September 26, 2025 • 16 mins
The show also welcomed DeVon Franklin, who shared insight into his next film projects and media ambitions, while reflecting on his journey beyond production.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Holy chess man has woman. Yes, Jie, you want to
help you to the tea. It's GARYT. Is about that
time GARYT has the tea in the colude that they
would up Gary.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning, Ricky, Good morning America, Good morning the US Friday.
A beautiful, beautiful day in the neighborhood. And here's what's
happening in celebrity news, y'all. Miss Janis, y'all, Miss Janis comes,
the beautiful mother y'all of Shawn Didah comes, you know, Ricky,
she is speaking out honey. Now they're saying that that
Janie's comes to mom of the jailed rapper Shawn did come.
She penned a letter y'all to the judge ahead of
(00:35):
him being sentenced, y'all, and she's pleading y'all for mercy.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
In Miss Janie's letter, she admits y'all that her son
has made some terrible mistakes, but still believes that he
should be set free from jail when he is sentenced
on October third, so market calendars now. She said, quote, Unfortunately,
my son has made some terrible mistakes in his life,
which I know he recognizes. Part of you know the
letter that's with red in it, She said, quote, I
(01:01):
will never excuse any wrongdoing committed by Sean.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
I was always very strict with him growing up.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I appeal y'all to the kindness of your heart to
allow my son to be able to sit at a
dinner table with his family, to allow him to raise
his children and to instill in them the need to
be respectful, getting an education, and just be God's children
with love in their hearts. Y'all, isn't that beautiful when
(01:30):
a mama write a little to the judge, and you know,
she says she know her child did wrong, because you
know a lot of parents don't admit to their kids
did wrong or do wrong and something.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
She said she just want her kids just to send
the table.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
With their dadey, to have a good meal and to
talk about, you know, what's coming next in their lives.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
I think that's very sad. I'm very empathetic, you know,
with miss Janice.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
You know, because Sean, I mean, did he do anything
but present baby all in the stuff that they said
he did.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
He didn't to kill nobody.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
I do this.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I think the judge should just let him go through, y'all.
Are y'all in agreeans, because when two or more in
a agreeance.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Make that with scripture, gonna do it. I'm gonna go
to hell.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Know what he did.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
I wasn't there. Yeah, we weren't. Now we don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
When is the hearing October the third week some market calendar. Yeah,
they'll probably let him go home. I believe you think,
probably giving what you think they're giving time, sir.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
It just depends on how the judge feel, right.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I didn't realize the judges have so much power that
day the good that's why they had that black robe
and set up on that throne.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Really.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, well we're hoping prayer. He had got those twins
and they went to the prom and they did it.
Wasn't there there to dress themselves. And then he got
his son Christians.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
And they grown enough to get dressed and they have
they have they have family.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Gary. They they got to get them dressed for school,
walking to the school bus and now they're like old
mother the rent cars.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
Yeah, they.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Grown, they got chow. I'm just trying to be talking
like they wearing one.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
They beautiful Gary, and they have help. They have a family,
they have you know, stylists, they have you know they're blessed.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah, they're okay, grand when they got tired of them children,
that's what it is. Yeah, well the mama just wanted
them home to be going to the next door, moving on.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And I just new child boxing superstar Clarissa Shields is
being rudered that she may be pregnant Honey by RENDI
balls their strange hussand papoos. Now they're saying, y'all that
the greatest woman boxer of all time, Honey has a
brand new title on the way and it's money. According
to MTO, they confirm the through multiple inside that Miss
Clarissa Shills is pregnant with her first child and the
(03:57):
father is not other than rapper Papoos the strange hust
with y'all help out Legia, Miss reamy my now Corisa
and pat Poos Honey have been quietly dated for about
two years, right around the time that his message split
Honey from remy my Honey first when public. Now, while
the relationship raised, I brought that first, the two have
been spotted out together that industry events and even sharing
(04:19):
y'all flirty exchanges online.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
That's cute now, they say.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Now the couple is taking things to the next number
with a baby may be on the way, y'all. So
I didn't I mean, when y'all, I guess boxes can't
get pregnant, So I mean congratulations.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
To congratulations to her.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, so but she is if she is exactly, because
I mean at two years, that's a long time the
dated person, you know, and then you know, to go
ahead on and have a baby because some people have
babies right off the back of it. I don't know
how much Pat poos, how much money has, but I
know she's doing good for herself and what happened or
so you know, if you could help out in some
form of fashion with her with the baby, congratulations to them,
(04:59):
so we we. I can't wait to see, honey, if
this turns and be pruitionized that.
Speaker 6 (05:03):
A word.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Making up words? Don't you sound you gonna have your
own dictionary in a minute, okay?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And then my quick for free start y'all. They're still
talking about ray J. He said he snitched to the
face honey about the Kardashians and stuff. He should have snitched,
but he should have been snitching Dabny when he was
making those tapes with her. Now she's filthy rich, honey,
he's scuffling for money. But anyway, that's neither heal nor idea.
And he can't scuffling for no money. Now, funny, Well
he showed on half hers. He ain't got THEMS, so
(05:34):
honeyf you don't have the money you scuffling, So honey,
he could have been filthy rich and having all kinds
of skims and all kinds of stuff out just like that.
But he on the TMZ bus, honey, doing tours and
stuff right now. But anyway, I love ray J, but
you know, I just it's just not a good Leave
it on that, all right. The Colude to Day, Honey,
is one of my favorite colordes. My Colude to Day,
(05:55):
y'all is a nice beautiful fall color. Slime on the
high You say slim and the Lord just say beautiful green.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
That's your color for today.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Oh that's beautiful, y'all. Give it up a Gary with
the tea if you would. Did you see that most
people are talking. Here's what's on the Ricky Smiley Morning Show.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Oh yes, the.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Ricket Somebody Morning Show.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Now, let's welcome our special guest to the studio. It's
about to go down Man. He's an award winning producer,
motivational speaker, New York Times bestselling author. He's also known
for his inspiring perspective on faith, love and purpose. His
new movie, Ruth and bow As premieres today on Netflix,
and he's here with us today.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Y'all giving up for our brother Devon Franklin in the building.
Glad to be here. Man, We are so happy to
have you here.
Speaker 5 (06:48):
I saw the screening last night.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It was so, so, so good. Everybody did so great
in the movie. I mean, I was moved. I didn't
know what was gonna happen.
Speaker 7 (06:57):
It was.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
It was just good.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
I just don't I don't want to give it away.
But we'll talk about your movie in just a few minutes.
So we're gonna talk. We're gonna also talk about Soraya
and Tayland.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Yeah, start in the movie. They did great too.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
But first, some people say, you're a pastor, right, and
we've seen your parents on social media. They're amazing. They've
moved all of us and changed our lives. But do
you pastor a church? No?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
No, never have you know I've been I've been preaching
since I was fifteen.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (07:22):
But my main job has always been in Hollywood. I
started interning for Will Smith when I was eighteen years old.
When I went to college, and then I interned for
him and his company for four years. And when I graduated,
I was an assistant in his company for James Lasseter.
Then I became an executive for about twelve years. Nice,
and then I've been running my own company for about
eleven years now.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Yeah, yeah, So you know, the preaching has always been
something that I've done on the side. My younger brother
is a pastor. He has a church in Oakland, California,
called The Incredible Church.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah. Family, it runs in the family. That's right.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
When a movie was going off, going was over and
I said it was it Franklin, an Attack Von Franklin
and jail, everybody was screaming, all right, that's right, let's go.
Speaker 7 (08:05):
Congratulations on this film and your new marriage. The wedding
pictures look fabulous. Let me ask you something. Is it
true that you met your wife through a mutual friend?
Speaker 6 (08:16):
Yeah, it sure is, yep, yep. Mike t He is
a trainer in Los Angeles and they were working together.
And I've known Mike and trained with Mike for years.
And you know last March.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
I believe it.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
Once I got a call and he was like, yo, man,
what do you think of And he sent me Maria's
IG profile and he said what do you think of her?
And I'm like, oh, she's stunning, She's amazing. And he
was like, that's what she thinks about you.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I said what?
Speaker 6 (08:42):
And our first date was brunch Easter Sunday of last
year and we've been together ever since. Very very special.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
I wish I had some mutual friends.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
But anyway, so we know that you had a pretty
public divorce and you share what you learned from your
first marriage.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yeah, you know, it's interesting.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
It's like life imitates art, art imitates life, and also
art gives you a chance to express and explore what
you go through. So when you look at even this
film Ruth and Boaz, you know, for me it was like, oh, okay,
what I learned is the path is always love. It's
always love, period. Like, at the end of the day,
no matter what you go through, no matter what heartbreak, heartache, pain,
(09:26):
trauma or tragedy, to get back to where you know
you can be, it's love. Yeah, loving yourself. And for me,
the thing is sometimes we go through things, and we're
hard on ourselves, and we're harder on ourselves than other people.
We will let anybody be that hard on ourselves. We
talk to ourselves worse than we would let anyone talk
to us. So love starts with ourselves saying Okay, I'm
(09:47):
gonna get myself grace and space to say, you know
what this happened.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I'm going to get through this. I'm going to keep
my heart open.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
And to be able to have the opportunity to create arts,
to create a movie that also in part, you know,
it's part of the creative and healing process. And so
when you see Ruth and Boaz in this film and
what they're going through, you know, I developed, you know,
the story and the script and produce the movie. And
it was just very cathartic to be able to have
an opportunity to express and explore what I feel about
(10:17):
love through this.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
But you know what, Brad is an advocate of love. Honey,
I'm you.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Do do you have to open up your door otherwise
it won't come to you if you got a closed heart.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Gary, come on, Gary, come on man, put some love
on your tea.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
It's the reason Mondy Morning Show and our special guest
today is producer, director, and best selling author Devon Franklin.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
His new movie Ruth and Boas is now streaming on Netflix.
Go ahead back, So your new movie, Ruth and Boas
premiere is today on net. Yes, that's a big deal.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
What inspired you to work with Tyler Perry and connect
with him to create this film?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Yeah, it was such a I mean beautiful experience.
Speaker 6 (11:01):
A couple of years ago, I had done a film
called Flaming Hot about the creator Flaming Hot Cheetos, and
it came out on Disney Plus and Hulu and it
did very well. But coming out of that film, I
had no production deal and I didn't know what my
next movie was going to be. And then I get
a call out of the blue from Tyler Tyler Perry,
and he was like, Yo, you know, I hear you're
in this conversation with Netflix, and you know, why don't
(11:23):
we partner up and why don't we make faith based
movies together?
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And I said, wow, yeah, let's do it. And we negotiated, you.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Know, a really great deal and with a lot of
autonomy to be able to make the films that we
believe in that I believe in And the thing about
Tyler Perry which is so amazing, is he, you know,
basically has given me the opportunity to use his lot
and here in Atlanta, which is amazing. I mean, it's
one of the most dynamic lots in Hollywood. He has
an incredible you know, production executives and staff, and he's like, man,
(11:50):
whatever you need to make this movie great, I'm going
to give it to you. And so for he and
I to be partner on this was so important and grateful.
And you've never seen two black men faith in Hollywood
partner up to make uplifting content? Is it the first
time that's ever happened?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (12:06):
So beautiful, so excited about this.
Speaker 7 (12:08):
Let me ask you, do you see this film as
a way to make faith based stories feel more relatable
for today's audience?
Speaker 1 (12:15):
And what do you hope people are going to walk
away with?
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Yes, I absolutely think. I mean when you see Ruth
and Boaz, you know, and you all seen it, there's
nothing preachy about it.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You know. If I was shocked about it, Ruth and
boys from the Bible, and I was like, okay, but
it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
What I thought. Yeah, twenty five take right, right.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
Exactly, yes, and we really just wanted to keep it
relatable and authentic. And so yes, I do believe that
this will help faith based movies feel more realistic and
more authentic. And the other part about this is that
most faith based movies do not tend to be stories
you know, about us, that are that are for us,
that star us. This is one of the first faith
(12:56):
based movies that has ever been made in Hollywood. It
was made by us and stars us, and so it's
really important, you know, when we look at the future,
you know, of faith content to you know, black folks
are the most faithful, come on now, and to not
have movies and content that represent that is a missed
opportunity and that's something that that's a void that I'm
(13:16):
I'm committed to feeling.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
That is awesome. Most of us grew up in church. Yeah,
you know, that's that's where we came from. But we
grew up so quick, quick, quick. So the move was
made in the day, in twenty days. No, I don't know.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
Listen, you don't play that brother can shoot and I'm man,
God bless him. I've been on set with him and
I still don't understand. I'm one of the stars of
Divorcess and so he's directed me and I still don't
understand how he can shoot sixteen episodes in nine days.
You can do a lot in a little bit of
time when you are efficient and you plan.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
Well, right, and Felicia was shot. Oh god right, Oh
my god, legend we love her. I can't wait for
everybody to see this movie. It is so absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
It's so good.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
It's so good, and it's so positive, but not in
a fake way, you know, it's authentically good, like just
seeing seeing him. Okay, I can't.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Love that. So exciting.
Speaker 7 (14:23):
To tell us even a little bit more about the cast,
Brad mentioned police for shot your Maine dupre Tyler levelie.
Of course, Siria, just what an amazing cast? How did
you cast them? What made you cast them? And just
you know, give us a little insight into that.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
We auditioned over one hundred people for each one hundred
women and one hundred men, and you know, Soria hadn't
come in yet to audition, and I did a show
with her on BT called Kingdom Business, and so I
called him, Sorea, please come in on this, and she
didn't want to do another music project. I said, I
she's saying an empire's saying yes. I said, I understand,
(14:57):
but I said this is going to be different. And
so she said okay, and she came in, she auditioned,
and the moment she auditioned, we were like, there's Ruth.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And then we had been we knew it. It was
just it was obvious.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
And then we had been auditioning a bunch of a
number of Boazes and we had a couple guys that
were in the running for the part. At the eleventh hour,
Tyler Leplie sent in a self tape, which basically means
you do it yourself with no direction, right, and you
send it in the moment I saw that, I said,
there's boas And then we did a chemistry read with
them and their chemistry was just off the charts. So
we knew that was that was gonna work. And then
(15:30):
when Felicia Rashad, we just thought like okay. I thought like, okay,
who could play that you know, matriarchal part because she
was you know, she is, you know, our our mother,
America's mother. And so I sent her the script. She
read it and immediately was like, yeah, I'm in. She
loved the part. And then when you talk about cameos
from like Babyface and Jermaine Dupree and Lacrae and Young Jack.
(15:52):
Because the movie is music driven and in Atlanta and Atlanta,
you know, we knew we had to get JD.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
So I DM.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
Hi'm like, bro, I got this, this is what I got.
This is the money I got. Could you just come
through for today? And he was like that, I'm in
and he was just like the easiest, coolest thing. Same
with Babyface.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Man, thanks a lot for joining us this morning. Ruth
and Bowass premieres today on Netflix. How can people follow
you and keep up with all of your projects?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
My brother? Yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
Thank y'all so much for the love. I can't wait
for everybody to see this film on Netflix today. It
is gonna be your new favorite love story number one,
number one. Let's take it to number one. Let's put
Netflix on notice. We gotta make more. So you can
find me at Davon Franklin on Instagram and TikTok at
Davon Franklin Official on Facebook, and you can go to
(16:39):
Devonfranklin dot com.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
That was a von Franklin.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Make sure that you check out his new movie Ruth
and Boass, which premiere is today on Netflix.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
It's The Ricky Smiley Morning Show. Baby
Holy chess man has woman. Yes, Jie, you want to
help you to the tea. It's GARYT. Is about that
time GARYT has the tea in the colude that they
would up Gary.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning, Ricky, Good morning America, Good morning the US Friday.
A beautiful, beautiful day in the neighborhood. And here's what's
happening in celebrity news, y'all. Miss Janis, y'all, Miss Janis comes,
the beautiful mother y'all of Shawn Didah comes, you know, Ricky,
she is speaking out honey. Now they're saying that that
Janie's comes to mom of the jailed rapper Shawn did come.
She penned a letter y'all to the judge ahead of
(00:35):
him being sentenced, y'all, and she's pleading y'all for mercy.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
In Miss Janie's letter, she admits y'all that her son
has made some terrible mistakes, but still believes that he
should be set free from jail when he is sentenced
on October third, so market calendars now. She said, quote, Unfortunately,
my son has made some terrible mistakes in his life,
which I know he recognizes. Part of you know the
letter that's with red in it, She said, quote, I
(01:01):
will never excuse any wrongdoing committed by Sean.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
I was always very strict with him growing up.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I appeal y'all to the kindness of your heart to
allow my son to be able to sit at a
dinner table with his family, to allow him to raise
his children and to instill in them the need to
be respectful, getting an education, and just be God's children
with love in their hearts. Y'all, isn't that beautiful when
(01:30):
a mama write a little to the judge, and you know,
she says she know her child did wrong, because you
know a lot of parents don't admit to their kids
did wrong or do wrong and something.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
She said she just want her kids just to send
the table.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
With their dadey, to have a good meal and to
talk about, you know, what's coming next in their lives.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
I think that's very sad. I'm very empathetic, you know,
with miss Janice.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
You know, because Sean, I mean, did he do anything
but present baby all in the stuff that they said
he did.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
He didn't to kill nobody.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
I do this.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I think the judge should just let him go through, y'all.
Are y'all in agreeans, because when two or more in
a agreeance.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Make that with scripture, gonna do it. I'm gonna go
to hell.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Know what he did.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
I wasn't there. Yeah, we weren't. Now we don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
When is the hearing October the third week some market calendar. Yeah,
they'll probably let him go home. I believe you think,
probably giving what you think they're giving time, sir.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
It just depends on how the judge feel, right.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I didn't realize the judges have so much power that
day the good that's why they had that black robe
and set up on that throne.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Really.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, well we're hoping prayer. He had got those twins
and they went to the prom and they did it.
Wasn't there there to dress themselves. And then he got
his son Christians.
Speaker 5 (02:53):
And they grown enough to get dressed and they have
they have they have family.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Gary. They they got to get them dressed for school,
walking to the school bus and now they're like old
mother the rent cars.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
Yeah, they.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Grown, they got chow. I'm just trying to be talking
like they wearing one.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
They beautiful Gary, and they have help. They have a family,
they have you know, stylists, they have you know they're blessed.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah, they're okay, grand when they got tired of them children,
that's what it is. Yeah, well the mama just wanted
them home to be going to the next door, moving on.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
And I just new child boxing superstar Clarissa Shields is
being rudered that she may be pregnant Honey by RENDI
balls their strange hussand papoos. Now they're saying, y'all that
the greatest woman boxer of all time, Honey has a
brand new title on the way and it's money. According
to MTO, they confirm the through multiple inside that Miss
Clarissa Shills is pregnant with her first child and the
(03:57):
father is not other than rapper Papoos the strange hust
with y'all help out Legia, Miss reamy my now Corisa
and pat Poos Honey have been quietly dated for about
two years, right around the time that his message split
Honey from remy my Honey first when public. Now, while
the relationship raised, I brought that first, the two have
been spotted out together that industry events and even sharing
(04:19):
y'all flirty exchanges online.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
That's cute now, they say.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Now the couple is taking things to the next number
with a baby may be on the way, y'all. So
I didn't I mean, when y'all, I guess boxes can't
get pregnant, So I mean congratulations.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
To congratulations to her.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, so but she is if she is exactly, because
I mean at two years, that's a long time the
dated person, you know, and then you know, to go
ahead on and have a baby because some people have
babies right off the back of it. I don't know
how much Pat poos, how much money has, but I
know she's doing good for herself and what happened or
so you know, if you could help out in some
form of fashion with her with the baby, congratulations to them,
(04:59):
so we we. I can't wait to see, honey, if
this turns and be pruitionized that.
Speaker 6 (05:03):
A word.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Making up words? Don't you sound you gonna have your
own dictionary in a minute, okay?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And then my quick for free start y'all. They're still
talking about ray J. He said he snitched to the
face honey about the Kardashians and stuff. He should have snitched,
but he should have been snitching Dabny when he was
making those tapes with her. Now she's filthy rich, honey,
he's scuffling for money. But anyway, that's neither heal nor idea.
And he can't scuffling for no money. Now, funny, Well
he showed on half hers. He ain't got THEMS, so
(05:34):
honeyf you don't have the money you scuffling, So honey,
he could have been filthy rich and having all kinds
of skims and all kinds of stuff out just like that.
But he on the TMZ bus, honey, doing tours and
stuff right now. But anyway, I love ray J, but
you know, I just it's just not a good Leave
it on that, all right. The Colude to Day, Honey,
is one of my favorite colordes. My Colude to Day,
(05:55):
y'all is a nice beautiful fall color. Slime on the
high You say slim and the Lord just say beautiful green.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
That's your color for today.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Oh that's beautiful, y'all. Give it up a Gary with
the tea if you would. Did you see that most
people are talking. Here's what's on the Ricky Smiley Morning Show.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Oh yes, the.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Ricket Somebody Morning Show.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Now, let's welcome our special guest to the studio. It's
about to go down Man. He's an award winning producer,
motivational speaker, New York Times bestselling author. He's also known
for his inspiring perspective on faith, love and purpose. His
new movie, Ruth and bow As premieres today on Netflix,
and he's here with us today.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Y'all giving up for our brother Devon Franklin in the building.
Glad to be here. Man, We are so happy to
have you here.
Speaker 5 (06:48):
I saw the screening last night.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It was so, so, so good. Everybody did so great
in the movie. I mean, I was moved. I didn't
know what was gonna happen.
Speaker 7 (06:57):
It was.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
It was just good.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
I just don't I don't want to give it away.
But we'll talk about your movie in just a few minutes.
So we're gonna talk. We're gonna also talk about Soraya
and Tayland.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Yeah, start in the movie. They did great too.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
But first, some people say, you're a pastor, right, and
we've seen your parents on social media. They're amazing. They've
moved all of us and changed our lives. But do
you pastor a church? No?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
No, never have you know I've been I've been preaching
since I was fifteen.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (07:22):
But my main job has always been in Hollywood. I
started interning for Will Smith when I was eighteen years old.
When I went to college, and then I interned for
him and his company for four years. And when I graduated,
I was an assistant in his company for James Lasseter.
Then I became an executive for about twelve years. Nice,
and then I've been running my own company for about
eleven years now.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (07:42):
Yeah, yeah, So you know, the preaching has always been
something that I've done on the side. My younger brother
is a pastor. He has a church in Oakland, California,
called The Incredible Church.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah. Family, it runs in the family. That's right.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
When a movie was going off, going was over and
I said it was it Franklin, an Attack Von Franklin
and jail, everybody was screaming, all right, that's right, let's go.
Speaker 7 (08:05):
Congratulations on this film and your new marriage. The wedding
pictures look fabulous. Let me ask you something. Is it
true that you met your wife through a mutual friend?
Speaker 6 (08:16):
Yeah, it sure is, yep, yep. Mike t He is
a trainer in Los Angeles and they were working together.
And I've known Mike and trained with Mike for years.
And you know last March.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
I believe it.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
Once I got a call and he was like, yo, man,
what do you think of And he sent me Maria's
IG profile and he said what do you think of her?
And I'm like, oh, she's stunning, She's amazing. And he
was like, that's what she thinks about you.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I said what?
Speaker 6 (08:42):
And our first date was brunch Easter Sunday of last
year and we've been together ever since. Very very special.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
I wish I had some mutual friends.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
But anyway, so we know that you had a pretty
public divorce and you share what you learned from your
first marriage.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Yeah, you know, it's interesting.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
It's like life imitates art, art imitates life, and also
art gives you a chance to express and explore what
you go through. So when you look at even this
film Ruth and Boaz, you know, for me it was like, oh, okay,
what I learned is the path is always love. It's
always love, period. Like, at the end of the day,
no matter what you go through, no matter what heartbreak, heartache, pain,
(09:26):
trauma or tragedy, to get back to where you know
you can be, it's love. Yeah, loving yourself. And for me,
the thing is sometimes we go through things, and we're
hard on ourselves, and we're harder on ourselves than other people.
We will let anybody be that hard on ourselves. We
talk to ourselves worse than we would let anyone talk
to us. So love starts with ourselves saying Okay, I'm
(09:47):
gonna get myself grace and space to say, you know
what this happened.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
I'm going to get through this. I'm going to keep
my heart open.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
And to be able to have the opportunity to create arts,
to create a movie that also in part, you know,
it's part of the creative and healing process. And so
when you see Ruth and Boaz in this film and
what they're going through, you know, I developed, you know,
the story and the script and produce the movie. And
it was just very cathartic to be able to have
an opportunity to express and explore what I feel about
(10:17):
love through this.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
But you know what, Brad is an advocate of love. Honey,
I'm you.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Do do you have to open up your door otherwise
it won't come to you if you got a closed heart.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Gary, come on, Gary, come on man, put some love
on your tea.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
It's the reason Mondy Morning Show and our special guest
today is producer, director, and best selling author Devon Franklin.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
His new movie Ruth and Boas is now streaming on Netflix.
Go ahead back, So your new movie, Ruth and Boas
premiere is today on net. Yes, that's a big deal.
Speaker 5 (10:54):
What inspired you to work with Tyler Perry and connect
with him to create this film?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Yeah, it was such a I mean beautiful experience.
Speaker 6 (11:01):
A couple of years ago, I had done a film
called Flaming Hot about the creator Flaming Hot Cheetos, and
it came out on Disney Plus and Hulu and it
did very well. But coming out of that film, I
had no production deal and I didn't know what my
next movie was going to be. And then I get
a call out of the blue from Tyler Tyler Perry,
and he was like, Yo, you know, I hear you're
in this conversation with Netflix, and you know, why don't
(11:23):
we partner up and why don't we make faith based
movies together?
Speaker 1 (11:26):
And I said, wow, yeah, let's do it. And we negotiated, you.
Speaker 6 (11:30):
Know, a really great deal and with a lot of
autonomy to be able to make the films that we
believe in that I believe in And the thing about
Tyler Perry which is so amazing, is he, you know,
basically has given me the opportunity to use his lot
and here in Atlanta, which is amazing. I mean, it's
one of the most dynamic lots in Hollywood. He has
an incredible you know, production executives and staff, and he's like, man,
(11:50):
whatever you need to make this movie great, I'm going
to give it to you. And so for he and
I to be partner on this was so important and grateful.
And you've never seen two black men faith in Hollywood
partner up to make uplifting content? Is it the first
time that's ever happened?
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (12:06):
So beautiful, so excited about this.
Speaker 7 (12:08):
Let me ask you, do you see this film as
a way to make faith based stories feel more relatable
for today's audience?
Speaker 1 (12:15):
And what do you hope people are going to walk
away with?
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Yes, I absolutely think. I mean when you see Ruth
and Boaz, you know, and you all seen it, there's
nothing preachy about it.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
You know. If I was shocked about it, Ruth and
boys from the Bible, and I was like, okay, but
it wasn't.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
What I thought. Yeah, twenty five take right, right.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
Exactly, yes, and we really just wanted to keep it
relatable and authentic. And so yes, I do believe that
this will help faith based movies feel more realistic and
more authentic. And the other part about this is that
most faith based movies do not tend to be stories
you know, about us, that are that are for us,
that star us. This is one of the first faith
(12:56):
based movies that has ever been made in Hollywood. It
was made by us and stars us, and so it's
really important, you know, when we look at the future,
you know, of faith content to you know, black folks
are the most faithful, come on now, and to not
have movies and content that represent that is a missed
opportunity and that's something that that's a void that I'm
(13:16):
I'm committed to feeling.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
That is awesome. Most of us grew up in church. Yeah,
you know, that's that's where we came from. But we
grew up so quick, quick, quick. So the move was
made in the day, in twenty days. No, I don't know.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
Listen, you don't play that brother can shoot and I'm man,
God bless him. I've been on set with him and
I still don't understand. I'm one of the stars of
Divorcess and so he's directed me and I still don't
understand how he can shoot sixteen episodes in nine days.
You can do a lot in a little bit of
time when you are efficient and you plan.
Speaker 5 (13:54):
Well, right, and Felicia was shot. Oh god right, Oh
my god, legend we love her. I can't wait for
everybody to see this movie. It is so absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
It's so good.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
It's so good, and it's so positive, but not in
a fake way, you know, it's authentically good, like just
seeing seeing him. Okay, I can't.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Love that. So exciting.
Speaker 7 (14:23):
To tell us even a little bit more about the cast,
Brad mentioned police for shot your Maine dupre Tyler levelie.
Of course, Siria, just what an amazing cast? How did
you cast them? What made you cast them? And just
you know, give us a little insight into that.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
We auditioned over one hundred people for each one hundred
women and one hundred men, and you know, Soria hadn't
come in yet to audition, and I did a show
with her on BT called Kingdom Business, and so I
called him, Sorea, please come in on this, and she
didn't want to do another music project. I said, I
she's saying an empire's saying yes. I said, I understand,
(14:57):
but I said this is going to be different. And
so she said okay, and she came in, she auditioned,
and the moment she auditioned, we were like, there's Ruth.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
And then we had been we knew it. It was
just it was obvious.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
And then we had been auditioning a bunch of a
number of Boazes and we had a couple guys that
were in the running for the part. At the eleventh hour,
Tyler Leplie sent in a self tape, which basically means
you do it yourself with no direction, right, and you
send it in the moment I saw that, I said,
there's boas And then we did a chemistry read with
them and their chemistry was just off the charts. So
we knew that was that was gonna work. And then
(15:30):
when Felicia Rashad, we just thought like okay. I thought like, okay,
who could play that you know, matriarchal part because she
was you know, she is, you know, our our mother,
America's mother. And so I sent her the script. She
read it and immediately was like, yeah, I'm in. She
loved the part. And then when you talk about cameos
from like Babyface and Jermaine Dupree and Lacrae and Young Jack.
(15:52):
Because the movie is music driven and in Atlanta and Atlanta,
you know, we knew we had to get JD.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
So I DM.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
Hi'm like, bro, I got this, this is what I got.
This is the money I got. Could you just come
through for today? And he was like that, I'm in
and he was just like the easiest, coolest thing. Same
with Babyface.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Man, thanks a lot for joining us this morning. Ruth
and Bowass premieres today on Netflix. How can people follow
you and keep up with all of your projects?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
My brother? Yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 6 (16:18):
Thank y'all so much for the love. I can't wait
for everybody to see this film on Netflix today. It
is gonna be your new favorite love story number one,
number one. Let's take it to number one. Let's put
Netflix on notice. We gotta make more. So you can
find me at Davon Franklin on Instagram and TikTok at
Davon Franklin Official on Facebook, and you can go to
(16:39):
Devonfranklin dot com.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
That was a von Franklin.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Make sure that you check out his new movie Ruth
and Boass, which premiere is today on Netflix.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
It's The Ricky Smiley Morning Show. Baby
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