REISSUE: The Spirited Actor - Tonya Pinkins

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie Smalls to Tupac, and

(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Ye from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel

(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful. And now it's time for

(01:05):
meditation of the day. A diamond is a chunk of
coal that did well under pressure. Henry Kissinger, never let
anyone discourage you on your journey. You have every right
to pursue your dreams. They may not be what others want. However,
you have to put yourself first. Learn to trust that

(01:28):
the gifts you have are worthy of sharing and manifesting. Today,
I will put myself first, unapologetically. Before we get started,
I'd like to remind everyone to look out for my
new show, Inside the Black Box. I'll be co hosting
with the great Joe Morton. Will be on Crackle Network

(01:51):
real soon. I'll keep you posted. Welcome to the Spirited
Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. Everybody, I need you
to stand up. I need you to stand up. I
need you to put your hands together for our dynamic guest,
Miss Tanya Pinkins, Tony Award winning actress, writer, producer and director.

(02:15):
Thank you, Tracy, thank you so much. Okay, I have
so many questions for you as an actress. But ladies
and gentlemen, I have to start off with this brilliant
film called Red Pill that Tanya wrote, she produced, directed,

(02:37):
and starring in. Tanya, I am the scariest person in life. Now,
you don't understand how scary I am. I watched it
because of you. I watched your film because it was you.
But I would I don't know if I would have
watched it if I you know, because it's it's more
it's scary, but it's like thriller scary. It was the

(02:59):
most brilliant film I bowed down to you as a writer.
You are brilliant how you thread this story together? And
I just I want you to talk about it because
I don't want to give anything away. But I thought
to me, because I've read probably a million scripts in
my lifetime as a casting director and acting coach, and

(03:22):
the best writing is when you're when you don't have
to narrate everything. We see it through the visuals, we
see it through the sound. This movie hit every mark
for me. And I want to say your d P.
John who I know, brilliant DP. Yeah. I was in

(03:45):
from the opening shot. I was scared, but I was
in from the opening shots. So Tanya, can you tell
us first of all, how did you come up with
this idea? Where was where did you you know? Where
was this birth it? For? You know? I feel like
it's a synthesis of all of my life of being
a black woman in America and and and and walking

(04:08):
around and listening to other people, uh, you know, talk
about what they see in America and never hearing what
I see in America, and that what I see in
America is usually the truth of America and usually comes
to pass. And then after it's come to pass, the
people who had a different point of view, they're like, oh, yeah, yeah,

(04:30):
I knew that too, but they didn't. And so I
think about you know, um, Malcolm X saying that the
black woman is the most disrespected, you know, unprotected, and
there's one more work that says about us, And I
think that that's how I feel, despite you know, how
much wonderful things have happened in my life. Um, there's
a way in which I walk into spaces and I

(04:51):
speak from the wisdom that I have, and it's just ignored.
And so um, I remember when the two times sixteen
election was happening, and how that was gonna go was
just so clear. It was just inevitable, and people people
treated me with contempt. It looked at me like I
had two heads. How could I think that monster was
gonna win? And I was like, there's no question. So

(05:14):
when I saw what was going to happen with this election,
I was like, there's no point in talking to a Violet,
let's just make a story about it. And people say
that's far fetched, which is what they said about the script.
It's a little extreme, it's a little farfetched. And now
you know, I thought the movie would come out in
two thousand twenty. It would have been dismissed in two
thousand twenties, farfetched. But now we on the other side

(05:37):
that you know, it's all happened. Yeah, I you know, um,
I think about like great movies like um um, oh
my god. Uh. You know, ensemble pieces right, the Big Chill,
you know, Grand Canyon. I think of those type of
strong ensemble pieces where I didn't want to move from

(05:58):
the location. I wanted to stay centered with the characters.
And that's what I felt about your film. The thing,
audience that I loved is how each character had a
voice and a specific reason, right, and a purpose in
terms of getting this complete message across, your complete sought across.

(06:19):
And that's what I thought was so brilliant. How did
you approach, you know, individually, these characters and they will
also the diversity was amazing too, and tapping into that, well,
it was really important to me to have mature people
because I'm mature, and there's a historic knowledge that you
have when you've lived a while. So I wanted it

(06:41):
to have that because the ideas that I'm um, you know,
dropping into the movie, you don't have until you're mature.
So the cast had to be mature, and um, it
needed to look like the world I live in. So
um my world. You know, sometimes when white people look
at the movie, they think, um, you know, how did
those people get together? And I think the question is, really,

(07:02):
why doesn't your world look like this? Because this is
just what my world looks like. I have indigenous Latino friends,
I have Eastern European friends, I have British Afro Caribbean friends.
That's my every day. I don't know, there's no how
to it. It's how I roll, it's it's where I walk.
It's so um. That is who I put in the film.

(07:24):
And I uh, you know, since I was producing it
and financing it myself, it meant I had to use
my relationship capital, and that meant I had to pass
and write to actors who I could pick up the
phone and and pick and they would answer my call
without having to go through their gatekeepers. And so um,

(07:44):
that was you know how the Catholic. I wrote it
for Ruben and Luba, who are married, and um, you know,
Ruben always plays like the tough like he's so scary
and and compelling on screen, and it was just like
I wrote it with his voice in mind. I was like,
I don't know how'm gonna get Ruben blades and Luba
and I are friends, and she invited me to their

(08:04):
house for dinner. And the first thing out of Ruben's mouth,
whom we were sitting on the deck having a cocktail,
was you know, today you really have to make your
own projects. And I was like, I reached down in
my bag and I was like, well, speaking of which,
where's the script that I wrote for you and Luba
to be in? And so there was these wonderful synchronicities

(08:25):
like that that just kept happening. You know, people ask
about the symbol um. When that came to me, I
was like, Okay, now you can start writing. Now you
can start writing, really capturing on the hit Larry In
tradition and the whole white supremacist tradition of co opting
UH signs that have deep, rich spiritual history and making

(08:48):
them their own. So um, yeah, I mean I also
enjoyed the the love like you know, to me, the
relationships were real, Like I didn't again, I I didn't
approach the film like, oh why, you know, why is
this black woman hanging out with all of these different

(09:11):
you know, ethnic diverse. It just it felt real they
were friends. I love the moment when um, um, you
know again, I don't want to give out any information,
but there was a scene when you were in bed
the next morning and um, you know you were talking
and it was just it was so beautiful, like your
explanation of your character's explanation of why you wanted to

(09:34):
leave America and um, the friendship that you had. It
was it was just a quick moment, but it was
so beautiful. It was so real. Like I'm like you,
I have diverse friends and people in my life as well.
It is I strongly encourage everyone to see this film. Um,

(09:56):
I want you to tell the audience how they're able
to buy the film so that they can view it well.
Currently we we are at the Pan African Film Festival
through March watching that right is here by them. So
that's p a f F dot Org. And then you know,
now I start the next part of the hustle, which
is taking it around to first to go to the studios,

(10:18):
then you go to the streamers, then you go to
the platforms. One of my UM investors is a partner
in Keeno Lorber and he an Okay player Okay Africa.
So we know that if we want to go that way,
that's we already have that in there, but we're trying
to see if we can get it on a larger
platform first. So this is god right because Um, one

(10:41):
of your producers and I don't know all the producers,
but I know that she has a background at HBO. Yes,
George Cassatte Okay. So my friend who used to be
an agent at William Morris is friends with her, and
so when I mentioned him I was having you on
the show, he was like, oh my god, my friend
produced the film. I've been, you know, dying to see

(11:01):
the film and then he sees the film and he's like,
oh my god, Chasey, this is brilliant as an agent.
One of the things that he was speaking about is
how proud he was of you to just take everything
into your own hands, like you know, people we could
sit around and complain. There were two things that I love.
But we could sit around and complain or we could

(11:22):
just do it. And not only did you do it,
but you incorporated such powerful messages. It's like, you know,
when you get frustrated. I don't know about you, but
the four years with Trump in office, frustrated every day? Right,
what can you do? What can you do to me?
You utilize your power as an actress, writer, director, producer

(11:44):
and put it in your work. Right, that's what we
get to do as artists. We get to turn our
frustration into our art. And that was the brilliance to
me because I was like, I know Tommy was probably
feeling the same thing I was, really, but the fact
that I could see it on the screen, I was like, yeah,
say it because you said some things. And that's why

(12:06):
I think it's also important for you audience to view
this because yes, it is entertaining as a thriller horror film,
but the messages are absolutely brilliant. The voice you used,
your voice. So I wanted to start this off by
talking about The Red Pill because I am so excited
about this project. I have no doubt in my mind.

(12:28):
Not only are you going to get this film sold
and distributed you're going to get a production deal. Say
I stand in agreement with you. I listen, I received
it with you. Because but you know what, isn't that
like the history of this business in terms of people
of color, when you know, because we don't we we

(12:48):
we don't show up at the table, at the table
the same table, we don't get the same budgets. The
fact that you and I love the fact that you're
friends who are known actors. You guys and brilliant. I
mean Ruben that that I forgot he was Ruben Blades
because he does these scary type of stoic characters and

(13:08):
you made them so human. I love that sweet and
you just love him. He's like your favorite. I just
wanted to kiss something, just hug him. He was just
so cute, right, And the thing is is that we
have a history when we take our own power and realize, Okay,
I'm gonna just take this iPhone and shoot a film.

(13:30):
I'm gonna write my film. That's the joy is in
the journey. You know. I can honestly say that for
myself and my experience, but for you. I just after
the film was over, I was like, so, o're for
telling you Okay, that's and then now you're gonna have
this production company producing your own work, your friends work,

(13:53):
your friends with all your friends gonna becoming I'm ready
to receive it all. I'm ready. I'm ready. Thank you
for speaking to me. I have to speak it into
you because you are such a major inspiration in my life.
At the time that I met you, I was in
the process and the journey of selling my own show.
And I've been with this show for eighteen years, but

(14:14):
the last four years we've had progress, a movement, and
Joe Morton jumped on board, and that's when everything started
opening up even more. So I feel like in I
talked to you before the script, you were in the
process of writing script and and I think that is
the blessing to be able to have this thought in

(14:37):
your mind. And you, guys, we were eating some lobster
macroni and cheese, remember that as she was talking and
bus and that, and then cut to present. Look at
where you are today. So there's no reason for me
not to believe the things in which I'm saying to
you are going to happen, no reason not to. So

(14:57):
you're you're a prime example of empowering yourself, taking control
of your own future without relying on other entities to
to show you your value. I want to speak to
that because you know, one of the challenges of being
successful in one arena and then wanting to transition or

(15:20):
pivot is that people want you to come in at
the same level in your new arena that you you
were in in your old arena. And maybe some people
can do that, but as a black woman, nobody's like
giving you the opportunity to do that. Maybe not. I
remember when I was in my twenties and I wanted
to be a recording artist, and Whitney Houston was on
the scene, and I went and did my demo with

(15:42):
some great you know Brooklyn boys, and all the labels
were like, well, that's good, but we need to hear
what you sound like with Whitney Houston level producers. I'm like, well,
how am I gonna get Whitney Houston level producers. I'm
not Whitney Houston. So at that time I gave up.
I was like, no shot. But now you know, I'm wiser,
and I'm like, I'm not going to let some gatekeeper's

(16:04):
idea that because I'm a Tony Award winner. I must
come in at an Emmy or Oscar Award level to
make up film. I'm gonna make the film I can
make with the resources that I have, and then I'll
be a filmmaker and then I can grow in that
the way I had to grow in everything else that
I've done. And I love the fact that you know, um,

(16:24):
because people would look at Tony Award winning and oh,
you know, you've made it, You've arrived, you this and that.
But I remember seeing you at a film festival and
I remember you taking notes. I remember you talking to
other filmmakers, asking questions and on the panel, and you know,
just that process like you always are open to learning,

(16:47):
it doesn't matter. And now you I just feel like
you are so positioned as a powerful African American woman
who's gonna have ownership. Man, that's what we're talking about.
Own ship. Yes, yes, yes, because the film is a
piece of real estate. Okay, it makes money forever. And

(17:11):
I own this film. I own red Film. And that's
another you know thing that is so inspiring is that
again took all of this in your own hands, and
whatever knows you heard, they empowered you to continue totally.

(17:31):
The knows were so important because I know so many people.
So I was able to shadow on big television shows
and every show where I was like, oh my god,
you'd be a great director. Come shadow, And I shadowed,
you know, And it's expensive to shadow because if you're
not in one of those programs, and of course they're
not gonna put me in the program because I'm not
a newbie that they see, you know, a forty year

(17:52):
career ahead to make money off of you. But my
relationship Capital allowed me to shadow on Gotham and Fear
of the Walking Dead and Famous and Love of and
um Madam Secretary. But then when I was like, okay,
now can't get the job, that wasn't happening, and the
new Hollywood ways, they don't say no. They just don't
call you back. They just don't even know you back.

(18:12):
And that's how you know, it's a note. So after
like almost four years of that, I'm like, okay, well
I need to say yes to myself. So I'm grateful
for the nose because if they said yes, I would
be directing other people's work rather than have been uh,
you know, sort of pushed to actually write, produced direct

(18:33):
my own piece of work, which is my own castle,
rather than just taking all my talent and building other
people's castles. So the nose were the gift. Wow. So
now that you know I know this there that you know,
you're still probably in talks with you know, like I said,
distribution and where the film will eventually land, which it

(18:54):
is going to land somewhere. Ladies and dolan Um, Now
now that you have accomplish this, and you yourself, because
I know you from a spiritual place as well, have
witnessed your own journey, what's next? I feel like, as
a mature black woman, this is where I'm supposed to

(19:17):
be building worlds. And I really what I what I
learned most from making this film and having notes from
people from different backgrounds and economically, culturally, uh you know, ethnically,
is that the evolution of the planet is dependent upon

(19:39):
people telling their unique stories. Because just like you said,
someone said to Joe Morton, Um, no one would believe
a history tea a black history teacher. And at that time,
that is somebody's limited worldview, and it is limited by
what has been available to them to see about the world.
And so I feel like more people need to tell

(20:02):
their unique story, because every time someone sees a unique story,
their idea of the world expands, and so the world
actually expands because you know more about the world, right
And and and I honestly felt like, um, you know, there
was so much chatter in the past four years with
the Trump administration that and and we were just overwhelmed

(20:24):
with so much stuff that people weren't listening. Your film
was entertaining, and it wasn't preachy and shoving something down
your throat. But you listen, and you heard made you listen.
I did things that you know editors, you know, just
not editors, but producers were like, why why don't we

(20:45):
have to Why why is that that listening? Because I'm like,
because people are used to hundred forty characters and two
hundred forty characters and you cannot put thought into that.
And I think that the rise of apps like Clubhouse
people are there now being primed for some ear candy.
And so I did be beautiful things and beautiful sound,
but the words that are being said, they are going

(21:06):
in and it is important thought. So I make you listen. Yeah,
you accomplish that. Um, that's I mean. And again I
did it for you Tanya. I was terrified. I was like,
I didn't know what to expect. And on the posters
here in your face and screament, I was like, oh lord,
I don't know if I could do it. No, but

(21:27):
you know, I'm happy that I did. I'm just ecstatic
that I did because it was just an amazing film. Um,
you know, for younger folks, I think it's so important
for them to hear the things in which you were
saying and to understand, um, you know, the climate in

(21:51):
which we are and how things affect and relationships and
people and culturally, all of that you were able to
put in this film. It just it blew me away.
I can't stop talking about it and I'm not gonna
stop talking about it. It is so I thought, that's
so cold. In terms of the film festivals, are there
other film festivals like I know that a BFF is

(22:13):
coming up, Urban World will be coming up, like we
have Sunday. All of those have you submitted to they
need to see? This is so funny for me because um,
this is just funny to be so this is my
sense of humor, which is very dark. So there's this one.
I'm not gonna name them. But there's this one Black
film festival that their their their deadline. Their deadline isn't

(22:34):
for months, and so they haven't even I'm sure convened
the panel and we got rejected from that festival, like
before the deadline to submitted. I'm like, somebody looked at
that film and I was like, oh, no, no, no, no,
you know I'm bringing this up into I was like,
that cracked me up. I knew that the things that
I was saying might not resonate with Americans because Americans

(22:56):
don't want to acknowledge the truth. They keep going, this
is not who we are. That's who we are, and
it's who we've always been. You know, Marjorie Taylor Green
a new Marjorie Taylor Green. Then he has a sixteen
nineteen and uh So Europe has embraced this film. Uh England.
I just did some interviews for a festival there. We

(23:17):
want to watch a war Black Lives Matter reward Best
first Feature in micon Knows. We want a best first
Feature in Amsterdam, we want a best first feature in Sweden.
The Europeans see us, they see us for who we are.
So um, most of the festivals I've applied to we're
out of the country, and yes I did apply to
the ones that you mentioned as well. Okay, we'll see,

(23:38):
we'll see. West important thing is, you know, um a
friend of mine told me UM when we when we
sold the show and I sent the UM the I
posted it on Instagram, the deadline article, and I was really,
you know, in the beginning, I was surprised if people

(23:59):
that you know didn't reach out and stay congratulations or
and my friends said to me, don't focus on the
people that didn't reach out, focus on the people that
did and the ones that do embrace you. And you
know what I want to say about that. As I
was making this film, I uh, you know, I didn't
have union wages, so I could I told people what

(24:20):
I could pay them and if they could afford to
work for that. They came and there were some people
who um showed up and then showed out. And what
I lessoned for me from that was it was definitely
their intention to help. But then something about helping me
live my dream when they weren't living there's made it

(24:40):
impossible for them to actually do what needed to be done,
and so I was like, the intention was there. They tried,
they did their best, but they just couldn't they couldn't
meet that. Well. I come from as a casting director
guerilla filmmaking. My first film was Just a Girl on
the I R T. And I was the casting director,

(25:03):
but I was also a location scout. My apartment was
the holding area. Um, you know, on those these are
passion projects and these are the type of projects that
you know you will do anything and everything to be
a team player to make the project the best project,
and everybody is inclusive of that. And that's the feeling
that I got, Like I definitely didn't feel like your

(25:26):
production value. I mean, come on, at least for real,
like when you think of locations and where you guys
were five million maybe okay if we're talking about like
a real budget, right so, and I know it may
not have been five billion, but the production value was

(25:49):
five million, and up to me, that's the first thing
that hit me. Appreciate that because what ended up happening
in it with the kine services that people offered because
they came on board and just were like down for
the project. Like we hired our drone operator for one day,
he gave us two more and he's an Emmy award
winning drone operator Scott snell Um. You know, the drone

(26:10):
stuff is stunningly beautiful, brilliant. Our sound designer, Paul Sue,
you know, came in most filmmakers. You know, you're lucky
to make a stereo mix. My film is done in
state of the art seven point two point one sound design.
I mean, if you listen to that movie with headphones,
you can hear the crickets over there and the dogs
to blocks over there, things that we wanted to be here.

(26:32):
That's why I was scared, because it's one thing watched
you guys before. But then I hear something here and
then I was exactly what that sound design is. It
was Shane Paul Su. I just think, and you know,
I'm so sad right now. We gotta bring you back
on time. You because five minutes we have two minutes
and it was ass But I'm so I'm so grateful

(26:53):
that we just talked about the film because it is
I can't stress enough, audience, how you have to see
this film. And I'm not pushing you. You know, we
support each other, but they're this work is brilliant. And
I read some of your reviews and they even said
in the reviews, how brilliant and the writing like, this
is the type of film to me if you are

(27:15):
an aspiring filmmaker and or you know, if you're an
established filmmaker, it doesn't. It's about taking your own power.
It's about you know, not listening to the nose. And
um we had Gabrielle Glore who produced Sylvie's Love. We've
had her on last week and Gabrielle was telling us

(27:36):
seven years right, a passion project. This is a passion project.
This is you believed when nobody else was in your
head and you kept going and that's why we're here today.
And that's why you have a film in the can. Yes,
I have a film at the festival, trowing around the world,
reading around the world. When sometimes studios say that the

(28:01):
world is not interested in our work, well, and I think, honestly,
if Black Panther didn't blow that out the water, I
don't know what else we need to prove. So um,
so sad I got because I'm sad because the interview
is over. But I'm going to extend another invitation you guys,
because this woman has seventy three credits as an actress,

(28:24):
and you know, we got to talk about her work.
And one of my friends, when I told about I
was having you on, he was like, oh my god,
I've low us. It's all my children. I was like,
you know, we got we got stuff to talk about.
So um, I just want to say, if there's anything
that you want to drop on this audience of actors
and what is it that they need or filmmakers, just

(28:44):
what do they need to continue on their journey. I
believe and I know from my experience that you know,
there's a Cherokee birthbreath blessing that I say to people
on their birthday. May you live long enough to know
why you were born, and why you were born is
to do that thing that is passionately in your heart.

(29:05):
Don't let anybody talk you out of that thing that
you are passionate about. And know that every obstacle, every
stumbling block that comes in your path is preparing you
to do that. Say yes, bless those obstacles, bless those knows,
because that is the lesson that you're going to need
for the next level of fulfilling your passionate work. When

(29:26):
I say that, I so appreciate love you, and I
am so grateful to know you and to support you. Um,
you're amazing. You're absolutely amazing, ladies and gentlemen. I'm gonna
tell you again to stand up and put your hands
together for Tony Award winning actress, writer, director, producer Tanya Penkins.

(29:48):
Thank you so much. And she's gonna stick around. You
guys were still blessed. She's gonna stick around because we're
coming back on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy
Moore for a class and session. Welcome back to the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore, and you are
still blessed to have Tony Award winning actress, writer, producer,

(30:09):
director of the film The Red Pill, Tanya Penkins is
still with us. Thank you so much for being here. Um,
this is one of my favorite parts of the segment
where the Spirit Actor alumni come on. They read a
scene for Tanya and then she's going to give them
whatever feedback that she wants to give them. UM, I
just wanna share some news with you guys. I just

(30:32):
got booked to work on an ABC pilot called Queens
starring Eve, Brandy and Tory Notton, and I'm coaching all
of them. So I'm really excited to work with this
talented bunch of ladies and also excited for you guys
to see this pilot that is going to be coming

(30:53):
on ABC called Queens. Okay, So, ladies, are you ready?
We have our spirited at your alumni and you know
her o g Jolisa Capri and our other spirit actor
and alumni pen Wa. We love her okay, and Elsa

(31:15):
is gonna be reading the actions. So ladies, are you
guys ready? Yes? Okay? On action? Elsa Lonely at the
Top Written by Leona Motto. Interior May's Kitchen, Saturday morning.
May and her mother are sitting for coffee and May's
luxury high rise condo in Soho, New York. Her mother
doesn't look too comfortable as she tries to find the

(31:37):
words to help her daughter. Why do you mean size down? Mama?
Please say no more? Well, May, you didn't even hear
me out. I don't need to hear you. Oh, but
I already know what you're gonna say. Look, I wasn't
talking to you for help. I was just vincing we

(31:57):
don't think the same way. Well that's a little jegy, May.
All I was saying is if you're overwhelmed and overworked,
it's just sounds smarter to downsize or at least stop
taking on new clients. Do you hear how negative that sounds? Mom?

(32:19):
I mean, do you think that that helps me in
any way? But I am busting my ass to grow
to company and hire more people, any more clients, to
pay new people. And you think that you're giving me
some small minded, stuck in the damn box advice like
that is gonna help. Oh? Oh, it is so damn

(32:40):
hard to just talk to somebody who gets it. I mean,
who understands. I mean, if I don't encourage my damn self,
who will Well, maybe you can't even handle it now.
Look at you. It's not even nine a m. Yet
you smoke three cigarettes and are already dragged an entire

(33:02):
bott of coffee and it's the weekend. When do you
take a break? A break? Okay? I do what I
have to do to get it done, So please don't
start with me with any of your opinions. I'm sorry, May,

(33:25):
I don't mean to get you upset. I tried to understand.
It's fine, Mama, it's fine. You just you can only
tell me what you know, okay. And I had to
get out of there. I couldn't live like that with you. Well,

(33:47):
I didn't know I lived so bad. May okay, I'm
just not getting your mom, but please don't take it personal.
But I am fine. I am great. I this There's
nothing that I can't do, and I am going higher.
It sounds like her daily informations. Maybe I should just go.

(34:14):
It doesn't sound like this any even for me. Where
you're going ahead if you always have tried to keep
Thank god, I knew how to crawl my way out
of it. The head's over to the sink, throwing her
coffee puff into it, and it shatters really fucking lonely

(34:35):
at the top, into the room and slams her door.
Her mother sees her way out, and the cycle continues.
See okay, alright, Tanya, I'm gonna throw it to you.
Great job, ladies, whatever you want to give them. Uh,
just this is my taste, and I think that all

(34:55):
of our work is our taste, you know, like what
kind of words you like to see? Um? Jelsa right,
so for Jelisa, um, beautiful, authentic, honest, all of that there.
I didn't see an arc. I needed a it to
start somewhere and end somewhere. Else, and I think there
are so many other spices that can be in there. Um.

(35:20):
I always say that actors get awards for listening, not
for talking. And so what I was missing was those
moments where what your mother said landed on you and
in your face. We saw a whole history of how
many times that happened before. So it's like, I want
that because a mother daughter relationship is intense. And I

(35:41):
would say that for both ladies, that that that that
letting that that land and remembering what that meant in
the connections in your mind to previous moments. And I
said that before and when are you gonna back off?
But you don't back off. So I was missing the
historic aspect of the relationship between ween the two lady
and and for both, I didn't see a change of

(36:03):
how it was from the beginning to the end. Like
maybe it's started and you can make that up. It's
an arbitrary thing to try. It started off really friendly
and then it got really tense by the end where
it started off, and clearly, since people are slamming things
going out the door, it has to start off, you know,
in a friendlier place so that it can build to
this end. Place. Um, that's just what I wanted more of,

(36:25):
more of that sort of like the way a mother
can look at a daughter and the way a daughter
can look at a mother and all of that. I
wanted that because I was just hearing lots of words
and for me, the work is always in those eyes
when people aren't saying anything. So that's my biggest note
that to just let it land, because especially if you're
doing a self tape, the cameras on you the whole time,
and you want to give that editor those moments when

(36:47):
you aren't saying anything but your eyes to say it
a whole lot of stuff. Thank you, excellent, Okay, So um,
I just want to say again it's just a seeing
and I'm so grateful for you, know, um, the jewels
that you dropped on these actors and the work that
you are doing and continuing to do. And I just

(37:11):
love the fact that like as actors, you guys are
allowed to reinvent yourselves. And I always say, as actors,
there's a writer in you, there's a producer in new
and there's a director and you represent all of that, Tanya,
So thank you so much for coming on the show.
Blessing us with all. I'm sure I don't know about
you guys, but I'm gonna finish my script this web

(37:33):
saying one last thing before I go, and that is Yeah.
I'm also going to be on this amazing new series
called Run the World on Stars, which is kind of like,
because people do comparisons, it is better than UM, what
was that one with UM? You know the I never
saw a sex in the City. It is the Black

(37:53):
Girl Sex in the City is called Run the World.
Lee Javenport writing a vet, Lee Bowser producing that comes
out in May. And I am down in Mississippi right
now shooting a new ABC anthology series called Women of
the Movement, which is gonna focus on the women who
were pivotal in the Civil rights movement. Marissa Joe Serrar

(38:14):
is the writer. Gina Prince Blathewood directed the pilot, Casey
Lemon's doing the finale, Tina May renewings in the middle,
and Julie Dash directing. And you're gonna hear the parts
of the Immett Till Murder that history has not shared
with you. So if we make it a success by
blowing up those ratings every season, we will get a

(38:34):
new story about a black woman of the civil rights movement. Amen. Amen,
this is the year man. Times are shifting, consciousness is shifting,
and there's so many more stories to be told. So
I'm so grateful that you are part of that storytelling.
And I'm so grateful that we can see you again.

(38:54):
I wanted all of it. So you guys, support, We
continue to support you. We loved you like you are
a true uh just here a shiro. You are a
true shiro. So I want everybody once again to stand up,
put your hands together, and so grateful to have you.
Tanya Pinkins, thank you so much, Thank you all so

(39:17):
much for having me. I appreciate you so much. And yes,
and we will be back on the Spirited Actor podcast
with me Tracy Moore and I'm gonna give love, and
now it's time forgive love. My aunt came to New
York a couple of years after I moved here in ninet.
I know she always loved me and always believed in me.

(39:39):
I took her on the set of New York Undercover
and she voiced how she was so proud of me,
but she was praying for me to make it. I
looked at her and I said, I made it the
day I left San Francisco to pursue my dreams. Making
it is not based on what you have, It's based

(40:00):
on going after your dreams. The joy is in the journey,
not in the things. Don't forget to look out for
us on our new show, Inside the black Box. My
co host will be Joe the Legend Morton. It's going
to be The Spirited Actor Podcast on Steroids. Will be

(40:21):
streaming on the Crackle network. I'll keep you posted. Thank
you for joining us on the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore. I look forward to our next Spirited Podcast.
Thank you