June 5, 2023 • 39 mins
Lexi Underwood is young, gifted, and black, and with the love and support of her family, she is on her way to greatness. Eight years ago after booking her role in, "The Lion King" her family decided to move to LA to further extend her career. Underwood is just getting started and as she leaves her teenage years behind, she readies herself for a softer life with focused intentions. She is an actress and an activist with a clear direction for the work her generation has ahead of them.
Connect: @CariChampion @LexiUnderwood
Learn More: LexiUnderwood.com
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All over the world, not even just in Tanzania, but
all over the world that genuinely should be able to
have access to these things. It's heartbreaking, and it only
made me more motivated to come here and share their
stories and to make sure that I'm continuously checking up
on them, checking up not even just the women in Africa,
but now then going to the women in Asia, the
women in South America and seeing what they need, because
(00:22):
it really is a global epidemic and I don't understand
why we have not done everything that we can do
to make sure that people are no longer dying from HIV.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
And a how impressive is nineteen year old Lexi Underwood.
That's just the beginning. You want to hear more from her,
and then you also want to be inspired by her.
Get off your butts, get some work done. That's what
she made me feel, like Lexi Underwood on this edition
of Naked.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
And then the same man Nanke you win, Krypy the
Cary Chappy is going to be a champion, a champion,
the Carri Sheppi and they champion.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
They car Sheppion and carried Shepy.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
You war Hey, everybody, welcome to another edition of naked.
I'm excited about today's guest. But before I dive into
today's guest, what I'd like to say is, every now
and again, you come across someone from generation Z gen Z,
as it is said, who really motivates.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
You and remind you why we are all here.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I have been watching the Dear Mama docu series about
a Phoenix Shakor and Tupac Shakur, and I've learned so
much about the Black Panthers, but what really stood out
to me was that at such a young age, Afeeni,
as well as chupac Uh, they were also activated in
what is happening in today's world back then meaning today's world.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
And I realized over.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
The year, the people who have made significant difference, people
who have gone on to change how we look and
think about the world, have been that generation in between
the ages of you know, perhaps nineteen up to your
late twenties. Not to say that you can't be activated
after that, but those who really are committed to the
cause and whatever that cause may be, make huge, huge
(02:24):
impacts on our society. And it isn't until much later
that we realize the work that is being done. But
that is not the case for actress, activists, and nineteen
year old Alexi Underwood.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
She is the guest today on Naked.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
She is a hopeful young talent who's made an impact
on and off the screen. You may remember her from
Little Fires Everywhere that came out back in twenty twenty,
and it was around the time, maybe even twenty twenty one,
but it was around the time that we were all
shut down and we were all focused on TV, and
we were watching every single thing that was on television,
(02:59):
were looking and searching for good content, and she was
able to give it to us. She's also an ambassador
for Red and you can see her in season two
of Reforms Cruel Summer. Whether you know her or not,
you will be impressed by this young woman. The way
in which she sees the world, the books that she's reading,
the impact that she wants to make, and the impact
(03:22):
she's already had on society is really truly something special.
So sit back again, relax and enjoy this edition of Naked.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Champion and Care with Chappy and and Care with Chappy.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Lexie Underwood, thank you so much for joining me. I
think that Naked is really truly about well, my podcast
I think is better than sometimes doing TV because you
feel a little more free.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
I feel more free.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I can talk, I can say what I feel, and
I hope you feel that same way. I think that
at such a very young age, you've done so many
incredible things. And I can begin with the list of
little fires everywhere, like, we can talk about that all day,
all day, Right, everyone loves that about you. We'll get
to that and that wonderful being by the name of
(04:09):
Carrie Washington. But I want to talk to you just
about your origin story. From my understanding, you grew up
in DC with your family. Tell me a little bit
about how you grew up and what lifestyle was like
for you as a child.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, so I grew up in DC with my mom,
my dad, and also my grandmother. She helped raise me,
so she was in the house as well. Whenever I
just think about me and who I am as a
person now, I always feel as though I have DC
to think for that. Growing up, I was really fortunate,
(04:47):
honestly to have been able to have been exposed to
so many things when it comes to just the world
in general, and the worldview and the way in which
we view art and all those other things and So
for me, at a very young age, I kind of
felt as though like I knew what I wanted to
do because my parents gave me the space to figure
out what I loved.
Speaker 6 (05:06):
So I started off dancing.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I started off I wanted to be a ballerina, and
then that progressed on that I wanted to be a gymnist,
and then I wanted to.
Speaker 6 (05:15):
Be a singer.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
I taught myself how to play guitar and piano, and
then after that, especially when I was like ten years old,
I then fell in love with musical theater and just
the art of storytelling in general. But through that I
felt as though I was constantly inspired and motivated by
the things and people around me. When it came to
(05:36):
just the kind of artists that I wanted to be,
even at such a young age, I kind of always
knew what I wanted to do. And I think that I,
like I said, I grew up. I went to a
bilingual school. So from kindergarten up until sixth grade, I
went to a bilingual school, and I was surrounded by
kids from everywhere I was. You know, my friends they
(05:58):
were you know, children of immigrants.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
Either.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I had other friends that you know had come from,
you know, two of the same sex parent households, and
that like seeing that at sick Evan, those kind of
things being normalized for me. I feel as though it
definitely helped me as I got older, especially now with
everything all the chaos that's happening in the world. It
helped me shift my perspective as to the person that
(06:20):
I wanted to be, the stories that I wanted to tell,
and how I wanted to show up in this world
because I was constantly impacted by the people around me.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
You know what, that's really interesting because if you it's
it's first of all, I feel like gymnasts, dancer, all
of it, musical, theater, all goes hand in hand. So
you've always had this creative aspect. Now were your parents creatives?
Speaker 1 (06:45):
No, it's really interesting. That's always the question. They're like,
I don't know how, like you became like an actor.
They both love they all love the arts, but nobody
in my family sings or acts or does anything. But
like I said, from a young age, they introduced me
to like so many incredible artists. My dad, I think
(07:06):
I was like seven when he introduced me to like
Star Wars. That was like the first time where I
fell in love with sci fi and I was like
so into movies during that time because like he was
showing me that and my mom she was playing Lauren
Hill Eric Abadus at a young age, like they were
my favorite artists. And so I think that for me
that helped as I got older to like the kind
of artists that I wanted to grow into and become.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
Oh, I love that because you're like this was just
around me.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
So some people are a lot of people are actually,
but for you, genuinely, you were born to do this
because it just spoke to your spirit. Just as a kid,
it just spoke to your spirit. When you say you
go to a bilingual school, what does that mean?
Speaker 1 (07:45):
That means that I'm learning English and Spanish at.
Speaker 6 (07:49):
The same time.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
So essentially, like at the top of the day, like
you would do your math classes in Spanish and then
you do literature in English, and then you would jump
to science and then you would take your science class
in Spanish. And so with that it was it was
really interesting the structure because it wasn't like you actually
sat down and took Spanish classes. They were just talking
to you in Spanish. They were talking to a bunch
of er owners in Spanish, and eventually we picked it up.
(08:13):
I mean we were being forced to like learn math
in Spanish, like there's no you just you pick up
on those kind of things past. And honestly, I loved
culture instead rather than sitting down and having like actual
Spanish classes with us, because it just felt rather than
instead of like, oh, I'm taking a class and this
is like a thing that I have to do, it
just became like second nature. And then I think that
(08:34):
it was also really beautiful because, like I said, there
were a lot of kids there that their parents were
immigrants from Mexico, from Argentina, from El Salvador, and those
that was the language that we were we were speaking
and listening to, and so also just set them and
for us to be able to understand and learn about
one another's culture. They would do like this big cultural
festival every year where because there were kids from Ethiopia,
(08:57):
kids from like literally all over the place, where they
would have their parents come in and teach the classes
basically about their back their history, where they come from,
and things like that. Like when your kids, you're not
really thinking about how much of an impact that's going
to have on you, but it really did have one,
and I wish that there were more schools like that
that was available, especially to young kids of color.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
That's so impressive, Like I don't even know if you
know how impressive that is. It's so impressive just to
hear that, and it just puts you ahead of the game.
So here we are doing all the things that you love,
and when do we decide I have the acting bug
and I'm going to go out for auditions and do
this for real, for real.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
I never forget the moment that like I got that feeling.
My parents took me to go see The Lion King
on Broadway. It was my first time ever seeing a
Braahway show, and I fell in.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
Love with it. I became obsessed.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I remember the first time that I saw I don't
know if you've seen it, but like during Circle of Life,
it's like the you know, the actor they're coming down
the aisle and remember seeing like the young girl that
was playing Young Nala at the time and being like,
oh my gosh, if she I can do that too.
And it's crazy because that same show, Caleb McLaughlin and
(10:14):
I like we're still friends, but Caleb he was he's
on stranger things now, but he was the young Simba
that was on that night. And after the fact, my mom,
his mom and us like we were just talking and
they were like they encouraged us. They were like, you
can do it, Like do it, do it. And then
fast forward a year later, I Blind King was my
first ever audition. It was my first booking, and then
(10:36):
fast forward you know, yeah, I booked it and we're
all still friends, those same people that encourage me to
take leave of faith and go out an audition. It's
been so beautiful to be able to like see that
friendship progress as well. But that was the moment where
I was like, I can actually do this, Like this
is really love bad.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
So here's my question as an actress, as an actress
or and I asked this of actors who are older,
so it's good to figure out now as you start
doing it. What is it about playing a character outside
of yourself that inspires you, or encourages you, or liberates you,
whatever it does for you. What is it?
Speaker 1 (11:16):
I think something that's at least for me personally, something
that I struggle with in my everyday life is giving
myself the space to be vulnerable, giving my spell.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
Myself the space which just be and exist.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
And I think that when you are taking on roles,
especially where you have no clue what it's like, you know,
to relate to that character, you can't necessarily relate to
that background. You genuinely have to step yourself into those shoes.
Number one, you can't judge that character, because I think
that was a thing that I had to struggle with.
(11:50):
That was a barrier that I had to get over.
I was judging myself and I was judging my character,
and I think it was because I was not giving myself.
Speaker 6 (11:56):
A space to just feel and be vulnerable in the moment.
Speaker 5 (11:59):
Yeah, so after.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
You know, so after a while, like really sitting with
whatever character it is, but really with sitting with the
material and looking at not just like not what I
think this person should do, not what I think that
I would do in this moment, but just really like
kind of letting go and just allowing yourself to go
(12:22):
on the journey, allowing yourself to feel every emotion, allowing
yourself to look as ugly as possible, Like you know
that was a fear like crying on screen, Like that's
that's a big thing for you know, the world to
see you in such a vulnerable state. But honestly, I
feel as though once I got over that barrier, it
just helped me connect to my characters more. And so
(12:44):
I'm it's definitely even now like I'm not like fully
like rock solid on it. It's so like a learning journey.
But I think that that's like a big thing for me.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I love the way you describe it, because for me,
I feel like so incredibly awkward. If someone ever asked
you to or me to say, hey, Carrie, can you
do that, I'm like, no, I feel uncomfortable being something.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
It just feels uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
But that's the vulnerability that you you you seek solace in,
you find you enjoy that. That's That's a beautiful way
to put it. So you book Lion King your very
first audition amazing. It just tells you you should be
doing this. You're like, oh, I'm on the right path,
and then you go on to to pursue it.
Speaker 5 (13:26):
Where do you live now? I l a, yeah, okay,
how long have you lived there?
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Almost eight years? So I moved out here like literally
right after Lion King.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
You and your family they were like we're doing it,
let's go.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
So basically, my my family is actually still by coosal
to this day. My mom and I we were supposed
to come out here for only three months and it
was like for pilot season.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
I just got in signed with like my first manager,
and so I wash, I can get to.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Go out and try it up and just it kind
of rest from there. And so one thing that I
really love about my parents is that they never put
pressure on me, especially at a young age where I
felt as though like this was the end all be all,
like if we go out to LA, like you have
to make it. So we kept our house in DC.
My dad kept a job in DC. He comes out
(14:19):
every month still to this day, like it's still the
same thing. He still has his job. Just whenever I
feel like, hey, I don't want to do this anymore,
they never make me feel as though like this is
my only option, which is really beautiful.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
How beautiful well and supportive is that? How beautiful and
supportive is that actually?
Speaker 1 (14:36):
And also just like the mere fact like my mom
especially to just take everything that you know and like
leave because she believed in me and my passion and
my dreams, especially like a twelve year old. I feel
like it's so easy, especially for parents to kind of
dismiss their kids.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
At a young age.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Yeah they like, yeah, But the fact that they saw
me and they genuinely believed in me, Like they don't
even know how much that means to me.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Oh, I'm sure they do. Wow. Wow. I love that story.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
And it's interesting because I do meet parents that I remember,
probably some years ago, being at the Essence the Black
Women in Hollywood luncheon, and this is years ago before
Halle and Chloe. It really really got their own footing
and the family is like, no, we just moved here
(15:26):
to pursue it. And every time I meet families that
do that, I know they know, like they have the
know that my child is doing what they want to
do and this is special and we should let them
pursue their dreams. And it's so incredibly selfless and it's
a quality that very few people have. And I feel
(15:51):
like for you, it also motivated you to be like,
I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do it in a
real way. What would you say thus far has been
your biggest role? Would it be the Hulu's show with Carrie?
Would to be the Halu series with Carrie Washington.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I would definitely say I would definitely say little fires.
I mean, I remember when I booked it. I could
not believe it because before then I had only booked
like guest star and recording roles, which I was so
grateful for. But I definitely kind of had it in
my mind where I was like, I probably won't get
an opportunity like that for like a couple of more years.
(16:23):
Like I was content and good with what I was doing,
but I remember when when the audition girl came in
and I was so excited. It was the first time
where I had like seen like a layered, complex role
like that. For I was fifteen at the time, so
for a young fifteen year old black girl. And when
I got it, I just I went in because I knew.
(16:46):
I was like, opportunities like this they don't just they
don't come often. So when you when you get something
like this, you really have to you have to put
it a lot of hard work and you have to
treat it with a lot of care. And I think
that we did that.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
You Oh my god, I was mad we didn't get
a season two. I was like, where is the rest
We need more. I remember, I'm going to tell you
this is such a crazy story. Me and my at
the time, a really good friend of mine name is
Fabiola Mercado. Still shout out to Fabiola. We would watch
it without fail. It was a point in viewing and
and Fabiola. I don't remember what episode it was, but
(17:21):
Fabiola was so mad at you. She was like, that
little girl made me so mad. She was so mean
to her mom and she was so mad at you.
And I was like, that is good acting because you
made us mad. We was like, she is mad.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
I'm mad. I'm mad at you.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Even my mom my mom was like, you better not
talk to me like that because I would never would.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You're like, mom, it's the role, but you are you really? Yes,
But it's the best thing. It's the biggest compliment you
can ever give someone, to say, I believe you so much.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
So I was mad at you.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
It was what were the responses to that when it
when it was least, what were the critics, Not that
you might care about what critics say, but what was
the response she received?
Speaker 6 (18:06):
I don't know. I didn't.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
It was really hard to be able to process all
of it because it was just so much I once,
especially like during quarantine, so there was already so much
happening in the world, and then it was like everything
that I had prayed for and dreamed of for my
career wasn't happening in the span of like a couple
of months, which was really crazy. But the outpour of
love and support that I got from critics and from
(18:31):
other like fellow artists and people that I had admired
so much, it was incredible. I have felt, you know,
I don't know, I just really felt proud of the
work that we did.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
It probably at all.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I'm like there were moments where I was doing sleep sobbing, crying,
where I would take home some of the baggage, you
know that I had films that day because that's how.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
Emotionally invested and attached to the role.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
That I was.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So it definitely felt like all of the hard work,
everything that we had to put into the project, it
I don't know, it was like it was beautiful and
it was beautiful awesome. Yeah, I was glad that we
were also able to bring just a form of entertainment,
especially during that time, because everybody had no clue what
was happening, and so the matter of fact that at
least for like forty minutes, people could turn on the
(19:18):
TV and kind of forget about what was happening in
the outside world.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Yeah, it was, it was. It was such a beautiful release,
so incredibly talented.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
Good for you. Congratulations to you, to you. You guys
know what time it is. I have to pay these bills, bills, bills, bills.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Taking a quick break, Lexi Underwood returns in just a
few moments.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Every Champion and carry Champions, to be a champion, out
a champion and carry Chappion and carried Chapata Champion and
carry Chappion and Carrie.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Chat's great, it's entertainment. Can make it work?
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Cherry Champion and carry Champions to be a champion, a Champion,
and Carrie Champion, the Champion, the car and the car.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Hey, y'all, thank you so much for listening to Naked
and standing with us as we got through those commercial breaks.
Here is more from Lexi Underwood. Now, I believe I
read your dream role would be playing Aliyah?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Now?
Speaker 5 (20:23):
Why why Aliyah?
Speaker 2 (20:25):
I'm really interested that why people are so fascinated by her?
That are that didn't even weren't even born really when
she was here, you know what I mean, I feel
like that's very fascinating. What about her and her and
her music, it makes you feel like that would be
a good fit for you.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Well, like I said number one, growing up, Aliah was
like she's always been like my favorite musical artist and
specifically yeah, but specifically for me also, it's just something
about like the story of a young black girl from
Detroit who someone like she how to dream. Her and
her parents they took a leap of faith and they
made it happen, and that is so real to my
(21:06):
story as well. I also think that the persistence, the strength,
the way in which she tackled everything that she did
with hard work and with grace is very admirable, especially
during you know. Yet again, like she was so she
was so young when when her life was cut short,
but in that time she made such an impact on
(21:28):
this world. And I as an artist can only hope
that I would touch people with my art as much
as her art has touched me and so many other people.
And she's also she's just she's that girl like she's
when it comes to fashion, when it comes to like
everything we see so much, she's inspired so many people
nowadays when it comes to fashion and music in general,
(21:51):
and I think that that's just really beautiful to have
been on this earth for such a short period of time,
but to have made such an impact that will forever
like that legacy that she's created, it will forever live.
Speaker 5 (22:01):
I love that.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
I think that's just really dope.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
No, I love that. You're right. I think it was.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
It was a very significant moment in the culture, culture
for music, And You're right, in such a short period
of time, she was able to do a lot and
she impacted so many people. And the story hasn't really
been told candidly for obvious reasons, but it would be
beautiful right to get the real, vulnerable version, because there
(22:26):
is still this mystery surrounding who she is, you know
what I mean. And so I think that would be
I think that would be I think you would you
would hit that out the park if that ever was
the way it was supposed to be.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
I really do.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Speaking of having an impact, I am told you know
that you are an activist, and that excites me. I
feel like I feel like we're in good hands, you
know what I mean. And at nineteen years old, like
you are activated and wanting to help change the world.
Tell me about your work with RED.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm honestly constantly inspired by gen Z,
by all of my peers. Number One, we're the most
diverse generation to exist, and I feel like we're probably
one of the most right now, especially like we're very
vocal and we're not backing down, And I love the
fact that we're not just talking about surface level things
(23:19):
that we're touching on real life circumstances that affect not
just people in America but everywhere. For me, I touched
on I'm very vocal about every I'm vocal about Black
Lives matter, vocal about LGBTQ, especially in trans youth in general,
with what's happening in Florida right now. I'm vocal about
you know, abortion, birth control, all of those things. But
(23:41):
I think specifically for me, with RED, HIV and AIDS,
what they're doing is so incredible, and I think that
I my perspective of this epidemic was so narrow, and
then after working with RED, you realize how much of a.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
Global issue HIV and AIDS act actually is.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I was really fortunate to go to Tanzania with them
last year, and honestly, it was a life changing trip.
I met so many different women that were had either
they had HIV and AIDS, or they had parents that
you know, were struggling with HIV and AIDS, or even
their children, you know, giving it down to their children
(24:23):
and dealing with that.
Speaker 6 (24:24):
And it was.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Something that was honestly so alarming to me, and the
fact that we have.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
All these resources in America.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
I went to the it's called the One Coconut Hospital
in Tanzania. It's the only female hospital with the only
obg I N in Tanzania, and they had a total
of fifteen tools to do pap smears and checkups on
the women in Tanzania, and they were rusty and broken,
and it was just it was absolutely heartbreaking understanding and
(24:54):
seeing the fact that we have access to medicine, access
to the proper tools, but so many people well all
over the world are losing their lives because they don't
have the proper resources.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
They honestly aren't even that expensive.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Like I was talking to this one group of women
who all of them they had HIV and AIDS, but
they created this own community where they raised each other's
childrens and they cared for one another, but they created
their own soap business to try and help raise money
to get the proper funding for the resources they needed
for treatment.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
One gallon.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
To do one gallon of soap they're handmaking, it takes
like two days. And I asked them, I was like, well,
how much would it be just to buy you a
soap maker, like just a machine so you can make
three gallons of soap a day? Said It's just one
hundred dollars. And to me, I'm just like the mere
fact that like these people are struggling all over the world,
(25:52):
not even just in Tanzania, but all over the world
that genuinely should be able to have access to these things.
It's heartbreaking, and it only made me more motivated to
come here and share their stories and to make sure
that I'm continuously checking up on them, checking up on
not even just the women in Africa, but now then
going to the women in Asia, the women in South
America and seeing what they need, because it really is
(26:15):
a global epidemic, and I don't understand why we have
not done everything that we can do to make sure
that people are no longer dying from HIV.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
And as it's frustrating to even think about it and
what is not happening, and the fact that it speaks
to a world in which I know that there's more
money in the disease and actually curing it. So it
really does frustrate me. So when here you are, I
want to go back to you saying something I think
(26:43):
is pretty powerful. I was watching the Dear Mama docu
series on a Phoenie Shakor and Tupac, and I learned
a lot, which is some things that I should already know.
But what I always have found profound is that those
who want to change the world started at such a
(27:03):
young age, like they really do. Like many of the
Black Panthers were early twenties, you know, and here you
are at nineteen years old, like, okay, no, this is
what gen Z wants to do. And I'm very proud
of this generation. We're more outspoken than ever. And I
agree it's always been that generation that is still not
(27:24):
affected by the world and knows right and the meaning
like not there. You haven't been jaded yet, like you
could be, but you're not, Like you're still like we.
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Still can change the world, and we can. That hope
is palpable.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
As an ambassador, what do you think your responsibility is
now and perhaps in the future with RED and any
other organizations that you work with.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I think that it's truly just about like I think
that it's I think that it's really easy also to
slip into the space where we just talk and talk,
talk and talk, we don't actually put action behind words.
And so for me as an ambassador, I remember the
moment that I got back to Africa.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
I asked Red. I was like, so, what is your
game plan?
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Like?
Speaker 6 (28:10):
What next?
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Where do we go from here? It was really fortunate.
Recently I had hosted a dinner with REDD and so
I was able to bring a lot more artists and
activists that we're passionate about those issues and bring the
stories that I heard Indania and share that with them.
And just from that one dinner alone, so many people
(28:32):
got motivated and now want to work with RED and
have been sharing those stories on their social media that
now it Since then, Bread is doing one in London,
they're doing one in New York, and so for me,
it's continuously also making sure that I am holding the
people accountable. You need to donate if you have the funds.
And if you say that you care about these things, yeah,
(28:52):
it's not that it really isn't that much. A little
bit to make sure that somebody's life is saved, to
ensure because you can't post about these things and then
just not do anything and.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
Not do the follow up to do the work.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
So I think for me, it's just really being adamant
about not backing down, you know, doing the follow up,
keeping in touch with the people that really need our help,
and continuously sharing those stories and not being timid. Especially,
I feel like in certain spaces you want to like
be careful about what you say and be careful about
what you do. I think that if you really believe
(29:27):
in something.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Yeah you're a truth teller. Yeah, you're a truth teller.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
You got to speak, you have to speak, speak up
and do what you do as a truth teller.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well, let me ask you this, where do you where
do you see in terms of the work that you
want to do and the type of roles that you
want to take on?
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Where do you see?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
And we all have when I'm at this age, I
do this and you know, we all have these agendas
or we try to map things out and God changes
it around. What do you see what next for you
in terms of this next season of your life as
an actress, as an activist, as a daughter, as a friend.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
I think that this next season of my life, I'm
turning twenty this year, so I've definitely been thinking a
lot about as I step into like this new season,
the kind of person that I want to be. I think,
specifically for me throughout my especially teen years, in every space,
I think that I haven't given my spell, myself the
(30:27):
space to just be unapologetically me and to make mistakes
and to mess up. And so I think that that's
a big thing as I step into this new season,
is just like being unapologetically me and not judging myself
as an actor. I think that that's a big thing,
not judging where I am in my career, giving myself
the space and trusting the journey, trusting God. As a daughter,
(30:53):
I think, just continuously showing up for I feel like
I'm already, but as to the extent that I can
eat further, showing up for my family and in those
spaces where or in those moments where I may get
caught up in other things, but I think for me,
it's just being easier on myself, like not just allowing
myself to flow. And I don't think I love that bad.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
I love that. I love that. I love that.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yes, the soft the soft lady era entering soft young
lady area easy because.
Speaker 5 (31:24):
We're so hard on ourselves solves.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Every champion and carry champion is to be a CHAMPIONTA
champion and carry chappion and carry chat beata champion and
carry chappion and carry.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Chat entertainment Cannet, Get work, carry.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Champion and carry champion is to be a champion, a
champion and carry chappion. They champion and carry chappion and
carried chaty entertainment Cannet.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
Get word on.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
What projects are you working on now that you can share?
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Yeah, I just I's a movie called I Wish You
All the Best at the top of the year. It
is Tommy Dorfmann. It's her directorial debut. But I absolutely
love the story. It is a adaptation of a book
and it is a coming up age story told through
the lens of a non binary teen who is, you know,
(32:21):
trying to figure out how to come out. And I
play their best friend and yet again just being a
part of stories like that is so incredible because we
want to continuously normalize and just make it, make it acceptable,
make it a thing where it's not like it doesn't
have to be this whole like big conversation or uproar
about it, like they're just existing and being. And then
(32:41):
I'm also that's all I can fear for acting. But
what I'm really excited about with my production company, it's
really taken a turn for the best this year, and
I'm really excited. I've been able to collaborate with so
many incredible artists, but specifically built black artists, and.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
I'm very excited about the projects that we're creating.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Lots of coming up age stories, specifically for for young
kids that look like.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Me, which is important.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Oh man, I'm so excited about your future. I'm so
excited about your present as well, but like your future
is beaming and it's so bright. Before I let you go,
I like to do a little rapid fire because I'm there.
You're so intellectually aware, and so I'm just curious just
to get a little bit of more personality. So if
I said, what are you reading? What book are you reading,
(33:28):
or what's something that you read. Whether it could be poems,
or it could be fiction, it could be nonfiction, it
could be a biography.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
What are you reading or what have you read most recently?
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Most recently, I've read All About Love by Belle Hooks.
I'm currently reading The Mountain Is You by Brianna Weist.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I believe it's her last name.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
When you're ready to heal, this is how you do.
So that's another one that I just finished by Briann
or Weist is really great. I love Colleen Hoover like
I'm like super into the it ends with us like
that kind of genre. And then I love poetry like
I'm just a sucker for a good poetry book and
that's my favorite thing to write as well.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
Yeah, oh really, you just do? Okay? I love that.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
I love love poetry. What's your favorite meal or type
of food to eat?
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Favorite type of food to eat? I would have to
say pasta, Like I just love Italian food. It's something
about it.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I want to talk to you ten years from now.
Ten years from now, pasta is the enemy ten years around,
I'm like, do you.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
Still love pasta?
Speaker 6 (34:34):
Probably my answer probably change.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
Who is your celebrity crush?
Speaker 6 (34:44):
Uh oh who's my celebrity crush. That's such a great question.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Oh, like, do what music? Okay? Of course, of course, sorry,
of course, of course. Yeah. Who would you loved to
work with?
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Somebody I would really love to work with. I would
love to work with Shonda Rhimes.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Mmmmmm.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
I like it because everything she puts out, women are
always the heroes, and women of color are always the heroes.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
Anything she does. I love it.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Okay, where would be or where do you like to
vacation or where would you like to go in vacation?
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Someplace I've never been is Thailand, and it just looks
beautiful over there. All the islands look absolutely stunning. So
I would love to go over there in vacation.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Yeah, I've never been. All my friends swear by it.
They say it's amazing, it's really reasonable, and it's a
great time.
Speaker 6 (35:45):
Yeah. I think I'm gonna have to make that trip.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:48):
Yeah, I can. Then a post because I'll follow you
on said Instagram.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
What's your favorite social media what's your favorite social media platform?
Speaker 6 (35:57):
Definitely Twitter because they're just so real on there, Like
it's kind.
Speaker 5 (35:59):
Of yeah real on there, and I love it. Okay,
I love that for you. I love you, saying that
that's so surprising because.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
Most people, like a lot of people can not like Twitter.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I can't feel with Twitter. It makes me mad if
I start reading their responses.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
I do.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
I am on there, but it is like this place
is misering. Yeah yeah, yeah okay. And and what is
for you? What is a good day? What does a
good day look like for LEXI?
Speaker 6 (36:36):
Oh, a good day?
Speaker 1 (36:39):
It's like for me getting up and putting myself first.
I think, oftentimes, especially throughout the day, like it's easy
for me to like get so caught up in my career,
get so caught up in what's happening in my like
regular life. But on the days where I just surrender
and I let myself be and I'm only prioritizing myself
and my needs, that is a perfect day for me.
Speaker 5 (37:01):
And with that, I will end this podcast.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
I love that, and I love everything you represent, and
I feel like our future is in good hands. I
don't I don't have to do anything. I don't have
to be activated. I got somebody like you taking over.
I'm all set.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (37:19):
I wy say way about you.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
You're incredible the work that you're doing, and I can't
thank you enough for having me on.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
This was ch Oh, my gosh, I'm so impressive, so impressive, Lexi.
Continue to do the work that you're doing. You are
so annointed and so special. So thank you so much
for taking the time to be on naked and being
as honest as you are. It's refreshing, it really is.
Speaker 6 (37:36):
Thank you. It was my pleasure, my fleshment.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
As I say on my show, People Drop gems. She
reminded me. I said what's next, and she was like,
how do you want to treat yourself? And she was like,
just being soft, taking care of me, be easy on myself,
being easy on myself. I wish I would have known
to be easy on myself at nineteen years old, right
as she gets ready to approach twenty. I want to
thank Lexi for coming on the show because it was
(38:01):
really special. I also would like to just take a
moment to highlight something that is really ironic, not even ironic.
I don't know if that is the right word, but
after listening to nineteen year old Lexi Underwood, I think
about a twenty three year old Ja Morant. You all
know that my world is sports, and most recently, Ja
(38:23):
is in trouble again for waiving another gun on social media.
And sometimes I say, what is going on with this generation?
Y'all so young and dumb, and y'all don't know what's
going on? And then you get a jewel like Lexi.
She comes on the show and she impresses me about
about everything, all the things she would like to accomplish
(38:44):
in life. And then I think of a Ja who
I get really concerned about and quite frankly, have lost
empathy for. He is arguably one of the biggest faces
of the NBA at twenty three years old. His talent
is lights out. He's really an anointed special player, and
my hope is that he gets help. My hope is
(39:04):
that he is kind on himself. As Lexi said, My.
Speaker 5 (39:07):
Hope is that.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
He is going through a period of growing pains and
that he finds himself in a situation where people truly
help him and want to take care of him. I'm
encouraged by Lexi. I'm encouraged by the way in which
she moves in the world, and that means I too
(39:33):
can be encouraged by Jahn Morant. I can see he
can turn a page. That is my hope, that is
my message and that's just something I wanted to share.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
With you anyway.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this edition
of Naked. I'll see y'all next week.
All over the world, not even just in Tanzania, but
all over the world that genuinely should be able to
have access to these things. It's heartbreaking, and it only
made me more motivated to come here and share their
stories and to make sure that I'm continuously checking up
on them, checking up not even just the women in Africa,
but now then going to the women in Asia, the
women in South America and seeing what they need, because
(00:22):
it really is a global epidemic and I don't understand
why we have not done everything that we can do
to make sure that people are no longer dying from HIV.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
And a how impressive is nineteen year old Lexi Underwood.
That's just the beginning. You want to hear more from her,
and then you also want to be inspired by her.
Get off your butts, get some work done. That's what
she made me feel, like Lexi Underwood on this edition
of Naked.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
And then the same man Nanke you win, Krypy the
Cary Chappy is going to be a champion, a champion,
the Carri Sheppi and they champion.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
They car Sheppion and carried Shepy.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
You war Hey, everybody, welcome to another edition of naked.
I'm excited about today's guest. But before I dive into
today's guest, what I'd like to say is, every now
and again, you come across someone from generation Z gen Z,
as it is said, who really motivates.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
You and remind you why we are all here.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I have been watching the Dear Mama docu series about
a Phoenix Shakor and Tupac Shakur, and I've learned so
much about the Black Panthers, but what really stood out
to me was that at such a young age, Afeeni,
as well as chupac Uh, they were also activated in
what is happening in today's world back then meaning today's world.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
And I realized over.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
The year, the people who have made significant difference, people
who have gone on to change how we look and
think about the world, have been that generation in between
the ages of you know, perhaps nineteen up to your
late twenties. Not to say that you can't be activated
after that, but those who really are committed to the
cause and whatever that cause may be, make huge, huge
(02:24):
impacts on our society. And it isn't until much later
that we realize the work that is being done. But
that is not the case for actress, activists, and nineteen
year old Alexi Underwood.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
She is the guest today on Naked.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
She is a hopeful young talent who's made an impact
on and off the screen. You may remember her from
Little Fires Everywhere that came out back in twenty twenty,
and it was around the time, maybe even twenty twenty one,
but it was around the time that we were all
shut down and we were all focused on TV, and
we were watching every single thing that was on television,
(02:59):
were looking and searching for good content, and she was
able to give it to us. She's also an ambassador
for Red and you can see her in season two
of Reforms Cruel Summer. Whether you know her or not,
you will be impressed by this young woman. The way
in which she sees the world, the books that she's reading,
the impact that she wants to make, and the impact
(03:22):
she's already had on society is really truly something special.
So sit back again, relax and enjoy this edition of Naked.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Champion and Care with Chappy and and Care with Chappy.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Lexie Underwood, thank you so much for joining me. I
think that Naked is really truly about well, my podcast
I think is better than sometimes doing TV because you
feel a little more free.
Speaker 5 (03:46):
I feel more free.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I can talk, I can say what I feel, and
I hope you feel that same way. I think that
at such a very young age, you've done so many
incredible things. And I can begin with the list of
little fires everywhere, like, we can talk about that all day,
all day, Right, everyone loves that about you. We'll get
to that and that wonderful being by the name of
(04:09):
Carrie Washington. But I want to talk to you just
about your origin story. From my understanding, you grew up
in DC with your family. Tell me a little bit
about how you grew up and what lifestyle was like
for you as a child.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, so I grew up in DC with my mom,
my dad, and also my grandmother. She helped raise me,
so she was in the house as well. Whenever I
just think about me and who I am as a
person now, I always feel as though I have DC
to think for that. Growing up, I was really fortunate,
(04:47):
honestly to have been able to have been exposed to
so many things when it comes to just the world
in general, and the worldview and the way in which
we view art and all those other things and So
for me, at a very young age, I kind of
felt as though like I knew what I wanted to
do because my parents gave me the space to figure
out what I loved.
Speaker 6 (05:06):
So I started off dancing.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I started off I wanted to be a ballerina, and
then that progressed on that I wanted to be a gymnist,
and then I wanted to.
Speaker 6 (05:15):
Be a singer.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
I taught myself how to play guitar and piano, and
then after that, especially when I was like ten years old,
I then fell in love with musical theater and just
the art of storytelling in general. But through that I
felt as though I was constantly inspired and motivated by
the things and people around me. When it came to
(05:36):
just the kind of artists that I wanted to be,
even at such a young age, I kind of always
knew what I wanted to do. And I think that I,
like I said, I grew up. I went to a
bilingual school. So from kindergarten up until sixth grade, I
went to a bilingual school, and I was surrounded by
kids from everywhere I was. You know, my friends they
(05:58):
were you know, children of immigrants.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
Either.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I had other friends that you know had come from,
you know, two of the same sex parent households, and
that like seeing that at sick Evan, those kind of
things being normalized for me. I feel as though it
definitely helped me as I got older, especially now with
everything all the chaos that's happening in the world. It
helped me shift my perspective as to the person that
(06:20):
I wanted to be, the stories that I wanted to tell,
and how I wanted to show up in this world
because I was constantly impacted by the people around me.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
You know what, that's really interesting because if you it's
it's first of all, I feel like gymnasts, dancer, all
of it, musical, theater, all goes hand in hand. So
you've always had this creative aspect. Now were your parents creatives?
Speaker 1 (06:45):
No, it's really interesting. That's always the question. They're like,
I don't know how, like you became like an actor.
They both love they all love the arts, but nobody
in my family sings or acts or does anything. But
like I said, from a young age, they introduced me
to like so many incredible artists. My dad, I think
(07:06):
I was like seven when he introduced me to like
Star Wars. That was like the first time where I
fell in love with sci fi and I was like
so into movies during that time because like he was
showing me that and my mom she was playing Lauren
Hill Eric Abadus at a young age, like they were
my favorite artists. And so I think that for me
that helped as I got older to like the kind
of artists that I wanted to grow into and become.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
Oh, I love that because you're like this was just
around me.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
So some people are a lot of people are actually,
but for you, genuinely, you were born to do this
because it just spoke to your spirit. Just as a kid,
it just spoke to your spirit. When you say you
go to a bilingual school, what does that mean?
Speaker 1 (07:45):
That means that I'm learning English and Spanish at.
Speaker 6 (07:49):
The same time.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
So essentially, like at the top of the day, like
you would do your math classes in Spanish and then
you do literature in English, and then you would jump
to science and then you would take your science class
in Spanish. And so with that it was it was
really interesting the structure because it wasn't like you actually
sat down and took Spanish classes. They were just talking
to you in Spanish. They were talking to a bunch
of er owners in Spanish, and eventually we picked it up.
(08:13):
I mean we were being forced to like learn math
in Spanish, like there's no you just you pick up
on those kind of things past. And honestly, I loved
culture instead rather than sitting down and having like actual
Spanish classes with us, because it just felt rather than
instead of like, oh, I'm taking a class and this
is like a thing that I have to do, it
just became like second nature. And then I think that
(08:34):
it was also really beautiful because, like I said, there
were a lot of kids there that their parents were
immigrants from Mexico, from Argentina, from El Salvador, and those
that was the language that we were we were speaking
and listening to, and so also just set them and
for us to be able to understand and learn about
one another's culture. They would do like this big cultural
festival every year where because there were kids from Ethiopia,
(08:57):
kids from like literally all over the place, where they
would have their parents come in and teach the classes
basically about their back their history, where they come from,
and things like that. Like when your kids, you're not
really thinking about how much of an impact that's going
to have on you, but it really did have one,
and I wish that there were more schools like that
that was available, especially to young kids of color.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
That's so impressive, Like I don't even know if you
know how impressive that is. It's so impressive just to
hear that, and it just puts you ahead of the game.
So here we are doing all the things that you love,
and when do we decide I have the acting bug
and I'm going to go out for auditions and do
this for real, for real.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
I never forget the moment that like I got that feeling.
My parents took me to go see The Lion King
on Broadway. It was my first time ever seeing a
Braahway show, and I fell in.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
Love with it. I became obsessed.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I remember the first time that I saw I don't
know if you've seen it, but like during Circle of Life,
it's like the you know, the actor they're coming down
the aisle and remember seeing like the young girl that
was playing Young Nala at the time and being like,
oh my gosh, if she I can do that too.
And it's crazy because that same show, Caleb McLaughlin and
(10:14):
I like we're still friends, but Caleb he was he's
on stranger things now, but he was the young Simba
that was on that night. And after the fact, my mom,
his mom and us like we were just talking and
they were like they encouraged us. They were like, you
can do it, Like do it, do it. And then
fast forward a year later, I Blind King was my
first ever audition. It was my first booking, and then
(10:36):
fast forward you know, yeah, I booked it and we're
all still friends, those same people that encourage me to
take leave of faith and go out an audition. It's
been so beautiful to be able to like see that
friendship progress as well. But that was the moment where
I was like, I can actually do this, Like this
is really love bad.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
So here's my question as an actress, as an actress
or and I asked this of actors who are older,
so it's good to figure out now as you start
doing it. What is it about playing a character outside
of yourself that inspires you, or encourages you, or liberates you,
whatever it does for you. What is it?
Speaker 1 (11:16):
I think something that's at least for me personally, something
that I struggle with in my everyday life is giving
myself the space to be vulnerable, giving my spell.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
Myself the space which just be and exist.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
And I think that when you are taking on roles,
especially where you have no clue what it's like, you know,
to relate to that character, you can't necessarily relate to
that background. You genuinely have to step yourself into those shoes.
Number one, you can't judge that character, because I think
that was a thing that I had to struggle with.
(11:50):
That was a barrier that I had to get over.
I was judging myself and I was judging my character,
and I think it was because I was not giving myself.
Speaker 6 (11:56):
A space to just feel and be vulnerable in the moment.
Speaker 5 (11:59):
Yeah, so after.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
You know, so after a while, like really sitting with
whatever character it is, but really with sitting with the
material and looking at not just like not what I
think this person should do, not what I think that
I would do in this moment, but just really like
kind of letting go and just allowing yourself to go
(12:22):
on the journey, allowing yourself to feel every emotion, allowing
yourself to look as ugly as possible, Like you know
that was a fear like crying on screen, Like that's
that's a big thing for you know, the world to
see you in such a vulnerable state. But honestly, I
feel as though once I got over that barrier, it
just helped me connect to my characters more. And so
(12:44):
I'm it's definitely even now like I'm not like fully
like rock solid on it. It's so like a learning journey.
But I think that that's like a big thing for me.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I love the way you describe it, because for me,
I feel like so incredibly awkward. If someone ever asked
you to or me to say, hey, Carrie, can you
do that, I'm like, no, I feel uncomfortable being something.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
It just feels uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
But that's the vulnerability that you you you seek solace in,
you find you enjoy that. That's That's a beautiful way
to put it. So you book Lion King your very
first audition amazing. It just tells you you should be
doing this. You're like, oh, I'm on the right path,
and then you go on to to pursue it.
Speaker 5 (13:26):
Where do you live now? I l a, yeah, okay,
how long have you lived there?
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Almost eight years? So I moved out here like literally
right after Lion King.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
You and your family they were like we're doing it,
let's go.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
So basically, my my family is actually still by coosal
to this day. My mom and I we were supposed
to come out here for only three months and it
was like for pilot season.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
I just got in signed with like my first manager,
and so I wash, I can get to.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Go out and try it up and just it kind
of rest from there. And so one thing that I
really love about my parents is that they never put
pressure on me, especially at a young age where I
felt as though like this was the end all be all,
like if we go out to LA, like you have
to make it. So we kept our house in DC.
My dad kept a job in DC. He comes out
(14:19):
every month still to this day, like it's still the
same thing. He still has his job. Just whenever I
feel like, hey, I don't want to do this anymore,
they never make me feel as though like this is
my only option, which is really beautiful.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
How beautiful well and supportive is that? How beautiful and
supportive is that actually?
Speaker 1 (14:36):
And also just like the mere fact like my mom
especially to just take everything that you know and like
leave because she believed in me and my passion and
my dreams, especially like a twelve year old. I feel
like it's so easy, especially for parents to kind of
dismiss their kids.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
At a young age.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Yeah they like, yeah, But the fact that they saw
me and they genuinely believed in me, Like they don't
even know how much that means to me.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Oh, I'm sure they do. Wow. Wow. I love that story.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
And it's interesting because I do meet parents that I remember,
probably some years ago, being at the Essence the Black
Women in Hollywood luncheon, and this is years ago before
Halle and Chloe. It really really got their own footing
and the family is like, no, we just moved here
(15:26):
to pursue it. And every time I meet families that
do that, I know they know, like they have the
know that my child is doing what they want to
do and this is special and we should let them
pursue their dreams. And it's so incredibly selfless and it's
a quality that very few people have. And I feel
(15:51):
like for you, it also motivated you to be like,
I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do it in a
real way. What would you say thus far has been
your biggest role? Would it be the Hulu's show with Carrie?
Would to be the Halu series with Carrie Washington.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
I would definitely say I would definitely say little fires.
I mean, I remember when I booked it. I could
not believe it because before then I had only booked
like guest star and recording roles, which I was so
grateful for. But I definitely kind of had it in
my mind where I was like, I probably won't get
an opportunity like that for like a couple of more years.
(16:23):
Like I was content and good with what I was doing,
but I remember when when the audition girl came in
and I was so excited. It was the first time
where I had like seen like a layered, complex role
like that. For I was fifteen at the time, so
for a young fifteen year old black girl. And when
I got it, I just I went in because I knew.
(16:46):
I was like, opportunities like this they don't just they
don't come often. So when you when you get something
like this, you really have to you have to put
it a lot of hard work and you have to
treat it with a lot of care. And I think
that we did that.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
You Oh my god, I was mad we didn't get
a season two. I was like, where is the rest
We need more. I remember, I'm going to tell you
this is such a crazy story. Me and my at
the time, a really good friend of mine name is
Fabiola Mercado. Still shout out to Fabiola. We would watch
it without fail. It was a point in viewing and
and Fabiola. I don't remember what episode it was, but
(17:21):
Fabiola was so mad at you. She was like, that
little girl made me so mad. She was so mean
to her mom and she was so mad at you.
And I was like, that is good acting because you
made us mad. We was like, she is mad.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
I'm mad. I'm mad at you.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Even my mom my mom was like, you better not
talk to me like that because I would never would.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You're like, mom, it's the role, but you are you really? Yes,
But it's the best thing. It's the biggest compliment you
can ever give someone, to say, I believe you so much.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
So I was mad at you.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
It was what were the responses to that when it
when it was least, what were the critics, Not that
you might care about what critics say, but what was
the response she received?
Speaker 6 (18:06):
I don't know. I didn't.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
It was really hard to be able to process all
of it because it was just so much I once,
especially like during quarantine, so there was already so much
happening in the world, and then it was like everything
that I had prayed for and dreamed of for my
career wasn't happening in the span of like a couple
of months, which was really crazy. But the outpour of
love and support that I got from critics and from
(18:31):
other like fellow artists and people that I had admired
so much, it was incredible. I have felt, you know,
I don't know, I just really felt proud of the
work that we did.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
It probably at all.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
I'm like there were moments where I was doing sleep sobbing, crying,
where I would take home some of the baggage, you
know that I had films that day because that's how.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
Emotionally invested and attached to the role.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
That I was.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
So it definitely felt like all of the hard work,
everything that we had to put into the project, it
I don't know, it was like it was beautiful and
it was beautiful awesome. Yeah, I was glad that we
were also able to bring just a form of entertainment,
especially during that time, because everybody had no clue what
was happening, and so the matter of fact that at
least for like forty minutes, people could turn on the
(19:18):
TV and kind of forget about what was happening in
the outside world.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Yeah, it was, it was. It was such a beautiful release,
so incredibly talented.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
Good for you. Congratulations to you, to you. You guys
know what time it is. I have to pay these bills, bills, bills, bills.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Taking a quick break, Lexi Underwood returns in just a
few moments.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Every Champion and carry Champions, to be a champion, out
a champion and carry Chappion and carried Chapata Champion and
carry Chappion and Carrie.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Chat's great, it's entertainment. Can make it work?
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Cherry Champion and carry Champions to be a champion, a Champion,
and Carrie Champion, the Champion, the car and the car.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Hey, y'all, thank you so much for listening to Naked
and standing with us as we got through those commercial breaks.
Here is more from Lexi Underwood. Now, I believe I
read your dream role would be playing Aliyah?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Now?
Speaker 5 (20:23):
Why why Aliyah?
Speaker 2 (20:25):
I'm really interested that why people are so fascinated by her?
That are that didn't even weren't even born really when
she was here, you know what I mean, I feel
like that's very fascinating. What about her and her and
her music, it makes you feel like that would be
a good fit for you.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Well, like I said number one, growing up, Aliah was
like she's always been like my favorite musical artist and
specifically yeah, but specifically for me also, it's just something
about like the story of a young black girl from
Detroit who someone like she how to dream. Her and
her parents they took a leap of faith and they
made it happen, and that is so real to my
(21:06):
story as well. I also think that the persistence, the strength,
the way in which she tackled everything that she did
with hard work and with grace is very admirable, especially
during you know. Yet again, like she was so she
was so young when when her life was cut short,
but in that time she made such an impact on
(21:28):
this world. And I as an artist can only hope
that I would touch people with my art as much
as her art has touched me and so many other people.
And she's also she's just she's that girl like she's
when it comes to fashion, when it comes to like
everything we see so much, she's inspired so many people
nowadays when it comes to fashion and music in general,
(21:51):
and I think that that's just really beautiful to have
been on this earth for such a short period of time,
but to have made such an impact that will forever
like that legacy that she's created, it will forever live.
Speaker 5 (22:01):
I love that.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
I think that's just really dope.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
No, I love that. You're right. I think it was.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
It was a very significant moment in the culture, culture
for music, And You're right, in such a short period
of time, she was able to do a lot and
she impacted so many people. And the story hasn't really
been told candidly for obvious reasons, but it would be
beautiful right to get the real, vulnerable version, because there
(22:26):
is still this mystery surrounding who she is, you know
what I mean. And so I think that would be
I think that would be I think you would you
would hit that out the park if that ever was
the way it was supposed to be.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
I really do.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Speaking of having an impact, I am told you know
that you are an activist, and that excites me. I
feel like I feel like we're in good hands, you
know what I mean. And at nineteen years old, like
you are activated and wanting to help change the world.
Tell me about your work with RED.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm honestly constantly inspired by gen Z,
by all of my peers. Number One, we're the most
diverse generation to exist, and I feel like we're probably
one of the most right now, especially like we're very
vocal and we're not backing down, And I love the
fact that we're not just talking about surface level things
(23:19):
that we're touching on real life circumstances that affect not
just people in America but everywhere. For me, I touched
on I'm very vocal about every I'm vocal about Black
Lives matter, vocal about LGBTQ, especially in trans youth in general,
with what's happening in Florida right now. I'm vocal about
you know, abortion, birth control, all of those things. But
(23:41):
I think specifically for me, with RED, HIV and AIDS,
what they're doing is so incredible, and I think that
I my perspective of this epidemic was so narrow, and
then after working with RED, you realize how much of a.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
Global issue HIV and AIDS act actually is.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I was really fortunate to go to Tanzania with them
last year, and honestly, it was a life changing trip.
I met so many different women that were had either
they had HIV and AIDS, or they had parents that
you know, were struggling with HIV and AIDS, or even
their children, you know, giving it down to their children
(24:23):
and dealing with that.
Speaker 6 (24:24):
And it was.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Something that was honestly so alarming to me, and the
fact that we have.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
All these resources in America.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
I went to the it's called the One Coconut Hospital
in Tanzania. It's the only female hospital with the only
obg I N in Tanzania, and they had a total
of fifteen tools to do pap smears and checkups on
the women in Tanzania, and they were rusty and broken,
and it was just it was absolutely heartbreaking understanding and
(24:54):
seeing the fact that we have access to medicine, access
to the proper tools, but so many people well all
over the world are losing their lives because they don't
have the proper resources.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
They honestly aren't even that expensive.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Like I was talking to this one group of women
who all of them they had HIV and AIDS, but
they created this own community where they raised each other's
childrens and they cared for one another, but they created
their own soap business to try and help raise money
to get the proper funding for the resources they needed
for treatment.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
One gallon.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
To do one gallon of soap they're handmaking, it takes
like two days. And I asked them, I was like, well,
how much would it be just to buy you a
soap maker, like just a machine so you can make
three gallons of soap a day? Said It's just one
hundred dollars. And to me, I'm just like the mere
fact that like these people are struggling all over the world,
(25:52):
not even just in Tanzania, but all over the world
that genuinely should be able to have access to these things.
It's heartbreaking, and it only made me more motivated to
come here and share their stories and to make sure
that I'm continuously checking up on them, checking up on
not even just the women in Africa, but now then
going to the women in Asia, the women in South
America and seeing what they need, because it really is
(26:15):
a global epidemic, and I don't understand why we have
not done everything that we can do to make sure
that people are no longer dying from HIV.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
And as it's frustrating to even think about it and
what is not happening, and the fact that it speaks
to a world in which I know that there's more
money in the disease and actually curing it. So it
really does frustrate me. So when here you are, I
want to go back to you saying something I think
(26:43):
is pretty powerful. I was watching the Dear Mama docu
series on a Phoenie Shakor and Tupac, and I learned
a lot, which is some things that I should already know.
But what I always have found profound is that those
who want to change the world started at such a
(27:03):
young age, like they really do. Like many of the
Black Panthers were early twenties, you know, and here you
are at nineteen years old, like, okay, no, this is
what gen Z wants to do. And I'm very proud
of this generation. We're more outspoken than ever. And I
agree it's always been that generation that is still not
(27:24):
affected by the world and knows right and the meaning
like not there. You haven't been jaded yet, like you
could be, but you're not, Like you're still like we.
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Still can change the world, and we can. That hope
is palpable.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
As an ambassador, what do you think your responsibility is
now and perhaps in the future with RED and any
other organizations that you work with.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I think that it's truly just about like I think
that it's I think that it's really easy also to
slip into the space where we just talk and talk,
talk and talk, we don't actually put action behind words.
And so for me as an ambassador, I remember the
moment that I got back to Africa.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
I asked Red. I was like, so, what is your
game plan?
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Like?
Speaker 6 (28:10):
What next?
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Where do we go from here? It was really fortunate.
Recently I had hosted a dinner with REDD and so
I was able to bring a lot more artists and
activists that we're passionate about those issues and bring the
stories that I heard Indania and share that with them.
And just from that one dinner alone, so many people
(28:32):
got motivated and now want to work with RED and
have been sharing those stories on their social media that
now it Since then, Bread is doing one in London,
they're doing one in New York, and so for me,
it's continuously also making sure that I am holding the
people accountable. You need to donate if you have the funds.
And if you say that you care about these things, yeah,
(28:52):
it's not that it really isn't that much. A little
bit to make sure that somebody's life is saved, to
ensure because you can't post about these things and then
just not do anything and.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
Not do the follow up to do the work.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
So I think for me, it's just really being adamant
about not backing down, you know, doing the follow up,
keeping in touch with the people that really need our help,
and continuously sharing those stories and not being timid. Especially,
I feel like in certain spaces you want to like
be careful about what you say and be careful about
what you do. I think that if you really believe
(29:27):
in something.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
Yeah you're a truth teller. Yeah, you're a truth teller.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
You got to speak, you have to speak, speak up
and do what you do as a truth teller.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Well, let me ask you this, where do you where
do you see in terms of the work that you
want to do and the type of roles that you
want to take on?
Speaker 5 (29:47):
Where do you see?
Speaker 2 (29:49):
And we all have when I'm at this age, I
do this and you know, we all have these agendas
or we try to map things out and God changes
it around. What do you see what next for you
in terms of this next season of your life as
an actress, as an activist, as a daughter, as a friend.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
I think that this next season of my life, I'm
turning twenty this year, so I've definitely been thinking a
lot about as I step into like this new season,
the kind of person that I want to be. I think,
specifically for me throughout my especially teen years, in every space,
I think that I haven't given my spell, myself the
(30:27):
space to just be unapologetically me and to make mistakes
and to mess up. And so I think that that's
a big thing as I step into this new season,
is just like being unapologetically me and not judging myself
as an actor. I think that that's a big thing,
not judging where I am in my career, giving myself
the space and trusting the journey, trusting God. As a daughter,
(30:53):
I think, just continuously showing up for I feel like
I'm already, but as to the extent that I can
eat further, showing up for my family and in those
spaces where or in those moments where I may get
caught up in other things, but I think for me,
it's just being easier on myself, like not just allowing
myself to flow. And I don't think I love that bad.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
I love that. I love that. I love that.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yes, the soft the soft lady era entering soft young
lady area easy because.
Speaker 5 (31:24):
We're so hard on ourselves solves.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Every champion and carry champion is to be a CHAMPIONTA
champion and carry chappion and carry chat beata champion and
carry chappion and carry.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Chat entertainment Cannet, Get work, carry.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Champion and carry champion is to be a champion, a
champion and carry chappion. They champion and carry chappion and
carried chaty entertainment Cannet.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
Get word on.
Speaker 5 (31:53):
What projects are you working on now that you can share?
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Yeah, I just I's a movie called I Wish You
All the Best at the top of the year. It
is Tommy Dorfmann. It's her directorial debut. But I absolutely
love the story. It is a adaptation of a book
and it is a coming up age story told through
the lens of a non binary teen who is, you know,
(32:21):
trying to figure out how to come out. And I
play their best friend and yet again just being a
part of stories like that is so incredible because we
want to continuously normalize and just make it, make it acceptable,
make it a thing where it's not like it doesn't
have to be this whole like big conversation or uproar
about it, like they're just existing and being. And then
(32:41):
I'm also that's all I can fear for acting. But
what I'm really excited about with my production company, it's
really taken a turn for the best this year, and
I'm really excited. I've been able to collaborate with so
many incredible artists, but specifically built black artists, and.
Speaker 6 (32:59):
I'm very excited about the projects that we're creating.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Lots of coming up age stories, specifically for for young
kids that look like.
Speaker 6 (33:05):
Me, which is important.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
Oh man, I'm so excited about your future. I'm so
excited about your present as well, but like your future
is beaming and it's so bright. Before I let you go,
I like to do a little rapid fire because I'm there.
You're so intellectually aware, and so I'm just curious just
to get a little bit of more personality. So if
I said, what are you reading? What book are you reading,
(33:28):
or what's something that you read. Whether it could be poems,
or it could be fiction, it could be nonfiction, it
could be a biography.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
What are you reading or what have you read most recently?
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Most recently, I've read All About Love by Belle Hooks.
I'm currently reading The Mountain Is You by Brianna Weist.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I believe it's her last name.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
When you're ready to heal, this is how you do.
So that's another one that I just finished by Briann
or Weist is really great. I love Colleen Hoover like
I'm like super into the it ends with us like
that kind of genre. And then I love poetry like
I'm just a sucker for a good poetry book and
that's my favorite thing to write as well.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
Yeah, oh really, you just do? Okay? I love that.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
I love love poetry. What's your favorite meal or type
of food to eat?
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Favorite type of food to eat? I would have to
say pasta, Like I just love Italian food. It's something
about it.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I want to talk to you ten years from now.
Ten years from now, pasta is the enemy ten years around,
I'm like, do you.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
Still love pasta?
Speaker 6 (34:34):
Probably my answer probably change.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
Who is your celebrity crush?
Speaker 6 (34:44):
Uh oh who's my celebrity crush. That's such a great question.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Oh, like, do what music? Okay? Of course, of course, sorry,
of course, of course. Yeah. Who would you loved to
work with?
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Somebody I would really love to work with. I would
love to work with Shonda Rhimes.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Mmmmmm.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
I like it because everything she puts out, women are
always the heroes, and women of color are always the heroes.
Speaker 5 (35:16):
Anything she does. I love it.
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Okay, where would be or where do you like to
vacation or where would you like to go in vacation?
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Someplace I've never been is Thailand, and it just looks
beautiful over there. All the islands look absolutely stunning. So
I would love to go over there in vacation.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Yeah, I've never been. All my friends swear by it.
They say it's amazing, it's really reasonable, and it's a
great time.
Speaker 6 (35:45):
Yeah. I think I'm gonna have to make that trip.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (35:48):
Yeah, I can. Then a post because I'll follow you
on said Instagram.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
What's your favorite social media what's your favorite social media platform?
Speaker 6 (35:57):
Definitely Twitter because they're just so real on there, Like
it's kind.
Speaker 5 (35:59):
Of yeah real on there, and I love it. Okay,
I love that for you. I love you, saying that
that's so surprising because.
Speaker 6 (36:09):
Most people, like a lot of people can not like Twitter.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I can't feel with Twitter. It makes me mad if
I start reading their responses.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
I do.
Speaker 5 (36:17):
I am on there, but it is like this place
is misering. Yeah yeah, yeah okay. And and what is
for you? What is a good day? What does a
good day look like for LEXI?
Speaker 6 (36:36):
Oh, a good day?
Speaker 1 (36:39):
It's like for me getting up and putting myself first.
I think, oftentimes, especially throughout the day, like it's easy
for me to like get so caught up in my career,
get so caught up in what's happening in my like
regular life. But on the days where I just surrender
and I let myself be and I'm only prioritizing myself
and my needs, that is a perfect day for me.
Speaker 5 (37:01):
And with that, I will end this podcast.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
I love that, and I love everything you represent, and
I feel like our future is in good hands. I
don't I don't have to do anything. I don't have
to be activated. I got somebody like you taking over.
I'm all set.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (37:19):
I wy say way about you.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
You're incredible the work that you're doing, and I can't
thank you enough for having me on.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
This was ch Oh, my gosh, I'm so impressive, so impressive, Lexi.
Continue to do the work that you're doing. You are
so annointed and so special. So thank you so much
for taking the time to be on naked and being
as honest as you are. It's refreshing, it really is.
Speaker 6 (37:36):
Thank you. It was my pleasure, my fleshment.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
As I say on my show, People Drop gems. She
reminded me. I said what's next, and she was like,
how do you want to treat yourself? And she was like,
just being soft, taking care of me, be easy on myself,
being easy on myself. I wish I would have known
to be easy on myself at nineteen years old, right
as she gets ready to approach twenty. I want to
thank Lexi for coming on the show because it was
(38:01):
really special. I also would like to just take a
moment to highlight something that is really ironic, not even ironic.
I don't know if that is the right word, but
after listening to nineteen year old Lexi Underwood, I think
about a twenty three year old Ja Morant. You all
know that my world is sports, and most recently, Ja
(38:23):
is in trouble again for waiving another gun on social media.
And sometimes I say, what is going on with this generation?
Y'all so young and dumb, and y'all don't know what's
going on? And then you get a jewel like Lexi.
She comes on the show and she impresses me about
about everything, all the things she would like to accomplish
(38:44):
in life. And then I think of a Ja who
I get really concerned about and quite frankly, have lost
empathy for. He is arguably one of the biggest faces
of the NBA at twenty three years old. His talent
is lights out. He's really an anointed special player, and
my hope is that he gets help. My hope is
(39:04):
that he is kind on himself. As Lexi said, My.
Speaker 5 (39:07):
Hope is that.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
He is going through a period of growing pains and
that he finds himself in a situation where people truly
help him and want to take care of him. I'm
encouraged by Lexi. I'm encouraged by the way in which
she moves in the world, and that means I too
(39:33):
can be encouraged by Jahn Morant. I can see he
can turn a page. That is my hope, that is
my message and that's just something I wanted to share.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
With you anyway.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this edition
of Naked. I'll see y'all next week.
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