July 30, 2026 • 36 mins
Laila Odom Talks Doing The Cancer Scene In ‘Zatima’ In 1 Take! And Reflects On Owning Property & A Squatter Using It To Create OF Content
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
It's way up with Angela Yee and special guests joining us,
and you're all over.
Speaker 3 (00:04):
The TVs right now.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I mean the final season of The Shy, which everybody
has been celebrating the run that that show had and
the impact that it had. And then you're also starring
on Zatima with quite the storyline this season.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
So you look healthy.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
I should be just thinking about Connie from watching you
on Zatima. Just such a really powerful storyline that you
have on that show. First we met you as Zach's
ex girlfriend, but now we know there's a secret that
you've been hiding from everybody. So can we talk about
that and what that was like for you?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
We can definitely talk about that. I think that me
coming on the first season. My first season was actually
the second season, so I come on, She's like this funny,
brash girl, and there's already funny girls on the show,
so it's like, well, maybe that's not what she should do.
So they introduced this whole idea of me having cancer.
(01:05):
And as I'm reading, because we get the scripts like
relatively close to when we shoot, I'm in my girlfriend's room.
And when I say room, her hospital room and she
just found out that she had stage two or three
colon cancer. And at that time she was working for
b Et. So imagine, I'm on a be Et show.
This is happening. All of these things are just happening.
(01:28):
So I go we shoot that scene. So the scene
that everybody really sees is the one where I'm crying
telling Tony about me having cancer and I'm like, look
out for my kids. That was a one take.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Wow. Yeah, I dropped.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
In because it's like I understood what was happening. I
have a friend, a very close friend, and she's going
through that, and like we're having those uncomfortable conversations of
like look after my son, like look after and I'm single,
I don't have any kids, so it's like, okay, you
know what I mean. Like it's not an easy conversation.
(02:06):
And I think that after it aired, I got so
many messages of people like that happened to my mother,
that happened to me and my sister. I just think
that we need to bring more awareness to breast cancer
in the black and brown communities, in all communities, but
especially for women that might not know.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
And one thing. Another scene that I found to be powerful.
There was another woman while you were in the hospital
and you were telling her that.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
You really didn't want to tell anybody.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
You had only told one person because you're just trying
to handle things on your own. And I think for
a lot of people who are going through that, it's
a secret they don't want people to know. And in
a way, it is your right to do that, but
I want to I want to explore what you learned
from doing that scene. Playing the character of Connie who
(02:55):
finds out she's going through chemo, she has cancer. You're
trying to handle it on your own, and a lot.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Of things happen. You got to watch the show if
you having to have to watch lots of things.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, but just.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Making people reflect and think about, you know, when you're
going through something and not telling anybody and kind of
carrying that yourself, what that means for other people.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
So this is the thing when when we keep it
all to ourselves, no one can help us. And I
think that as women so much were like, no I
can I can do it. I got it by myself. No,
we don't. We need help, And it's okay to say
I need help. It's okay to tell your village that
you need help because we stand for everyone else, so
(03:38):
we got to stand for ourselves too, and people have
to support us. So I feel like it was really
important for that scene to be in there so people
can really understand that you need help as much as it's.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
People to help you.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yeah, And that's the thing, because imagine how upset you
would be to know that somebody's been dealing with something
and you would have loved to be there for them,
and you can't.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
After that happens, you can't get that time back. There's
nothing you can do.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Like, why didn't you let me know?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I would because I think we also take for granted
that we try to do things that our own and
I think that's a black women, strong black women thing
that we do where I just don't want to tell
anybody I can handle it myself. I'm superwoman. I'm juggling
these things. I feel like, out of anybody, we're the
ones that are always feeling.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Like and we're taught that.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
If I taught that, you gotta hold it down right.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I look at my mother, I look at my grandmother,
a very strong woman. I love them, but at the
same time. I don't want that. I don't want everything
to be on me right. I really know how to
treat myself. I know how to relax, Like I have
a class when I'm in LA when I take yoga
on Sunday, like just things for me that I need
(04:50):
to pour back into myself. If we don't do that,
then you're gonna burn yourself out, and then who can
you really help if you're burnt out? And this job,
this line of work that you're in is not easy either,
No it is not. But it's like you have to
do things for yourself. You have to take care of yourself.
Sometimes I look at people, I'm like, I'm not drinking
(05:10):
liquor every night. I'm not you know what I'm saying,
I'm not smoking. I'm just taking care of myself. And
that's something that that came over time. And that's the
only way I feel like I could really pour into
you is if i'm my best.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You're a pescatarian too, correct.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
So like sometimes because I know somebody's gonna try and
be like what I saw you but in Atlanta never,
Oh that was that was shady? Okay, I did I did?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That was back up because I feel like at one
point you had a squatter. Come on, Angela, got more
about this Atlanta squatter story, because baby, that is a fair.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yes it was. So. I had bought my first condo
in Atlanta, East Atlanta, and I've rented it because I
wasn't like, I don't really want to like live there,
so I hit it. I'm still living in Laka, but
I'm in Atlanta shooting. We're shooting season maybe four or three.
She stopped paying the rent. She stopped answering my calls.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Happened to me.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, so I'm going like I'm going to because you
have to get a sheriff to come and put them out.
It was it was basically an AIRBNBI furnished it. I'm
still looking for her because she owe me money. I'm
still still money. Yeah, so the sheriff comes, I'm taping
it on my phone. I put it on my Instagram
because I didn't want that to happen to anybody else, right,
(06:32):
But now the studio I had to work that day,
so I had to kick her out and beat her
work by five period. They Yeah, let me ask you
what so she just thought she could just Sometimes I
feel like when people think they know what you do,
or like, oh I saw you on TV. Yeah, I
(06:53):
still need my money, right, I mean rent?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Like And the other thing is that I think you
if if you're doing you can communicate, like if you
had fallen on some hard times. Look, I had a
condo that I rented out and the woman's husband died
in a freak accident. And she told me, and I said, look,
that was awful, Like, let me give you a break.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I lowered the rent. I didn't make her pay for it.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I gave her back her deposit because you just communicate,
I mean her, I mean, that's tragic, and I know,
and she didn't pay the you know, and I just
felt she was like, you know, I can't really afford
this on my own, and I don't want to move
at this moment because this just happened. And I was like, okay,
you know, because that's awful, Like you want to be.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
You want to be sens communicate, don't be like I'm
not paying.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
So she wasn't paying, so we found out, or I
found out when the sheriffs came. She was doing only
fans in my house, so she had money, and she
gets into it.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Everybody who do only fans ain't got money.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Lets listen enough to subscribe to listen? I probably, but
she did not pay. She didn't pay for a year.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
That's wild and so and it's hard to get that money,
Like it's hard to get somebody to pay, you know,
with the year.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah, so I had to just eat that and I
was like, never again.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, but better things come along, that's right, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
But I will never no condos, no town homes ever.
I will never do that because the hua still want
they money.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah you still pay. Yeah, okay, so never for that.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Atlanta like, y'all cool, but nah, like like I'm good.
I don't want to.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
One experience make it feel like it's all it has.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It has, But I like.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I like Atlanta, but I like like when I'm there
for work or for a short period of.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Time, eat and the grill. Shout out to Melissa.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I'm Melissa, we love you. Yeah, I really want I'd like.
I like it there, but being single, no children, I
don't think it's the place for me.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Oh yeah, I heard that's tough in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Yeah, and we know why I did that.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Single by choice or yes, sorry, I just want to
make sure not on the.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Apps and nothing.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
I mean, I have been, but I'm not on Have
you ever had a good match on an app? For sure?
For sure hit the jets right like, But that was
I feel like that was a little while ago. It
was the days of Raya always on Riyoso. Everybody Rya
right now, I'm not, but but y'all are. But I
(09:25):
just that's when Rya was like having the club in
your pocket. It was the greatest best thing. But not anymore,
but just before and after you were Pepper in the
It was before. It was before and then after. I
was like, let me yeah, but it was. I really
liked the app. It was international.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
So did you say any white guys on air?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
I did not.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Okay, I don't think.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I don't think the white guys be really interested.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
In Somebody told me that that on Raya.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Oh yeah yeah, I mean that's the main source, are
the white guys. But I don't think white guys really
checked for me. I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Well after this man you said you know.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
But so I want to ask you about because Sultin
Pepa was one of my favorite groups ever, right and
so watching that story and seeing you play Peppa, I
gotta ask you what that experience was it?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Like, were you fans of Salwn Pepper before that?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
What did you learn?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Like that's fascinating to.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Me, So Salmn Pepa. That experience like completely changed the
like the direction of my career. I had a great
co star, Gigi Townsend, she played song. We had such
a great chemistry. We shot up in Toronto. It was amazing.
Now I have an older sister, so I wasn't as well,
(10:49):
like knowing certain music, but we had to get into
the music. Mario van Peebles, he was the director nice.
So it was like a dream come true. Now I'm
gonna share something with you that people don't know. So
I'm close with Withodi McLean, who played Bobby Brown. So
I was on set during new audition and the writer
at Duel, Hey I do. He wrote a new edition
(11:12):
and Salt and Pepper, And I remember being on set like, Yo,
that's so dope. You get right? You can you can
rap you singing, you acting? I would love to do that.
And literally three years.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Later, Wow, yeah, that's Sometimes you got to put it
out there.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Sometimes you gotta, but you gotta put out what you want.
You can't put out like, oh I'm not booking. I'm
at this, that's right.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's the way that you approach things and how you
manifest things exactly.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
But you're positive you can't because if you're like, yo,
I'm broke, all the universe here is is I'm broke,
So it just sends you more brokeness But you have
to almost be crazy, Like I say it all the time.
I say it to my mom. She's sick of it
now because I'm like, I'm rich. She's like you, I'm like,
I'm giving.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
It is giving rich, But I just.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
You know what I'm saying. I feel like it's so
important to put out what you want people to know
about you. At the same time, I'm not a fan
of like showing the world or showing Instagram what I'm
doing every five minutes, So I think it's like you
better learn like something in the middle.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I think you know what it is.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
It's in real life doing what you need to do,
and when it's completed, then you can then you can
share it with you then you can share.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
But I think premature, like, don't premature share something because
sometimes not everybody wants what you want for yourself.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, you're right about that. I know there's definitely. I
think as you're getting more and more successful, people are
you know, they love you when you down, but when
you get up they want to drag it down.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
And then that's a fact. But like even I don't
even want to think about that part. I just want
to think like when I meet people or when I
see somebody, I don't have negative encounters, Like people really
show love. So I really focused on that. I don't
focus on like I don't be like, oh the haters,
like everybody's people say.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I've never heard anybody say anything bad about you. People
are like, she's so cool, You're gonna have so much
bend talking to her.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
See, I just feel like I'm honest and I'm gonna
like just tell you how I really feel.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Okay, well, let's have an honest moment.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Let's have one.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So Connie's character right on, Zatima, is it wild to
be staying at your ex's house with his new pregnant woman?
You do in real life? Could you see yourself being
with a man pregnant?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Right, and then saying you ex could come stay on
the couch.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I mean, she got to have her own bedroom. She
has to have like an in law suite.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
But like they eventually got her. You know, I would
have done that for the beginning. I would have said, Okay, listen,
because how do you feel about somebody your dating being
really close with their ex.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Let me tell you something. We got to have a
talk about that, Like we have to because not everybody
is over their ex and not to be insecure. But
at the same time, it's like, I don't know what
you're doing. So if I don't know and I don't
know that person your ex, You're nah, it's not gonna
be no sleepovers. It's not there's no moving in.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
What have your passed? Like, what is the most serious
relationship you've ever had?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Oh? I really haven't been in that many relationships.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
But what is it one that you would say this
was the most serious? Like how long did that last?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Last?
Speaker 1 (14:43):
A few years? He was an actor, Okay, we met
at work, Okay, you're waiting something together, Okay, we were
pasting okay. But then after the experience, I was like, ye'ah,
never do that again.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Like date someone you are working with or date another
actor like both.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
At the time, I was like, I don't never want
an actor and I never want somebody I've worked.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
With why because it's hard.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
And it's like you really gotta be as secure as
you can be because like that guy, he was very
friendly and at that time, I'm young. I'm like young,
so like, you know, you can't be like I'm a
smack her. I'm tired, and you can't smack everybody, so
can I just felt like it was a good relationship.
(15:34):
I learned a lot from him, and then after that,
I just I took a break, had an end.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
What'd you do?
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Not me? But I think that for him, his career
was number one. Okay, I wasn't number one, which is
fine because once you know that about somebody, then you
can move forward with like what you.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Plan to do is your career number one?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
It is?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I mean, I mean, but you need somebody that is
going to be supportive of what you're doing and understand
and want to like push you forward. Sometimes that is
another actor though you know, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Sometimes it is another actor, like like we got to
see I don't know, but what I but what I
do know is that it's got to be peaceful, it's
got to be healthy. We got to be on the
same page, and like that page is I don't think
I want to post him. I don't think I want
to share the relationship with people. I don't think I
(16:39):
want to do that at all. I think I want
to wait, like let's get married.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Like pop out married and let's pop out married. But
like Taylor Brooks one day, she just had a wedding.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Yeah, like, what's up y'all coming? I don't, I don't think,
you know, I don't. I don't think that I want
to share that because I think people have opinion and
that affects the relationships. So I don't. I don't want
to do it.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Would you google him? What you mean like if you
know the first day?
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, I'm safe. Yeah, I'm definitely googling.
I'm definitely taking a picture of the license sending it
to my homegirl like where I'm still very much so
doing that. But like right now, I think, I like,
stop seeing American guys.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
American country? Are we on?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I mean I was open. I mean they were overseas.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
But like overseas where I need a country or London?
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Okayis right? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Like Okay, the blokes, Yeah, it was just.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
It was different because the American guys were not like all,
let me out here roam and just be single this long, like, oh,
let me take my show on the road. So I
took to like Nigeria too. Maybe I've been to Ghana. Okay, Ghana,
went to Ghana?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
How was that?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah, it wasn't really feeling me. I don't believe this
and everything.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
How do you know someone's like I don't even understand
what that means because I can't fathom you being out
there and you're single, dumb and nobody's feeling you.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
So I went for Ditsy December, so I go.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Right.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
We had just wrapped the season of Zatima. So I
fly from Atlanta to a cry, which is Ghana, and
I just didn't feel the love, you know how Like
everyone's like when you get to Africa, you're gonna cry
and you're gonna feel and I was like it's gonna come.
It didn't come, and then I was like out and about.
I just felt like nobody was.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Really feeling me, Like maybe you're intimidating.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I don't want to hear that, Like you don't think
that no, cause I feel like I'm too down to
earth and cool for someone to be intimidated. Like, if
you're intimidated, I don't think you're a person.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
I'm thinking, Dan, I sent you this post because when
I see stuff like certain things online, you know how
people be putting up all these like we call it
gurus of the ground. Yes, everybody got their own little
expertise and something else.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
I want to because one guy, one woman did this post.
I want to see what you think about this. Hold on,
let me pull it up, all right, she said, hold on.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Basically, she was saying she was a red flag to
a guy because he said she was too friendly. She
knew everybody on the block and she said hi to everybody.
And he was like, that's too much for me. Somebody
that a woman thats too friendly and he felt like
she was too accessible.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Okay, I get that, but you do I was like, what, No,
I get it, because sometimes there is something when you
know everybody, it's like, well, how do you know everybody? Like?
How do you know them? Let's be like, let's be clear.
For what if you're in entertainment, you do know a
lot of people, but how we're gonna speak to you? Yeah,
(19:58):
but how do you know them? Is it like? Homegirl?
Are like, no, we used to mess around. No, granted,
like it's been times like gonna You're gonna fall for
somebody in your work. That's normal. So I don't I
think he's insecure or maybe you should find somebody like
closer to what you do.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
She was like, I didn't know that was a red flag.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
It shouldn't be not at all.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Oh, here it is, I said.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I texted my exody after he has ghosted me for
over a year, and he finally told me the reason
he did that. I never knew this could be a
red flag, though, and he said, the thing is, you
know almost everyone in the neighborhood. The first time I
followed you to your house, you were relating with everyone
in the area. If I'm not exaggerating, you greeted about
fifteen people from the junction to your house, and I'm
not comfortable with that. It's given a vibe like you
(20:41):
are too accessible. I want me a woman that frowns
all over the city.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Yeah, I mean I frowned a lot, But I do
I have like a like I feel like I.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Have bitch face.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
I have Ain't nobody approached you in a crowd, No, no, No,
it's like.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
You're frowning all over the city.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
No, if you see me in the gym, I'm smiling.
If you see me after yoga, I'm smiling. If you
see me at the grove, like I have a because
like I'm pleasant. But I feel like I left LA.
Let me be honest. I left LA and I left
LA because I felt like I had outgrown La. La
is like Peter Pan. So once you're over twenty five,
y like old ass, like hold on. So I left,
(21:23):
I came back. I'm looking for a place in New
York because we love that. Yeah, I have my real
estate license, I do, but I really, but this is
the thing I want, like a furnished rental.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Okay, that's easy short term.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Because I don't know if I'm gonna be. I don't
know where I'm gonna be. I came to up someplace back.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Overseas, London, Paris, anywhere. Literally, when did people first start
recognizing you? Do you remember from from your work?
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I mean, let's take it back. I used to be
on Vine back in the day, like super back in
the day. So from that I felt like people would
be like, are.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
You girl from Bye created a lot of stuff?
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Yo, it did, So that was like the first time
I somebody would ask and then I think I had
I have my own show on Bounce and Bounce. It
was like m m hey Bentley, Hey, everybody had bounced,
but it was yeah, it was maas small, so maybe
one person would say something. But once Connie got into
(22:23):
that second third season, like, that's when it got real.
If I'm in Atlanta, always gonna happen?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Do you enjoy having rules but you're not glamorous?
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Of course, I like I love it because then it
just feels more grounded, more real than like you're super
glam You're like, that's not real. We just talked about
we both like sweatpants. So if I like sweatpants, like
I could play a character like that, or I can
play something that is glamorous, but it doesn't have to
be exactly who I am, because if it's who I am,
(22:54):
then I'm not acting right.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
So, although some people say it's hard to act as
something that you really relate to, I've heard that.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I don't know. I don't know if I agree with that.
I feel like, if you're playing something that you're familiar with,
where's the stretch? Like I like to see actors really
push themselves to a limit and play something different. So
sometimes if it's too comfortable, like you start to give
the same performance.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Right right, you know.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
So, I mean there's plenty of actors that people like
to give the same performance. I'm just not a fan
of it.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Where were you when you found out you got a
role in the final season of The Shy.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Oh my god. I was back by that time. I
was here in New York and I remember the call
because my manager at the time was like, Hey, I
want to talk to you. I'm like, okay, I'm like,
what's up. Because I hadn't worked in like a year?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Wow? Really yeah, well.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Maybe maybe nine months, but it felt like a year.
And thank you lean Away. She gave me an opportunity
and I went on the show. I'm playing Jordan, and
it was just a great experience to be on a
show that has so much like legendary people on it
(24:08):
storyline and now it's the last season. So I was
really grateful, and I'm just you know, you look for
opportunities like that. I remember one day I talked to
Wendy Roquel Robinson and she I've watched her for years,
you know what I mean, Like, it's to be around
people that can pour into you, and even if they
can't pour, if I just listened, I should be able
(24:30):
to pick something up.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
So yeah, that was That's an amazing part of history.
You know, the shot had such a great run. I
was talking about that earlier eight seasons crazy. Yeah, phenomenal.
And you're also an ambassador for the American Cancer Society,
and I know that work in particular is important and
close to your heart, like we were discussing earlier.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, I think that because I had a friend that
was dealing with the colon cancer, I was able to
become an abassador Because I'm telling you the outpour of
people saying I watched this and I cried and my
mother went through it. I just felt like I have
to do something. I have to have a cause my
(25:11):
grandfather passed away from colon cancer, so it's not too
far from me.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
There is nobody I think that doesn't know somebody who
has had cancer. Like seriously, it's it's insane to me
that this is something that is so prevalent.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
And there's still when you think about Chadwick Boseman, like
do you remember I remember that timeline of how quick
it happened, and I think that if we really pour
into like but it's the food that we eat. It's
it's a lot of factors. But you have to be
educated because if you don't know, yeah, if you don't
know products that we use and when we think about
(25:48):
like our hair products, is a lot of different things.
But if you just like, so, let's be honest. When
you go overseas, the food.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Is very Oh it's fresh.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, there's certain things that we have here they would
never overseas. It's illegal, right, but here we are in
the corner store.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah. But even if you go get like, let's say,
an orange soda here was like orange neon over there,
it's like yellow and it's a smaller portion. It's just
it's just better. Like I had pizza, not even in Italy,
but I've had pizza in Italy amazing. Okay, come on,
that's a flex I mean light, but but yeah, but
(26:25):
I had some pizza in London and I was like,
it felt like God kissed the tomato and put it
in the ground. It was literally the best pizza. So
when I came back here to had.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Like things taste artificial.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
It's hard and I'm like, you know what I'm saying.
I was born and raised on pizza. Hello, Like I
was born in Jersey, like, raised on pizza in the
comeback and be like, yeah, I don't want that pisa
no more.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Listen, I'm you know, I'm from New York, so give
me that greasy but I also know that, yes, you
can't have that every day.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Not every not every day day. But like, give me
my jerk, give me my right rights, give me my cabbage.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
But I saw you were in Jamaica too, celebrating.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Yes, I'm always celebrating, like like I'm always a girl,
was always celebrating, Like I just was in Turks. I
went to Turks by myself. You did, but but but
to be honest, then I flew one of my friends.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Like a guy. Dang, that could be trafficking.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I know no there was right, I sound bad nomall boy,
but like because sometimes people can't get the time off
from work and you're like you want to go someplace
and they.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Like, yeah, oh my gosh, that's so funny. So one
of my best friends in high school, we went to
Bermuda for her birthday.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
We put it in our group chat, like who wants
to go?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Thinking like all our friends, was gonna at least three
or four people. It ended up being just mere right
because no one else came.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Nobody can go or nobody like you, I can get
the time off for the kids.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Here's is expensive to.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Turks super expensive?
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Babe is pricey? Baby? Did you go to the tiki
bar and Noah's ark all of that?
Speaker 1 (28:09):
I went to know what's arc? It was raining, so
I was like, no, it's not, but I went. I got.
I went there, you know, like at the same time,
I understand people go there, but I really wanted to
relax and I really.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Wanted to vacation. Is you like, I gotta like be
out and about all the time for work. I was
trying to open.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Up a bank account there. I wasn't really worried, Like
I wasn't worried about the other things. Let me give
my bank account. But I just, you know, like I
had fun, and I've been a lot of places in
the world. I'm really really blessed to be able to travel.
Been to Ballei, Costa Rica.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
That's where he went on his honeymoon.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Ye.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
People always said you gotta go. He got. He had
Bali belly though.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Oh I heard it at Yeah, I didn't have it,
thank god, but I was doing I was doing yoga there.
I did yoga there. You can only drink bottle water.
I mean, but that's like everywhere you want to do that.
So but I've been so many places. I went to
Dubai by myself.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
I can't believe you travel alone.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Yeah, Like, who am I waiting for? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
It's not even just that, I just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I feel like I've never traveled anywhere by myself, except
if it's like for work to go to like Orlando
or something. You know, but no, you got it, like
the first time I take you alone. The first time
I did it, I went to Bali and I went
to like a yoga retreat so I can like get
it at peace and one with myself. And I did
that and after that because that was the first time,
(29:40):
and my mom was like, are you sure, I'm like, yeah,
I could go anywhere now, and I can make a
friend anywhere I go.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I always meet people.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Have you done ayahuasca or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
I haven't done ayahuasca, but I did do something called buffo,
which is like it's not ayahuasca, but you know it's
it's along the lines. It's a much shorter time, okay,
like ayahuasca is like hour all day. Yeah, and before
was like I did that in Toulon, Okay, and it
was I had a great experience.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Did you go there alone?
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I did?
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Okay. I like that. I admire that.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
And I don't know if I you know, but but
I admire that you can have, you know, the bravery
to do that.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
And I think it is.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
I tried to go on a trip by myself once.
It was only to Miami, and then next thing I know,
my friends are like, I'm coming, I'm crashing in your roller.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Yeah. I don't think I would travel by myself in
the continent is who us? I don't think I would
do that. I want to be overseas, Okay.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Have you ever felt unsafe?
Speaker 1 (30:44):
No, not at all. I was. I was in Colombia.
I was learning to read Spanish and my mom was like, yo, lady,
they might take you. I'm like, I'm safe. My mother
is I'm like, who's gonna take it?
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Take you?
Speaker 1 (30:59):
The minner of this, Who's gonna get me? So I
just remember being there and I always feel safe. I
might not feel safe here like even driving here. I
drove here, a car didn't come get me. Thanks guys,
you drove here and you paid to park. I did
do a go fundme from my parking, like in New
(31:20):
York is crazy, No, it's it's crazy. But you also
have to understand I've been in LA for so long,
so I'm always good.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
From Jersey, it's no thing to drive to New York.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, but still, like, I don't really want to do it.
But let me tell you, I'm going to turn on
the red light and then I'm just gonna be like.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
I'm saying, I'm from Jersey.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
New York is like the only place you can turn
right on rest.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
It's crazy.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
I'm turning and in some places you could turn left
from a one way to a one way, which was
shocking to me.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Listen, learn all the different rules.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
But that's the thing. I have my car here, so
I want to drive. I'm not ready. I can't get
on the train. It's hard, and I don't want to.
I just don't want to be around people. I don't
like how people smell, so like, I don't like people's breath.
So once I get like, I just think me being
in the car is the best thing.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
So I can't wait to see who you end up with.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Me too, me too. You better be strong, be strong,
I don't know, hopefully somebody, hopefully soon because I'm ready
to be a mom.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
Oh okay, I love that. All right, Well, we just
put that in the atmosphere.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
I feel like once you put things out there like
it comes, you gotta.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Speak it comes. Now.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
I do have to ask you lastly, do you have
anything else that you're working on that we should know about,
because I want to make sure you know.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
I mean, it's been a tremendous year.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
For you, it has. Thank you. I'm so blessed to
be able to say that as an actor. To be
on two shows at the same time. It's like unheard
of big shows. Yeah, so I know that. I think
the team was coming back, so I'm excited. We already
did season five, so that has the hair so supposedly
season six, but auditioning and just like trying not to
(33:01):
get depressed because you go from being so busy to
nothing right.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
It has its ups and down.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
It has its ups and down. So like just making
sure that I, like, I feel good and you know,
if I don't all go to Turks.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Now you can come with us to Saint Martin.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
I'm reading us very genially, I'm ready naturally an rhythm.
And lastly, do you have a Tyler Perry story? Everybody
who comes up here has an amazing Tyler Perry story.
And clearly, like you've been casting on the show for
seasons and seasons and seasons. What's your Tyler Perry oh story?
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Okay, so this is like my first season and I've
never seen him in person ever, and he was directing
the scene and you know, everybody like they know him.
I don't know him though, and I'm about to do
my scene and I'm very quiet. I'm like trying to
do it. And he was like, I saw you're saying
it was good, Kayla. I was like, Layla. He was
(33:56):
like Jayla, Leyla.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
I just was like that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
But he was like he's mad tall, he's like sixty five,
and I just I didn't I didn't know, but I
was nervous, but I was just so grateful and it's
been a really good experience me being there.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
They shoot different, yeah that's what everyone says.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
They shoot fast, so it's like you have to know
and and me coming in like I didn't. I didn't
know it was that fast. Like on a good day
we could shoot between eighty and one hundred pages.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
That's a movie, let me tell you. That is one.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Everybody says that, but I guess you weren't prepared so
you actually had to do it.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
No. I wasn't prepare because normally, like you'll be like, oh,
we're going to block the scene and then we'll come
back after lunch. They was like, come back, what we are?
I said, I don't know the singing. I don't know
this because how I thought I was going to be
able to go to lunch and learn it right and
then come back I mean with it's a lot. So
I've really got the hang of it. It has I've
(35:00):
gotten better as an actor because you don't have multiple
takes and you better get it right and you better
know what you're talking about. So I think that that's
sharpened my skills like one hundred percent. So I'm grateful.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
You've also earlier said that you were talking about writing
as well. Is that something you're doing I did?
Speaker 1 (35:17):
I did. I wrote my own project based on something
that I was experienced, which was like dating a guy
from overseas. So I wrote that, and I'm thinking it
should be a vertical.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Okay, yeah, I cannot wait to see this there. I
think it should have gave up on the US, and
there's a reason why.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I mean, y'all let me be single before one hundred years.
So that's that's why I gave up. Y'all gave up
for me. So I just I mean, we'll see, but
I'm always open to an American guy.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Okay, right there we go.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Well, I appreciate you for coming through, Leila. You gotta
come do lip service at least one day.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
I'm ready, because are we gonna be able to talk nasty?
Very yes?
Speaker 3 (35:58):
Book me now, Leila Odim.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
You can watch her as Connie on Zatima. You could
see her as Jordan right now on the shot. Flash
back to some of her earlier work. You know, you
gotta go back and watch that Salt and Peppa again, please,
you know, classic classic, Okay, and she's single. Just putting
that out there, so we're manifesting. All right, that's way up.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Thank you,
What's up.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
It's way up with Angela Yee and special guests joining us,
and you're all over.
Speaker 3 (00:04):
The TVs right now.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
I mean the final season of The Shy, which everybody
has been celebrating the run that that show had and
the impact that it had. And then you're also starring
on Zatima with quite the storyline this season.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
So you look healthy.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
I should be just thinking about Connie from watching you
on Zatima. Just such a really powerful storyline that you
have on that show. First we met you as Zach's
ex girlfriend, but now we know there's a secret that
you've been hiding from everybody. So can we talk about
that and what that was like for you?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
We can definitely talk about that. I think that me
coming on the first season. My first season was actually
the second season, so I come on, She's like this funny,
brash girl, and there's already funny girls on the show,
so it's like, well, maybe that's not what she should do.
So they introduced this whole idea of me having cancer.
(01:05):
And as I'm reading, because we get the scripts like
relatively close to when we shoot, I'm in my girlfriend's room.
And when I say room, her hospital room and she
just found out that she had stage two or three
colon cancer. And at that time she was working for
b Et. So imagine, I'm on a be Et show.
This is happening. All of these things are just happening.
(01:28):
So I go we shoot that scene. So the scene
that everybody really sees is the one where I'm crying
telling Tony about me having cancer and I'm like, look
out for my kids. That was a one take.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Wow. Yeah, I dropped.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
In because it's like I understood what was happening. I
have a friend, a very close friend, and she's going
through that, and like we're having those uncomfortable conversations of
like look after my son, like look after and I'm single,
I don't have any kids, so it's like, okay, you
know what I mean. Like it's not an easy conversation.
(02:06):
And I think that after it aired, I got so
many messages of people like that happened to my mother,
that happened to me and my sister. I just think
that we need to bring more awareness to breast cancer
in the black and brown communities, in all communities, but
especially for women that might not know.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
And one thing. Another scene that I found to be powerful.
There was another woman while you were in the hospital
and you were telling her that.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
You really didn't want to tell anybody.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
You had only told one person because you're just trying
to handle things on your own. And I think for
a lot of people who are going through that, it's
a secret they don't want people to know. And in
a way, it is your right to do that, but
I want to I want to explore what you learned
from doing that scene. Playing the character of Connie who
(02:55):
finds out she's going through chemo, she has cancer. You're
trying to handle it on your own, and a lot.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Of things happen. You got to watch the show if
you having to have to watch lots of things.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, but just.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Making people reflect and think about, you know, when you're
going through something and not telling anybody and kind of
carrying that yourself, what that means for other people.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
So this is the thing when when we keep it
all to ourselves, no one can help us. And I
think that as women so much were like, no I
can I can do it. I got it by myself. No,
we don't. We need help, And it's okay to say
I need help. It's okay to tell your village that
you need help because we stand for everyone else, so
(03:38):
we got to stand for ourselves too, and people have
to support us. So I feel like it was really
important for that scene to be in there so people
can really understand that you need help as much as it's.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
People to help you.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yeah, And that's the thing, because imagine how upset you
would be to know that somebody's been dealing with something
and you would have loved to be there for them,
and you can't.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
After that happens, you can't get that time back. There's
nothing you can do.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Like, why didn't you let me know?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I would because I think we also take for granted
that we try to do things that our own and
I think that's a black women, strong black women thing
that we do where I just don't want to tell
anybody I can handle it myself. I'm superwoman. I'm juggling
these things. I feel like, out of anybody, we're the
ones that are always feeling.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Like and we're taught that.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
If I taught that, you gotta hold it down right.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
I look at my mother, I look at my grandmother,
a very strong woman. I love them, but at the
same time. I don't want that. I don't want everything
to be on me right. I really know how to
treat myself. I know how to relax, Like I have
a class when I'm in LA when I take yoga
on Sunday, like just things for me that I need
(04:50):
to pour back into myself. If we don't do that,
then you're gonna burn yourself out, and then who can
you really help if you're burnt out? And this job,
this line of work that you're in is not easy either,
No it is not. But it's like you have to
do things for yourself. You have to take care of yourself.
Sometimes I look at people, I'm like, I'm not drinking
(05:10):
liquor every night. I'm not you know what I'm saying,
I'm not smoking. I'm just taking care of myself. And
that's something that that came over time. And that's the
only way I feel like I could really pour into
you is if i'm my best.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You're a pescatarian too, correct.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
So like sometimes because I know somebody's gonna try and
be like what I saw you but in Atlanta never,
Oh that was that was shady? Okay, I did I did?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That was back up because I feel like at one
point you had a squatter. Come on, Angela, got more
about this Atlanta squatter story, because baby, that is a fair.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Yes it was. So. I had bought my first condo
in Atlanta, East Atlanta, and I've rented it because I
wasn't like, I don't really want to like live there,
so I hit it. I'm still living in Laka, but
I'm in Atlanta shooting. We're shooting season maybe four or three.
She stopped paying the rent. She stopped answering my calls.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Happened to me.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, so I'm going like I'm going to because you
have to get a sheriff to come and put them out.
It was it was basically an AIRBNBI furnished it. I'm
still looking for her because she owe me money. I'm
still still money. Yeah, so the sheriff comes, I'm taping
it on my phone. I put it on my Instagram
because I didn't want that to happen to anybody else, right,
(06:32):
But now the studio I had to work that day,
so I had to kick her out and beat her
work by five period. They Yeah, let me ask you
what so she just thought she could just Sometimes I
feel like when people think they know what you do,
or like, oh I saw you on TV. Yeah, I
(06:53):
still need my money, right, I mean rent?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Like And the other thing is that I think you
if if you're doing you can communicate, like if you
had fallen on some hard times. Look, I had a
condo that I rented out and the woman's husband died
in a freak accident. And she told me, and I said, look,
that was awful, Like, let me give you a break.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I lowered the rent. I didn't make her pay for it.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I gave her back her deposit because you just communicate,
I mean her, I mean, that's tragic, and I know,
and she didn't pay the you know, and I just
felt she was like, you know, I can't really afford
this on my own, and I don't want to move
at this moment because this just happened. And I was like, okay,
you know, because that's awful, Like you want to be.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
You want to be sens communicate, don't be like I'm
not paying.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
So she wasn't paying, so we found out, or I
found out when the sheriffs came. She was doing only
fans in my house, so she had money, and she
gets into it.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Everybody who do only fans ain't got money.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Lets listen enough to subscribe to listen? I probably, but
she did not pay. She didn't pay for a year.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
That's wild and so and it's hard to get that money,
Like it's hard to get somebody to pay, you know,
with the year.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Yeah, so I had to just eat that and I
was like, never again.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, but better things come along, that's right, you know.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
But I will never no condos, no town homes ever.
I will never do that because the hua still want
they money.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah you still pay. Yeah, okay, so never for that.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Atlanta like, y'all cool, but nah, like like I'm good.
I don't want to.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
One experience make it feel like it's all it has.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It has, But I like.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
I like Atlanta, but I like like when I'm there
for work or for a short period of.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Time, eat and the grill. Shout out to Melissa.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
I'm Melissa, we love you. Yeah, I really want I'd like.
I like it there, but being single, no children, I
don't think it's the place for me.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Oh yeah, I heard that's tough in Atlanta.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Yeah, and we know why I did that.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Single by choice or yes, sorry, I just want to
make sure not on the.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Apps and nothing.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
I mean, I have been, but I'm not on Have
you ever had a good match on an app? For sure?
For sure hit the jets right like, But that was
I feel like that was a little while ago. It
was the days of Raya always on Riyoso. Everybody Rya
right now, I'm not, but but y'all are. But I
(09:25):
just that's when Rya was like having the club in
your pocket. It was the greatest best thing. But not anymore,
but just before and after you were Pepper in the
It was before. It was before and then after. I
was like, let me yeah, but it was. I really
liked the app. It was international.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
So did you say any white guys on air?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
I did not.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Okay, I don't think.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I don't think the white guys be really interested.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
In Somebody told me that that on Raya.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Oh yeah yeah, I mean that's the main source, are
the white guys. But I don't think white guys really
checked for me. I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Well after this man you said you know.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
But so I want to ask you about because Sultin
Pepa was one of my favorite groups ever, right and
so watching that story and seeing you play Peppa, I
gotta ask you what that experience was it?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Like, were you fans of Salwn Pepper before that?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
What did you learn?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Like that's fascinating to.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Me, So Salmn Pepa. That experience like completely changed the
like the direction of my career. I had a great
co star, Gigi Townsend, she played song. We had such
a great chemistry. We shot up in Toronto. It was amazing.
Now I have an older sister, so I wasn't as well,
(10:49):
like knowing certain music, but we had to get into
the music. Mario van Peebles, he was the director nice.
So it was like a dream come true. Now I'm
gonna share something with you that people don't know. So
I'm close with Withodi McLean, who played Bobby Brown. So
I was on set during new audition and the writer
at Duel, Hey I do. He wrote a new edition
(11:12):
and Salt and Pepper, And I remember being on set like, Yo,
that's so dope. You get right? You can you can
rap you singing, you acting? I would love to do that.
And literally three years.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Later, Wow, yeah, that's Sometimes you got to put it
out there.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Sometimes you gotta, but you gotta put out what you want.
You can't put out like, oh I'm not booking. I'm
at this, that's right.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's the way that you approach things and how you
manifest things exactly.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
But you're positive you can't because if you're like, yo,
I'm broke, all the universe here is is I'm broke,
So it just sends you more brokeness But you have
to almost be crazy, Like I say it all the time.
I say it to my mom. She's sick of it
now because I'm like, I'm rich. She's like you, I'm like,
I'm giving.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
It is giving rich, But I just.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
You know what I'm saying. I feel like it's so
important to put out what you want people to know
about you. At the same time, I'm not a fan
of like showing the world or showing Instagram what I'm
doing every five minutes, So I think it's like you
better learn like something in the middle.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I think you know what it is.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
It's in real life doing what you need to do,
and when it's completed, then you can then you can
share it with you then you can share.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
But I think premature, like, don't premature share something because
sometimes not everybody wants what you want for yourself.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Yeah, you're right about that. I know there's definitely. I
think as you're getting more and more successful, people are
you know, they love you when you down, but when
you get up they want to drag it down.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
And then that's a fact. But like even I don't
even want to think about that part. I just want
to think like when I meet people or when I
see somebody, I don't have negative encounters, Like people really
show love. So I really focused on that. I don't
focus on like I don't be like, oh the haters,
like everybody's people say.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I've never heard anybody say anything bad about you. People
are like, she's so cool, You're gonna have so much
bend talking to her.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
See, I just feel like I'm honest and I'm gonna
like just tell you how I really feel.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Okay, well, let's have an honest moment.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Let's have one.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
So Connie's character right on, Zatima, is it wild to
be staying at your ex's house with his new pregnant woman?
You do in real life? Could you see yourself being
with a man pregnant?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Right, and then saying you ex could come stay on
the couch.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
I mean, she got to have her own bedroom. She
has to have like an in law suite.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
But like they eventually got her. You know, I would
have done that for the beginning. I would have said, Okay, listen,
because how do you feel about somebody your dating being
really close with their ex.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Let me tell you something. We got to have a
talk about that, Like we have to because not everybody
is over their ex and not to be insecure. But
at the same time, it's like, I don't know what
you're doing. So if I don't know and I don't
know that person your ex, You're nah, it's not gonna
be no sleepovers. It's not there's no moving in.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
What have your passed? Like, what is the most serious
relationship you've ever had?
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Oh? I really haven't been in that many relationships.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
But what is it one that you would say this
was the most serious? Like how long did that last?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Last?
Speaker 1 (14:43):
A few years? He was an actor, Okay, we met
at work, Okay, you're waiting something together, Okay, we were
pasting okay. But then after the experience, I was like, ye'ah,
never do that again.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Like date someone you are working with or date another
actor like both.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
At the time, I was like, I don't never want
an actor and I never want somebody I've worked.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
With why because it's hard.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
And it's like you really gotta be as secure as
you can be because like that guy, he was very
friendly and at that time, I'm young. I'm like young,
so like, you know, you can't be like I'm a
smack her. I'm tired, and you can't smack everybody, so
can I just felt like it was a good relationship.
(15:34):
I learned a lot from him, and then after that,
I just I took a break, had an end.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
What'd you do?
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Not me? But I think that for him, his career
was number one. Okay, I wasn't number one, which is
fine because once you know that about somebody, then you
can move forward with like what you.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Plan to do is your career number one?
Speaker 1 (16:00):
It is?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
I mean, I mean, but you need somebody that is
going to be supportive of what you're doing and understand
and want to like push you forward. Sometimes that is
another actor though you know, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Sometimes it is another actor, like like we got to
see I don't know, but what I but what I
do know is that it's got to be peaceful, it's
got to be healthy. We got to be on the
same page, and like that page is I don't think
I want to post him. I don't think I want
to share the relationship with people. I don't think I
(16:39):
want to do that at all. I think I want
to wait, like let's get married.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Like pop out married and let's pop out married. But
like Taylor Brooks one day, she just had a wedding.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Yeah, like, what's up y'all coming? I don't, I don't think,
you know, I don't. I don't think that I want
to share that because I think people have opinion and
that affects the relationships. So I don't. I don't want
to do it.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Would you google him? What you mean like if you
know the first day?
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, I'm safe. Yeah, I'm definitely googling.
I'm definitely taking a picture of the license sending it
to my homegirl like where I'm still very much so
doing that. But like right now, I think, I like,
stop seeing American guys.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
American country? Are we on?
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I mean I was open. I mean they were overseas.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
But like overseas where I need a country or London?
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Okayis right? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Like Okay, the blokes, Yeah, it was just.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
It was different because the American guys were not like all,
let me out here roam and just be single this long, like, oh,
let me take my show on the road. So I
took to like Nigeria too. Maybe I've been to Ghana. Okay, Ghana,
went to Ghana?
Speaker 3 (18:01):
How was that?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Yeah, it wasn't really feeling me. I don't believe this
and everything.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
How do you know someone's like I don't even understand
what that means because I can't fathom you being out
there and you're single, dumb and nobody's feeling you.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
So I went for Ditsy December, so I go.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Right.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
We had just wrapped the season of Zatima. So I
fly from Atlanta to a cry, which is Ghana, and
I just didn't feel the love, you know how Like
everyone's like when you get to Africa, you're gonna cry
and you're gonna feel and I was like it's gonna come.
It didn't come, and then I was like out and about.
I just felt like nobody was.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Really feeling me, Like maybe you're intimidating.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
I don't want to hear that, Like you don't think
that no, cause I feel like I'm too down to
earth and cool for someone to be intimidated. Like, if
you're intimidated, I don't think you're a person.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
I'm thinking, Dan, I sent you this post because when
I see stuff like certain things online, you know how
people be putting up all these like we call it
gurus of the ground. Yes, everybody got their own little
expertise and something else.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
I want to because one guy, one woman did this post.
I want to see what you think about this. Hold on,
let me pull it up, all right, she said, hold on.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Basically, she was saying she was a red flag to
a guy because he said she was too friendly. She
knew everybody on the block and she said hi to everybody.
And he was like, that's too much for me. Somebody
that a woman thats too friendly and he felt like
she was too accessible.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Okay, I get that, but you do I was like, what, No,
I get it, because sometimes there is something when you
know everybody, it's like, well, how do you know everybody? Like?
How do you know them? Let's be like, let's be clear.
For what if you're in entertainment, you do know a
lot of people, but how we're gonna speak to you? Yeah,
(19:58):
but how do you know them? Is it like? Homegirl?
Are like, no, we used to mess around. No, granted,
like it's been times like gonna You're gonna fall for
somebody in your work. That's normal. So I don't I
think he's insecure or maybe you should find somebody like
closer to what you do.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
She was like, I didn't know that was a red flag.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
It shouldn't be not at all.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Oh, here it is, I said.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I texted my exody after he has ghosted me for
over a year, and he finally told me the reason
he did that. I never knew this could be a
red flag, though, and he said, the thing is, you
know almost everyone in the neighborhood. The first time I
followed you to your house, you were relating with everyone
in the area. If I'm not exaggerating, you greeted about
fifteen people from the junction to your house, and I'm
not comfortable with that. It's given a vibe like you
(20:41):
are too accessible. I want me a woman that frowns
all over the city.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Yeah, I mean I frowned a lot, But I do
I have like a like I feel like I.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Have bitch face.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
I have Ain't nobody approached you in a crowd, No, no, No,
it's like.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
You're frowning all over the city.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
No, if you see me in the gym, I'm smiling.
If you see me after yoga, I'm smiling. If you
see me at the grove, like I have a because
like I'm pleasant. But I feel like I left LA.
Let me be honest. I left LA and I left
LA because I felt like I had outgrown La. La
is like Peter Pan. So once you're over twenty five,
y like old ass, like hold on. So I left,
(21:23):
I came back. I'm looking for a place in New
York because we love that. Yeah, I have my real
estate license, I do, but I really, but this is
the thing I want, like a furnished rental.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Okay, that's easy short term.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Because I don't know if I'm gonna be. I don't
know where I'm gonna be. I came to up someplace back.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Overseas, London, Paris, anywhere. Literally, when did people first start
recognizing you? Do you remember from from your work?
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I mean, let's take it back. I used to be
on Vine back in the day, like super back in
the day. So from that I felt like people would
be like, are.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
You girl from Bye created a lot of stuff?
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Yo, it did, So that was like the first time
I somebody would ask and then I think I had
I have my own show on Bounce and Bounce. It
was like m m hey Bentley, Hey, everybody had bounced,
but it was yeah, it was maas small, so maybe
one person would say something. But once Connie got into
(22:23):
that second third season, like, that's when it got real.
If I'm in Atlanta, always gonna happen?
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Do you enjoy having rules but you're not glamorous?
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Of course, I like I love it because then it
just feels more grounded, more real than like you're super
glam You're like, that's not real. We just talked about
we both like sweatpants. So if I like sweatpants, like
I could play a character like that, or I can
play something that is glamorous, but it doesn't have to
be exactly who I am, because if it's who I am,
(22:54):
then I'm not acting right.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
So, although some people say it's hard to act as
something that you really relate to, I've heard that.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I don't know. I don't know if I agree with that.
I feel like, if you're playing something that you're familiar with,
where's the stretch? Like I like to see actors really
push themselves to a limit and play something different. So
sometimes if it's too comfortable, like you start to give
the same performance.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Right right, you know.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
So, I mean there's plenty of actors that people like
to give the same performance. I'm just not a fan
of it.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Where were you when you found out you got a
role in the final season of The Shy.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
Oh my god. I was back by that time. I
was here in New York and I remember the call
because my manager at the time was like, Hey, I
want to talk to you. I'm like, okay, I'm like,
what's up. Because I hadn't worked in like a year?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Wow? Really yeah, well.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Maybe maybe nine months, but it felt like a year.
And thank you lean Away. She gave me an opportunity
and I went on the show. I'm playing Jordan, and
it was just a great experience to be on a
show that has so much like legendary people on it
(24:08):
storyline and now it's the last season. So I was
really grateful, and I'm just you know, you look for
opportunities like that. I remember one day I talked to
Wendy Roquel Robinson and she I've watched her for years,
you know what I mean, Like, it's to be around
people that can pour into you, and even if they
can't pour, if I just listened, I should be able
(24:30):
to pick something up.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
So yeah, that was That's an amazing part of history.
You know, the shot had such a great run. I
was talking about that earlier eight seasons crazy. Yeah, phenomenal.
And you're also an ambassador for the American Cancer Society,
and I know that work in particular is important and
close to your heart, like we were discussing earlier.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, I think that because I had a friend that
was dealing with the colon cancer, I was able to
become an abassador Because I'm telling you the outpour of
people saying I watched this and I cried and my
mother went through it. I just felt like I have
to do something. I have to have a cause my
(25:11):
grandfather passed away from colon cancer, so it's not too
far from me.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
There is nobody I think that doesn't know somebody who
has had cancer. Like seriously, it's it's insane to me
that this is something that is so prevalent.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
And there's still when you think about Chadwick Boseman, like
do you remember I remember that timeline of how quick
it happened, and I think that if we really pour
into like but it's the food that we eat. It's
it's a lot of factors. But you have to be
educated because if you don't know, yeah, if you don't
know products that we use and when we think about
(25:48):
like our hair products, is a lot of different things.
But if you just like, so, let's be honest. When
you go overseas, the food.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Is very Oh it's fresh.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, there's certain things that we have here they would
never overseas. It's illegal, right, but here we are in
the corner store.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah. But even if you go get like, let's say,
an orange soda here was like orange neon over there,
it's like yellow and it's a smaller portion. It's just
it's just better. Like I had pizza, not even in Italy,
but I've had pizza in Italy amazing. Okay, come on,
that's a flex I mean light, but but yeah, but
(26:25):
I had some pizza in London and I was like,
it felt like God kissed the tomato and put it
in the ground. It was literally the best pizza. So
when I came back here to had.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Like things taste artificial.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
It's hard and I'm like, you know what I'm saying.
I was born and raised on pizza. Hello, Like I
was born in Jersey, like, raised on pizza in the
comeback and be like, yeah, I don't want that pisa
no more.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
Listen, I'm you know, I'm from New York, so give
me that greasy but I also know that, yes, you
can't have that every day.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Not every not every day day. But like, give me
my jerk, give me my right rights, give me my cabbage.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
But I saw you were in Jamaica too, celebrating.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Yes, I'm always celebrating, like like I'm always a girl,
was always celebrating, Like I just was in Turks. I
went to Turks by myself. You did, but but but
to be honest, then I flew one of my friends.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Like a guy. Dang, that could be trafficking.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I know no there was right, I sound bad nomall boy,
but like because sometimes people can't get the time off
from work and you're like you want to go someplace
and they.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Like, yeah, oh my gosh, that's so funny. So one
of my best friends in high school, we went to
Bermuda for her birthday.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
We put it in our group chat, like who wants
to go?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Thinking like all our friends, was gonna at least three
or four people. It ended up being just mere right
because no one else came.
Speaker 1 (27:57):
Nobody can go or nobody like you, I can get
the time off for the kids.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Here's is expensive to.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Turks super expensive?
Speaker 3 (28:05):
Babe is pricey? Baby? Did you go to the tiki
bar and Noah's ark all of that?
Speaker 1 (28:09):
I went to know what's arc? It was raining, so
I was like, no, it's not, but I went. I got.
I went there, you know, like at the same time,
I understand people go there, but I really wanted to
relax and I really.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Wanted to vacation. Is you like, I gotta like be
out and about all the time for work. I was
trying to open.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Up a bank account there. I wasn't really worried, Like
I wasn't worried about the other things. Let me give
my bank account. But I just, you know, like I
had fun, and I've been a lot of places in
the world. I'm really really blessed to be able to travel.
Been to Ballei, Costa Rica.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
That's where he went on his honeymoon.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Ye.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
People always said you gotta go. He got. He had
Bali belly though.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Oh I heard it at Yeah, I didn't have it,
thank god, but I was doing I was doing yoga there.
I did yoga there. You can only drink bottle water.
I mean, but that's like everywhere you want to do that.
So but I've been so many places. I went to
Dubai by myself.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
I can't believe you travel alone.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Yeah, Like, who am I waiting for? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
It's not even just that, I just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I feel like I've never traveled anywhere by myself, except
if it's like for work to go to like Orlando
or something. You know, but no, you got it, like
the first time I take you alone. The first time
I did it, I went to Bali and I went
to like a yoga retreat so I can like get
it at peace and one with myself. And I did
that and after that because that was the first time,
(29:40):
and my mom was like, are you sure, I'm like, yeah,
I could go anywhere now, and I can make a
friend anywhere I go.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I always meet people.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Have you done ayahuasca or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
I haven't done ayahuasca, but I did do something called buffo,
which is like it's not ayahuasca, but you know it's
it's along the lines. It's a much shorter time, okay,
like ayahuasca is like hour all day. Yeah, and before
was like I did that in Toulon, Okay, and it
was I had a great experience.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Did you go there alone?
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I did?
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Okay. I like that. I admire that.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
And I don't know if I you know, but but
I admire that you can have, you know, the bravery
to do that.
Speaker 3 (30:24):
And I think it is.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
I tried to go on a trip by myself once.
It was only to Miami, and then next thing I know,
my friends are like, I'm coming, I'm crashing in your roller.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Yeah. I don't think I would travel by myself in
the continent is who us? I don't think I would
do that. I want to be overseas, Okay.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Have you ever felt unsafe?
Speaker 1 (30:44):
No, not at all. I was. I was in Colombia.
I was learning to read Spanish and my mom was like, yo, lady,
they might take you. I'm like, I'm safe. My mother
is I'm like, who's gonna take it?
Speaker 3 (30:58):
Take you?
Speaker 1 (30:59):
The minner of this, Who's gonna get me? So I
just remember being there and I always feel safe. I
might not feel safe here like even driving here. I
drove here, a car didn't come get me. Thanks guys,
you drove here and you paid to park. I did
do a go fundme from my parking, like in New
(31:20):
York is crazy, No, it's it's crazy. But you also
have to understand I've been in LA for so long,
so I'm always good.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
From Jersey, it's no thing to drive to New York.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, but still, like, I don't really want to do it.
But let me tell you, I'm going to turn on
the red light and then I'm just gonna be like.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
I'm saying, I'm from Jersey.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
New York is like the only place you can turn
right on rest.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
It's crazy.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
I'm turning and in some places you could turn left
from a one way to a one way, which was
shocking to me.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Listen, learn all the different rules.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
But that's the thing. I have my car here, so
I want to drive. I'm not ready. I can't get
on the train. It's hard, and I don't want to.
I just don't want to be around people. I don't
like how people smell, so like, I don't like people's breath.
So once I get like, I just think me being
in the car is the best thing.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
So I can't wait to see who you end up with.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Me too, me too. You better be strong, be strong,
I don't know, hopefully somebody, hopefully soon because I'm ready
to be a mom.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
Oh okay, I love that. All right, Well, we just
put that in the atmosphere.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
I feel like once you put things out there like
it comes, you gotta.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Speak it comes. Now.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
I do have to ask you lastly, do you have
anything else that you're working on that we should know about,
because I want to make sure you know.
Speaker 3 (32:36):
I mean, it's been a tremendous year.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
For you, it has. Thank you. I'm so blessed to
be able to say that as an actor. To be
on two shows at the same time. It's like unheard
of big shows. Yeah, so I know that. I think
the team was coming back, so I'm excited. We already
did season five, so that has the hair so supposedly
season six, but auditioning and just like trying not to
(33:01):
get depressed because you go from being so busy to
nothing right.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
It has its ups and down.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
It has its ups and down. So like just making
sure that I, like, I feel good and you know,
if I don't all go to Turks.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
Now you can come with us to Saint Martin.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
I'm reading us very genially, I'm ready naturally an rhythm.
And lastly, do you have a Tyler Perry story? Everybody
who comes up here has an amazing Tyler Perry story.
And clearly, like you've been casting on the show for
seasons and seasons and seasons. What's your Tyler Perry oh story?
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Okay, so this is like my first season and I've
never seen him in person ever, and he was directing
the scene and you know, everybody like they know him.
I don't know him though, and I'm about to do
my scene and I'm very quiet. I'm like trying to
do it. And he was like, I saw you're saying
it was good, Kayla. I was like, Layla. He was
(33:56):
like Jayla, Leyla.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
I just was like that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
But he was like he's mad tall, he's like sixty five,
and I just I didn't I didn't know, but I
was nervous, but I was just so grateful and it's
been a really good experience me being there.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
They shoot different, yeah that's what everyone says.
Speaker 1 (34:19):
They shoot fast, so it's like you have to know
and and me coming in like I didn't. I didn't
know it was that fast. Like on a good day
we could shoot between eighty and one hundred pages.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
That's a movie, let me tell you. That is one.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Everybody says that, but I guess you weren't prepared so
you actually had to do it.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
No. I wasn't prepare because normally, like you'll be like, oh,
we're going to block the scene and then we'll come
back after lunch. They was like, come back, what we are?
I said, I don't know the singing. I don't know
this because how I thought I was going to be
able to go to lunch and learn it right and
then come back I mean with it's a lot. So
I've really got the hang of it. It has I've
(35:00):
gotten better as an actor because you don't have multiple
takes and you better get it right and you better
know what you're talking about. So I think that that's
sharpened my skills like one hundred percent. So I'm grateful.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
You've also earlier said that you were talking about writing
as well. Is that something you're doing I did?
Speaker 1 (35:17):
I did. I wrote my own project based on something
that I was experienced, which was like dating a guy
from overseas. So I wrote that, and I'm thinking it
should be a vertical.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Okay, yeah, I cannot wait to see this there. I
think it should have gave up on the US, and
there's a reason why.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I mean, y'all let me be single before one hundred years.
So that's that's why I gave up. Y'all gave up
for me. So I just I mean, we'll see, but
I'm always open to an American guy.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Okay, right there we go.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Well, I appreciate you for coming through, Leila. You gotta
come do lip service at least one day.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
I'm ready, because are we gonna be able to talk nasty?
Very yes?
Speaker 3 (35:58):
Book me now, Leila Odim.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
You can watch her as Connie on Zatima. You could
see her as Jordan right now on the shot. Flash
back to some of her earlier work. You know, you
gotta go back and watch that Salt and Peppa again, please,
you know, classic classic, Okay, and she's single. Just putting
that out there, so we're manifesting. All right, that's way up.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Thank you,
Way Up With Angela Yee News
- Sponsor Content
The Sound Reset Challenge, Week Four: Believe You Can Do It
Host
Angela Yee
Show Links
Official WebsitePopular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com