher I was making like under thirty thousand
dollars a year. Yeah. Yeah, and then I was coaching basketball,
so that kind of gave me. Uh girl, it was
it wasn't a lot, girl, it was not a lot. Okay.
So now thost forward, you used that two years to
really and this is what I love about this, to
(05:41):
really understand who you were, what you wanted. And then
you hit the road to go to l A. Yes,
I was. I got my car. Ships, I didn't know anyone.
I knew one guy that I met at the a
BFF and he was like, yeah, I'm out in l A.
I'm doing my thing, like come out here, you need
to come girl. He picked me up from the airport
(06:02):
in a hoopie. It's a red who I don't know what.
That car was making so much noise on the freeway.
I was so embarrassed. I'm like, Okay, stay focused. You're
in l A. Your your car is gonna be here
in two weeks. You're in l A. Just just stay
just stay focused. But yeah, it was whoop girl. I
got my stories for days. They love it. So. Prior
(06:24):
to landing this role as Leslie, most of your work
has been in comedy. Um, talk a little bit about
your journey through comedy, especially as a black woman on
your own in l A. You are pretty funny though,
so I can see how this is a natural talent
for you. Yeah. I've always been a class clown, always
been the person who's you know, coming to school doing
(06:46):
the whole Act Max Act from JEF Comedy Jam, doing
all the characters from the Living Color. Like that's just
been like my whole life, just always entertaining, making people laugh.
And then when I came to l A, I enrolled
at Growling Improv School because I wanted I wanted to
be on and Living Color. That was my dream to
like be on a sketch show like that was that show.
(07:08):
I'm gonna be on a sketch show. So I was
doing that, I was doing stand up, and then I
started um performing with an all black female sketch group
in l A called Elite Delta Force three. So it
was like it was like six or seven of us
doing it, you know, doing the characters, going around the city,
performing throughout the city, really just honing our craft. And
(07:32):
then I kind of stopped that and started doing stand
up more seriously. And then because stand up gave me
my voice, you know, it made me feel empowered. I
didn't need anyone else. I didn't need music. I just
needed I needed some jokes and I needed to be funny,
you know. And after time, it just it just became
like my my saving grace because it made me feel like, Okay, yes,
(07:56):
I'm in an industry where you know, you're waiting for
people to choose you, but here it is I have
a talent that I can do on my own without
you know, without having someone validate me. Yeah, that's an
interesting trajectory. It makes me like I'm already proud for
you because you know hearing you say, like, hey, stand up.
You have to have your own voice. You're not telling
(08:17):
someone else's jokes. You're not playing a role. You're not
you know, on a sketch. It's your own voice. What
was it like, you know, starting to really write those jokes,
perform them and realize that people wanted to hear what
you had to say. Well, it was tough in the
beginning because people didn't think I was a stand up comedian.
I didn't fit in the box, right, I didn't fit
(08:39):
in the box. You don't look like a stand up comedian.
Now we have stand up comedians like Tiffany Hattish and
you know, like breaking out of that box where you
can be pretty as well as be funny. So but
in the beginning, no, it was a lot of like,
oh you funny, make me laugh, you know, but then
I would have to do something self deprecating. But now
(09:02):
my voice is more solid where I'm like, this is
who I am. Get into it. Yeah, you know, I'm
not gonna I'm not gonna like appease my audience. I'm
gonna be myself. I'm gonna tell my stories. I'm gonna
talk about my family, being single, working on the show,
being in Hollywood, whatever comes to mind, and and people
people appreciate it when you're being yourself. I love that. Yeah,
(09:23):
I think the funniest comedians you know certainly are authentic
and they're telling stories that you know are grounded in
the truth. And that's because now it's a girl as
a whole. It's a whole new world, you know, like
people want to know the truth. People want to feel
like you're being honest with yourself. You're being honest with
them and at the same time make them laugh. Because
(09:46):
I always felt like doing stand up was my calling
because it was really healing people by making them because
I've seen people respond to a joke or respond to
me being silly. It does lift your mood, I mean
it does. Laughter is the best medicine, Like, hands down,
I got it out, absolutely all right. So let's fast
(10:08):
forward to Leslie. Um. The role of Leslie Bennett is
definitely a heavy one. What was it about that role
and Leslie's story that drew you into taking on this
like certainly very dramatic role. Well, I was definitely appreciative
of just the opportunity to do drama because I do
have a theater degree, and even even though I love comedy,
(10:32):
I also want to do drama. So when I got
the role, I'm like, yo, like, this is it, you know,
this is my opportunity to show Hollywood that I can,
you know, break out of the box and I can
you know, do uh do really good work. And so
I just got Leslie and you know, growing up for me,
(10:52):
growing up you know, in the inner city, having my
parents being on drugs, my uncle's being on drugs like
air air, but everybody girl, everybody hooked on something. So
it was a reversal, right because my daughter and the
show route she's But I was able to empathize because
I was also in a situation where as a kid,
(11:13):
you just feel helpless, you know, alone, you feel scared,
You really don't know what's going to happen day to day.
And so I was able to kind of use that
as my internal work and project that in a way
where you know, someone who sees the parent of an
addict can can totally feel what what Leslie going through. Yeah,
(11:37):
and for those of us who have watched the show,
we really feel that coming through the screen. It's it's
it's it's a beautiful performance. Thank you. Yes. So let's
um talk a little bit about sort of the business
side of acting, you know and comedy. Um, can you
share with us, you know, some of the more integral
steps that you've taken to help grow your career of course,
(12:00):
so you know, as an act or, um, you know,
you spend a lot of time kind of struggling unless
you have you know, someone in the business who gonna
hook you up, you have an uncle who's a big
time producer, or you know, nepotism. I didn't I didn't
know anything exactly exactly, girl, I don't know nobody name
(12:22):
us Wilberg. I know Stephen that's it, but not for
real fun. So, you know, you spend a lot of
time kind of like um, you know, like trying to
make things work, keeping your finances together. And then eventually
you kind of have like you have some wins, right,
You're recurring, your your guest starring, You're doing things, people
(12:45):
are knowing your name, people are becoming familiar with your talent,
and then you you have to really step into I
am a business, right like I am my business. So
then you have to look at yourself like a company.
So for a long time I always wanted to be incorporated,
but I didn't really I wasn't really making the money
(13:07):
to really incorporate. I wasn't on a show as a
series regular. Now with Euphoria, I am a series regular,
so that means I'm on contract, yes girl, And so
now I was able to do all things exactly gre
it feels good or it feels good. So I was
able to kind of do the things that I've always
(13:27):
wanted to do when I wrote down my plan of
action then years ago. You know, so I think the
biggest um part about being a performer is making sure
that you take care of the legal side of show business.
Right you don't have the business part, you're just literally
(13:47):
spinning your wheels. And I mean you even said, like
my plane of action that you crafted years ago. You know,
I think a lot of people think people in the
entertainment industry or comedy they're just happy, go lucky, and
you're like, I just walked on set and rolled out
of bed and I got but like it's planning. It's
a business. You are your own business, and you have
to write the vision and make it plain. Like I
(14:09):
used to have binders where I was submitting myself to castings,
and I would write down what I wore that day,
how my makeup was, how my hair was, so if
I got a call back, I knew to have the
same look I was. I was very organized in that way,
you know, because I wanted to. I wanted to take
(14:30):
my I was taking my career seriously, and I wanted
people to take me seriously. So I wanted to show
up cigificant and show up in a way where I
knew like I did my absolute best. And if I
don't get the if I don't get the gig, that's okay,
because I came. I came to win, and that's enough. Wow.
I hope you money movers are picking up what she's
laying down because these are nuggets and jewels, like binders
(14:52):
filled with information, you know, clocking her makeup this like
this is serious business. Yes it is, girl, that is.
I love it. I love it all right. So aside
from just your acting career, you've got quite a few
other ventures going for the One of them is Jelly Life, um,
and that is really trying to make a difference in
the entertainment field. Can you tell us a little bit
(15:14):
more about that. Okay. So Jelly Life is actually my
baby is a tech startup that look with and I know,
I know, like I look up to you, girl, I
don't send you a couple of links damn messages like girl,
what you do? Good? We're connected? Now we're connected. Yes, bro,
(15:36):
I listen. It's it's it's all divine. Nothing is coincidental
at all. So, um, during the pandemic, of course, you know,
production shut down. You were like, I didn't know what
was going to happen, and so I said, I really
started thinking about just my purpose, you know, like, okay, yeah,
I'm an actor someone to show that's wonderful and amazing, like,
(15:58):
but what more can I my platform for? So I
started thinking about the stories that I have and the
stories I like to watch, and the stories that are
missing from a lot of these networks and streaming services
that involve black and brown people. So why not create
a company where people who want to be in the
(16:18):
business in front of and behind the camera can come
to almost like an online community, get the support they need,
and also tap in with other industry leaders. And so
Jelly came, I mean it came to me, Yes, girl,
it came to me and it jelly is actually a
West African term that means storyteller. So it was like okay, okay,
(16:43):
because it's like it's like peanut butter and jelly, and
then it's like, you know, shake your jelly. But then
it's like right exactly. It just made me feel more empowered.
You know, I was actually using you know, my gifts
and my talent to actually help other people. And so yeah,
(17:03):
that's how Yelly came to be. So it's a platform
where all these folks in the entertainment industry. Is its
specifically for black and brown people or just across the board,
black and brown people, marginalized communities, underserved communities. Yes, And
it's a double sided market, right you have the online
community and then you have the business resource hub. So
(17:25):
and right now, you know, I'm I'm I don't know
a lot about tech. I'm learning, which anything for me
that is new, it's always it's like I want to
eat it up. I want to observe I can. So
every day I'm always kind of tapping in and seeing
what's going on in the world and black women like
yourself doing their thing in this industry, and I just
(17:47):
love to see it. So I'm I'm excited and I'm hopeful.
I'm so excited for you and what I love about
this and this is why I think you know, you
are picking something that you're super passionate about and like
this is your superpower. You've been in this entertainment field
for twenty years and you know what's broken, and you're
creating a resource and a platform to fix it. Because
the more and more I understand this field, it's so broken.
(18:09):
It's disjointed in terms of how people connect, they get hired,
they get jobs, and they can even tell their stories.
So being able to fix that solves like a huge problem.
And also the generation behind us, right, you know, letting
letting kids know like you don't only have to be
an actor, writer, director. You can be a storyboard artist,
you can be a visual effects artists, you can be
(18:30):
an editor. It's so many professions that are available to you,
but you don't know that because you're not. So we
create those mentorship you know, um pods where people are
connecting with with with the younger generation so they know,
like this is also available to you. And I've had
so many of these conversations, you know, working on just
(18:50):
different shows where we look around and we're like, why
are there no black people on the set? And I
think a lot of it comes from you know, I spoken,
We've spoken about this before on the show, like our
parents and and they got jobs and they wanted us to,
you know, either go into professional occupations and work that
job for the rest of their lives. They weren't saying, hey, listen,
there's a lot of money in you know, working behind
(19:11):
a camera, running the graphics, the design that this they
we just weren't exposed to it in the way others
might have been. And so being able to like disseminate
this and provide opportunities like this is how we sort
of take over the world. Be afraid, I'll be afraid
it also take off the world for show, and also
just let people know that, like, you know, the color
(19:32):
of someone's skin should not be a hindrance from them
achieving their goals and the man, you know, of course,
I live in a utopia, you know, mindset, but I'm like,
you know, I would love to just be on set
and see all kinds of not have to say, ain't
know black people on the set, you know. So that's
(19:54):
that's what Jelly is about. Well, I'm with you on
your utopia because I feel like we'll get there, and
it's platforms like this, conversations like this. You know, the
past couple of years, we've had um that are just
helping us to move the needle. Slowly, but surely we'll
get there. Time. The time is now. Yes, So, Nika,
you wear many hats and you recently also launched your
(20:15):
own nonprofit. Can you tell us a bit about that too?
Of course, Tanya, this is UM. This is an honor
to my mom, who is a three time cancer survivor. Uh.
You know, I just spent the last month at home
with her, you know, making her vegan meals, making her
fresh juices, and I just was like, you know, when
(20:38):
you when you're dealing with a family member who has can't,
you know, it's it's so palpable and you're like, you know,
you don't want to have those thoughts, and you're like,
and I said, you know what, I'm gonna do something
to honor my mom while she's still here. You know,
created rows of share in community, land trust, and my
main focus for this is just to create a black
(21:02):
utopia for black people and brown people. It's I'm black
and brown girl, I'm I'm pretty. That's my life right there.
That's my life to make sure our people are taken
care of, you know. And a lot of a lot
of communities around the world are going through food insecurities. UM,
the unhoused UM is a huge population here in Los Angeles,
and we just want we just want people to feel like,
(21:25):
you know, their mental health and their housing and their food.
It's it's not a luxury, it's a basic human So
you know, with the nonprofit, it's just another one of
my streams of income. That once again my plan of
action five years ago when I when I was in
(21:46):
sitting in church and my pastor was like, y'all need
eight streams of income, and I'm right. He was right, though,
is what we're talking about. It's multiple screams of income
so that you can make true money moves. Yes, and
and and so she and she was and she had
just left South Africa where she was sitting with some
dignitaries and women, black powerful women, and they were like, girl,
(22:10):
where are you the days that girl? Well, all your
edge strings up income like eight, if you do not
have one, you need to four. You need it. So
I said Okay, Well let me acting. Okay, I said,
Oh I gotta catch up. I started counting, And so
in my mind now, as like you said, everything I
(22:33):
do is fueled by my passion for people, my my
passion for just the world really to see everyone in
their own you know, humanness and where where where color
is not a thing, and of course we know it
is what it is, but let's let's start somewhere. Yes, Nika,
(22:56):
I love what you're doing, not just for your family
but your community around you. Oh my gosh, Nika, you
are so impressive. You know, not only are you a
critically acclaimed actress, you're super funny. Um. And you have
all these other outside business ventures that are continuing to
provide for yourself and your family. Um, what else do
you have coming up? If your plate is not already
(23:17):
full enough as we see, girl, it's very full. But
I think there's room for one more thing. And I'm
getting up for a stand up tour, stand up comedy tour. Yes,
we you know. Think the world is opening up now, girl,
So I'm ready to get on the road. I'm ready
(23:38):
to start going to different cities throughout the country and
and just get get people laughing. We need girl, Yes,
because I know I love stand up like I I
do stand up, but I absolutely love watching stand up
as well. And if I think like that one on
one interaction, you know. So hopefully by the end the
(24:00):
summer we're on tour and the the goal is an
all female tour. So that'll be great. That'll be great.
And you know what, there's here's the thing. I feel
like stand up in comedy got a lot of us
through the pandemic. We're at home in our houses and
we're kind of like watching and laughing by ourselves. I
laugh out loud by myself a lot. But there's nothing
(24:21):
like a collective belly laugh when you're surrounded by tons
of people in a comedy um in a comedy club.
Like that feels good. I miss that. It feels good.
And also you never know what's gonna happen. It's like
live theater, you know, so you any anything could could
prompt uh ad lib or a joke that maybe because
(24:43):
I like doing stuff off the cuff, you know my set,
but I also leave room to I don't I don't
you know Jones on the audience. But we will have
a little given take. I will not say in the
front that the front row grow. I wouldn't. I wouldn't.
I might miss with you. I'd be like, oh, so
you think you tire our banks? Huh? Oh so you
(25:04):
you came here? Oh you you're americath next top model.
You can I have been skinned. I might cry. Don't cry.
Don't cry. I might cry. No, I'm just kidding. Well,
maybe I'm not the banks. Okay, one last question for
you. You You know people look up to you, they look
up to your career directory, and now all these businesses.
What's the best advice you've received um that you think
(25:28):
has you know, allows you to get to this point
of success. The best advice I've received was actually from
Andre three thousand. Yes, eons ago. I was doing a
music video here in l A and we had a
lot of downtime, and anytime I meet a celebrity, I
(25:49):
like to ask, you know what, what, what's some advice
you can give me? He said, you know what, my
advice is always be yourself because that way you never
have to worry about not being yourself. You always know
you're consistently showing up as your authentic self. If you
pretend to be somebody else, you. You gotta always do that,
(26:09):
you gotta well, I forgot do I have to do it?
He said? Just be you, Just be yourself. I said,
thank you. I love that. I appreciate you, and I
always and I always remember that. And and sometimes you know,
we we we get into you know, phases where we
we create different uh, personalities or characters because we're not
(26:36):
we're not comfortable and we're not rooting in who we are.
But as time and experiences go on, it's an opportunity
for you to be more and more of yourself, you
know what I mean? Like I and I and I
noticed that, like being in l A. I love it,
and you have so many different characters here, but ultimately
it's taught me to just leave the characters for the TV. Yeah,
(27:01):
just be yourself. Okay. So, Nika, now that I feel
like we've had this like in depth girlfriend's chat, can
you spill the t on some behind the scenes entertainment
um stories that you might want to share with us?
What do I want to share that's not gonna get
me in trouble? Uh? You know that some one that
(27:21):
has a life lesson in it a life a life lesson? Yes,
So I remember I was at this comedy club, right,
and my homeboy, he's a big time producer on a show.
So I walked up to him. I'm like, yo, like,
you think you can hook me up with a writing
gig on the show. He was like, well, you know
that's at least worth the blow job. I said. I
(27:46):
couldn't believe it. That was my face. I'm like, wait,
you just in the me too movement? Can you believe that?
I was like, what, who do you think I am? Right?
He was like, nah, says I'm kidding. And then I
was like, uh so now I'm writing on Blackish, so
you know things are going good. Joke j jokes, No,
(28:15):
just know you it's Hollywood. It may it may, it
may come off as you know, people trying to live
their life, right, but you still got somebody tries to
live like somebody gonna always be a producer, always gonna
be a producer, trying to get in your pants. The
casting couch is real. Okay, yes, it's real. Man. I
(28:36):
was about to end with oh my god, Nika, I
needed that lot girl. That was really funny. But the
punchline is the casting couch is real. The couch is
very real. Stay off the couches, y'all, stay off the couch.
She's Oh my gosh, well, Nika, it was such a pleasure.
Thank you for showing up in your authentic self. We
receive it, we love it. We've learned so much and
(28:59):
your journey is so incredible and inspiring to so many.
So thank you so much for joining us. Thank you
for having me. Daniel Okay, money Movers, thank you for
joining in for another episode of the Money Moves podcast
powered by Greenwood. Make sure you tune into our next
episode as we continue to find all the ways we
can make our money Moves. Money Moss an I Heart
(29:23):
Radio podcast powered by Grading. It's executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc.
For more podcast on iHeart Radio, visit the i heart
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