The Spirited Actor - Nakia Dillard

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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 transitioned to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producer Spike Lee and director Nick Domez.
I auditioned 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 Yee 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

(01:06):
meditation of the day. Enthusiasm is the great hill climber.
Albert Hubert, you know it's really interesting that life is
about feeling good. It's about feeling in general. But when

(01:27):
you feel good, you connect and it's almost like your energy.
Your attitude is contagious around other people. I know life
is life in and things happen spontaneously, unexpectedly, but try
to never lose sight of your happiness. Try to never

(01:51):
allow anyone to disrupt your groove, alter your emotions. Practice
every day to be happy, to be excited, and allow
those energies to come to fruition. Today I will allow
enthusiasm to lead my day. Before we get started, I'd

(02:14):
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. We'll be on Crackle Network real soon.
I'll keep you posted. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast
with me Tracy Moore. I just want to say that groundedness, humility, dedication,

(02:43):
work ethic, and I'm talking about when I auditioned. Yeah, okay,
he may remember. But ladies and gentlemen, I'm so proud
to bring on this show one of my favorite actors
and I've been able to experience his journey from Afar

(03:05):
and present. Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together
for actor Nikiah Dildrid.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Oh, thank you so much, Tracy for having me. I'm
honored and extremely excited and blessed just to be here
and just to be in your presence.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh, you know, I am.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
A reflection of you. Like seriously, you know, there are
people in my experience of casting that you just remember
and you just know, right, you just know, like yep, yep.
And for me, you're one of those people. So whenever
you yeah, when you hit me on Instagram, I'm like.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
Oh, I remember.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
I just think it's so great. I have to say
this because people don't get mad. However, there are certain
cities in the United States that have talent that is extraordinary, extraordinary,
and Philly is one of them.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
Ladies and gentlemen, Oh, thank you a lot of talent.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
But but like Chicago, there is a confidence that can
skew a tad bit, you know, overly confident or maybe
too confident. However, it's owned, it's owned, and it's not

(04:39):
a bad thing to be confident in what you do
because that makes me confident to hire you and know
you're going to do a great job, right.

Speaker 3 (04:48):
Right, exactly exactly.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
That's my experience with Philly coaching Eve from Barbershop to
recently ABC Queens and laz Alonzo in my class.

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
And there's others, but they come across because again Philly
and Chicago, it's just a it's like you come into
a room when we had live auditions and you say
are you ready? But you guys say are you ready?

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Yeah? We got ready to rock.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
Yeah, So tell us like your experience. And I'm such
a fan of Philly. But what how did you choose
acting or did acting choose you?

Speaker 2 (05:38):
I would say acting chose me because when I was younger,
I was I started when I was fourteen, and I
was extremely shy. So if somebody would attap me on
the shoulder in the city, hey, you know, when you
get older, you're gonna be an actor, I probably wouldn't
believed them. But it was something about the arts that

(05:59):
day gave me an excitement. And and when I I
heard a commercial on the radio, it was a theater
commercial for an acting school, and as as shy as
I was, and and I just.

Speaker 3 (06:17):
Felt like I needed to be there.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
And once I got there, I'm gonna tell you, they
gave you a monologue to learn.

Speaker 3 (06:29):
I never I never did a monologue before. I didn't
know what it was, so so I you know, I
learned it as much as I could.

Speaker 2 (06:35):
And when I got there, I literally like to stand
in front of people and and say words.

Speaker 3 (06:43):
Was was foreign to me.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
So I got up there, I said my life, I said,
I tried to say it or whatever, and I forgot stuff.
And I don't know if it was just a shortage
of boys they needed or whatever, but I made it
in or I don't knowther was was standing behind me
flashing dollar bills.

Speaker 4 (07:03):
I don't know what it was, but I got it, Okay,
it Once I got in, it was like a whole
It was like a just a whole nother world.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
I saw so so many talented kids dancing and acting.
It kind of scared me, but it was something that
still led me to it, and I couldn't. I can't
go backwards. I have to go forward into this fire
mm hmm and see what I see what I get.
And you know, it was a little hardcore back in

(07:37):
the day, like they will cut you out right.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
It was a different time. So you know, I got
cussed out a couple of times. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
But but it was but but I got but every
time I wanted to be better. So I would watch
different people in class and and and just try to
just go that way right, And it was one of
the best experiences that I've ever had in my life.

Speaker 3 (08:05):
And I've been.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
Literally chasing or just vibing with this this energy since fourteen. Yeah,
and it's it's truly like I could say one thing
about like the arts, like it kept me out the streets,
it kept me, saved my life, you know, like where

(08:27):
a lot of my friends may be, you know, doing
some foolishness.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
I always have rehearsal.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
I was always on a theater set, like, you know,
just always working. So I was on stage.

Speaker 1 (08:43):
Right and you were you were great and then being great.
I feel like your community or your boys or your
people were like making sure that you didn't make some
sort of quote unquote dumb decision because you had talent
and they supported that and they saw where you are

(09:05):
today in some way, That's what I feel that I
feel because you know, there's a there's what I've always appreciate, loved.
Do you remember not the year, but do you remember
coming into my auditions?

Speaker 3 (09:20):
Yeah? I do yep. Mm hmmm.

Speaker 2 (09:22):
I think the first time I met you, I was
I felt the same way I do right now, just
so so excited to one be in a room with you.

Speaker 3 (09:30):
And uh, you know it was it was a great time. Yeah.
Actually I met Dress that day, Dress from Black Sheep.
He was you.

Speaker 1 (09:39):
Yeah, And that's when I was working with Dress because
you know, when I work with people and then you know,
a casting thing comes up, I'm like, you know, I'll
incorporate them in that. So but what I what I
always remembered about you is that you were really genuinely
a good time. I'm a good guy. I thought about Scruce. Sorry, Scruce.

(09:59):
That's my producer, you guys. He's guaranteed for a good time.
Not Nikiya. Not the thing. Nikia is not my experience.
But you have always been a really good person. I

(10:22):
always tell you know what I mean because and the
reason why I can say this is because I know
the difference. I know when people are coming in and
trying to get on my good side, you know, and
have sort of like this endless conversation knowing that I
have other people This is during live auditions outside waiting
to come in. It's not what you say. It's what

(10:45):
you do that speaks of your character. So you know,
I got people out there be courteous, conscious and brief. Yes, yes,
the other people who are doing it for fame, like
I have that, But when I meet someone and this
is why we're still have a relationship today, is because
of your genuine You would come into auditions like it

(11:09):
wasn't an audition, And I'm glad that you said what
you said in the beginning, because coming full circle and
coming from a casting director's point of view, you would
come in these auditions like you were just coming in
and what's up you guys, what are we doing today?

Speaker 3 (11:26):
And it just.

Speaker 1 (11:28):
Made us feel like the Kia, that's so good to
see you. How you doing. That's how you made him feel.
And just like the first thing I felt when I
saw you.

Speaker 3 (11:44):
Was that like.

Speaker 1 (11:47):
You working look at you? Like, So, how do you
maintain that disposition over such a long period of time
as a working actor because a lot of things happen
during COVID that, you know, in terms of mental health

(12:09):
and you know, being isolation, how do you maintain that spirit?

Speaker 3 (12:16):
I just guess, like my faith, you know, like I know,
I know it's you guys. Job is hard. You know.

Speaker 2 (12:26):
You have to, you know, make sure the producers are
happy and doing different things. And it's not really up
to me. Like, all I can do is come in
and just do it what I can do. That's all
that's all I can do. So why not just have
fun with it when I when I come in the
room and when I you know, now it's the self tape,

(12:47):
you know, even when I do a self tape, I
just I do it and I just give it to God,
give it to God, and if it's meant for me,
it'll come back to me.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
And but I don't.

Speaker 2 (13:01):
I try not to stress about it. I you know,
try to try to stay busy. Like every day I
wake up, I listen to something positive.

Speaker 3 (13:11):
I listen to.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
Motivational speakers. I listen to Less Brown a lot, which great.
Like even with that, like full Circle, I was offered
to play him in a movie coming up. Yeah yeah,
And so I'm so I'm able to talk to him
on the phone. And so it's like here in my twenties,

(13:37):
I was, you know, I listened to him every day
every day, and now I'm literally on phone calls with him,
and and and so so so sometimes like when like
you don't have to push things, like all you have
to do is just continue to put that one foot
in front of the other, and as long as you

(13:59):
don't stop on that next step, it might be the
door that you need or or or that that connection
that you need.

Speaker 3 (14:08):
I mean, even with.

Speaker 2 (14:09):
Us, like you're here just just being being here right now,
being here with you, like we didn't we didn't push
each other like today was the day it was supposed
to happen. Yeah, and and we knew it.

Speaker 1 (14:27):
Was going to happen. We just didn't know when, but
we did know. So that's the great thing. I know, audience,
that you are and our two actors who are listening
that have questions after I know you are resonating with
everything that I'm saying about Nikiah, I know and on
that you know, I'm about training and doing homework. So

(14:51):
I always emphasize the actors to go to IMDb dot
com to check out your credits and your work and
there's a plethora of it and you know, all of
the productions. But I want to specifically talk about because
I feel this resonating wonder years. Yes, So I was

(15:12):
talking to my girlfriend before the podcast, and she told
me to tell you she loves you. When I said
your name, she was like, oh my god, I love him.
I was like, I was shout her out Peterson. She
was the one who said, oh my god, I love him.

(15:37):
Oh yes, but I got I coached one of my
celebrity clients for the mother the wife and yeah, I'm
not gonna you know story dahm out there, but I did.
And when the project came to me, I was like, this.

Speaker 5 (15:58):
Is brilliant, oh man, really yet how to have an
African American family the backdrop middle class, the backdrop sixties.

Speaker 1 (16:13):
I was like, how are they going to do this?
And then I read the script.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
The script was amazing, Like when I got that opportunity
because actually, I'm gonna tell you, I auditioned for a
few of the roles, Like I auditioned maybe four or
five times before I landed Lucius and on and on
the show. My name changed twice. So so yeah, originally

(16:43):
my name was THEO.

Speaker 1 (16:45):
And then that's probably the script I had.

Speaker 3 (16:50):
Yeah I was THEO.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
Okay, So when I got the script that they said
they they emailed me and said that my character changed,
and I was like, while and my name became Lucious
Lucious instead of Fiel And but.

Speaker 3 (17:08):
I was.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
I was just so excited to when I got the call.
I'm gonna tell you I was. I was doing another
film when I got when I auditioned for The Wonder Years,
and so I was like, I was like, you know,
the next day was was the first day of the

(17:31):
other film, and so I had to you know, I
had to get this audition and it was due Monday,
and I was like, oh man, So I got the
audition in and and again that's why I say, like,
you just give it the guy, just you know, you
do it, and you just let it go.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
Let it go. So I'm focusing on the other film
and doing that.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
And then my agent called and said the producers they like
your tape.

Speaker 3 (17:53):
And I was like, okay, wow.

Speaker 2 (17:54):
This was Wednesday, Thursday, I got the call that I
booked it, and I was just like wow, you know,
because I was watching Wonder Years.

Speaker 3 (18:05):
You know.

Speaker 2 (18:06):
And and then the day I walked on said the
first person I saw was Fred Savage and he looked
up to me. He came to me and said, Nikia,
He said, I really love we all loved your audition.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
You had a cracking up.

Speaker 2 (18:20):
And and that's why I say, like, you just never know,
like you do and you do what you feel in
these auditions, and you know, you don't know if you're funny,
you don't know if it's something that you know, you're
you don't know how I was coming out because now
you have to wait because it's on video, so.

Speaker 3 (18:44):
You know. But but it was a great time.

Speaker 1 (18:48):
Yeah, the experience, like, that's what I wanted to I
wanted to know what that experience was like, because you know,
when I'm one of my favorite scenes I was coaching
her in the where they went to go buy the
washing machine. She went to go get the washing machine
with her son m h okay, and that was my

(19:09):
favorite scene. I was like, yo, she is fierce, she
is fierce and and and it was the other scene
with when she was in the office okay uh and
they were addressing her as miss jack Uh. I see
so many scripts, I apologize, but that was my favorite

(19:32):
scene because I was like, here is a black woman,
ladies and gentlemen, and like I believe was it Sears?

Speaker 3 (19:41):
Was it series? Yeah? It was Seis.

Speaker 1 (19:43):
It was serious. So if you are old enough to
know what's seriously is it was a department store and
again thinking we're in the sixties, you know, and her
being able to walk in with her her son and
purchase and applying a washing machine and having to buy
this from a white man and literally having to, in

(20:07):
my opinion, have it to dummy herself down so that
he can look and be the man, and in that
still succeed at getting what she's doing, what you want,
she was playing chess with him and in making him
appeasing him, she got what she wanted. Again during the sixties,
a black woman and a white man and an educated

(20:30):
black woman.

Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yes, yes, like those those times in that story was
just truly like that.

Speaker 3 (20:39):
That just that time period of.

Speaker 2 (20:41):
How like our parents had to move and still get
things done, liked the resilience.

Speaker 3 (20:50):
Yeah, of all of that, you know.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
Was just still it's still you know, just inspires me
to just to keep going. Yeah, because they went through
a lot and still and one of the crazy part
is it is still in our lifetime, right, Like these
things didn't happen in the eighteen hundreds.

Speaker 3 (21:12):
It was nineteen sixties, yeah.

Speaker 1 (21:16):
Seventies, I mean, yeah, just you know, time changes. But
you know, I feel like, I definitely feel like that
work was so important, is important and is legendary, you
know because for people in generations that don't really know

(21:37):
the history. That was the other thing I liked. Again,
it was the backdrop of the sixties, So you have
to incorporate in some way that becomes a character in.

Speaker 3 (21:47):
A sense, right right exactly?

Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, So you know, and putting you in situations different
from someone who you know that did elevate, owns the house,
you know, the kids, they're taking care you like, that
wasn't normal consistent during that time with everybody, right, So kudos.

(22:12):
I wanted to I, Oh, there's so much stuff I
want to talk to you about, Like I gotta, I
gotta I do because there's other well, I just feel
like I'm I'm I'm allowing the spirit to guide me here.
I really want to talk about the training aspect, because
you have that spirit and disposition that actors not only
listen to you, but they follow your direction. I feel

(22:36):
like that. I feel like I feel my friend was
coming from a place of she really genuinely loved your work.
Your work and I wanted to say earlier comes from
a discipline. That's what it is. We we we grew
up you you were talking about people were yelling and screaming.
That was how they communicated to us, you know, and

(22:58):
that was like, you know, that was inclusive of a
belt or a switch.

Speaker 3 (23:03):
You know.

Speaker 1 (23:04):
They were coming from My great grandparents were sharecroppers. They
were coming from what they knew. And so I just
feel like we grew up in that generation, that time
where that discipline in order for you to be successful,
you had to have the discipline, and that yelling and
screaming was a sense of love because it was helping

(23:27):
to push you in the direction that you needed to
go to be successful. So what is that training and
discipline that actors need today in this time of immediate
gratification and all that. What do they need?

Speaker 3 (23:45):
I think they just need to a lot of.

Speaker 2 (23:51):
Actors that I feel they just need to have a
harder coding. Just understand that you're not going to book
everything that you auditioned for. You're you're not going to
It's not all about the red carpet. It's not all
about like you said that instant it's it's for for me,

(24:14):
It's about the work. Like I enjoy diving into the
the reasons of why these why these characters are making
these choices? You know, so like like for me, you know,
just just going back into like you know, uh, like

(24:35):
I I play a lot of fathers. I play a
lot of like I'm not a father, like I like,
I don't, but I play a lot of fathers on TV.

Speaker 3 (24:47):
But what I do is I study. I I dig.

Speaker 2 (24:52):
Into the relationship part of the characters.

Speaker 3 (24:59):
Why and and the reason why they feel the way
they do? What? Why are they talking to their daughter?
Why are they so protective? What are they? You know,
so all these different questions that I asked for the
actual the character. I think that.

Speaker 2 (25:18):
You know, some some actors sometimes just they just say
the line, but they don't understand what's going on under
the line. It is every every time we move, and
just in life, we always have something else going on,
right you could you could be uh, you know have

(25:39):
It's always something that's that's urgent and you got to
find that out in your characters, you know, what moves them.
So so like with me, I enjoy like taking classes
or you know, I don't. I'm not at a point
where I'm just like, oh, I know everything, because as
an actor, you don't you never know everything. It's always

(26:00):
something new to learn. You can learn from a kid,
you can learn from an animal.

Speaker 3 (26:06):
Anything, but.

Speaker 2 (26:09):
Right and and acting it's like different forms of love.
You know, even if you're angry with someone, you're you're
doing that because the character may have had a maybe
you know, they just went through something and they're trying
to protect you, right something. But everybody deals with stuff differently,

(26:30):
so it's understand the mindset. But it's just a never
ending process. So actors out there that are you know,
just because you're working, there's always highs and there's always loads,
and you have to always, you know, prepare yourself for
the highs as well as the loads, and don't lose
yourself just because.

Speaker 3 (26:50):
You're on the show.

Speaker 2 (26:51):
And now you think you're holier than val because you're
you know, you see the paycheck, you know, but yes,
it could stop. You know, like with us as actors,
you know, we we.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
We might work a few times a year.

Speaker 2 (27:09):
You know, it's not every day, you know, but when
those times do happen, they're they're amazing and just definitely,
you know, just just be grateful for every opportunity if
you even if you just get an audition. You know
how many actors just want the audition, just the audition,

(27:29):
and they and the fact that you get it, You've
you got that audition, so be grateful in that, you know. So,
So I tell people that, you know, it's it's not
it's it's not about the end. It's about the journey
through it.

Speaker 6 (27:47):
Right.

Speaker 1 (27:47):
Oh, yes, and that's that. It's not the destination. It
is that excuse me. One of the things that well,
you know what, that's going to be my segue to
inside the back black box. So I'm not going to
say that yet. But one of the things that you
said is that your you know, most of your roles

(28:09):
are a father and you're not a father, right, you said,
That's what you said. So I just want to spotlight
that for the actors, how brilliant that is, because in
order for you to be authentic in your character's journey,
you need to have that experience or understanding of it.

(28:30):
That's why training is imperative and you keep learning, right, yes,
So without the experience, excuse me, I need you guys,
actors to understand this. Without the experience, Nikia is nailing it.
He's making you believe he's a father. And he does

(28:54):
not have that experience, So you keep being cast as
a dad because you're brilliant at playing. The day I
said this to one of my Yeah, one of my
clients is a journalist, and was like, ah, they always
cast me as a journalist. And I was like, because
you're great at it, and you really aren't that authentically

(29:17):
that character they need in that movie or television show
that plays one of those people. One thing about a
journalist is that we trust you in giving us bad.

Speaker 3 (29:26):
News, right right, right, And it's an opportunity.

Speaker 2 (29:32):
Yeah, it's an opportunicular to show and you can sometimes
if they allow you to.

Speaker 3 (29:40):
You know, sometimes I mean you still.

Speaker 2 (29:41):
Have to follow with the director need and everything like that,
but sometimes you have the uh, the way to play
a little bit and maybe change it up, try something different,
you know. But the fact that you are getting these
these opportunities, you know, definitely take full advantage of it
and have fun.

Speaker 1 (30:01):
Yeah, especially when we're living in a world now. And
I said this to my class the other day. We
have all these streaming, all these other situations that are
providing work to bes and all blacks and BT's and
even beyond that, I'm just saying that we're playing roles
that we would not necessarily get cast in when I

(30:24):
was on the come up as a casting director. So
do the work to understand the journey of a judge
or you know, a counselor or because that is this
is what I'm saying, the brilliance of you as an
actor because without the experience, the authenticity is shining through.

(30:44):
We believe you, and that's what it's about. We believe you,
and you leave an imprint where we're like, you know,
we need a bother Niki dinner. That's what we think.
You know what I mean. So, Nikya, I have to
call you back on because we only have five minutes

(31:04):
and I want that I know, really it's a conversation.
I just want to split a little of it up.
And just you mentioned in our pre talk about Inside
the Black Box, and I just want you to know
nineteen years ago, I created that show as a platform
for people of color to have a voice because our
journey and this entertainment business is different from people who

(31:27):
are not of color, And then also have the ability
to showcase talented actors that don't necessarily get like you said,
the audition or scene and work with seasoned actors as
yourself and be able to draw eyes of casting directors, directors, producers,

(31:48):
agents and managers. And that's what we've been able to do.
But eighteen years has been the journey. I never once
thought it wasn't going to happen. I just didn't know
when and how and now where here? How has that
show as an actor? And thank you so much for
supporting Joe and I. How has that show affected you?

Speaker 3 (32:11):
Well?

Speaker 2 (32:13):
First off, I was so excited when I saw when
you posted it that it was coming. When I had
a chance to watch it, I couldn't stop. I just
could not stop because it was hitting home with with
me because it's.

Speaker 3 (32:32):
Been a lot of times when.

Speaker 2 (32:35):
As an actor it can be tough, you know, you know,
you go through a lot of different emotions sometimes like
in your head a lot. But then just listening to
the stories of what the actors that you had on
the show went through and how they had to you know,
basically just just keep going, just keep just keep just
don't stop. And and it inspired me still, like I

(33:00):
I just sent it to somebody last night.

Speaker 3 (33:03):
To watch, you know.

Speaker 2 (33:06):
Yeah, So I really appreciate and love the fact that
you created that show. I think every actor, whatever race
or color you are, is to understand, you know, because
a lot of times, like if you're looking at social media,
you only see.

Speaker 3 (33:24):
The the highlight.

Speaker 2 (33:27):
You don't see the journey, you know, and and a
lot of people may not tell.

Speaker 3 (33:32):
You the journey.

Speaker 2 (33:34):
But the fact that, like on your show, it's raw,
it's it's everyone's open and and everyone also you know,
wants to have fun.

Speaker 3 (33:43):
Like when like Mark Kwan and he.

Speaker 1 (33:46):
Was going quotes, he kept dropping quotes.

Speaker 3 (33:54):
Work Wuhie is great. You know, just to like all
all your guests that you had on was amazing.

Speaker 1 (33:59):
But well, season three, we're blowing sprinkle dust. You'll be
on season three. I'm just like, listen no, because I'm
I I'm so excited that we're also on Fox Soul
on Mondays at six pm. We licensed season two, so

(34:22):
that's still going nice. Yeah, and being on that has
really broad us out even more because Crackle was you know, specific,
and we're just trying to just continue to broaden this show.
So you know, we're excited to see where things are
going to be in season three, and people, you know,

(34:43):
have even given us suggestions. But the point Joe always
you know, it's a place where he can be himself
and you guys never see him as himself, and so
he has such a great passion and love for teaching
like myself, that we just it just comes together and
it's my most favorite thing of all time, of all time.

Speaker 3 (35:06):
So this shows on set.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
And that's why I say I really appreciate that because
you get a chance to hear from seasoned actors and
what their take was, the things that they had to
go through just to get you know, the open door
for us. Yeah, no, exactly, extremely appreciative of everything.

Speaker 1 (35:27):
Well, I keep you posted on that, and I just
want to we got to move on to your Q
and A, but I just want to say, my friend,
what a pleasure. I'm so happy, Like I have chills
right now, man, just thinking of like our corresponded to
like and like you said, it's gonna happen when it happens.

(35:49):
I never was like I was like, when we do,
when we do, it will be the show, ladies and gentlemen.
So I'm very happy about that.

Speaker 3 (35:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (35:59):
Here, Oh and that's what y'all feel, because I know
y'all feel this electricity. I know it's not just me
and the key right now, we are spreading these energies
out there in the universe. So, Nikiya, I'm going to
bring on Elsa Lathan. She's the co executive producer of
the Spirited Actor Podcast and Elsa, yeah, she's going to

(36:23):
introduce our guests, I mean our actors.

Speaker 6 (36:28):
Yes, So today we have two newbies. Well actually Karia
has been here before, but Yolanda is new to the
Spirited Active Podcast today, so you two can come on.
We have Miss Karah Hassana and Miss Landa.

Speaker 3 (36:50):
That you.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. He was saying hi, you know,
saying hi, Hi are you? Uh Mkiah? These are two
of my favorite new Spirited Actor alumnis. Yolanda is in
Mississippi and where are you at? Oh, Jersey Jersey, Jersey,

(37:16):
New Jersey And we just met and her mom is
in my class too, so so so talented. The apple
doesn't fall far from the street. All of that. However,
when I tell you the growth and and you know
I it's it's just been amazing with both of these
these actresses. So I'm really excited for them to be

(37:38):
on with an energy like you. You guys, I'm telling
you definitely soulful people. Well, I got a treasure test.
I don't know about them, but I got a treasure test.
So y'all got yours should be overflowing with the gems.
He just dropped seriously, Okay, okay, else, I'll let you

(38:01):
take it away, all.

Speaker 6 (38:03):
Right, So Jolana, you can be up first with your question.

Speaker 7 (38:07):
Okay, mister Diller, nice to meet you. So what motivates
you every day to get up to continue the work
of acting, directing and writing?

Speaker 2 (38:19):
Just god, you know, I just like I said, every
day I listened to motivational speeches and just like life,
you know, just different things that may happen where it
just kind of like I may look at the bad
things that may happen, even even the good things, and

(38:41):
there's always something in there that it could be a story,
it could be something that may can help someone else.

Speaker 3 (38:48):
And that's what the arts is for me.

Speaker 2 (38:50):
You know, when you watch a show, you get something
from a character and you may say, wow, how they
got through. That kept me going so with with different
things that happened throughout the day, I just try to
just just see the light. How you can what can

(39:11):
you learn? So that's that's what keep me inspired.

Speaker 1 (39:15):
Awesome, Thank you m hm, thank you, land.

Speaker 6 (39:20):
You and miss Kariah.

Speaker 1 (39:23):
Your question is next, Hi Nikia, how are you?

Speaker 6 (39:28):
So?

Speaker 8 (39:28):
My question is, so you mentioned being in your head
with certain roles, so that's something that I sometimes struggle with.
So my question is, how do you stay connected to
the character and find small details to make the character
more alive if you don't feel like, you know, since

(39:48):
you're not a dad, you you always play dad roles
like how do you feel grouded to that character and
find different little details and you wants to make that
character more believable, you know, bopping in your head and
all that stuff.

Speaker 3 (40:04):
Well, like being in my head. I had to kind
of learn to let that go.

Speaker 2 (40:14):
I grew up, I was I was very really shy
as a kid, so you know, so it kind of
it's all in your it's it's a mental thing like
being shy, you know and h And once you get
over that, you have a new thought that once you
understand that you're enough, And that's the one thing I

(40:36):
would say, you know, just just every day just just
either say affirmations things that can boost your self esteem
and just understand that you're here for a reason and
you're enough just just with whatever role and how you
portray the role. It's your interpretation of that character, you see.

(40:59):
So so with me, I just I know a lot
of fathers. I know a lot of you know, and
I do have like god kids and things like that,
but just not of my own where I'm raising them
every day kind of thing. But I've seen it. You know,
you can use your imagination and just just try things.

(41:20):
And and also like you know, if you don't see it,
you can do research on it. But it's a ton
of movies you can watch that you can pull from.
And as an actor, you know, you're always pulling. You're
always That's why it's good to be in class because
you get a chance to see other people doing different
things and you say, you know what, I really like
how they did that. Let me let me practice that

(41:42):
and try to you know, pull and put this this
this puzzle together of this character. Because each character is
is they have their own different different things that they
go through that that makes them them. So so you know,
so you can pull different things. You may have aunt,

(42:02):
you may have a somebody's fathers that's kind of like
this character, and you just use your imagination and just
put that character together.

Speaker 1 (42:16):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (42:16):
But I would that you guys are in the right place.
The fact that you guys are training and staying like
this this will help you, Like you can always go
back and watch these videos and and and you have Tracy,
So you guys are in the right place.

Speaker 1 (42:37):
Thank you. I appreciate you. Love that great question, both
of you. Yeah, so I just want to say that
just to piggyback off of something that you playing the
character well. I love Les Brown. I've been a fan
since day one. And one of the things that I

(43:00):
feel that it's going to be really super brilliant about
your performance is the fact that the vulnerability, because that's
the thing that I gravitated. Les Brown was the first
black man that I had ever seen in terms of
a motivational speaker who was vulnerable in saying his story
I was poor or you know, almost lost my mom's

(43:22):
house and excuse me, I had never seen that before.
And it didn't make me feel sorry for him. He
wasn't a victim. It made me feel like, you know,
what people go through stuff, you know, because you were
saying how people go life is going to keep life
in me and it just is and you have to
navigate through that and then and so I feel like

(43:45):
that already. I'm getting chills just thinking how you're going
to and going into the next thing. I'm a big
person on references. So if you don't have the experience,
like you said, there are books, there are people you
can interview, there are streaming so you, just like you
do with a dad, take your experience as a godfather

(44:06):
and what you've seen, and then it boom and we believe.
And that's all it's about, is whether we believe or not.
And so you've accomplished that and inspired at the same time.
So I just want to say bravos for you. Nikiah. Yeah, man,
I'm so happy. So you guys stick around because Nikiya

(44:30):
is not going anywhere. He is going to come back
with class in session with us. So ladies, are you ready?
They they're all excited, you guys, they're doing backflips.

Speaker 6 (44:41):
They're ready.

Speaker 1 (44:41):
They're ready, all right, and he's ready to So when
we come back on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore, we're going to be doing class and sessions.
Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with Me Tracy Moore,
and you are still blessed. His presence is still with us.
Nikiah Diller. You guys, so we are going to yes

(45:05):
applause we had. You're gonna love this whole show. So
Elsa is Elsa. Lation is going to come on and
introduce our spirit act alumni and we are going to
begin Yes Yes.

Speaker 6 (45:21):
So today on class in Session, we have two new
actors the classroom Session, Tracy. We have Miss Cariah Hassana.
Welcome Caria, Hi, Kara Hi, and Miss Yolanda Martin. Welcome, Yolanda,
thank you, Hi, Hey Alanda.

Speaker 1 (45:41):
Hello.

Speaker 6 (45:43):
The today's scene is Lonely at the Top, written by
Lea Amato. Interior May's Kitchen. Saturday morning. May and her
mother are sitting for coffee in May's luxury high rise
condo in New York. Her mother doesn't look too comfortable
as she tries to find the words to help her daughter.

Speaker 1 (46:05):
What do do you mean downsize? Ma? Please say no more? Well, May,
you didn't even hear me out.

Speaker 8 (46:15):
I don't need to hear you out. I already know
what you're gonna say. I didn't come to talk to
you for help. I just came to them. We don't
think the same.

Speaker 7 (46:25):
Well, that's a little judge, May All, I'm saying, if
you're overwhelmed and overworked, it just seems smarter to downsize,
or at least stop taking on new clients.

Speaker 8 (46:39):
Do you hear how negative you Soundma? Do you think
that's gonna help me in any way? I work my
ass off trying to grow this company, try to get
more clients, more people, more people to pay, more people's
it's so hard trying to find someone that gets it,

(47:04):
that understands.

Speaker 1 (47:07):
If I don't courage my damnselfs, then.

Speaker 3 (47:08):
No one will.

Speaker 7 (47:11):
Well, May, you can't even handle it now.

Speaker 1 (47:15):
Look at you.

Speaker 7 (47:17):
It's not even nine am yet, and you'll smoke three cigarettes.

Speaker 1 (47:21):
And down a pot of coffee already. It's the weekend.

Speaker 7 (47:27):
When do you take a break?

Speaker 1 (47:30):
A break?

Speaker 8 (47:32):
I do what I have to do to get it done,
and I don't want to hear about your opinions anyway.

Speaker 7 (47:39):
I'm sorry, May, I don't mean to get you upset.
I try to understand.

Speaker 8 (47:45):
It's fine, it's fine, man. You ain't told me what
you know, and I have to get out there.

Speaker 1 (47:52):
I couldn't live like you. Well, I didn't know I
lived so bad. May.

Speaker 8 (48:00):
You're not getting it, Mom, Please don't take it personal.
I am fine, I am great, I got this. I
there's nothing I can't do, and.

Speaker 1 (48:14):
I'm going higher.

Speaker 7 (48:16):
Okay, that sounds like daily affirmations.

Speaker 1 (48:19):
Maybe I should just go.

Speaker 7 (48:23):
Please go ahead, there's any where you're going, Just go ahead.

Speaker 1 (48:31):
You've always tried to keep me small. Thank god, I've
crawled out why I had the chance.

Speaker 6 (48:37):
May heads over to the sink, throws her cup in
it and it shatters.

Speaker 1 (48:44):
It's so fucking lonely at the top.

Speaker 6 (48:48):
She heads to the room and slams her door. The
mother sees her way out, and the cycle continues.

Speaker 3 (48:57):
See okay, good stuff, y'all.

Speaker 1 (49:01):
Okay, so give you guys around the clause. So Nikia,
I'm gonna throw it to you. Whatever you feel that
you want to give the ladies.

Speaker 2 (49:14):
That would be wonderful, Okay, Like, uh, I would first off,
good job, y'all.

Speaker 3 (49:22):
You know it takes a lot to.

Speaker 2 (49:26):
You know, do this, and and it's your interpretations of
these characters the uh I would I would say, the
maybe the pacing of of how you guys right them,

(49:47):
you don't set them to each other. I would say,
I would ask questions of where you guys are in
the space, even though it says it in the in
the in the in the in the notes, it says,
you know, you guys are in the kitchen and different
things like that.

Speaker 3 (50:06):
But how familiar are you guys around this kitchen? How many?
How many times have you guys been there? And and and.

Speaker 2 (50:15):
Is this a normal thing that you guys kind of
talk to each other like this? You know, for me
to talk to my mother in a way would feel
a little foreign to me. So it would have to
be where where the where the actual the relationship of

(50:41):
you guys. You know, what happened yesterday, what happened prior
to this act these words being used. And in life,
you know, sometimes you know, we we may we have
things always going on in our minds where we're waiting
for the person to kind of finish talking. We already

(51:03):
kind of like are about to dive in, especially if
it's something that's that's really on your heart. So so
the scene could be a little little sharper, you know,
and maybe practice where you guys are kind of playing
like a like a tennis match in the way like

(51:24):
you say something, you say something, and then and then
you guys can pick the pick your beats pick your moments,
like where you may let it sink in, like my
mother just say this to me kind of thing, or
did my daughter say this to me?

Speaker 1 (51:37):
Right?

Speaker 2 (51:38):
You know, So let those things sink in at different
points of the scene.

Speaker 3 (51:47):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
So I just want to say that we do have
to do a part too, because I do want to
talk to you from the perspective of a writer and
a director as well for actors, Jewels and and where
all of this information that Nikia is giving you, where
it's coming from is knowing who you are, and that's

(52:08):
where it starts, and you'll get all once you fill
in all those blanks, then defining the relationship between you
and the mom and then all of that. So it's
the work, and that's where the discipline and dedication and
passion come from. Ladies and gentlemen. First, thank you Alsa
for the actors, Thank you so much. Absolutely, Yolanta, thank you,

(52:33):
and Nikia do it. Thank you so much for this
moment that you know we have been waiting for. But
it's all in timing, and this is divine and perfect
timing for you to be on the show.

Speaker 3 (52:46):
Yes, thank you so much. This is such an honor,
such an honor.

Speaker 1 (52:51):
Ah, well, it's an honor. I feel the same way.
I'm reflecting you. So I'm gonna reach out to you
for part two, ladies and gentlemen, because you understand what
I was saying. So when we come back on the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me and Tracy Moore, I'm going
to give you some love.

Speaker 3 (53:12):
Yes, yes, love.

Speaker 1 (53:17):
Welcome to Kudos Corner, where we put the spotlight on
spirited actors who are currently working. We just want to
celebrate them and their work, and this week's Kudos Corner
put the spotlight on Spirited actor Mitchell Ugwaisi. Mitchell is
a versatile actor, writer, producer, and entrepreneur. He's worked with

(53:37):
renowned theater and film creatives Lalam Ray and Kings of
Harlem and Black Angels Who Were at Tuskegee, Kenya Craigel
and Prophet The Story of Nat Turner, and Mark Lyons
for In My Father's House. His most recent work was

(53:58):
starring in the short Filed The Message, which she also
wrote and directed. In addition to being his acting coach,
I recently had the pleasure of participating as a judge
for the quarterly Taco Tuesday monologue Slam that Mitchell Produces
in the Bronx, New York. My fellow guest judge Broadway

(54:20):
actor and singer Juwan Jackson and I had a great
time and saw a lot of incredible talent. The next
installment is slated for March twenty twenty four. Kudos to
Mitchell Ugwayzi and now it's time to give love. I

(54:40):
have been on this. I don't want to call it
an addiction or an obsession. I just want to say
I'm consistently interested in life after death. I've been watching videos,
no shame on YouTube, just reading on certain things. And
one of the reasons why I think I'm so interested

(55:01):
is because I indirectly had this experience with my son.
I will never forget it. When Miles was in the hospital,
he jumped from his bed. He was laying down and
he jumped up and he said, Mom, you're gonna love heaven.
You're gonna love Heaven is just like you. I'll never forget.
I was like, oh my god, Miles, are you serious.

(55:23):
He was like, man, I didn't want to come back.
And I was like, oh my god, Miles, I'm so
glad you came back. Thank you, thank you for coming back.
And he said to me, the thing that he experienced,
he couldn't articulate it, but in watching youtubs, I got it.
He experienced this amazing love and warmth and confirmation of

(55:45):
who he is. He is a child of God, of spirit,
whatever your religious belief is, and he had that experience,
which is such a through line if you do tap
into YouTube and other sources. We are here to love.

(56:06):
That's it. There's no U hauls, so they're going to
be following hurts. We are here to love and be loved.
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

(56:26):
Podcast on Steroids. We'll be 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,