February 25, 2020 • 45 mins
Tahiry Jose is a first generation American, born to Dominican parents in Harlem, New York. This dynamic trendsetting beauty is most popular for her role on Vh1’s Love and Hip Hop New York and has since elevated her brand to become a household name.
As a dedicated entrepreneur; Tahiry owns multiple businesses in Harlem and is driven to educate her community on the importance of creating generational wealth and health.
Tahiry's strategic partnership deals is set to make her the go-to source for business, inspiration, fashion, fitness and all beauty trends.
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Episode Transcript
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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's Balls 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
a casting director that is powerful. And now it's time
for meditation of the day. Opportunity is nothing more than
(01:09):
a kid on a corner with elimonade stand Paul R.
Johnson Actors have the power. There's no way around it.
Without actors, a production cannot happen. Therefore, who really has
the power. A casting director is a liaison between the
actor and the director. We marry the two of you together.
When an actor can fully grasp this information, then there
(01:32):
is a freedom that occurs. You no longer allow yourself
to worry or stress out because you know that at
some point in your acting career someone will need your talent,
and at that moment, when the role is right, you
will be hired. Today, I will believe that the right
role is waiting for me. Welcome to the Spirited Actor
(01:55):
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I am ex I did today.
If you don't hear it in my voice, that's a problem.
I'm so excited because I not only have to hear
he Jose the reality star of Love and Hip Hop
New York, but my friend. So I'm just excited. And
(02:17):
some of you may not know, and some of you
who know, I'm going to reiterate it. She is also
a boss, so we're going to talk about that as well.
I'm just I'm freestyling because there's just so many things
that I want to talk about. But At first, I
want to welcome you to the Spirited Actor Podcast, to
hearing Jose everybody give it up with Darry who she
(02:37):
given it for himself. Yes, yes, thank you for having me.
I'm super excited to be here. I'm super I'm super
happy to see you too. I'm so happy to see you.
We're friends people, so she knows all about me, So
this is this should be easy. Okay, the pressures, you know,
all these people, I gotta be cremated with the truth.
(02:57):
But no, she is, UM, excuse me, I can honestly say, um,
dynamic human spirit, and UM, I just want to go
back because when I first met to Harry, UM, almost
immediately she got a gig. I mean literally, I feel
like I was like, Hi, I'm chasing Moore acting coach,
(03:18):
and she was like listen tomorrow be all said I'm
like help, hurry up. I heard you the best. I
was like, okay, but I just got to bring my
son with me, you know, because I forgot where we were.
But Miles and I were together, and UM, it was
an amazing experience. Um, you tell us, first of all,
tell us about I want to talk about the transition
(03:40):
into acting. But first, how is your experience as a
reality star. I mean now compared to what it was
back then, it's a lot different. I think that the
hardest part for a person entering the reality TV world
is the first year, the rookie year, that the year
where you you can use you don't understand is a
(04:01):
thin line between reality and actual reality. UM, just the
whole you know, every every show, every reality TV show
is different, you know, for me, for instance, love and
hip hop, you're not told where you're going. You get
in the car, producers nobody, they tell you. You get there,
you land, they give you bullet points, they put mikes
on you. You know, it's not no uh, it's not
(04:23):
like you know where you're gonna film. There's cameras on
your twenty four hours a day. Like people think on
TV when they watch, they think that I'm just running
around with a camera and then there's a story to
be told. Well, that's not the way it works. You know.
We have a schedule, we film, we have locations where
we film. Um, every day is different and we don't
know where we're filming. So just so we can keep
it the safety purposes because it's reality TV, as well
as keeping the authenticity of a scene, you know what
(04:45):
I'm saying, not knowing what to expect and actually capturing
that on camera. Um, where you're you're you're dealing with
your real life because they're in your business every day,
and they're also putting it all together for it to
make sense. So I think the toughest part of being
a reality TV star the first year ever is trying
to kind of stay afloat understand the real Slash, the
(05:07):
reality of Slash having people in your business and you know,
having to deal with the aftermath when the episode airs
and you're not being in control of the edits or anything.
Uh years later, you know, being that I've done it,
I am not emotionally attached to anyfink thing. UM. I
enjoy being in front of the camera and UM, I
(05:28):
kind of know how to work them and they work
me at the same time, which works. It's an amazing
combination for an amazing show. UM, and I enjoy the process.
I mean, you know, I am pretty entertaining. Although I
didn't think back then. I used to be like, why
people in my business, I'm just a regular You're not.
Now it's it's it's part of my every day anytime,
(05:50):
anytime something exciting is happening around me, I am saying,
there the cameras that we need to we need to
put the whole camera because now you actually, I can
imagine that now you edit in your head, absolutely absolutely,
and I understand, Um, I understand what's going to get
the numbers. I understand, Um, you know, I understand. Not
only that, I realized how great of an actor I
(06:14):
can be after having to reenact certain scenes on reality TV.
Something's happened outside of you know, us not having a
camera around, and so once produces here and they think
it's interesting, They're like, we have to bring that on.
So we have no other choice but to reenact it.
It didn't happen in real time, you know, the cameras
weren't there, unfortunately, but it's an intricate part of the story.
(06:35):
So we need that part to continue the story that's
already filmed, so we have to reenact. And in re enacting, um,
having to deal with some of the hurt and pain
of a breakup, or having to have this conversation with
someone that you don't want to see again, or you know,
all these things that I've had to reenact on camera
like this ship is easy. I was cutting my own scenes.
I was like cut scene and after and you were
(07:01):
going to have the pleasure of seeing her as a
director today. My god, first year. I don't think I'm ready.
You ready? You stay ready? Um, Calvin, I have to
shout out to Calvin because Calvin said something earlier about
you starting in when you from the very beginning of
Love and hip Hop? What was it if you said
that was um monumental about the Yes, I know we
(07:27):
can't hear Calvin, So studio audience, let me tell you
what Calvin is saying. So Calvin is talking about how
to hear me and Joe Button like really set off
the whole social media inn you know, Instagram in terms
of documenting your every move kind of we watched you
grow up. I know, Um, we were loving hip hop.
Before loving hip hop, you were black love. Yes, yes, yes,
(07:50):
I remember. I did not know you at the time,
but I just remember being so proud to see black
love like that because we don't get it. It was.
It was super honest too. It was we weren't trying
to pretend to be anything. We weren't um and we
didn't even know how to edit So it started off
with him saying, I'm going to put this on YouTube,
and I was like, whatever, rapper, you don't know how
(08:11):
to do that. I'm going to work by And the
next thing you know, I'm getting stopped. Yes, I'm getting stopped,
and I'm getting stopped to hear oh my god, it's here,
and I'm like what My mom is like, what are
you doing out there? Right? And I was on YouTube
being a girlfriend, you know, dealing with every day struggles, uh,
and allowing the world in. That's what I commended you on.
Like when you guys went I think he went upstate.
(08:33):
It was snow something in an episode you were in
bed and it was an authentic I mean, I don't
know how to be anything else. And that's where the
acting thing, you know at times, because you have to,
you know, it's it's reality or yourself and acting you
pretend to be someone else. Um. I think I can
identify whenever I reach certain scripts and I can substitute
(08:54):
a character. I can understand these feelings and you know,
kind of allow them to take me there because you've
want me that as well. But when it comes to reality,
I don't know how to be anyone but myself and
I think that's what the world loves about they do.
I don't know. I don't want to lie. No. I
think that when when you talk about you and and
so many of my friends were excited that you were
(09:15):
coming back, and I was like, all right, she does.
I don't think she getting back together, but she does
go to I said, I don't think I can watch
all the episodes you want, but we already know she's not.
That's the tracy and I'll just say it. So I felt,
I feel like, um, there's a transition that happened, and
(09:38):
this is when just bringing it back to when we met. Um,
how challenging was that transition? Because reality is not really reality,
but now you are embodying the truth of a character.
How difficult was what transition? Exactly was it going from
reality to reality to let's talk about King of Paper
Chase too. Oh man, you were a real estate, high
(10:02):
end real estate. First of all, I was excited to
have a character you know that that wasn't the stripper
or the girlfriend or the crazy man. That's what you
know people would watch and think and and my body
the way it's shaped, I should get those kind of
roles so I was excited to have we wearing eternal neck.
Remember telling like, oh my god, I'm wearing a pencil's garden.
(10:24):
Why it pretty? It wasn't It wasn't at all. I
think because one you saved my life. I remember that
being too secure and and I have a problem with vulnerability.
I'm gonna have a problem with showing, you know, breaking
through these layers of feelings in order to be able
to uh act like my boyfriend at the time, he
had been shot and he was in the hospital and
(10:45):
I had to betray and I had to cry, and
I had to do all these and tap into these
feelings that I was afraid to tap into in real life.
I remember calling Tracy like, dude, come save me, and
I mean and I it was on a Sunday. I
remember it was on a Sunday. There was something that
I was but I said, I'll get there as soon
as I can. And then, um, but I was supposed
(11:06):
to like anywhere, I'm gonna stay with you till it's over.
But um, in film, we shoot out a sequence and
your last scene which was they don't understand I would
I would want to take my shoe off right now.
But I love her too much to slap her across
her face. She burst through those emergency doors and she
(11:30):
had to cry because she had just found out her
boyfriend had been shot. He was in intensive care. Nobody
was given her this is kind of backstory. Nobody was
given her information. So when the scene started, she burst
through these double doors. What tears and what it wasn't?
I don't. I don't think it was a hard It
wasn't hard to transition. I already knew that I could
(11:50):
embody some of these characters. Um. It was more of
it was more about proving it to myself. It was
more about believing in myself. It was but once I'm
in of a camera, something happens. So I knew what
happened when it came to reality, and I wasn't. I
was being myself and I was going through hurt and pain.
The problem was being able to transition, like to to
shift that pain into like this character UM in his
(12:12):
room full of strange people that don't really know me.
It's the difference between reality where everybody you know, you've
worked with and you've vibed with. So now I'm walking
in on set, I am the star and UM I
don't know these people, so all these things that go
into like my new acting head, like Okay, this is
not what I'm used to doing, and now I have
to let go and and release all the all these
(12:33):
feelings in front of these strange people that are watching me,
and I have to kill the scene. And you know,
it was all all the pressure that I was overthinking
in my head. So I think that was the most
challenging is letting go and just being goofy and if
you know, and just and and crying if you need
to cry, like just just kind of really living through
that character. And um. And so yeah, that was the
hardest part. Overthinking I think was a problem in the beginning. Well,
(12:55):
and then I think also like anytime you're in a
new environment, I mean actors and actors and you know,
it's like life camera action. And I've learned that throughout,
you know, being in the business and and win my
feet with some of these roles and and some of
these roles I have taken just for practice. Um you know.
So uh and then you know, being able to call
you and and speak to sell of my actor friends
(13:18):
helps a whole lot. Um. But you know, to me,
the transition hasn't been extremely hard. Is being respected as
an actor after doing reality TV is pretty hard because
they look at you like, here comes a reality star,
what does she know? You know? And so I make
it a point to walking on set and and greet
everyone and and and want to learn from everyone, rather
than walking in like I am Hollywood because I make
(13:40):
this much and I'm and I've come off of a
show that has five point one million viewers, and you know,
I'm a walking movie ticket. I don't treat it as such,
you know. I I walk in there with respect, and
I not only one on the set. And I was like, Hey,
I'm just here to learn from you guys. I'm thankful
for the opportunity. I know you guys have been you know,
literally you were born to be actors, and I've been
giving this opportunity. And I think I'm pretty good at it,
(14:01):
so and it makes sense for you to try. It
is about growth. And I I always feel like, um,
who's to limit your abilities? Because I used to get
it all the time from Okay, I'm not gonna say
the actor's name, but very established actors would say to
me on the set, why are you working with these rappers, Tracy,
(14:21):
and I'm like, well it didn't stop. Sammy Davis Jr.
Day Martin Like, what are you talking about? This isn't
something new. So you have these talents and creative abilities
and you should be able to expand it. I feel
like I can, uh I I it's like I can
understand where they come from. I cannot to understand where
the music industry is. I understand the acting, you know,
(14:42):
the acting is where you know, I went to school
for this, I grew up. This is what I wanted
to do. This is my bloods when tears and here
comes you know, this person with three point million, three
million files. Yeah, and then they get this this movie
role easier or you know, it's just a different game
now and not just say you know, you gotta get
on the train or you're gonna get left. You know
what it was saying we were we are talented. You
(15:02):
are talented, and you are also inspiring as well, and
I think that's what generates the numbers in your social media. Um,
and we're in a place in casting now where they'll say,
what are your numbers? I know it's so it's crazy,
but that happens everywhere. Tracy you go get a job
somewhere off camera and they don't want to your numbers.
So that's what I'm saying, Like I could see how
(15:23):
both sides of the spectrum, how people can feel. And
that's okay for you to feel. But you know, times
are changing and we just gotta do what we gotta.
And but this is the thing that the other side
is that you put in the word you know what
I mean. So it's not like you just wait for
a hand out or you know, definitely have seen your
work ethic. Yeah, put in the work and and and
(15:45):
it makes sense that not only does she have the
work ethic and the entertainment business, but tell us why
you are a boss. I don't know. I just I
just feel like I don't know. I don't like the
word no. I don't like I have a problem with
I have a problem with restrictions. I've always have. I
don't even think my mom understands. She's like, oh, you
(16:06):
went to school, you want to wait tables. I was
making so much money. I was just I just always,
you know, do whatever I feel like I need to
do to get where I want to go, as long
as it's legal. Um so if they say I couldn't.
You know, I wasn't marketable enough for a product, and
I just create the product. Fuck you? Then you know
what I'm saying. That's just talking about life. So I opened.
I had nail polished at first. I had three collections
(16:27):
that came out years ago, and I knew numbers. I
like numbers a lot, so I didn't really care about
how pink nail polished was. I was just like, how
much am I gonna make? Okay, cool? Right? M And
then from nail polish um, I had friends that had
their bars, nail bars like you know, nails, hair makeup,
and I remember sitting with them and knowing numbers again
and how much money I can make off of this
one bottle. And so then that became you know, I
(16:49):
became a nail bar owner. So now I have a
a beauty bar and hair nail's feed. I already knew
that I can slip this product and make this much.
After I was done with that bottle and the bottle
was thirty dollars and I made like, you know, the
two hundred from it. It just made sense to me.
Everything has to make sense in numbers wise. So I
opened a beauty bar um shortly after that. I kept
(17:09):
the beauty room for two years. I sold it recently
and I opened to with my cousin and Harlem. So
we have Paloma Blushroom west Side on a hundred and Amsterdam,
and then we have Paloma Blushroom at a hundred and
ninet Second Avenue, and now we're opening next door to
it a small juice bar um and that all opens.
We had to soft open for Paloma Blushroom already, but
(17:30):
we're gonna have the grand opening, I believe at the
end of February, first week of March. We're still playing
with the dates. Um. But you know, it's all about beauty.
It's all about beauty inside and out because the juice
bar it's it's all about health and awareness and and um,
you know, I'm meant to working out and then the
beautifying US ladies. So I hair nails, makeup, eyelashes, micro blading,
(17:52):
face shows, you name it. One stop shop, um, all
in Harlem where I'm from. Uh So what else? There's
a lot going on. And have a book um right
now dealing with the final edits and and the cover.
And that's uh I got me, which I hashtag a
lot because I got me. Yeah, I got me because
I got me first, second, and third, and then I
can help you because if I'm not fine, and you know,
(18:13):
I can't help you guys. And I'm pretty much like
the oldest of fourteen and and I mean I'm the
only one in the business. So while everybody has a
job here and there or you know, they got their
own struggles. I struggle with being in the business. I
am a starving actor. I I take risks as an entrepreneur,
so it's not always easy. I have to be my
own hype man. So I created thirty one Informations and
(18:35):
journal space. I did it for me. But after doing
it for me, I realized that even me posting, I
can walk into where somebody says thank you, and I'm
just like, or thank you for coming to the shop,
and they're like, no, thank you for what you post.
You're so honest. So I put it all together in
one and um, that should be coming out shortly. So
just doing a whole bunch of little things, um, you know,
building my own legacy. Yeah, just to you know, just
(18:58):
just building, just helping, um, inspiring. I feel like, yeah,
I'm every woman, I'm a young girl from Harlem who
could have just you know, just did been part of
the statistics, just you know, had eighteen babies with the
local drug dealer because I was my that's that's where
exactly where I was going, um and living across the
hall from my mom and struggling every day and you know,
(19:20):
just doing this ship I saw when I I said,
you know what I was growing up and I just
chose different. So what keeps you driven and passionate and
what you do? It sounds crazy, Uh my mom's fear.
I watched my mom. I watched my mom, not directly
and still fearing us her daughter, she has three girls,
but just watching her not do a lot of the
(19:41):
things that she wanted to do because it sounds okay,
it sounds horrible, but no, it's not. It's real. It's real.
I watched her, and even in having conversations with her now,
she says, I could have but I didn't because of
you guys where I could have. And I don't think
she holds us like she she she's not mad at
us for it, but um, I don't want to be that.
(20:04):
I don't. I look at her and I say, you
know what would Lizzie not do I'm gonna do it
that and I'll just I'll just jump out the window,
hoping the parents she works and if it doesn't, bitch,
I'll shake it off and do it again. Um. So
everything my mom I wouldn't do, Like everything, I just
watched her be. She's so great, She's strong, she had
ten thousand jobs. She was the greatest mom ever, but
she didn't. She was afraid to jump out that window
(20:27):
for everything. She was an excellent salsa dancer, she has trophies,
she competed, but she had kids, and there were so
many things that she She's always like, well I could have,
but you know, and she's happy. But and I don't
want to. But you know everything you guys didn't do that,
go ahead and do it so that I think that's
what motivates me. I, um, that's beautiful. I I can't.
I don't like the word no. I'm gonna just you know,
(20:48):
I'm gonna figure it out. And you always do. And
I think that, Um, that's a perfect example of the
drive because as a parent, you always want your children
learned to do better than you, and so in some way,
what you are creating and doing is such an inspiration
to her. I feel like that because my mom I
(21:09):
found out years ago she wanted to be an actress
and she didn't even tell me. It was like her
fifty something class reunion and um they showed a video
and my mother was on the video saying, UM, I
wanted to be an actress. And I was like what what?
Look at that? So when you learn things like that,
because it was it was about the courage she didn't
(21:31):
and then there was no one that looked like her
on TV, so she didn't think that that. See, that's
another thing, like I I watched my mom and I
know that, Um, I just watched her. I'm the oldest.
I just watched how she wanted to do a thousand
other things but didn't. But the fact that I didn't
know as a kid that I could be CEO, CFO
of anything. The fact that I was told that I
(21:52):
she couldn't afford me going to Columbia so college. So
she's like, you can't go to NY you can't go Columbia.
You pay, I can't afford it. You know. It was
always playing it safe. She's just a single MoMA. Lets
play it safe. I'm like, fun this let's get these loans.
I like that other day, I was like, and she
is a graduate. I am a graduate. I am a graduate.
I had to because she don't beat that as so
I have a have a college degree in criminal justice,
(22:14):
right she does. She just always kind of like kind
of played it safe. And and so I think, out
of the three girls, I just don't play ship safe.
I don't. I don't, and everybody thinks I'm crazy. At home,
They're like, so you're gonna, I'm where are you today?
And I'm like, I am and place you can't. I
can't pronounce it, you know, like I'm doing different things.
So that's why I test the waters with everything. Like
(22:36):
you know, I never knew. I man, I don't even
know how. That's why there is a safety that's always
there to catch you because you take the chance you take. Yeah,
and I just made all my safety net now crazy.
But it was just that I had when I mean,
that was a plank. Yes you do, Yes, you want
(22:59):
to have to start in this piece yet listen and
let me tell you. I remember our conversation with when
I first met you and you said you had to
go to college. You did that for your idea did it?
People don't know that side of you, you know, criminal
(23:20):
justice like you. Yes, she was and she knows her stuff,
so don't play around, all right, she could definitely do
that Criminal Justice TV show though she knows the verbitch
and all of that. You could use it was not
were gon use that, especially for this upcoming citrition. Um Man,
(23:45):
I'm so excited, like this energy is amazing. UM I
want you to. I always asked my guests to drop
some pearls, some diamonds on these young Thespians who are
out here. Um, there's a generation where the work ethic
is in question. Every single casting director I've had in
here has talked about the work ethic of an actor.
(24:06):
What is you know to achieve the success and to
be as driven as you are? What are some of
the things that people need? Assistency, You have to be consistent.
Never um, never think that, because we live in a
microwavable society today where you know, you put you put
the right clip out on social media and you go
viral and you make some money. You're like you made it.
(24:27):
You never you never stop you never stop learning, You
never you know you made it for that moment You're
only as good as the last thing that you did,
So you constantly have to put in the work, and
it takes consistency um and just paying attention um and
and doing the work. It's I think that it's easier.
It's it feels like, you know, you have a song,
you have, you have this one clip you put out
(24:49):
and and you're an amazing you know, you're funny on
that clip, and so now you're a comedian. No, you're
you're not on the comedian. You know. That doesn't mean
you can stand on stage and make people laugh. You know,
I've heard comedians have this, you know, have this issue
with Okay, I've been doing so well on social media,
making so much money, but when it comes to getting
on stage, which is the purest form of acting, you
(25:09):
can't do it. You can't because it takes work. It
takes it takes people like Tracy to come along and
help you along the right. You know, it takes. It
takes work. I think that because that's the reason why
people are so being lazy. They're lazy. Now it's just like, oh,
I could just do this and blow up mom. All
I need to do is get this YouTube clip now,
you've got the TikTok, whatever's popping when everybody jumps on
the next new thing. But you can't forget to do
(25:31):
the work because the word creates longevity absolutely and only
the real will prevail. This is true. We're not we're
gonna We're gonna move along because I feel like we
could talk about other things and that, um, in terms
of your future and what is that ideal role for you?
(25:52):
Oh wow, something that tests me, something and expected. Um, yeah,
I need I need Viola Davis to me. You know
what I'm saying. Like every time I screen, I'm like,
oh my god, take it the church. Yes, So I
need something to take me there, um where people forget
that that's to hear me on screen. Yeah. So I
(26:13):
don't know what that role particularly would be, but it
would have to be something so moving that it's over
and you're still stuck there, like dang, she kill that. Yeah,
And I always call that a Viola Davis. She always
takes me there. I watched her forget. I'm just I'm
crying with her. She Um. I did a years ago. Um,
(26:34):
there was a play called Intimate Apparels and it was
on Broadway. Russell Hornsby was the lead. She was it
was Russell Hornsby, Lauren Vlez and then Viola Um. No
one really knew who she was. She had just done um,
the Antoine Fisher story. I used to go to rehearsal
(26:54):
and I would break down and cry like and I was.
I would sit in the audience and and I would
say that one right there, like I'm telling you on
everything that I am, she was brilliant, brilliant. And then
about you, like just watching her, you just got you
get goose bumps. You're like this whole character. And when
you think about the challenges that she, you know, on
(27:17):
her journey being a dark skinned African American woman, and
you know, as a casting director, I know, when you
know I came into the business, everything was Hallie Berry.
Directors would say, give me a Hallie Berry type, give
me a Hallie Berry type. And I would be like,
I would be like, well, you know, there's other hues.
But now we're living in the age which is great
(27:38):
ectically ambiguous, which you would fall into. Okay, So that
broadens the scope for you, right, And they're just so
many more opportunities with the Apple TVs and the Netflix
and stuff. So all we need when we talk about um,
you know, the tools and things, we just need a
great agent, yes, yes, great agent absolutely, and that agent
(28:01):
will procure the work and then you'll go and you'll
book the work. All right. So that's the deal right now,
because now that we were united for a reason and
I'm let's working into here. It's always good, Tracy. I mean,
just on the side, We're gonna keep it on a
(28:22):
low low. But this is the deal. It's like I
always remember this every single time we would work together,
but there was always this really emotional moment with us.
I don't know what we would talk about, and then
I would leave you like no, because I would be
crying with you too. And I just felt like when
(28:44):
I came here, I was like, alright, I don't know
if this is gonna be emotional because I started well
enough when I was thinking about being on set. And
how you know, we were together like sixteen hours, you guys,
like it was we I went home at like two
or three o'clock in the morning, and we were together
a whole time. And you know this, it was a process.
And as an acting coach, I'm there to support you
(29:07):
on the work. But I also am concerned about your
morale and I hate night. Shoot, I'm gonna be honest
and no, unless I'm directing, then I won't mind. We
give you all night. So, um, this saddens me because
I have to end this show, but I won't end
(29:28):
this friendship never. It's just the end for you, and
it's just reuniting for us. Oh man, my soul sister said,
So okay, before we end, Before we end, ladies and gentlemen,
I'm gonna ask to hear you to give us a
couple more tidbits, just some listen, drop it on them.
(29:49):
This generation work ethic things of what do they need.
Preparation is key, consistency and um, you know, just doing
the research. Man, you need to do the research. You
need to do the research. You need to understand what
your brand is, what you're selling what I mean, you
know what the script is it? For your agent, you
(30:10):
need to kind of connect. You need to do your homework. Yes,
most importantly and especially people need to do their homework
and do their due diligence on people in the industry.
You can't I mean, listen, you don't trust everybody, but
you don't take everything face exactly, especially now with how
social media is, everything is everywhere and everybody's doing something
(30:31):
exactly what are you really doing something? I need to
see a resume and I need references, you need I
always tell people, I mean, I'm blessed to have the reputation,
but talk to people. You know, the industry is large,
which is really not so once you know that one person,
that person can kind of, you know, send you just
the right directions or tell you you know, we've never
(30:52):
heard of this individual, or you know, you need to
set a great reputation for yourself as well. Because it's small.
It's really not that big. It really is. And I
just want to say to you have a weekly platform
that you have no idea who's watching. Right, So this
is a just a quick story. Um. I was speaking
to this director yesterday because I also coached Tyranne on
(31:13):
Growing Up hip Hop and um. Before he got to
the session, UM, the director was like, you know, I've
been watching Growing Up hip Hop and I think Tyranne
and um uh Angela Simmons, he said, are the breakout stars.
We have a commercial every that once a week, everybody's watching.
(31:33):
Take advantage of that platform because I'm gonna tell you
we here at the Spirited Actor Podcast. We love you,
so we're gonna have to wrap it up. I want
to thank our guest and my wonderful friend to Hearr Jose.
Thank you for blessing us with your knowledge, your insight,
your inspiration and her love. Thank you so much. Yeah
(31:54):
she is. We're gonna do a part two. This is
what we do here at the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore. I love you, Tracy, I love you.
Do they Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore. And we are at one of my
favorite segments, class in session, and I have two of
(32:14):
my favorite favorite actors, Spirited Actor alumni. Introduce yourselves, starting
with you. I'm JULIUSA. Capri and my name's Alfonso Walker Jr.
Oh he put a little bass in that, all right, Alfonso. Um,
you guys are in for a treat. And I have
to say we have a cameo appearance. This is rare,
(32:35):
so sit back and take in this moment. My producer
Spruce Henry. Hello, I'm Spruce Henry. I'm an Aries and
my safe word is slithering, okay, hell slithering heights. So
(32:57):
for those of you who have just two did too
this class in session, we're about to do a scene
and um, so those of you who don't know how
we play this game, I will read all of the
slug lines and the action and um, after the actors
have finished the first read, then we'll make some adjustments
and then we'll come back and read it again. Are
(33:19):
you guys ready? Okay? So um, everyone knows their role? Yes, okay,
here we go. All right? Interior examine room day quiet,
sterile room. Patients sits nervously on the edge of the
examination table, listening to Dr Bridge. The test results were
(33:40):
not conclusive, and I want to run some other tests
for more clarity. I consulted with my team, and there's
a new doctor coming to our hospital that specializes in
this type of cancer. If that is what we conclude
in your opinion, do you think I have cancer? I
honestly don't like to speculate until we have all the
Sultan I will say that whatever your religious belief is,
(34:05):
that you should stay in that mindset. I have witness miracles. Well,
that's why I was referred to you. My cousin said
she never met a doctor like you. Your cousin was
one of those miracles. Doctor Bridge looks at her watch.
The doctor will be joining us if you have any
other questions. The door abruptly opens and Dr Smith peeks in. Hello.
(34:29):
Doctor Bridge recognizes the voice Eric. Doctor Smith walks in.
He's taken aback by Dr Bridges presence. Wow, they didn't
tell me you what the doctor trust me. I didn't
get the memo either, Height, how have you been? The
patient sits in the middle of this awkward ping pong
(34:49):
Matt Chicago. I tried to convince you to leave when
we'm engaged. Doctor Bridge tries to disguise her pain. You
made a commitment. I don't mean to make this reunion,
of course, how um professional? I apologize. This is not
the introduction I wanted. I'm Dr Smith. How are you
feeling anxious? I want to know? Am I you know
(35:13):
I'm I gonna be okay. Dr Smith opens the folder.
I suggest an aggressive form of chemo that will attack
this cancer. With all due respect, Eric, I mean Dr Smith.
Shouldn't we wait for the results of the new test first.
I like to get ahead of the game. If the
tests confirmed what we see, then we have a plan.
Tension bills with Dr Bridge. Yes, I understand. However, I'd
(35:34):
like to wait till for the results that we get
before we get ahead of ourselves with the patient. I
assume she spoke to you about miracles, and it's how
I got here. Most doctors lack compassion. I agree. M Well,
I can see I'm outnumbered here. We'll get the test
(35:55):
set up and we will know the results in a
couple of days. Dr Smith heads for the door. Try
to relax, and let's expect a miracle. Yes, let's do that.
He leaves, and why did you too? Break up? Dr
Bridge still looking at the door. He didn't believe in
miracles and seeing Wow, wonderful you guys. Oh my god, Spruce,
(36:22):
I loved this, Spruce, I love the patient. Oh yeah,
I was. I was like, well, it sounded like a
perfect Actors. That wasn't a burp, that was just a
technical thing. Okay, So I'm gonna give them a couple
of notes. Okay, So um, Dr Bridge, UM, let's just
(36:43):
because this is really important. Actors. When you guys are
going over your sides, which are pages of a script,
they're not slides, their sides. Um, why are you so angry?
I want you to just be specific on why what
was that one thing that pushed you to break up
with him? Because I feel like you broke up with him, okay? Um?
(37:05):
And then Dr Smith, you seem a little angry. Um,
are you you're engaged? Are you happily engaged? Oh? Okay,
all right, so that's the choice that you're making. Are
you still in love with her? Okay? So let's see
a little more of that, um. And and and the
(37:28):
conflict should be you trying to disguise that because again,
she broke up with you, so she doesn't know that
you still have these residual feelings for her. Right, and
then your anger is I mean first you tried to
get him to come to Chicago, I mean leave Chicago. No,
and then you wanted a commitment no. So now he's
left Chicago and he's engaged with someone else. Okay. UM,
(37:50):
let's just feel a little of your pain and you guys, Um,
I want you to just tighten up the adjustment when
you're being very unprofessed and in front of this patient,
and and the patient is being patient. Um. But I
think that when you say spruce to her, when you're like,
you know you guys, I don't mean to break up,
like I want you to be a little more sarcastic
(38:11):
with them because you know they've really just you're invisible
as soon as he walks in, and you know, before
he came in, you were the star of the moment.
So um, those would be my adjustments. Just and the
more specific you guys are with the information, the more
weight these lines are going to have. And then also
in real life, our inner voice is working, so your
(38:32):
inner voice needs to work with these characters as well. Okay,
so we're gonna do it again, ladies and gentlemen, but
without the action, so you guys are just gonna read. Okay,
so I'll just call it for you guys. You guys ready, excellent, Okay,
here we go and action. The results were not conclusive,
and I want to run some other tests for more clarity.
(38:53):
Consulted with my team, and there's a new doctor coming
to our hospital that specialized in this type of cancer.
If that is what we conclude in your opinion, do
you think I have cancer? I honestly don't like to speculate.
I mean, until the results are in, I will say
that whatever your religious belief is, that you're stay in
(39:16):
that mindset. I mean I have witnessed miracles. That's why
I was referred to you. My cousin said she never
met a doctor like you. Your cousin was one of
those miracles. The doctor will be joining us a few
for any other questions that you may have. Hello, Mann,
come in, Eric, Monica. Well, I didn't tell me you
(39:41):
were the doctor who trust me. I didn't get the
memo either. How have you been I finally left Chicago.
H see, I tried to convince you to leave when
we were I'm engaged. Huh, you made a commit man.
(40:01):
I don't mean to break up this reunion. I'm sorry. Professional. Uh,
this is not the introduction I wanted. I'm Dr Smith.
How are you feeling anxious? I just want to know
you know? Am I gonna be okay? I suggested an
aggressive form of chemo that will attack this form of cancer.
(40:22):
With all due respect, Eric, I mean, Dr Smith. Shouldn't
we wait for the results of the new test first.
I'd like to be ahead of the game with the test,
confirm what we see, then we have a plan. Yes,
I understand. However, I like to wait for the results
before we get ahead of ourselves with the patients. All right,
so she spoke to you about miracles. Yeah, that's how
(40:43):
I got here. Next, the most doctors lack compassion. Hum, well,
I can see I'm out number here. I will get
the test set up and we'll know the results in
a couple of days. Try to react. Okay, let's expect
a miracle. Yes, hm, let's let's do that. Yeah, did
(41:11):
you too break up? He didn't believe in miracles and
seen greater ajustments? Great job, you guys. There was a
difference in the ending, right because of you being a
little more sensitive. Um. The great part about that was
(41:33):
that it allowed you to almost back her up with
the miracles, because it was like you sort of retreated
in this. Well, let's just expect miracles and then her,
to her surprise, what you believe in miracles? Now? I
mean he's changed, so you know, and engaged. Sorry, but
well but you're not married. And the sequel continues. A
(41:58):
ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for spirited actor
alumni Albonzo to Lisa and my producer, Spruce Henry. All right,
all right, thank you. That ends class in session and
we'll be back for give love and now It's time
to give love. We have suffered as a country, as
(42:23):
a nation, and as a world, a tremendous loss. Kobe Bryant,
his thirteen year old daughter g G. Bryant, and other
people have perished in a helicopter crash. I want to
talk about how life is short, and how life is fleeting,
(42:45):
and how when we spend time on things that are
so trivial and they don't move our lives forward, we
stay stuck, or we're miserable, or we're fearing feeling hopeless.
There's always someone that is in more pain than you are.
(43:06):
And I can't imagine the pain in which all of
these families are enduring right now. I can only say
that through prayer and through love of family and friends
and time, things heal. We don't forget, but we heal.
I can honestly say that the worst phone call that
(43:29):
you could ever get, and I have experienced this myself,
when someone calls and says, get to the hospital. Your
son is in extreme critical condition, and we're not asking
you to run red lights, but we're asking you to
get here immediately. When I got to the hospital, the
first thing I did was pray over my son and
(43:52):
I asked God one time to heal and take care
of my son. The thing that was the blessing. And
I know you're saying, well, what's a blessing in that? Well,
before my son left, our last words were I love you, Mom,
I love you Miles. And that's what kept my strength,
(44:13):
that's what held my faith together, and that's what held
the knowing nous that everything was going to be okay.
Life is short. Embrace it, love it, love your family,
love your friends, love your present moment, because you never
(44:33):
know when that phone could ring, which is something I
would never wish on anyone. But stay present in every moment,
knowing and living life to the fullest. One of the
things that I say before I go to bed at
night is that I want to know that today I
(44:55):
lived to the point of tears, lived to the point
of tears. Thank you for joining us on the Spirited
Actor podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to
our next Spirited podcast. Thank you
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's Balls 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
a casting director that is powerful. And now it's time
for meditation of the day. Opportunity is nothing more than
(01:09):
a kid on a corner with elimonade stand Paul R.
Johnson Actors have the power. There's no way around it.
Without actors, a production cannot happen. Therefore, who really has
the power. A casting director is a liaison between the
actor and the director. We marry the two of you together.
When an actor can fully grasp this information, then there
(01:32):
is a freedom that occurs. You no longer allow yourself
to worry or stress out because you know that at
some point in your acting career someone will need your talent,
and at that moment, when the role is right, you
will be hired. Today, I will believe that the right
role is waiting for me. Welcome to the Spirited Actor
(01:55):
Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I am ex I did today.
If you don't hear it in my voice, that's a problem.
I'm so excited because I not only have to hear
he Jose the reality star of Love and Hip Hop
New York, but my friend. So I'm just excited. And
(02:17):
some of you may not know, and some of you
who know, I'm going to reiterate it. She is also
a boss, so we're going to talk about that as well.
I'm just I'm freestyling because there's just so many things
that I want to talk about. But At first, I
want to welcome you to the Spirited Actor Podcast, to
hearing Jose everybody give it up with Darry who she
(02:37):
given it for himself. Yes, yes, thank you for having me.
I'm super excited to be here. I'm super I'm super
happy to see you too. I'm so happy to see you.
We're friends people, so she knows all about me, So
this is this should be easy. Okay, the pressures, you know,
all these people, I gotta be cremated with the truth.
(02:57):
But no, she is, UM, excuse me, I can honestly say, um,
dynamic human spirit, and UM, I just want to go
back because when I first met to Harry, UM, almost
immediately she got a gig. I mean literally, I feel
like I was like, Hi, I'm chasing Moore acting coach,
(03:18):
and she was like listen tomorrow be all said I'm
like help, hurry up. I heard you the best. I
was like, okay, but I just got to bring my
son with me, you know, because I forgot where we were.
But Miles and I were together, and UM, it was
an amazing experience. Um, you tell us, first of all,
tell us about I want to talk about the transition
(03:40):
into acting. But first, how is your experience as a
reality star. I mean now compared to what it was
back then, it's a lot different. I think that the
hardest part for a person entering the reality TV world
is the first year, the rookie year, that the year
where you you can use you don't understand is a
(04:01):
thin line between reality and actual reality. UM, just the
whole you know, every every show, every reality TV show
is different, you know, for me, for instance, love and
hip hop, you're not told where you're going. You get
in the car, producers nobody, they tell you. You get there,
you land, they give you bullet points, they put mikes
on you. You know, it's not no uh, it's not
(04:23):
like you know where you're gonna film. There's cameras on
your twenty four hours a day. Like people think on
TV when they watch, they think that I'm just running
around with a camera and then there's a story to
be told. Well, that's not the way it works. You know.
We have a schedule, we film, we have locations where
we film. Um, every day is different and we don't
know where we're filming. So just so we can keep
it the safety purposes because it's reality TV, as well
as keeping the authenticity of a scene, you know what
(04:45):
I'm saying, not knowing what to expect and actually capturing
that on camera. Um, where you're you're you're dealing with
your real life because they're in your business every day,
and they're also putting it all together for it to
make sense. So I think the toughest part of being
a reality TV star the first year ever is trying
to kind of stay afloat understand the real Slash, the
(05:07):
reality of Slash having people in your business and you know,
having to deal with the aftermath when the episode airs
and you're not being in control of the edits or anything.
Uh years later, you know, being that I've done it,
I am not emotionally attached to anyfink thing. UM. I
enjoy being in front of the camera and UM, I
(05:28):
kind of know how to work them and they work
me at the same time, which works. It's an amazing
combination for an amazing show. UM, and I enjoy the process.
I mean, you know, I am pretty entertaining. Although I
didn't think back then. I used to be like, why
people in my business, I'm just a regular You're not.
Now it's it's it's part of my every day anytime,
(05:50):
anytime something exciting is happening around me, I am saying,
there the cameras that we need to we need to
put the whole camera because now you actually, I can
imagine that now you edit in your head, absolutely absolutely,
and I understand, Um, I understand what's going to get
the numbers. I understand, Um, you know, I understand. Not
only that, I realized how great of an actor I
(06:14):
can be after having to reenact certain scenes on reality TV.
Something's happened outside of you know, us not having a
camera around, and so once produces here and they think
it's interesting, They're like, we have to bring that on.
So we have no other choice but to reenact it.
It didn't happen in real time, you know, the cameras
weren't there, unfortunately, but it's an intricate part of the story.
(06:35):
So we need that part to continue the story that's
already filmed, so we have to reenact. And in re enacting, um,
having to deal with some of the hurt and pain
of a breakup, or having to have this conversation with
someone that you don't want to see again, or you know,
all these things that I've had to reenact on camera
like this ship is easy. I was cutting my own scenes.
I was like cut scene and after and you were
(07:01):
going to have the pleasure of seeing her as a
director today. My god, first year. I don't think I'm ready.
You ready? You stay ready? Um, Calvin, I have to
shout out to Calvin because Calvin said something earlier about
you starting in when you from the very beginning of
Love and hip Hop? What was it if you said
that was um monumental about the Yes, I know we
(07:27):
can't hear Calvin, So studio audience, let me tell you
what Calvin is saying. So Calvin is talking about how
to hear me and Joe Button like really set off
the whole social media inn you know, Instagram in terms
of documenting your every move kind of we watched you
grow up. I know, Um, we were loving hip hop.
Before loving hip hop, you were black love. Yes, yes, yes,
(07:50):
I remember. I did not know you at the time,
but I just remember being so proud to see black
love like that because we don't get it. It was.
It was super honest too. It was we weren't trying
to pretend to be anything. We weren't um and we
didn't even know how to edit So it started off
with him saying, I'm going to put this on YouTube,
and I was like, whatever, rapper, you don't know how
(08:11):
to do that. I'm going to work by And the
next thing you know, I'm getting stopped. Yes, I'm getting stopped,
and I'm getting stopped to hear oh my god, it's here,
and I'm like what My mom is like, what are
you doing out there? Right? And I was on YouTube
being a girlfriend, you know, dealing with every day struggles, uh,
and allowing the world in. That's what I commended you on.
Like when you guys went I think he went upstate.
(08:33):
It was snow something in an episode you were in
bed and it was an authentic I mean, I don't
know how to be anything else. And that's where the
acting thing, you know at times, because you have to,
you know, it's it's reality or yourself and acting you
pretend to be someone else. Um. I think I can
identify whenever I reach certain scripts and I can substitute
(08:54):
a character. I can understand these feelings and you know,
kind of allow them to take me there because you've
want me that as well. But when it comes to reality,
I don't know how to be anyone but myself and
I think that's what the world loves about they do.
I don't know. I don't want to lie. No. I
think that when when you talk about you and and
so many of my friends were excited that you were
(09:15):
coming back, and I was like, all right, she does.
I don't think she getting back together, but she does
go to I said, I don't think I can watch
all the episodes you want, but we already know she's not.
That's the tracy and I'll just say it. So I felt,
I feel like, um, there's a transition that happened, and
(09:38):
this is when just bringing it back to when we met. Um,
how challenging was that transition? Because reality is not really reality,
but now you are embodying the truth of a character.
How difficult was what transition? Exactly was it going from
reality to reality to let's talk about King of Paper
Chase too. Oh man, you were a real estate, high
(10:02):
end real estate. First of all, I was excited to
have a character you know that that wasn't the stripper
or the girlfriend or the crazy man. That's what you
know people would watch and think and and my body
the way it's shaped, I should get those kind of
roles so I was excited to have we wearing eternal neck.
Remember telling like, oh my god, I'm wearing a pencil's garden.
(10:24):
Why it pretty? It wasn't It wasn't at all. I
think because one you saved my life. I remember that
being too secure and and I have a problem with vulnerability.
I'm gonna have a problem with showing, you know, breaking
through these layers of feelings in order to be able
to uh act like my boyfriend at the time, he
had been shot and he was in the hospital and
(10:45):
I had to betray and I had to cry, and
I had to do all these and tap into these
feelings that I was afraid to tap into in real life.
I remember calling Tracy like, dude, come save me, and
I mean and I it was on a Sunday. I
remember it was on a Sunday. There was something that
I was but I said, I'll get there as soon
as I can. And then, um, but I was supposed
(11:06):
to like anywhere, I'm gonna stay with you till it's over.
But um, in film, we shoot out a sequence and
your last scene which was they don't understand I would
I would want to take my shoe off right now.
But I love her too much to slap her across
her face. She burst through those emergency doors and she
(11:30):
had to cry because she had just found out her
boyfriend had been shot. He was in intensive care. Nobody
was given her this is kind of backstory. Nobody was
given her information. So when the scene started, she burst
through these double doors. What tears and what it wasn't?
I don't. I don't think it was a hard It
wasn't hard to transition. I already knew that I could
(11:50):
embody some of these characters. Um. It was more of
it was more about proving it to myself. It was
more about believing in myself. It was but once I'm
in of a camera, something happens. So I knew what
happened when it came to reality, and I wasn't. I
was being myself and I was going through hurt and pain.
The problem was being able to transition, like to to
shift that pain into like this character UM in his
(12:12):
room full of strange people that don't really know me.
It's the difference between reality where everybody you know, you've
worked with and you've vibed with. So now I'm walking
in on set, I am the star and UM I
don't know these people, so all these things that go
into like my new acting head, like Okay, this is
not what I'm used to doing, and now I have
to let go and and release all the all these
(12:33):
feelings in front of these strange people that are watching me,
and I have to kill the scene. And you know,
it was all all the pressure that I was overthinking
in my head. So I think that was the most
challenging is letting go and just being goofy and if
you know, and just and and crying if you need
to cry, like just just kind of really living through
that character. And um. And so yeah, that was the
hardest part. Overthinking I think was a problem in the beginning. Well,
(12:55):
and then I think also like anytime you're in a
new environment, I mean actors and actors and you know,
it's like life camera action. And I've learned that throughout,
you know, being in the business and and win my
feet with some of these roles and and some of
these roles I have taken just for practice. Um you know.
So uh and then you know, being able to call
you and and speak to sell of my actor friends
(13:18):
helps a whole lot. Um. But you know, to me,
the transition hasn't been extremely hard. Is being respected as
an actor after doing reality TV is pretty hard because
they look at you like, here comes a reality star,
what does she know? You know? And so I make
it a point to walking on set and and greet
everyone and and and want to learn from everyone, rather
than walking in like I am Hollywood because I make
(13:40):
this much and I'm and I've come off of a
show that has five point one million viewers, and you know,
I'm a walking movie ticket. I don't treat it as such,
you know. I I walk in there with respect, and
I not only one on the set. And I was like, Hey,
I'm just here to learn from you guys. I'm thankful
for the opportunity. I know you guys have been you know,
literally you were born to be actors, and I've been
giving this opportunity. And I think I'm pretty good at it,
(14:01):
so and it makes sense for you to try. It
is about growth. And I I always feel like, um,
who's to limit your abilities? Because I used to get
it all the time from Okay, I'm not gonna say
the actor's name, but very established actors would say to
me on the set, why are you working with these rappers, Tracy,
(14:21):
and I'm like, well it didn't stop. Sammy Davis Jr.
Day Martin Like, what are you talking about? This isn't
something new. So you have these talents and creative abilities
and you should be able to expand it. I feel
like I can, uh I I it's like I can
understand where they come from. I cannot to understand where
the music industry is. I understand the acting, you know,
(14:42):
the acting is where you know, I went to school
for this, I grew up. This is what I wanted
to do. This is my bloods when tears and here
comes you know, this person with three point million, three
million files. Yeah, and then they get this this movie
role easier or you know, it's just a different game
now and not just say you know, you gotta get
on the train or you're gonna get left. You know
what it was saying we were we are talented. You
(15:02):
are talented, and you are also inspiring as well, and
I think that's what generates the numbers in your social media. Um,
and we're in a place in casting now where they'll say,
what are your numbers? I know it's so it's crazy,
but that happens everywhere. Tracy you go get a job
somewhere off camera and they don't want to your numbers.
So that's what I'm saying, Like I could see how
(15:23):
both sides of the spectrum, how people can feel. And
that's okay for you to feel. But you know, times
are changing and we just gotta do what we gotta.
And but this is the thing that the other side
is that you put in the word you know what
I mean. So it's not like you just wait for
a hand out or you know, definitely have seen your
work ethic. Yeah, put in the work and and and
(15:45):
it makes sense that not only does she have the
work ethic and the entertainment business, but tell us why
you are a boss. I don't know. I just I
just feel like I don't know. I don't like the
word no. I don't like I have a problem with
I have a problem with restrictions. I've always have. I
don't even think my mom understands. She's like, oh, you
(16:06):
went to school, you want to wait tables. I was
making so much money. I was just I just always,
you know, do whatever I feel like I need to
do to get where I want to go, as long
as it's legal. Um so if they say I couldn't.
You know, I wasn't marketable enough for a product, and
I just create the product. Fuck you? Then you know
what I'm saying. That's just talking about life. So I opened.
I had nail polished at first. I had three collections
(16:27):
that came out years ago, and I knew numbers. I
like numbers a lot, so I didn't really care about
how pink nail polished was. I was just like, how
much am I gonna make? Okay, cool? Right? M And
then from nail polish um, I had friends that had
their bars, nail bars like you know, nails, hair makeup,
and I remember sitting with them and knowing numbers again
and how much money I can make off of this
one bottle. And so then that became you know, I
(16:49):
became a nail bar owner. So now I have a
a beauty bar and hair nail's feed. I already knew
that I can slip this product and make this much.
After I was done with that bottle and the bottle
was thirty dollars and I made like, you know, the
two hundred from it. It just made sense to me.
Everything has to make sense in numbers wise. So I
opened a beauty bar um shortly after that. I kept
(17:09):
the beauty room for two years. I sold it recently
and I opened to with my cousin and Harlem. So
we have Paloma Blushroom west Side on a hundred and Amsterdam,
and then we have Paloma Blushroom at a hundred and
ninet Second Avenue, and now we're opening next door to
it a small juice bar um and that all opens.
We had to soft open for Paloma Blushroom already, but
(17:30):
we're gonna have the grand opening, I believe at the
end of February, first week of March. We're still playing
with the dates. Um. But you know, it's all about beauty.
It's all about beauty inside and out because the juice
bar it's it's all about health and awareness and and um,
you know, I'm meant to working out and then the
beautifying US ladies. So I hair nails, makeup, eyelashes, micro blading,
(17:52):
face shows, you name it. One stop shop, um, all
in Harlem where I'm from. Uh So what else? There's
a lot going on. And have a book um right
now dealing with the final edits and and the cover.
And that's uh I got me, which I hashtag a
lot because I got me. Yeah, I got me because
I got me first, second, and third, and then I
can help you because if I'm not fine, and you know,
(18:13):
I can't help you guys. And I'm pretty much like
the oldest of fourteen and and I mean I'm the
only one in the business. So while everybody has a
job here and there or you know, they got their
own struggles. I struggle with being in the business. I
am a starving actor. I I take risks as an entrepreneur,
so it's not always easy. I have to be my
own hype man. So I created thirty one Informations and
(18:35):
journal space. I did it for me. But after doing
it for me, I realized that even me posting, I
can walk into where somebody says thank you, and I'm
just like, or thank you for coming to the shop,
and they're like, no, thank you for what you post.
You're so honest. So I put it all together in
one and um, that should be coming out shortly. So
just doing a whole bunch of little things, um, you know,
building my own legacy. Yeah, just to you know, just
(18:58):
just building, just helping, um, inspiring. I feel like, yeah,
I'm every woman, I'm a young girl from Harlem who
could have just you know, just did been part of
the statistics, just you know, had eighteen babies with the
local drug dealer because I was my that's that's where
exactly where I was going, um and living across the
hall from my mom and struggling every day and you know,
(19:20):
just doing this ship I saw when I I said,
you know what I was growing up and I just
chose different. So what keeps you driven and passionate and
what you do? It sounds crazy, Uh my mom's fear.
I watched my mom. I watched my mom, not directly
and still fearing us her daughter, she has three girls,
but just watching her not do a lot of the
(19:41):
things that she wanted to do because it sounds okay,
it sounds horrible, but no, it's not. It's real. It's real.
I watched her, and even in having conversations with her now,
she says, I could have but I didn't because of
you guys where I could have. And I don't think
she holds us like she she she's not mad at
us for it, but um, I don't want to be that.
(20:04):
I don't. I look at her and I say, you
know what would Lizzie not do I'm gonna do it
that and I'll just I'll just jump out the window,
hoping the parents she works and if it doesn't, bitch,
I'll shake it off and do it again. Um. So
everything my mom I wouldn't do, Like everything, I just
watched her be. She's so great, She's strong, she had
ten thousand jobs. She was the greatest mom ever, but
she didn't. She was afraid to jump out that window
(20:27):
for everything. She was an excellent salsa dancer, she has trophies,
she competed, but she had kids, and there were so
many things that she She's always like, well I could have,
but you know, and she's happy. But and I don't
want to. But you know everything you guys didn't do that,
go ahead and do it so that I think that's
what motivates me. I, um, that's beautiful. I I can't.
I don't like the word no. I'm gonna just you know,
(20:48):
I'm gonna figure it out. And you always do. And
I think that, Um, that's a perfect example of the
drive because as a parent, you always want your children
learned to do better than you, and so in some way,
what you are creating and doing is such an inspiration
to her. I feel like that because my mom I
(21:09):
found out years ago she wanted to be an actress
and she didn't even tell me. It was like her
fifty something class reunion and um they showed a video
and my mother was on the video saying, UM, I
wanted to be an actress. And I was like what what?
Look at that? So when you learn things like that,
because it was it was about the courage she didn't
(21:31):
and then there was no one that looked like her
on TV, so she didn't think that that. See, that's
another thing, like I I watched my mom and I
know that, Um, I just watched her. I'm the oldest.
I just watched how she wanted to do a thousand
other things but didn't. But the fact that I didn't
know as a kid that I could be CEO, CFO
of anything. The fact that I was told that I
(21:52):
she couldn't afford me going to Columbia so college. So
she's like, you can't go to NY you can't go Columbia.
You pay, I can't afford it. You know. It was
always playing it safe. She's just a single MoMA. Lets
play it safe. I'm like, fun this let's get these loans.
I like that other day, I was like, and she
is a graduate. I am a graduate. I am a graduate.
I had to because she don't beat that as so
I have a have a college degree in criminal justice,
(22:14):
right she does. She just always kind of like kind
of played it safe. And and so I think, out
of the three girls, I just don't play ship safe.
I don't. I don't, and everybody thinks I'm crazy. At home,
They're like, so you're gonna, I'm where are you today?
And I'm like, I am and place you can't. I
can't pronounce it, you know, like I'm doing different things.
So that's why I test the waters with everything. Like
(22:36):
you know, I never knew. I man, I don't even
know how. That's why there is a safety that's always
there to catch you because you take the chance you take. Yeah,
and I just made all my safety net now crazy.
But it was just that I had when I mean,
that was a plank. Yes you do, Yes, you want
(22:59):
to have to start in this piece yet listen and
let me tell you. I remember our conversation with when
I first met you and you said you had to
go to college. You did that for your idea did it?
People don't know that side of you, you know, criminal
(23:20):
justice like you. Yes, she was and she knows her stuff,
so don't play around, all right, she could definitely do
that Criminal Justice TV show though she knows the verbitch
and all of that. You could use it was not
were gon use that, especially for this upcoming citrition. Um Man,
(23:45):
I'm so excited, like this energy is amazing. UM I
want you to. I always asked my guests to drop
some pearls, some diamonds on these young Thespians who are
out here. Um, there's a generation where the work ethic
is in question. Every single casting director I've had in
here has talked about the work ethic of an actor.
(24:06):
What is you know to achieve the success and to
be as driven as you are? What are some of
the things that people need? Assistency, You have to be consistent.
Never um, never think that, because we live in a
microwavable society today where you know, you put you put
the right clip out on social media and you go
viral and you make some money. You're like you made it.
(24:27):
You never you never stop you never stop learning, You
never you know you made it for that moment You're
only as good as the last thing that you did,
So you constantly have to put in the work, and
it takes consistency um and just paying attention um and
and doing the work. It's I think that it's easier.
It's it feels like, you know, you have a song,
you have, you have this one clip you put out
(24:49):
and and you're an amazing you know, you're funny on
that clip, and so now you're a comedian. No, you're
you're not on the comedian. You know. That doesn't mean
you can stand on stage and make people laugh. You know,
I've heard comedians have this, you know, have this issue
with Okay, I've been doing so well on social media,
making so much money, but when it comes to getting
on stage, which is the purest form of acting, you
(25:09):
can't do it. You can't because it takes work. It
takes it takes people like Tracy to come along and
help you along the right. You know, it takes. It
takes work. I think that because that's the reason why
people are so being lazy. They're lazy. Now it's just like, oh,
I could just do this and blow up mom. All
I need to do is get this YouTube clip now,
you've got the TikTok, whatever's popping when everybody jumps on
the next new thing. But you can't forget to do
(25:31):
the work because the word creates longevity absolutely and only
the real will prevail. This is true. We're not we're
gonna We're gonna move along because I feel like we
could talk about other things and that, um, in terms
of your future and what is that ideal role for you?
(25:52):
Oh wow, something that tests me, something and expected. Um, yeah,
I need I need Viola Davis to me. You know
what I'm saying. Like every time I screen, I'm like,
oh my god, take it the church. Yes, So I
need something to take me there, um where people forget
that that's to hear me on screen. Yeah. So I
(26:13):
don't know what that role particularly would be, but it
would have to be something so moving that it's over
and you're still stuck there, like dang, she kill that. Yeah,
And I always call that a Viola Davis. She always
takes me there. I watched her forget. I'm just I'm
crying with her. She Um. I did a years ago. Um,
(26:34):
there was a play called Intimate Apparels and it was
on Broadway. Russell Hornsby was the lead. She was it
was Russell Hornsby, Lauren Vlez and then Viola Um. No
one really knew who she was. She had just done um,
the Antoine Fisher story. I used to go to rehearsal
(26:54):
and I would break down and cry like and I was.
I would sit in the audience and and I would
say that one right there, like I'm telling you on
everything that I am, she was brilliant, brilliant. And then
about you, like just watching her, you just got you
get goose bumps. You're like this whole character. And when
you think about the challenges that she, you know, on
(27:17):
her journey being a dark skinned African American woman, and
you know, as a casting director, I know, when you
know I came into the business, everything was Hallie Berry.
Directors would say, give me a Hallie Berry type, give
me a Hallie Berry type. And I would be like,
I would be like, well, you know, there's other hues.
But now we're living in the age which is great
(27:38):
ectically ambiguous, which you would fall into. Okay, So that
broadens the scope for you, right, And they're just so
many more opportunities with the Apple TVs and the Netflix
and stuff. So all we need when we talk about um,
you know, the tools and things, we just need a
great agent, yes, yes, great agent absolutely, and that agent
(28:01):
will procure the work and then you'll go and you'll
book the work. All right. So that's the deal right now,
because now that we were united for a reason and
I'm let's working into here. It's always good, Tracy. I mean,
just on the side, We're gonna keep it on a
(28:22):
low low. But this is the deal. It's like I
always remember this every single time we would work together,
but there was always this really emotional moment with us.
I don't know what we would talk about, and then
I would leave you like no, because I would be
crying with you too. And I just felt like when
(28:44):
I came here, I was like, alright, I don't know
if this is gonna be emotional because I started well
enough when I was thinking about being on set. And
how you know, we were together like sixteen hours, you guys,
like it was we I went home at like two
or three o'clock in the morning, and we were together
a whole time. And you know this, it was a process.
And as an acting coach, I'm there to support you
(29:07):
on the work. But I also am concerned about your
morale and I hate night. Shoot, I'm gonna be honest
and no, unless I'm directing, then I won't mind. We
give you all night. So, um, this saddens me because
I have to end this show, but I won't end
(29:28):
this friendship never. It's just the end for you, and
it's just reuniting for us. Oh man, my soul sister said,
So okay, before we end, Before we end, ladies and gentlemen,
I'm gonna ask to hear you to give us a
couple more tidbits, just some listen, drop it on them.
(29:49):
This generation work ethic things of what do they need.
Preparation is key, consistency and um, you know, just doing
the research. Man, you need to do the research. You
need to do the research. You need to understand what
your brand is, what you're selling what I mean, you
know what the script is it? For your agent, you
(30:10):
need to kind of connect. You need to do your homework. Yes,
most importantly and especially people need to do their homework
and do their due diligence on people in the industry.
You can't I mean, listen, you don't trust everybody, but
you don't take everything face exactly, especially now with how
social media is, everything is everywhere and everybody's doing something
(30:31):
exactly what are you really doing something? I need to
see a resume and I need references, you need I
always tell people, I mean, I'm blessed to have the reputation,
but talk to people. You know, the industry is large,
which is really not so once you know that one person,
that person can kind of, you know, send you just
the right directions or tell you you know, we've never
(30:52):
heard of this individual, or you know, you need to
set a great reputation for yourself as well. Because it's small.
It's really not that big. It really is. And I
just want to say to you have a weekly platform
that you have no idea who's watching. Right, So this
is a just a quick story. Um. I was speaking
to this director yesterday because I also coached Tyranne on
(31:13):
Growing Up hip Hop and um. Before he got to
the session, UM, the director was like, you know, I've
been watching Growing Up hip Hop and I think Tyranne
and um uh Angela Simmons, he said, are the breakout stars.
We have a commercial every that once a week, everybody's watching.
(31:33):
Take advantage of that platform because I'm gonna tell you
we here at the Spirited Actor Podcast. We love you,
so we're gonna have to wrap it up. I want
to thank our guest and my wonderful friend to Hearr Jose.
Thank you for blessing us with your knowledge, your insight,
your inspiration and her love. Thank you so much. Yeah
(31:54):
she is. We're gonna do a part two. This is
what we do here at the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore. I love you, Tracy, I love you.
Do they Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore. And we are at one of my
favorite segments, class in session, and I have two of
(32:14):
my favorite favorite actors, Spirited Actor alumni. Introduce yourselves, starting
with you. I'm JULIUSA. Capri and my name's Alfonso Walker Jr.
Oh he put a little bass in that, all right, Alfonso. Um,
you guys are in for a treat. And I have
to say we have a cameo appearance. This is rare,
(32:35):
so sit back and take in this moment. My producer
Spruce Henry. Hello, I'm Spruce Henry. I'm an Aries and
my safe word is slithering, okay, hell slithering heights. So
(32:57):
for those of you who have just two did too
this class in session, we're about to do a scene
and um, so those of you who don't know how
we play this game, I will read all of the
slug lines and the action and um, after the actors
have finished the first read, then we'll make some adjustments
and then we'll come back and read it again. Are
(33:19):
you guys ready? Okay? So um, everyone knows their role? Yes, okay,
here we go. All right? Interior examine room day quiet,
sterile room. Patients sits nervously on the edge of the
examination table, listening to Dr Bridge. The test results were
(33:40):
not conclusive, and I want to run some other tests
for more clarity. I consulted with my team, and there's
a new doctor coming to our hospital that specializes in
this type of cancer. If that is what we conclude
in your opinion, do you think I have cancer? I
honestly don't like to speculate until we have all the
Sultan I will say that whatever your religious belief is,
(34:05):
that you should stay in that mindset. I have witness miracles. Well,
that's why I was referred to you. My cousin said
she never met a doctor like you. Your cousin was
one of those miracles. Doctor Bridge looks at her watch.
The doctor will be joining us if you have any
other questions. The door abruptly opens and Dr Smith peeks in. Hello.
(34:29):
Doctor Bridge recognizes the voice Eric. Doctor Smith walks in.
He's taken aback by Dr Bridges presence. Wow, they didn't
tell me you what the doctor trust me. I didn't
get the memo either, Height, how have you been? The
patient sits in the middle of this awkward ping pong
(34:49):
Matt Chicago. I tried to convince you to leave when
we'm engaged. Doctor Bridge tries to disguise her pain. You
made a commitment. I don't mean to make this reunion,
of course, how um professional? I apologize. This is not
the introduction I wanted. I'm Dr Smith. How are you
feeling anxious? I want to know? Am I you know
(35:13):
I'm I gonna be okay. Dr Smith opens the folder.
I suggest an aggressive form of chemo that will attack
this cancer. With all due respect, Eric, I mean Dr Smith.
Shouldn't we wait for the results of the new test first.
I like to get ahead of the game. If the
tests confirmed what we see, then we have a plan.
Tension bills with Dr Bridge. Yes, I understand. However, I'd
(35:34):
like to wait till for the results that we get
before we get ahead of ourselves with the patient. I
assume she spoke to you about miracles, and it's how
I got here. Most doctors lack compassion. I agree. M Well,
I can see I'm outnumbered here. We'll get the test
(35:55):
set up and we will know the results in a
couple of days. Dr Smith heads for the door. Try
to relax, and let's expect a miracle. Yes, let's do that.
He leaves, and why did you too? Break up? Dr
Bridge still looking at the door. He didn't believe in
miracles and seeing Wow, wonderful you guys. Oh my god, Spruce,
(36:22):
I loved this, Spruce, I love the patient. Oh yeah,
I was. I was like, well, it sounded like a
perfect Actors. That wasn't a burp, that was just a
technical thing. Okay, So I'm gonna give them a couple
of notes. Okay, So um, Dr Bridge, UM, let's just
(36:43):
because this is really important. Actors. When you guys are
going over your sides, which are pages of a script,
they're not slides, their sides. Um, why are you so angry?
I want you to just be specific on why what
was that one thing that pushed you to break up
with him? Because I feel like you broke up with him, okay? Um?
(37:05):
And then Dr Smith, you seem a little angry. Um,
are you you're engaged? Are you happily engaged? Oh? Okay,
all right, so that's the choice that you're making. Are
you still in love with her? Okay? So let's see
a little more of that, um. And and and the
(37:28):
conflict should be you trying to disguise that because again,
she broke up with you, so she doesn't know that
you still have these residual feelings for her. Right, and
then your anger is I mean first you tried to
get him to come to Chicago, I mean leave Chicago. No,
and then you wanted a commitment no. So now he's
left Chicago and he's engaged with someone else. Okay. UM,
(37:50):
let's just feel a little of your pain and you guys, Um,
I want you to just tighten up the adjustment when
you're being very unprofessed and in front of this patient,
and and the patient is being patient. Um. But I
think that when you say spruce to her, when you're like,
you know you guys, I don't mean to break up,
like I want you to be a little more sarcastic
(38:11):
with them because you know they've really just you're invisible
as soon as he walks in, and you know, before
he came in, you were the star of the moment.
So um, those would be my adjustments. Just and the
more specific you guys are with the information, the more
weight these lines are going to have. And then also
in real life, our inner voice is working, so your
(38:32):
inner voice needs to work with these characters as well. Okay,
so we're gonna do it again, ladies and gentlemen, but
without the action, so you guys are just gonna read. Okay,
so I'll just call it for you guys. You guys ready, excellent, Okay,
here we go and action. The results were not conclusive,
and I want to run some other tests for more clarity.
(38:53):
Consulted with my team, and there's a new doctor coming
to our hospital that specialized in this type of cancer.
If that is what we conclude in your opinion, do
you think I have cancer? I honestly don't like to speculate.
I mean, until the results are in, I will say
that whatever your religious belief is, that you're stay in
(39:16):
that mindset. I mean I have witnessed miracles. That's why
I was referred to you. My cousin said she never
met a doctor like you. Your cousin was one of
those miracles. The doctor will be joining us a few
for any other questions that you may have. Hello, Mann,
come in, Eric, Monica. Well, I didn't tell me you
(39:41):
were the doctor who trust me. I didn't get the
memo either. How have you been I finally left Chicago.
H see, I tried to convince you to leave when
we were I'm engaged. Huh, you made a commit man.
(40:01):
I don't mean to break up this reunion. I'm sorry. Professional. Uh,
this is not the introduction I wanted. I'm Dr Smith.
How are you feeling anxious? I just want to know
you know? Am I gonna be okay? I suggested an
aggressive form of chemo that will attack this form of cancer.
(40:22):
With all due respect, Eric, I mean, Dr Smith. Shouldn't
we wait for the results of the new test first.
I'd like to be ahead of the game with the test,
confirm what we see, then we have a plan. Yes,
I understand. However, I like to wait for the results
before we get ahead of ourselves with the patients. All right,
so she spoke to you about miracles. Yeah, that's how
(40:43):
I got here. Next, the most doctors lack compassion. Hum, well,
I can see I'm out number here. I will get
the test set up and we'll know the results in
a couple of days. Try to react. Okay, let's expect
a miracle. Yes, hm, let's let's do that. Yeah, did
(41:11):
you too break up? He didn't believe in miracles and
seen greater ajustments? Great job, you guys. There was a
difference in the ending, right because of you being a
little more sensitive. Um. The great part about that was
(41:33):
that it allowed you to almost back her up with
the miracles, because it was like you sort of retreated
in this. Well, let's just expect miracles and then her,
to her surprise, what you believe in miracles? Now? I
mean he's changed, so you know, and engaged. Sorry, but
well but you're not married. And the sequel continues. A
(41:58):
ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for spirited actor
alumni Albonzo to Lisa and my producer, Spruce Henry. All right,
all right, thank you. That ends class in session and
we'll be back for give love and now It's time
to give love. We have suffered as a country, as
(42:23):
a nation, and as a world, a tremendous loss. Kobe Bryant,
his thirteen year old daughter g G. Bryant, and other
people have perished in a helicopter crash. I want to
talk about how life is short, and how life is fleeting,
(42:45):
and how when we spend time on things that are
so trivial and they don't move our lives forward, we
stay stuck, or we're miserable, or we're fearing feeling hopeless.
There's always someone that is in more pain than you are.
(43:06):
And I can't imagine the pain in which all of
these families are enduring right now. I can only say
that through prayer and through love of family and friends
and time, things heal. We don't forget, but we heal.
I can honestly say that the worst phone call that
(43:29):
you could ever get, and I have experienced this myself,
when someone calls and says, get to the hospital. Your
son is in extreme critical condition, and we're not asking
you to run red lights, but we're asking you to
get here immediately. When I got to the hospital, the
first thing I did was pray over my son and
(43:52):
I asked God one time to heal and take care
of my son. The thing that was the blessing. And
I know you're saying, well, what's a blessing in that? Well,
before my son left, our last words were I love you, Mom,
I love you Miles. And that's what kept my strength,
(44:13):
that's what held my faith together, and that's what held
the knowing nous that everything was going to be okay.
Life is short. Embrace it, love it, love your family,
love your friends, love your present moment, because you never
(44:33):
know when that phone could ring, which is something I
would never wish on anyone. But stay present in every moment,
knowing and living life to the fullest. One of the
things that I say before I go to bed at
night is that I want to know that today I
(44:55):
lived to the point of tears, lived to the point
of tears. Thank you for joining us on the Spirited
Actor podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward to
our next Spirited podcast. Thank you
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