December 13, 2023 • 50 mins
Get ready to be inspired by the captivating journey of Irma Cadiz, who's making her mark on the shows Power Book 3: Raising Kanan and Law & Order. Irma unveils her life story with transparency, highlighting her roots in Rochester, her struggles with finding affordable housing in Harlem, and her love for coquito.
We move beyond the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, delving into a candid discussion about the hard work and dedication needed to pursue one's dreams in the acting industry. Irma, who balances her passion for acting with her job as a hairstylist, brings a personal touch to this conversation about the acting industry. We also reflect on the impact of social media on actors and content creators. Irma shares her experience of building a following on social media and the opportunities it has created for her.
As we wrap up this rich, engaging conversation, Irma provides us with insights into her role in Power Book 3: Raising Kanan and we touch upon the reasons behind the long wait between series on the network Starz. This podcast episode is the perfect blend of professional and personal, shining a light on Irma's inspiring journey and her incredible career in acting. Stay tuned for an episode filled with shared experiences, lessons learned, and the strength and persistence required to rise in the challenging world of acting.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
This is not a video.
When I was coming out, we hadto go outside the city.
We had to go travel, go out oftown, beat down doors.
This was the first time Billhas ever gone on this set.
He said here comes the token.
This is not a video.
And out of my mouth I said Fyou, my friends, are asking for
positive women with family andbusiness.
(00:29):
That's what we bring to theshow, and yet still it's like oh
, she's boring.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's my real story.
This is really who I am.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I build myself off a dollar and a dream, without a
man's help, without a basketballplayer.
Particularly, the patriarchalbox says white cisgender males
have defined for us should behow we define ourselves.
I didn't say it.
That's what we're saying on thestreet, the streets, the
(00:58):
avenues and the bulletin.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
You are now tuned into anotheramazing edition of Sanya on Air.
I'm your host, sanyaHudson-Pain, and how do I start
off each and every singleepisode?
You guessed it.
I have another great show foryou.
(01:18):
But before I tell you abouttoday's amazing guest, I need
you to do me a quick favor.
You know what?
It is right, because if you area loyal watcher and listener of
Sanya on Air, you know I'mgoing to ask you to subscribe.
Make sure that you subscribe toevery Sanya on Air streaming
platform.
Sanya on Air streams acrossevery major streaming platform
(01:41):
and if you're watching this onYouTube, not only subscribe, but
make sure you hit the littlenotification bell.
That way, every time I uploadan all-new celebrity interview,
unpacking their pivotal momentsand milestones, you'll be the
first ones to know.
Now on to today's guest.
I'm super, super excited totalk to this amazing and
(02:01):
talented actress by the name ofIrma Kadees.
Now let me repeat her nameagain Irma Kadees.
If you are watching Power Book3, raisin Kanan, like I am and
like everyone that I know, youwill catch her on an upcoming
episode Matter of fact, onupcoming episodes because she's
playing rock's hairstylist Now,this actress.
(02:25):
The reason why I'm so excitedto talk to Irma is because I
love, love, love speaking toworking actors, people who are
still grinding the pavement,people who are still acting by
day but then selling coquito atnight, just like Irma and I love
me some coquito, and it'saround the holidays.
So you're going to catch her inupcoming episodes of Power Book
(02:48):
3, raisin Kanan and also on LawOrder Two amazing shows.
So why don't we do this?
Why don't we just jump right oninto this conversation with
Irma?
Because she's a fellow NewYorker like me and I want to see
about her coquito recipe, andI'm sure you do too.
So let's get right on into it.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Hi, irma, hi, how are you?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I'm fine.
How are you Good?
Good, First of all, I'm excitedbecause it's not too often that
I get to have a conversation oran interview with a fellow New
Yorker.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I've been here long enough, but I'm upstate New
Yorker, actually born and raisedin Rochester by the Lake Effect
Snow.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
I left there, like in , that doesn't really count.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
No, that's that's.
I'm more of an upstater.
I've been here since probably2009, because my family's always
been here, so I always spent mysummers here.
So I'm like a New Yorker byproxy.
It's just.
Eventually.
I moved here after a eventually, after a divorce, because I was
my first marriage.
I was married in Florida and Ithink New York city was the
compromise, like I've got to bearound family, I don't want to
(03:56):
go back to that snow.
After having lived in Orlandoand I was like okay, new York,
we're acting, just go to NewYork, your aunt's are there,
just.
And so I've been here sincestruggling, right, okay.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
So we'll adopt you.
We'll adopt you.
You're a part of the New Yorkfamily.
Now we get it.
So do you prefer Rochester ordo you prefer, like, the
tri-state area, better?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
No, no, no, no.
I prefer anything to Rochester.
Don't get me wrong, it's myhometown.
Like I don't want to sayanything disparaging about my
hometown, right, but I left.
Okay, I left when I was like 24,20, like I left, I bounced and
never looked back.
I still go back because my, mymom, dad and sister immediate
family are still there.
I don't think they're everleaving.
(04:42):
But other than that, you know,and I have some lifelong friends
, so I'm not going to, I'm notgoing to bash my city.
Hey, you know, that's like wego up in a mid-sized city like
that.
You, you, you yearn for more.
You know we got it, but at thesame time I don't miss like I
don't know.
I live in Harlem.
(05:02):
I don't know what else to sayabout that.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Living in Harlem is a story by itself.
That's a story about living inHarlem.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, there's some things I miss like like
appropriate housing.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Oh my gosh, none of them talk about housing.
Did you just see on the newsthat, um yeah, the Bronx there's
, there's, there's my cousins.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
This is actually.
I just texted my cousin.
They know I'm because it'sright on their street.
Um, I don't think they know,anybody in that building cause.
They're farther down where thehouses are past um university.
But that's like, literally, Iwalk that every time that go
visit them.
I'm like, wait, is that it'snot your block?
I don't, I have no idea whichbuilding that is, I just saw it,
(05:45):
like you did online.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, yeah, I'm waiting to put up videos like
yes, I'm waiting to hear more,because what they were pointing
on the five and six o'clock newswas that they haven't found Any
bodies.
Thank God, but I'm not tooconfident that that's still
going to remain the same.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
With that, because they're under the rubble bow,
because Would they find thatfast if there were any?
You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
I don't know, but I mean somebody from the top floor
, because it it was aseven-story building and the
first floor had a bodega andthey said people were in the
store.
So we will wait to see how thisstory unfold.
I don't want to make this, youknow, conversation to sad and
solemn.
So, because I really am soexcited for my audience to learn
(06:35):
about you.
Very tragic, very tragic, butlet's just jump right into you.
So, working actress, and I know, traditionally when it comes to
television or film, we do notsee too many people of color as
representation.
All those things have gottenbetter.
What made you want to become anactress, knowing that there is
(06:58):
so little representation ofpeople of color?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I Don't know that I thought about that because I was
yearning for when I was so muchyounger.
I did start experiencing thingsImmediately like being a comm
major in college, because I wentto college in the 90s I'm very
much a Gen Xer.
Right, there were pauses and Iwent back and finished as an
adult.
But I do very much rememberprofessors Telling classmates
(07:24):
like make her sound American,make her you know, and that that
was cool.
And I remember there was a feara little bit with me, like with
Shakespearean things, Iwouldn't tackle them like I was
some what a wear of the wholecolorism.
Because I remember thinkinglike I'm I sound like a put,
like I don't know how am I gonnapull an English accent?
Things like that.
That I tackled more confidentlyas an adult, not as a Youth.
(07:48):
But I don't think I thoughtabout the fact that we weren't
represented at all.
I just kind of really wanted todo it.
I think I got a taste of it inhigh school when I did a stage
play and I didn't know you couldstudy it in college.
To be honest with you, that'swhere I went with the
communication major, because Istarted going with what I
thought was tangible, but then Iwould see the, the order majors
(08:09):
, I saw the classes.
It's a world that startedopening up, you know.
But like everything else, I hadkids.
Things were put on pause andSeveral times, but it's just
something that I never gave upon.
I just kept coming back to it,you know, and it'll be there to
the day that I die.
You know, I might just becracking into the door now, but
I Got time.
That you know.
I got time.
I can only go up from here, sowe got it.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
So you said you caught the acting bug by acting
in a play during high school.
So when was the critical momentthat you really decided to take
acting seriously and youstarted taking, maybe, acting
classes?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
It was.
It was right away in college itwas.
It proceeded from high schoolright into college.
But when you're young, youthink you want something but you
don't necessarily have thefocus right because there's
other things going on parties,life, whatever right.
When I seriously took it, whenI took it seriously again After
the kids were a really startedshifting focus, I would say it
was like in 2008, when my kidswere 11 or 12 at the time,
(09:14):
something like that, and thenthe other maybe was eight and I
had help.
I started going to a studiocalled Art's sake down there in
Orlando with one of my lateprofessors who taught me Meisner
, and then it's never stoppedfrom there.
There there's.
There might have been somepauses, like during the teen
years, where I had to take alittle break because life, you
know, and dealing with what'shappening at home, but I kept
(09:35):
coming back to it and just doingit, even on a small scale, like
little commercial or a littleweekend play, whatever I could
do to keep my sanity duringthose times.
And then, now that my kids aregrown, now they're 26 and 23,
now I have time, now I have lotsof time and I can actually like
focus and actually have amanager and an agent and
(09:57):
actually, you know, really stayon top of it.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
So you know, I'm blessed with a husband that is
very supportive as well, hmm.
That's important.
I'm glad that you mentionedthat because a lot of people
they have dreams, goals,aspirations and life is always
Lifeing and I'm glad that youmentioned that, although life
was lifeing, you decided to getback to it, even though there
were gaps and delays.
So you know, that's just areminder to people.
(10:26):
You don't have to let yourdreams and aspirations fall to
the wayside.
Get back to it when you have anopportunity.
So I'm glad that you mentionedthat.
You have to.
You have to take it honestly.
I can say.
I can say you some therapymoney because that's where I got
that from.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Therapists during the rough teenage years was like
don't let that stuff go, do not.
Every day that I walked intothe offices, what did you do for
you today?
Because you know, as mothers,we, you know you're feeding them
, you're getting them clothes.
There's so many times when yougo shopping you think you're
going to buy yourself something.
You don't.
You buy it, you know, youforget about yourself.
We always put ourselves last.
(10:59):
We don't.
We don't make it to the salonanymore because we're so busy.
You know, and it's the onesurvival skill that he taught me
you have to take care of you.
He did the airplane analogy.
He said you have to put the gasmask on your face before you
can help anybody else, becauseif I'm resentful or if I pass
out or if I'm whatever exhausted, you know I'm not happy,
nobody's happy, and I can't helpanybody if I'm depleted in my
(11:21):
gas tank, you know.
So it's one of the things hetaught me do not give up on your
acting classes.
Even if you have to save $5 aweek for your nails, do not stop
doing them.
Take care of yourself, becausethese kids will grow up.
You know they'll move on, butyou're here with you know three
hairs left afterwards in.
So, yeah, no, never give up onthose dreams there.
You know where's that.
It's going to be there, where'sit going.
You know, if you have to take apause and that's not just with
(11:44):
acting, that's with anything,right, that's with anything if
you have a dream about startinga business or whatever your
goals might be in life, if youhave to take a pause to take
care of yourself and to handlelife, which happens, that's fine
, it'll be there waiting whenyou get back.
Yes, I live by that model.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Well, I'm so glad that you remained consistent and
persistent with your goals andaspirations of being an actress,
because you are going to be onupcoming episodes of power book
three raising a chain andstarring as what's your
characters, named Valentina.
Talk about your character.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, it's not a major role, but it's a major
empire and I that door open forme just a little bit and I am so
happy I am.
I play rocks and I'm a careerstylist, so I'm going to be
right there next to PetinaMiller, you know, if I am
blessed with them because, youknow, sometimes things end up on
(12:43):
the cutting room for floor, butas far as we know, if they use
that footage, we're all going tofind out together on Friday.
I'm Valentina and I couldn't bemore ecstatic about it because
that's my first big role.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know right.
How did you find out about therole?
Valentine's Day.
How did you find out about therole so that you could audition?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
It was an audition that my manager sent me.
So you are.
My manager sent it to me.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Did you audition for other roles besides Valentina,
or just?
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Valentine's Day Is that series?
Or, in general, on that series,yeah, this is a lifestyle for
me, it's a lifestyle.
No, no, not on that series.
That was my first audition forthat series and I was lucky
enough to book it, becausethat's not always the case.
I've auditioned for severalseries time and time again and
(13:36):
if they like you, they'll keepauditioning you, They'll keep
bringing you back to read foranother character or another
character, and sometimes younever get called in.
I guess it was just my time.
I auditioned for it and I gotit, and I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
How many times did you have to audition?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I auditioned for that role you get an audition.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I think I submitted one self-tape for that, actually
, oh, it was one, ok, because Iknow usually sometimes they have
you come back.
They want to see the chemistrybetween you and other characters
.
So you just submitted.
They have a callback.
Yes, all right.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
That's for a bigger role.
The bigger the role gets, theharder that climb is.
This one is recurring, but it'sconsidered a co-star, right?
I don't have 10 million lines.
I go in there, I do my part, Ifeed the story, I leave.
So for that, if they like yourenergy enough on screen, they
don't have to necessarily callyou back Sometimes they do, but
the bigger the role, if you moveup to guest star, where you got
(14:37):
a ton of lines and now you'rereally carrying a story, even if
you're not a series regular,you might get a callback.
Here.
It's different for every series, though, and for every show.
I've had callbacks forcommercials.
You know what I mean.
So it's a little different, youknow.
You never know how that's goingto go.
Right, right, right.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
I got it.
I got it and you're also goingto be appearing on Law and Order
in January 2024.
Is that correct?
Talk about that role.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
That's a part too.
And again, another small rolebig empire.
Right, I'm a Law and Orderfanatic, probably like anybody
else, but you know I don't getto watch it as much anymore
because I've been off of cablefor a while, but I used to watch
it, oh my God, svu, all of it.
And to be honest, I got myopportunity passed because that
(15:32):
it's the original Law and Orderand that stopped filming for a
while.
And in New York City there's asaying that every actor goes
through Law and Order.
Like that's like popping yourcherry.
Every actor in the city hasgone through Law and Order, but
I hadn't.
I had not, and I got called in.
I did an audition for them andbooked a role that aired last
winter.
And I'm a clerk.
(15:52):
I announced the case.
You know, I'm literally theperson that calls out the case
number, calling out docket,docket, docket, people versus so
and so.
That was my role.
I didn't think anymore wouldcome of that, but they called me
back in.
So, god willing, I'm in thefirst episode of the new season,
nice, in another case with thesame judge, mind you, the same
(16:12):
girl, the way you know.
I'm with Judge Patel again, solet's hope that this is a
recurring thing.
They can call me just if Lawand Order is watching.
You can call me back anytimeyou want, I'll be there.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
I'm sure they will.
So what's your dream?
What's your dream role?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
You're going to make me say that out loud.
Yes, it's not so much the role.
That is who I want to work with.
I want to, I want to.
I have goals of working withSpielberg at some point.
Dream roles I like anythingthat where I can get a little
bit dirty.
I like anything where Iactually love being a supporting
(16:56):
character.
I feel like they have a lotmore drama going on and a lot
more juice, and I like roleswhere you really get into
people's reality, whether thatbe abuse or whether that be you
know, just things going on.
I find that roles like that,even in theater, have helped me
cope with whatever was going onin my life too, and it brings a
humanity to us.
So we'll see.
(17:17):
I love period pieces.
That seems to shock people allthe time, but I love period
pieces.
I'm like a last kingdom fanaticand an outlander fanatic, you
know.
So you put me in anything likethat where I get to wear a
corset and I'll tell you I'vemade it.
So who?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
knows.
So, since you like periodpieces, have you watched the
Gilded Age?
That's amazing.
Have you watched that series?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I have not yet, I have not yet, I have not yet.
No, that's a good one I havewatched.
I think I have a friend whodoes work on that, actually,
because I keep seeing herposting about it, but I have not
watched it yet, got it.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Now, oftentimes, when we look at television or we go
to see movies, oftentimes we canimagine ourselves and other
actors or actresses.
What actor or actress do youlook up to?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
I can tell you and it circles back to the question
you asked me before when Istarted wanting to take the
classes again.
Karen Knightley, actuallyReally I watch, yeah, because
again he goes back to the periodpieces and she's done modern
stuff too, but she's also done alot Pride and Pregnages, pride,
can I even say that right?
(18:36):
Pride and Pregnages.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Mr Darcy, hello.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
But watching her.
It's something about watchingher because she has a genuine
smile and she's very genuinewith whatever it is she does.
I love watching her.
I think if anything pushed meto take those classes again back
in 2008, it was watching her.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Got it.
Now let's talk about honing inon your craft or perfecting your
craft.
How often do you go to actingclasses?
Because I see that you are amember of the Chelsea repertoire
theater, so how often do youtake acting classes?
Speaker 2 (19:13):
It does not stop.
Practicing your art is likegoing to a gym.
That's what we are thought.
That's taught many, many yearsago.
You move it or you lose it.
Some things come intuitively,but the things you got to flex
the muscle, to make, not to makethose cliche comparisons.
But it's constant, it's everyweek.
(19:35):
If you're not in the classroomsetting, you're doing it with a
friend.
You're doing it with yourauditions.
You're doing it with yourreader.
You're doing it.
The audition for Canaan.
I had a coach for that.
I have a wonderful coach namedAnna Suzuki, who was right there
with me when I did thataudition.
Reading for me, it's constant.
If you're not in a class,you're reading the books.
If you're not reading the books, you're studying the films.
You're studying other people'sself-tapes.
It's constant, that doesn'tstop.
(19:57):
It's like any other education.
It's like I could compare thatto the career I've had in hair.
We were told in school from dayone, you will never stop
educating yourself because,though the basics do not change,
that's the same in math and inanything.
One plus one and two plus twoand multiplying the back, things
(20:18):
evolve.
Things continue to develop.
If you do not continue toeducate yourself, you're going
to fall behind.
That's going to happen in anycareer, whether you're a doctor,
whether you're a lawyerfollowing law, whether you're a
hairstylist, and it's going toflow right into acting.
You have to flex that muscle.
You have to it's constant.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
That was another teachable moment, or a gem,
because in this age of socialmedia, people are only talking
about the glory and not thestory.
People are thinking thatthey're just going to submit
something and then wham, they'rean overnight success.
I'm glad that you mentionedthat you have to put in the work
.
You have to keep exercisingyour muscles.
Thank you for mentioning that.
(20:54):
Also, what I want my audienceto know is that and you
mentioned it briefly you are ahairstylist for 20 plus years.
People need to understand that,because you got to pay the
bills, working in the salon byday, also taking acting classes,
going on auditions.
(21:14):
How do you manage all of thatand still stay true to yourself?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I didn't, oh no, no, I didn't.
I fell apart a little bit.
I fell apart at different timesbecause once you have the kids
at least this was my storyline Ihad all these dreams, but I had
kids.
My story stopped right there,or it paused, I should say, it
didn't stop.
But suddenly it wasn't about me, it was about them.
I had to feed them.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I found out I was going to be a single mom.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
For me, hairdressing it was my plan B.
I had my parents help me whileI.
That was a rough year.
I had to be with my motherbecause my daughter, when she
was first born, had surgeriesand everything.
I was literally the first yearof her life.
I had to be on social servicesso that I could be with my child
during the day, work, night,clubs at night.
That was the first year I couldhave some money coming in to
(22:04):
take care of her While she washaving her surgeries, because I
didn't want anybody else otherthan my mother touching her
surgery that second year of herlife.
Once she hit one years old, Ienrolled in hair school Again,
thank God for my parents,because from nine to three hair
school, the hotel that I workedat was a block over.
(22:25):
They allowed me to come in at3.15 and I was there until 11.
Then I would pick up mydaughter and literally pick her
up from my mother's just so Icould sleep with her at night.
And go do it five days a week,because grinding is not
something that I'm unfamiliarwith.
You know what I mean, but Ibusted that out for about a year
till I got that license andthen that's when I bought a car.
That's when I started, you know, and that was my plan B and
(22:45):
that's how I raised.
And it's not a career to be shyabout, it's a great career, you
know, because I have a themewith everything I do.
Right, you gotta love whatyou're doing.
You go to work every day.
You gotta love what you do.
And I'll say it to the cowscrow home.
You know, I don't care ifyou're making a little less
money, but if you're happy aboutwhat you do, you're gonna get
up and you're gonna go.
You're not gonna be looking forways to call out a work or
anything like that.
You're gonna go because you'rehappy about what you're doing.
(23:06):
So that was a good plan B tohave while I had to feed these
kids you know what I mean it wasa good way to raise them, and
when they got old enough, Icould continue pursuing the
acting, you know.
But no, life is life.
Those bills are gonna keepcoming.
Yeah, yeah, yeah you gotta dowhat?
you gotta do, but if you have aquestion for something, you're
not gonna let it go.
It's like breathing.
(23:27):
You know, I was taught a longtime ago.
We are creators, right, if youhave any.
You know, everybody has theirdifferent faiths, but for the
most part, people believe thatthere's a creator.
Right, whether that's God foryou, whether that's the universe
, but that's a creator.
We're made in that image.
We are also creative people,and you take that away from me.
What is life about?
So yeah, I always came back toit.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Good, good.
So many teachable moments andI'm hoping that people can
really grab onto them.
The hustle is always real and Ijust want people to have
reminders that it doesn't happenovernight or just by throwing
one stone into the lake and theninspecting this big ripple
effect.
It doesn't happen that way.
Consistency, hard work, grind,hustle, loving what you do those
(24:15):
are all ingredients to yoursuccess, and I don't want to.
I didn't like when you saidwell, it's not a big role, it's
a role, it's a contribution.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah, no, it is big, especially for me, because it's
the first time I've had a sagrole.
I just, I think that's thehumility in me and that could be
some imposter syndrome, becauseI don't like to.
You know, yeah, when I firststarted doing these interviews,
I'm like, yeah, I'm just I'monly on a couple of episodes
doing her hair, like you know,but it is a big role.
(24:45):
It is a big role.
It is.
I should not under.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, because I'm sitting there next to Petina
Miller Exactly.
You're sitting next to PetinaMiller and I'm sure that there
are other people watching whowould love to be in your shoes,
so we can't minimize what you'vedone and what you will continue
to do You're absolutely rightabout that and I probably needed
to hear that.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I needed to hear that because it's something I've
been doing a lot Realizingthings.
Oh, calm down, it's not thatserious.
You know, like almost trying tonot step out of my shoes, you
know.
But yeah, no, I got to be on ashow.
I can die right now and say Igot to be on a show that was
powered by 50 cents Somebody whoI watched, because again, I'm a
Gen X, they're okay.
(25:30):
So it's like oh my, yeah, Ihave no complaints, but you
mentioned.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
So you now have your SAG after card, correct?
Yeah, because of theself-adjustments.
Congratulations.
Now, billy Porter.
Recently he made a comment thatsaid that he is only receiving
three cent residual checks andhe has his SAG card.
Now, at what point do you thinkan actor really makes enough
(25:58):
money to afford the cost ofliving and to say, mama, I made
it.
At what point does that happen?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
If you're a good budgeter, you need that one big
break.
I think part of what you hearme saying is I haven't had my
one big break, right, I stillgot a job.
I'm still out here hustlingcoquito, you know what I mean.
I still have a husband whosupports me and helps me go
through this Cause.
No, you're not making big moneyright away acting.
You know you.
For every little check youthink you get, right Like you
(26:31):
might get paid.
You know the numbers sound big.
But think about this breakdown.
Right, if I could pay 1200 forbeing on set one day, 1200,
right, there's taxes, obviously,just like anything else.
Everybody who has a paycheckknows half of that check's gone
already with the taxes.
Then I gotta give a cut to myagent.
I gotta give a cut to my money.
You know what I mean.
(26:52):
Then you gotta count all themoney, just like any other
business that I've alreadyinvested in this, from headshots
to getting footage, to theeducation that we're speaking
about.
How much money do you think isactually left of that one day
that you were on set?
And think about how many gigsyou just named maybe four side
gigs that I've had four days onset.
(27:14):
No five total.
So am I really?
I'm still going to be workingafter this?
I'm like still I'm waiting forthe.
You know, that's why they callit the big break.
At some point, after all thathustling and grinding, you will
finally make it and you willfinally have the role that you
can say, oh, I can retire, I canbuy it when I've finally been
(27:35):
able to purchase that home andpurchase the one from it.
That's when you've made it andyou can take it easy.
I'll be grinding until that daycomes.
But that takes time.
It's not, you know, it's not aseasy as people think.
It's not as quick as you.
And you got to know how tobudget If you come on this money
, because we've all seen thisright in our past, we've seen it
(27:56):
with so many celebrities thatcame across all this money, but
it was either mishandled or theyweren't.
You know, maybe they didn'tread those contracts thoroughly.
So I'm grateful that I am agrinder, because when that
budget comes I'm going to beready to distribute it
accordingly as far as I'mconcerned.
But that just comes from havingbeen a single mom if you want
(28:17):
to hustle and grind.
But if you come into this young, you might not know those
things and you might think thatfountain's just going to keep
rolling, and it's not.
You know, I'm definitely notthere yet, but look if
somebody's out there watching.
Maybe they're going to give methat.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
But people, yeah, because they see you on
television, they see people infilm and they think that they're
rich.
They don't know that.
You know, in order to all ofthis, and just because you see
your name, you know, on thetelevision screen, it doesn't
mean that you're rolling in bank.
So that was another teachablemoment.
What do you think about thisentire reality celebrity space,
(28:57):
where reality TV stars are nowbeing considered celebrities?
What do you think about thatwithout any type of formal
training?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Well, I think that the industry has been good about
separating what a reality staris and what an actor is, so
there's at least that to be saidabout that.
But and I don't knock eitherthere are two different realms,
right, but we cannot deny thatsocial media has evolved and
changed the way things roll.
Now, similar to the way thatmusicians can now promote
themselves.
(29:30):
You know, it used to be a timewhere you had to wait for a
record label and you had to waitfor somebody to discover you,
and now people can just promotethemselves.
Justin Bieber is a testament tothat.
You can literally put yourselfout there on YouTube.
It's the same thing with peoplein any realm, whether that be
in the cooking realm, whetherthat be.
Whatever you're into, you canstart putting your footage out
(29:50):
there and if you're true to itand it's something you believe
in because that's what makes orbreaks people right Work will
come to you.
People will find you.
If you love what you do,they're going to.
You know there's so many nichesout there and people will be
able to find you.
So that landscape hasdefinitely changed.
Yeah, I couldn't even be there.
There's no way I could even begoing to the intricacies of that
(30:13):
.
But that landscape has changedand there are even agents out
there now for social mediapeople.
Yes, I mean because you've youbuild enough of a.
It's basically your own channel.
You build a channel of your ownand that's why it's so
important to be careful whatyou're putting out there in
social media, because that isyour face, that is your, your
book cover, it's what you makeit right.
So you don't want to be puttingyour personal life on there to
(30:34):
a certain degree, you know.
You don't want to put yourdirty laundry on there.
You know, because everybody'slooking at that.
Your job is looking at that,I'm looking at that.
People that don't know you arelooking at that.
You know what I mean.
And when you die, I guesswhat's going to be there?
Whatever imprint you left forthe world, that that's what's
going to be left.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Yes, your digital.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Yeah, literally.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
So if someone offered you a role, I'm sorry.
What did you say?
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I was saying centuries from now.
It's like a time machine.
People will be studying us andour behaviors from what was
going on on social media.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yes time capsule.
So if someone offered you arole on a reality show, would
you accept it or no?
Speaker 2 (31:15):
I think it depends.
I because I have to a certainextent.
I did a cooking competition onPBS.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Yes, that was reality .
Speaker 2 (31:23):
To a certain extent it was completely looking, you
know.
So I wouldn't say no, I don'tthink I would like housewives or
something like that.
No, I don't think I would, onlybecause I'm definitely a crier.
I can't be on a show like that.
I'm not knocking anybody who'son it, because people have made
(31:43):
livings off of that, you know,and they have been entire
empires, as we.
Actually, that show was a greatexample.
There have been empires made ofit, entire careers have been
made of it.
These people are not consideredactors, but they are definitely
considered personalities.
Yes, we know who they are andthey have made, you know, and
they've made livings off of that.
So I'm not knocking that, I'mjust saying that I am definitely
a crier.
That may not be for me.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
I will definitely be the victim.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I'm a little.
You know so it might be goodfor that.
Being able to be in tune withmy emotions might be good for
acting, because you need to seethat right and I know issues are
showing them up but for areality show, no.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You know, it's funny I actually started.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I had a friend who did a sizzle reel for an reality
show when I first got to NewYork City we actually took some
footage of.
She had a whole concept forsingle moms in the arts and
whatnot and I think she was I'mnot going to say the title of it
because, if it ever, you know,she had a nice concept and we
actually shot some footage butit just never came to be.
But when I think for me thatmight be a good thing, just
(32:49):
because I probably wasn't ready,I didn't know what was looming
with the teen years, my kidswere a little still.
I had just gotten here and,yeah, just like I say, the world
probably would have seen melike, oh my God, this girl needs
therapy.
This, what do you want me?
Like that?
They don't even know me likethat.
Like, no, let's bring back themystery of old Hollywood, please
(33:12):
.
No, I don't even know that.
Oh, I love On the other side,but I'll do.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Yeah, you talked about.
I get it.
You talked about being anactress.
You talked about also cookingbriefly on the cooking show, but
I did not know and this isaround the holidays.
You are also called New YorkCity's Kokito lady.
When did that happen?
Yes, ma'am, Talk about thatbecause I'm like you're buying
(33:40):
Really.
But it goes right back to that,brian, I was talking about.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
I started doing it during COVID, Like many people
did.
Many people started sidehustles and I went right back to
.
I knew I wanted to do something.
I wasn't working.
I was home, as we all were, andI didn't think I wanted to go
full time back to work either.
You know what I mean.
I wanted to invest in myselffor once, and I mean little did.
I know I'd be working every day, but I get it.
(34:10):
Sorry for another day, but mymind went to what do I already
love doing?
What do I already love, youknow?
And I was already experimentingand making that stuff for my
family on the holidays and it'ssomething I really enjoyed.
So that's what came to me and Iliterally bought a cooler.
During COVID, I think, I spentlike $60 on Amazon.
I bought a cooler, I boughtsome, some icy sleeves and I
(34:30):
literally made some frozen and Iwent out and I hit the street.
I was literally in Harlemscreaming out culture, served on
ice, get your go, people.
Christmas in July, and and thenjust it took off from there.
I've been blessed from thatmoment on.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Yeah, but another teachable moment, because people
are always asking well, whatshould I do?
I don't know what I should do.
Next, tap into what you love todo.
You're already doing it youalready.
You're already doing it Exactlyand just do it, so I'm glad
that you mentioned that.
So where can people purchaseyour cookie dough, cause I see
(35:09):
that you have strawberry, youhave a dosage and they let you
homework oh yeah, cause I loveme.
I'm really going to order some.
Where can they purchase thecookie dough?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
They can go to cookie ladycom.
It's C O, q, I, t, o, l, a D Y.
We're an e-commerce.
I ship nationwide.
I don't Ship outside of thecountry, however, and we also
for New Yorkers.
We schedule curbside pickups aswell.
So, and you can also follow onInstagram If you want to follow
the adventures on cookie thelady NYC?
(35:40):
Yeah, for sure.
So selling cookie dough.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Your mom, your wife, you're an actress.
What else is next for you?
I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'mnot sure, I'm not sure, I'm not
sure.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
I'm not sure I mean who's to say.
I mean, you know, let's justput it out there that I continue
to act.
Let's put it out there thatsomebody buys Michael Peter
company.
Let's put it out there thatwhen we become famous, I have
that brand and I can show theworld what it is.
Let's just put that out there,you know.
(36:17):
Um, that's just where my headis.
I think about it every day,Like when I put out into the
universe what I want for myself.
I want to become a householdname and I want that product to
become a household name.
Um, I want to share my passionabout my culture with the world.
Yeah, and I want to be able todo what I love every single day.
Um, yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Got it, got it it's exhausting.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
trying to hustle, Let me tell you it's exhausting.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Oh, I know, Let me tell you something, irma.
This is a true story.
So I wanted to get a camera, aprofessional camera, because I
was starting to do a lot of redcarpet.
I waited until what?
Was it?
Labor Day.
Have you ever heard of the WestIndian Parade on Eastern
Parkway in Brooklyn for LaborDay?
Yes, I was out there with mymother, my mother selling, uh,
(37:02):
what do you call those things?
The drinks.
Um, where, what's that drink?
Nutcrackers, what were youtelling?
Yes, nutcrackers, I was in NewYorker.
Where are you asking me?
Where are you asking me?
I just had a brain freeze.
But just talk about the hustle.
Do what you know how to do inorder to get to where you want
(37:24):
to go.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
So that's what I honey.
We broke it because you want tobe broke.
So if you, if your legs work,if you got a laptop and if you
got a mountain, you can sell.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Yes, yes, my mother was right with me on Eastern
Parkway selling nutcrackers so Ican get me a camera and
thankfully I did buy my camera.
But going back to yourcharacter, Valentina, real quick
, before we close out thisconversation, what does your
character bring to the episodesthat you're in?
Talk about it Like?
(37:58):
Is she feisty, Is she quiet?
Is she loving?
Talk about your character.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
I think my character you know there's not much I
could say about that because ithasn't aired, but it's.
I bring information, it'sprobably the most I could say.
I bring information to our, toour main star.
I like to say I bring a littlebit of character.
You know it's a Dominican hairsalon and if you've ever been to
(38:26):
the salon, I mean you know Idon't think I could say much
more than that.
I got a little bit of trouble,but did they briefly introduce
you?
If you're getting.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
If you're getting, I get it, but did they briefly
introduce you?
Did they briefly introduce youyour character on last week's
episodes?
I did see rock go into the hairsalon and I saw some hands.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
You saw my.
You saw just little bits of me.
I was watching they were goingto show.
I saw you.
It's funny that's something tobe known about that world when I
tell you so much footage wasshot that day.
There was extras all in thatroom.
I think we saw the receptionistonly right when we shot all
that footage.
It was a full day.
(39:14):
There was a receptionist, therewas an assistant sweeping the
floor, there were severalclients in the chat, just to
show the extreme amount offootage that can be shot.
You know they were filming mespring and you know, flinging
the cape, watching her hair, butwhat got in was my chin.
Yeah, yeah, but that's notgoing to draw.
(39:35):
That's probably why you see mehesitating, to be honest with
you, because part of the reasonI hesitated to do these
interviews is because you justdon't know how much they're
going to show.
Yeah, you don't, you never do.
There's an expression that somethings get left on the cutting
room floor.
So we're all going to find outFriday what gets left on the
cutting room floor and whatshows.
You know we can only cross ourfingers.
(39:56):
The work is done, but in theend those are decisions and
that's another part of this warthat people may not realize.
I'll always have the creditbecause I booked the job and I
did the job and I filmed the job.
But it's on them how muchfootage they use.
And you know that's anotherpart of this war that a lot of
people don't realize, thatthat's an expression.
Things get left on the cuttingroom board and in the final say,
(40:16):
in the final, magic happens inediting, right?
So we'll see.
We're going to find outtogether.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
I get it.
So what's your question?
What did your kids say aboutyou being on upcoming episodes
of Power Book 3, raising Canaan?
What did your kids say?
Because you know your kids arethe toughest critics.
What did they say?
No.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
I was just about to say.
I mean they're happy for theirmom but at the same time,
they're not that excited.
I mean they've been watching megrind this for a long time.
Honestly, they've grown upwatching me audition.
They've grown up watching it.
Some of these things don'tbecome real until they see it.
I know when they saw, finally,the footage of the cooking, they
were really excited to see meon that.
(40:56):
They were really excited towatch me compete and when you
know, sometimes you don't thinkthey're listening or learning,
but they are.
And I will say that when Ididn't make it past like this, I
did like two episodes, I think,and I think they felt really,
they were really sad, but at thesame time they were also my
biggest supporter Because oncethey saw that I was sad, they
were like wait, but you weren'tthe first one to go right.
(41:16):
And then they made me feel likeyou know, that's your kids.
I think they're proud of theirmom.
I hope they're watching becauseyou know I don't know if you
know your friends that have kidswho are Gen Zers there's a
little concern for thatgeneration.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
My daughter's 28.
So I trust them.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
Hopefully they're watching and learning.
Yes, oh, I am, let me, let melet me Conversation for another
day, but I'm gonna say what upthey have so many maladies Do
they not yes.
Let me not start bashing Gen Z,but they all have something.
Yes, they have over diagnosedthemselves and I thought it was
(41:54):
just Mike.
It's up to my friends, we'rethe same age, it's the whole
generation.
We're done X's.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
It's sound like what's wrong with these kids,
the whole generation.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
I just spoke to a teen, I think we might be seeing
the effects of a group ofsocial media.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Yeah, social media has a lot to do with it.
In every teenage, I do thinkyou know, yeah, yeah, we.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
It's hard enough for us, I feel, with social media
and we were introduced to it,like, I think in college we saw
the first chat rooms, right whenit was just a whole code and
you were excited that somebodywas actually texting you back on
the computer.
That's how it started, and theneventually it was like AOL and
dial up, but we kind of wentfrom not having any of that to
what it is now, whereas theykind of grew up with this stuff.
(42:40):
Yeah.
So I can't imagine, becauseit's addicting, I think, for
adults.
They spend a lot of time infront of these screens.
I can't imagine with them howdebilitating that must be,
because, well, we don't have toimagine that.
I think we're seeing it.
They like to say it's not socialmedia and it's nothing.
They like to tell me.
I'm oversimplifying that, but Icould tell you that for me, in
my experience, I feel like theworst of the teenage years was
(43:03):
all over social media.
They got into a hell of troubleover social media.
They were willing to risk itall over those little phones and
now I'm looking at them like yoat this age.
I mean I'm grateful they don'thave kids.
I'm not ready to be a grandmaor anything and I don't think
that I'd be concerned Because bythis age I did have them
already, hustling and grinding,and I'm just looking at my kids
like they're not ready you canget up.
(43:26):
Like what's going on?
I'm right, Right, you need tofill out health insurance papers
.
Like I'm, like yo, what's goingon?
Like what's OK.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
And then they say yeah, so one final question for
the person out there who'swatching this conversation or
listening to this conversation,who is thinking about becoming
an actor what advice do you havefor him or her?
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Go to school, like.
Take the classes, like learnhow to act before you try to do
anything else, Because I thinkwhat I see in this industry and
in some of the groups and thingsa lot of people try to bypass
oh, can I just get headshots,like they think they're just
going to be because they're cute.
Let me just get headshots andsee if I could try to get an
agent.
(44:15):
No, take the classes, it'sgoing to show up if you haven't.
And you might get away with afew small things here and there
and a few commercials, but thetruth is, when it comes to the
work that you really want, youhave to be able to produce the
goods and an agent isn't goingto take you on until they see
the gift that you have andthat's going to come.
(44:36):
You've got to crawl before youwalk.
So if you're serious about itand you've never done it before,
find a good, reputable actingschool and sign up just like
anything else, because I thinkpeople see the limelight and
they don't realize there's aneducation behind it, just like
everything else, and it's anindustry and it's a business
just like anything else.
And it comes down to money andif people are going to invest in
you, because that's what anagent is doing right.
(44:56):
They got to know they're goingto make money off you.
They got to know that you gotthe goods.
So, just like anything else andI know people don't want to hear
that but go to school, andthere are so many great, just
like you mentioned the actingstudio in New York City.
There's so many.
So, from very expensive to veryaffordable, and even the
expensive ones like we are.
There's scholarships too on topof that.
(45:19):
You got to remember that, andthat's very good.
I graduated, finally, fromBrooklyn College.
Brooklyn College is CUNY, veryaffordable, and they have an
immaculate theater program andthey have a TV club.
There's so many places youcould start.
So don't let money be adeterrent, because at a school
like that, you can definitely goto school affordably and they
(45:40):
have scholarships on top of that.
So if you're serious about it,you'll be able to, almost with
next to nothing withouteducation, and get your foot in
the door and get started.
Speaker 1 (45:49):
Got it.
But you're absolutely right,there are a lot of acting
companies and theaters out there.
I was walking on the Lower EastSide about two weeks ago and I
ran into a theater company whereNicole Ari Parker she was a
member putting on a plate.
So once again, these A-listactors and actresses they are
(46:10):
still members of theatercompanies further honing in and
perfecting their you alwayshoning in, it becomes your
family.
Speaker 2 (46:17):
After a while too, they do become your family.
Some of those relationshipsthat you see on screen where you
seem to see the same actorsworking together.
You'd be surprised how longsome of them may have known each
other or haven't known thedirector, because once you start
building a circle, you tend towork together again with these
people if you get along, andthey do become a family.
You've seen that with StephenAdley-Gerges's group.
(46:39):
These people are a family.
Colon Sias, who's on the bear,she's part of that theater group
.
These people all still hold eachother very near and dear and
they're well known to all of us,you know, and they all started
at the same little theater, youknow lab.
So, yeah, find yourself a group, you know, get that education.
(47:00):
Find yourself your group.
It start building yourcommunity, because New York City
one thing that you can agreewith me very big, so many people
, but it can be very lonely ifyou do not start building,
building your groups.
Right.
But once you start growing it,joining your groups, whether
that's your acting group, yourgym group, your whatever you're
into it starts getting a littlesmaller, does it not?
Because you start getting toknow these circles and you need
(47:22):
that here and that that's whatit's like in that world.
It also represents itself inacting.
These people get to know eachother.
So you and you need that family, because it goes without saying
that this career can be verydepressing.
It's a very rejection basedcareer for every.
When I started before therewere self tapes.
It was about 50 auditions toevery booking.
It's a lot more than that nowyou know, you're auditioning all
(47:45):
day, hey, hoping to get thatfinal role.
If I show you my actors accessand how many self tapes I've
submitted for a couple yearsbefore I finally got this, even
this one roll, you'd be likeholy, you know it's work, it's
work.
So you need that kind ofsupport group, you do.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
Well, you know, just amazing advice, lessons, gems,
your own experience, teachablemoments, or my.
Thank you so much for havingthis Conversation with me and
for blessing my platform.
Sign you on air.
Continue blessings to you inyour acting career.
This is only the beginning, andwhen you secure your next role,
(48:25):
I'm going to invite you back sothat we can discuss that, okay.
Speaker 2 (48:31):
Yes, 100%, I will be back.
Thank you for having me.
I really appreciate it.
Thank you for powering throughthe little glitches.
Speaker 1 (48:40):
It happens, it happens.
I'm gonna continue with thisshow.
Thank you so much and I'll talkwith you soon.
Take care, thank you, take care.
So there you have it, irma.
Now.
She minimized her role.
We don't want to do thatbecause you have to start
(49:00):
somewhere.
And, as Irma alluded to well,she matter-of-factly said she
got the acting bug when she wasin high school, when she started
to play.
Very young, life was life thing.
She had kids, she got married,she moved, but through it all
she remains consistent to herpurpose and passion and her love
(49:21):
for acting.
So for as many knows, as shereceived, this one loud and
resounding yes Comes in the formof her playing Valentina.
On upcoming episodes of powerbook 3, raisin caning.
I'm watching every single week.
Stars do me a favor, just don'twait so long between Series.
(49:47):
But I forgot I had ShaneJohnson.
He played on ghost and he toldme why.
So if you want to know whystars is always kind of Putting
so much space between all oftheir different series, tune in
to my son you and air celebrityinterview with Shane Johnson.
This has been an amazingEdition of son you on air.
(50:11):
Once again, please subscribe.
If you're watching this onYouTube, make sure that you hit
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Smooth, just alls, take care.
This is not a video.
When I was coming out, we hadto go outside the city.
We had to go travel, go out oftown, beat down doors.
This was the first time Billhas ever gone on this set.
He said here comes the token.
This is not a video.
And out of my mouth I said Fyou, my friends, are asking for
positive women with family andbusiness.
(00:29):
That's what we bring to theshow, and yet still it's like oh
, she's boring.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's my real story.
This is really who I am.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
I build myself off a dollar and a dream, without a
man's help, without a basketballplayer.
Particularly, the patriarchalbox says white cisgender males
have defined for us should behow we define ourselves.
I didn't say it.
That's what we're saying on thestreet, the streets, the
(00:58):
avenues and the bulletin.
Welcome, welcome, welcome.
You are now tuned into anotheramazing edition of Sanya on Air.
I'm your host, sanyaHudson-Pain, and how do I start
off each and every singleepisode?
You guessed it.
I have another great show foryou.
(01:18):
But before I tell you abouttoday's amazing guest, I need
you to do me a quick favor.
You know what?
It is right, because if you area loyal watcher and listener of
Sanya on Air, you know I'mgoing to ask you to subscribe.
Make sure that you subscribe toevery Sanya on Air streaming
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Sanya on Air streams acrossevery major streaming platform
(01:41):
and if you're watching this onYouTube, not only subscribe, but
make sure you hit the littlenotification bell.
That way, every time I uploadan all-new celebrity interview,
unpacking their pivotal momentsand milestones, you'll be the
first ones to know.
Now on to today's guest.
I'm super, super excited totalk to this amazing and
(02:01):
talented actress by the name ofIrma Kadees.
Now let me repeat her nameagain Irma Kadees.
If you are watching Power Book3, raisin Kanan, like I am and
like everyone that I know, youwill catch her on an upcoming
episode Matter of fact, onupcoming episodes because she's
playing rock's hairstylist Now,this actress.
(02:25):
The reason why I'm so excitedto talk to Irma is because I
love, love, love speaking toworking actors, people who are
still grinding the pavement,people who are still acting by
day but then selling coquito atnight, just like Irma and I love
me some coquito, and it'saround the holidays.
So you're going to catch her inupcoming episodes of Power Book
(02:48):
3, raisin Kanan and also on LawOrder Two amazing shows.
So why don't we do this?
Why don't we just jump right oninto this conversation with
Irma?
Because she's a fellow NewYorker like me and I want to see
about her coquito recipe, andI'm sure you do too.
So let's get right on into it.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Hi, irma, hi, how are you?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
I'm fine.
How are you Good?
Good, First of all, I'm excitedbecause it's not too often that
I get to have a conversation oran interview with a fellow New
Yorker.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I've been here long enough, but I'm upstate New
Yorker, actually born and raisedin Rochester by the Lake Effect
Snow.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
I left there, like in , that doesn't really count.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
No, that's that's.
I'm more of an upstater.
I've been here since probably2009, because my family's always
been here, so I always spent mysummers here.
So I'm like a New Yorker byproxy.
It's just.
Eventually.
I moved here after a eventually, after a divorce, because I was
my first marriage.
I was married in Florida and Ithink New York city was the
compromise, like I've got to bearound family, I don't want to
(03:56):
go back to that snow.
After having lived in Orlandoand I was like okay, new York,
we're acting, just go to NewYork, your aunt's are there,
just.
And so I've been here sincestruggling, right, okay.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
So we'll adopt you.
We'll adopt you.
You're a part of the New Yorkfamily.
Now we get it.
So do you prefer Rochester ordo you prefer, like, the
tri-state area, better?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
No, no, no, no.
I prefer anything to Rochester.
Don't get me wrong, it's myhometown.
Like I don't want to sayanything disparaging about my
hometown, right, but I left.
Okay, I left when I was like 24,20, like I left, I bounced and
never looked back.
I still go back because my, mymom, dad and sister immediate
family are still there.
I don't think they're everleaving.
(04:42):
But other than that, you know,and I have some lifelong friends
, so I'm not going to, I'm notgoing to bash my city.
Hey, you know, that's like wego up in a mid-sized city like
that.
You, you, you yearn for more.
You know we got it, but at thesame time I don't miss like I
don't know.
I live in Harlem.
(05:02):
I don't know what else to sayabout that.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Living in Harlem is a story by itself.
That's a story about living inHarlem.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, there's some things I miss like like
appropriate housing.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Oh my gosh, none of them talk about housing.
Did you just see on the newsthat, um yeah, the Bronx there's
, there's, there's my cousins.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
This is actually.
I just texted my cousin.
They know I'm because it'sright on their street.
Um, I don't think they know,anybody in that building cause.
They're farther down where thehouses are past um university.
But that's like, literally, Iwalk that every time that go
visit them.
I'm like, wait, is that it'snot your block?
I don't, I have no idea whichbuilding that is, I just saw it,
(05:45):
like you did online.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, yeah, I'm waiting to put up videos like
yes, I'm waiting to hear more,because what they were pointing
on the five and six o'clock newswas that they haven't found Any
bodies.
Thank God, but I'm not tooconfident that that's still
going to remain the same.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
With that, because they're under the rubble bow,
because Would they find thatfast if there were any?
You know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
I don't know, but I mean somebody from the top floor
, because it it was aseven-story building and the
first floor had a bodega andthey said people were in the
store.
So we will wait to see how thisstory unfold.
I don't want to make this, youknow, conversation to sad and
solemn.
So, because I really am soexcited for my audience to learn
(06:35):
about you.
Very tragic, very tragic, butlet's just jump right into you.
So, working actress, and I know, traditionally when it comes to
television or film, we do notsee too many people of color as
representation.
All those things have gottenbetter.
What made you want to become anactress, knowing that there is
(06:58):
so little representation ofpeople of color?
Speaker 2 (07:01):
I Don't know that I thought about that because I was
yearning for when I was so muchyounger.
I did start experiencing thingsImmediately like being a comm
major in college, because I wentto college in the 90s I'm very
much a Gen Xer.
Right, there were pauses and Iwent back and finished as an
adult.
But I do very much rememberprofessors Telling classmates
(07:24):
like make her sound American,make her you know, and that that
was cool.
And I remember there was a feara little bit with me, like with
Shakespearean things, Iwouldn't tackle them like I was
some what a wear of the wholecolorism.
Because I remember thinkinglike I'm I sound like a put,
like I don't know how am I gonnapull an English accent?
Things like that.
That I tackled more confidentlyas an adult, not as a Youth.
(07:48):
But I don't think I thoughtabout the fact that we weren't
represented at all.
I just kind of really wanted todo it.
I think I got a taste of it inhigh school when I did a stage
play and I didn't know you couldstudy it in college.
To be honest with you, that'swhere I went with the
communication major, because Istarted going with what I
thought was tangible, but then Iwould see the, the order majors
(08:09):
, I saw the classes.
It's a world that startedopening up, you know.
But like everything else, I hadkids.
Things were put on pause andSeveral times, but it's just
something that I never gave upon.
I just kept coming back to it,you know, and it'll be there to
the day that I die.
You know, I might just becracking into the door now, but
I Got time.
That you know.
I got time.
I can only go up from here, sowe got it.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
So you said you caught the acting bug by acting
in a play during high school.
So when was the critical momentthat you really decided to take
acting seriously and youstarted taking, maybe, acting
classes?
Speaker 2 (08:50):
It was.
It was right away in college itwas.
It proceeded from high schoolright into college.
But when you're young, youthink you want something but you
don't necessarily have thefocus right because there's
other things going on parties,life, whatever right.
When I seriously took it, whenI took it seriously again After
the kids were a really startedshifting focus, I would say it
was like in 2008, when my kidswere 11 or 12 at the time,
(09:14):
something like that, and thenthe other maybe was eight and I
had help.
I started going to a studiocalled Art's sake down there in
Orlando with one of my lateprofessors who taught me Meisner
, and then it's never stoppedfrom there.
There there's.
There might have been somepauses, like during the teen
years, where I had to take alittle break because life, you
know, and dealing with what'shappening at home, but I kept
(09:35):
coming back to it and just doingit, even on a small scale, like
little commercial or a littleweekend play, whatever I could
do to keep my sanity duringthose times.
And then, now that my kids aregrown, now they're 26 and 23,
now I have time, now I have lotsof time and I can actually like
focus and actually have amanager and an agent and
(09:57):
actually, you know, really stayon top of it.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
So you know, I'm blessed with a husband that is
very supportive as well, hmm.
That's important.
I'm glad that you mentionedthat because a lot of people
they have dreams, goals,aspirations and life is always
Lifeing and I'm glad that youmentioned that, although life
was lifeing, you decided to getback to it, even though there
were gaps and delays.
So you know, that's just areminder to people.
(10:26):
You don't have to let yourdreams and aspirations fall to
the wayside.
Get back to it when you have anopportunity.
So I'm glad that you mentionedthat.
You have to.
You have to take it honestly.
I can say.
I can say you some therapymoney because that's where I got
that from.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Therapists during the rough teenage years was like
don't let that stuff go, do not.
Every day that I walked intothe offices, what did you do for
you today?
Because you know, as mothers,we, you know you're feeding them
, you're getting them clothes.
There's so many times when yougo shopping you think you're
going to buy yourself something.
You don't.
You buy it, you know, youforget about yourself.
We always put ourselves last.
(10:59):
We don't.
We don't make it to the salonanymore because we're so busy.
You know, and it's the onesurvival skill that he taught me
you have to take care of you.
He did the airplane analogy.
He said you have to put the gasmask on your face before you
can help anybody else, becauseif I'm resentful or if I pass
out or if I'm whatever exhausted, you know I'm not happy,
nobody's happy, and I can't helpanybody if I'm depleted in my
(11:21):
gas tank, you know.
So it's one of the things hetaught me do not give up on your
acting classes.
Even if you have to save $5 aweek for your nails, do not stop
doing them.
Take care of yourself, becausethese kids will grow up.
You know they'll move on, butyou're here with you know three
hairs left afterwards in.
So, yeah, no, never give up onthose dreams there.
You know where's that.
It's going to be there, where'sit going.
You know, if you have to take apause and that's not just with
(11:44):
acting, that's with anything,right, that's with anything if
you have a dream about startinga business or whatever your
goals might be in life, if youhave to take a pause to take
care of yourself and to handlelife, which happens, that's fine
, it'll be there waiting whenyou get back.
Yes, I live by that model.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
Well, I'm so glad that you remained consistent and
persistent with your goals andaspirations of being an actress,
because you are going to be onupcoming episodes of power book
three raising a chain andstarring as what's your
characters, named Valentina.
Talk about your character.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, it's not a major role, but it's a major
empire and I that door open forme just a little bit and I am so
happy I am.
I play rocks and I'm a careerstylist, so I'm going to be
right there next to PetinaMiller, you know, if I am
blessed with them because, youknow, sometimes things end up on
(12:43):
the cutting room for floor, butas far as we know, if they use
that footage, we're all going tofind out together on Friday.
I'm Valentina and I couldn't bemore ecstatic about it because
that's my first big role.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
You know right.
How did you find out about therole?
Valentine's Day.
How did you find out about therole so that you could audition?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
It was an audition that my manager sent me.
So you are.
My manager sent it to me.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Did you audition for other roles besides Valentina,
or just?
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Valentine's Day Is that series?
Or, in general, on that series,yeah, this is a lifestyle for
me, it's a lifestyle.
No, no, not on that series.
That was my first audition forthat series and I was lucky
enough to book it, becausethat's not always the case.
I've auditioned for severalseries time and time again and
(13:36):
if they like you, they'll keepauditioning you, They'll keep
bringing you back to read foranother character or another
character, and sometimes younever get called in.
I guess it was just my time.
I auditioned for it and I gotit, and I'm grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
How many times did you have to audition?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
I auditioned for that role you get an audition.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I think I submitted one self-tape for that, actually
, oh, it was one, ok, because Iknow usually sometimes they have
you come back.
They want to see the chemistrybetween you and other characters
.
So you just submitted.
They have a callback.
Yes, all right.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
That's for a bigger role.
The bigger the role gets, theharder that climb is.
This one is recurring, but it'sconsidered a co-star, right?
I don't have 10 million lines.
I go in there, I do my part, Ifeed the story, I leave.
So for that, if they like yourenergy enough on screen, they
don't have to necessarily callyou back Sometimes they do, but
the bigger the role, if you moveup to guest star, where you got
(14:37):
a ton of lines and now you'rereally carrying a story, even if
you're not a series regular,you might get a callback.
Here.
It's different for every series, though, and for every show.
I've had callbacks forcommercials.
You know what I mean.
So it's a little different, youknow.
You never know how that's goingto go.
Right, right, right.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
I got it.
I got it and you're also goingto be appearing on Law and Order
in January 2024.
Is that correct?
Talk about that role.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
That's a part too.
And again, another small rolebig empire.
Right, I'm a Law and Orderfanatic, probably like anybody
else, but you know I don't getto watch it as much anymore
because I've been off of cablefor a while, but I used to watch
it, oh my God, svu, all of it.
And to be honest, I got myopportunity passed because that
(15:32):
it's the original Law and Orderand that stopped filming for a
while.
And in New York City there's asaying that every actor goes
through Law and Order.
Like that's like popping yourcherry.
Every actor in the city hasgone through Law and Order, but
I hadn't.
I had not, and I got called in.
I did an audition for them andbooked a role that aired last
winter.
And I'm a clerk.
(15:52):
I announced the case.
You know, I'm literally theperson that calls out the case
number, calling out docket,docket, docket, people versus so
and so.
That was my role.
I didn't think anymore wouldcome of that, but they called me
back in.
So, god willing, I'm in thefirst episode of the new season,
nice, in another case with thesame judge, mind you, the same
(16:12):
girl, the way you know.
I'm with Judge Patel again, solet's hope that this is a
recurring thing.
They can call me just if Lawand Order is watching.
You can call me back anytimeyou want, I'll be there.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
I'm sure they will.
So what's your dream?
What's your dream role?
Speaker 2 (16:33):
You're going to make me say that out loud.
Yes, it's not so much the role.
That is who I want to work with.
I want to, I want to.
I have goals of working withSpielberg at some point.
Dream roles I like anythingthat where I can get a little
bit dirty.
I like anything where Iactually love being a supporting
(16:56):
character.
I feel like they have a lotmore drama going on and a lot
more juice, and I like roleswhere you really get into
people's reality, whether thatbe abuse or whether that be you
know, just things going on.
I find that roles like that,even in theater, have helped me
cope with whatever was going onin my life too, and it brings a
humanity to us.
So we'll see.
(17:17):
I love period pieces.
That seems to shock people allthe time, but I love period
pieces.
I'm like a last kingdom fanaticand an outlander fanatic, you
know.
So you put me in anything likethat where I get to wear a
corset and I'll tell you I'vemade it.
So who?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
knows.
So, since you like periodpieces, have you watched the
Gilded Age?
That's amazing.
Have you watched that series?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I have not yet, I have not yet, I have not yet.
No, that's a good one I havewatched.
I think I have a friend whodoes work on that, actually,
because I keep seeing herposting about it, but I have not
watched it yet, got it.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Now, oftentimes, when we look at television or we go
to see movies, oftentimes we canimagine ourselves and other
actors or actresses.
What actor or actress do youlook up to?
Speaker 2 (18:16):
I can tell you and it circles back to the question
you asked me before when Istarted wanting to take the
classes again.
Karen Knightley, actuallyReally I watch, yeah, because
again he goes back to the periodpieces and she's done modern
stuff too, but she's also done alot Pride and Pregnages, pride,
can I even say that right?
(18:36):
Pride and Pregnages.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Mr Darcy, hello.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
But watching her.
It's something about watchingher because she has a genuine
smile and she's very genuinewith whatever it is she does.
I love watching her.
I think if anything pushed meto take those classes again back
in 2008, it was watching her.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Got it.
Now let's talk about honing inon your craft or perfecting your
craft.
How often do you go to actingclasses?
Because I see that you are amember of the Chelsea repertoire
theater, so how often do youtake acting classes?
Speaker 2 (19:13):
It does not stop.
Practicing your art is likegoing to a gym.
That's what we are thought.
That's taught many, many yearsago.
You move it or you lose it.
Some things come intuitively,but the things you got to flex
the muscle, to make, not to makethose cliche comparisons.
But it's constant, it's everyweek.
(19:35):
If you're not in the classroomsetting, you're doing it with a
friend.
You're doing it with yourauditions.
You're doing it with yourreader.
You're doing it.
The audition for Canaan.
I had a coach for that.
I have a wonderful coach namedAnna Suzuki, who was right there
with me when I did thataudition.
Reading for me, it's constant.
If you're not in a class,you're reading the books.
If you're not reading the books, you're studying the films.
You're studying other people'sself-tapes.
It's constant, that doesn'tstop.
(19:57):
It's like any other education.
It's like I could compare thatto the career I've had in hair.
We were told in school from dayone, you will never stop
educating yourself because,though the basics do not change,
that's the same in math and inanything.
One plus one and two plus twoand multiplying the back, things
(20:18):
evolve.
Things continue to develop.
If you do not continue toeducate yourself, you're going
to fall behind.
That's going to happen in anycareer, whether you're a doctor,
whether you're a lawyerfollowing law, whether you're a
hairstylist, and it's going toflow right into acting.
You have to flex that muscle.
You have to it's constant.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
That was another teachable moment, or a gem,
because in this age of socialmedia, people are only talking
about the glory and not thestory.
People are thinking thatthey're just going to submit
something and then wham, they'rean overnight success.
I'm glad that you mentionedthat you have to put in the work
.
You have to keep exercisingyour muscles.
Thank you for mentioning that.
(20:54):
Also, what I want my audienceto know is that and you
mentioned it briefly you are ahairstylist for 20 plus years.
People need to understand that,because you got to pay the
bills, working in the salon byday, also taking acting classes,
going on auditions.
(21:14):
How do you manage all of thatand still stay true to yourself?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I didn't, oh no, no, I didn't.
I fell apart a little bit.
I fell apart at different timesbecause once you have the kids
at least this was my storyline Ihad all these dreams, but I had
kids.
My story stopped right there,or it paused, I should say, it
didn't stop.
But suddenly it wasn't about me, it was about them.
I had to feed them.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I found out I was going to be a single mom.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
For me, hairdressing it was my plan B.
I had my parents help me whileI.
That was a rough year.
I had to be with my motherbecause my daughter, when she
was first born, had surgeriesand everything.
I was literally the first yearof her life.
I had to be on social servicesso that I could be with my child
during the day, work, night,clubs at night.
That was the first year I couldhave some money coming in to
(22:04):
take care of her While she washaving her surgeries, because I
didn't want anybody else otherthan my mother touching her
surgery that second year of herlife.
Once she hit one years old, Ienrolled in hair school Again,
thank God for my parents,because from nine to three hair
school, the hotel that I workedat was a block over.
(22:25):
They allowed me to come in at3.15 and I was there until 11.
Then I would pick up mydaughter and literally pick her
up from my mother's just so Icould sleep with her at night.
And go do it five days a week,because grinding is not
something that I'm unfamiliarwith.
You know what I mean, but Ibusted that out for about a year
till I got that license andthen that's when I bought a car.
That's when I started, you know, and that was my plan B and
(22:45):
that's how I raised.
And it's not a career to be shyabout, it's a great career, you
know, because I have a themewith everything I do.
Right, you gotta love whatyou're doing.
You go to work every day.
You gotta love what you do.
And I'll say it to the cowscrow home.
You know, I don't care ifyou're making a little less
money, but if you're happy aboutwhat you do, you're gonna get
up and you're gonna go.
You're not gonna be looking forways to call out a work or
anything like that.
You're gonna go because you'rehappy about what you're doing.
(23:06):
So that was a good plan B tohave while I had to feed these
kids you know what I mean it wasa good way to raise them, and
when they got old enough, Icould continue pursuing the
acting, you know.
But no, life is life.
Those bills are gonna keepcoming.
Yeah, yeah, yeah you gotta dowhat?
you gotta do, but if you have aquestion for something, you're
not gonna let it go.
It's like breathing.
(23:27):
You know, I was taught a longtime ago.
We are creators, right, if youhave any.
You know, everybody has theirdifferent faiths, but for the
most part, people believe thatthere's a creator.
Right, whether that's God foryou, whether that's the universe
, but that's a creator.
We're made in that image.
We are also creative people,and you take that away from me.
What is life about?
So yeah, I always came back toit.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Good, good.
So many teachable moments andI'm hoping that people can
really grab onto them.
The hustle is always real and Ijust want people to have
reminders that it doesn't happenovernight or just by throwing
one stone into the lake and theninspecting this big ripple
effect.
It doesn't happen that way.
Consistency, hard work, grind,hustle, loving what you do those
(24:15):
are all ingredients to yoursuccess, and I don't want to.
I didn't like when you saidwell, it's not a big role, it's
a role, it's a contribution.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Yeah, no, it is big, especially for me, because it's
the first time I've had a sagrole.
I just, I think that's thehumility in me and that could be
some imposter syndrome, becauseI don't like to.
You know, yeah, when I firststarted doing these interviews,
I'm like, yeah, I'm just I'monly on a couple of episodes
doing her hair, like you know,but it is a big role.
(24:45):
It is a big role.
It is.
I should not under.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Yeah, because I'm sitting there next to Petina
Miller Exactly.
You're sitting next to PetinaMiller and I'm sure that there
are other people watching whowould love to be in your shoes,
so we can't minimize what you'vedone and what you will continue
to do You're absolutely rightabout that and I probably needed
to hear that.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
I needed to hear that because it's something I've
been doing a lot Realizingthings.
Oh, calm down, it's not thatserious.
You know, like almost trying tonot step out of my shoes, you
know.
But yeah, no, I got to be on ashow.
I can die right now and say Igot to be on a show that was
powered by 50 cents Somebody whoI watched, because again, I'm a
Gen X, they're okay.
(25:30):
So it's like oh my, yeah, Ihave no complaints, but you
mentioned.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
So you now have your SAG after card, correct?
Yeah, because of theself-adjustments.
Congratulations.
Now, billy Porter.
Recently he made a comment thatsaid that he is only receiving
three cent residual checks andhe has his SAG card.
Now, at what point do you thinkan actor really makes enough
(25:58):
money to afford the cost ofliving and to say, mama, I made
it.
At what point does that happen?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
If you're a good budgeter, you need that one big
break.
I think part of what you hearme saying is I haven't had my
one big break, right, I stillgot a job.
I'm still out here hustlingcoquito, you know what I mean.
I still have a husband whosupports me and helps me go
through this Cause.
No, you're not making big moneyright away acting.
You know you.
For every little check youthink you get, right Like you
(26:31):
might get paid.
You know the numbers sound big.
But think about this breakdown.
Right, if I could pay 1200 forbeing on set one day, 1200,
right, there's taxes, obviously,just like anything else.
Everybody who has a paycheckknows half of that check's gone
already with the taxes.
Then I gotta give a cut to myagent.
I gotta give a cut to my money.
You know what I mean.
(26:52):
Then you gotta count all themoney, just like any other
business that I've alreadyinvested in this, from headshots
to getting footage, to theeducation that we're speaking
about.
How much money do you think isactually left of that one day
that you were on set?
And think about how many gigsyou just named maybe four side
gigs that I've had four days onset.
(27:14):
No five total.
So am I really?
I'm still going to be workingafter this?
I'm like still I'm waiting forthe.
You know, that's why they callit the big break.
At some point, after all thathustling and grinding, you will
finally make it and you willfinally have the role that you
can say, oh, I can retire, I canbuy it when I've finally been
(27:35):
able to purchase that home andpurchase the one from it.
That's when you've made it andyou can take it easy.
I'll be grinding until that daycomes.
But that takes time.
It's not, you know, it's not aseasy as people think.
It's not as quick as you.
And you got to know how tobudget If you come on this money
, because we've all seen thisright in our past, we've seen it
(27:56):
with so many celebrities thatcame across all this money, but
it was either mishandled or theyweren't.
You know, maybe they didn'tread those contracts thoroughly.
So I'm grateful that I am agrinder, because when that
budget comes I'm going to beready to distribute it
accordingly as far as I'mconcerned.
But that just comes from havingbeen a single mom if you want
(28:17):
to hustle and grind.
But if you come into this young, you might not know those
things and you might think thatfountain's just going to keep
rolling, and it's not.
You know, I'm definitely notthere yet, but look if
somebody's out there watching.
Maybe they're going to give methat.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
But people, yeah, because they see you on
television, they see people infilm and they think that they're
rich.
They don't know that.
You know, in order to all ofthis, and just because you see
your name, you know, on thetelevision screen, it doesn't
mean that you're rolling in bank.
So that was another teachablemoment.
What do you think about thisentire reality celebrity space,
(28:57):
where reality TV stars are nowbeing considered celebrities?
What do you think about thatwithout any type of formal
training?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Well, I think that the industry has been good about
separating what a reality staris and what an actor is, so
there's at least that to be saidabout that.
But and I don't knock eitherthere are two different realms,
right, but we cannot deny thatsocial media has evolved and
changed the way things roll.
Now, similar to the way thatmusicians can now promote
themselves.
(29:30):
You know, it used to be a timewhere you had to wait for a
record label and you had to waitfor somebody to discover you,
and now people can just promotethemselves.
Justin Bieber is a testament tothat.
You can literally put yourselfout there on YouTube.
It's the same thing with peoplein any realm, whether that be
in the cooking realm, whetherthat be.
Whatever you're into, you canstart putting your footage out
(29:50):
there and if you're true to itand it's something you believe
in because that's what makes orbreaks people right Work will
come to you.
People will find you.
If you love what you do,they're going to.
You know there's so many nichesout there and people will be
able to find you.
So that landscape hasdefinitely changed.
Yeah, I couldn't even be there.
There's no way I could even begoing to the intricacies of that
(30:13):
.
But that landscape has changedand there are even agents out
there now for social mediapeople.
Yes, I mean because you've youbuild enough of a.
It's basically your own channel.
You build a channel of your ownand that's why it's so
important to be careful whatyou're putting out there in
social media, because that isyour face, that is your, your
book cover, it's what you makeit right.
So you don't want to be puttingyour personal life on there to
(30:34):
a certain degree, you know.
You don't want to put yourdirty laundry on there.
You know, because everybody'slooking at that.
Your job is looking at that,I'm looking at that.
People that don't know you arelooking at that.
You know what I mean.
And when you die, I guesswhat's going to be there?
Whatever imprint you left forthe world, that that's what's
going to be left.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Yes, your digital.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Yeah, literally.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
So if someone offered you a role, I'm sorry.
What did you say?
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I was saying centuries from now.
It's like a time machine.
People will be studying us andour behaviors from what was
going on on social media.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yes time capsule.
So if someone offered you arole on a reality show, would
you accept it or no?
Speaker 2 (31:15):
I think it depends.
I because I have to a certainextent.
I did a cooking competition onPBS.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Yes, that was reality .
Speaker 2 (31:23):
To a certain extent it was completely looking, you
know.
So I wouldn't say no, I don'tthink I would like housewives or
something like that.
No, I don't think I would, onlybecause I'm definitely a crier.
I can't be on a show like that.
I'm not knocking anybody who'son it, because people have made
(31:43):
livings off of that, you know,and they have been entire
empires, as we.
Actually, that show was a greatexample.
There have been empires made ofit, entire careers have been
made of it.
These people are not consideredactors, but they are definitely
considered personalities.
Yes, we know who they are andthey have made, you know, and
they've made livings off of that.
So I'm not knocking that, I'mjust saying that I am definitely
a crier.
That may not be for me.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
I will definitely be the victim.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
I'm a little.
You know so it might be goodfor that.
Being able to be in tune withmy emotions might be good for
acting, because you need to seethat right and I know issues are
showing them up but for areality show, no.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You know, it's funny I actually started.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
I had a friend who did a sizzle reel for an reality
show when I first got to NewYork City we actually took some
footage of.
She had a whole concept forsingle moms in the arts and
whatnot and I think she was I'mnot going to say the title of it
because, if it ever, you know,she had a nice concept and we
actually shot some footage butit just never came to be.
But when I think for me thatmight be a good thing, just
(32:49):
because I probably wasn't ready,I didn't know what was looming
with the teen years, my kidswere a little still.
I had just gotten here and,yeah, just like I say, the world
probably would have seen melike, oh my God, this girl needs
therapy.
This, what do you want me?
Like that?
They don't even know me likethat.
Like, no, let's bring back themystery of old Hollywood, please
(33:12):
.
No, I don't even know that.
Oh, I love On the other side,but I'll do.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
Yeah, you talked about.
I get it.
You talked about being anactress.
You talked about also cookingbriefly on the cooking show, but
I did not know and this isaround the holidays.
You are also called New YorkCity's Kokito lady.
When did that happen?
Yes, ma'am, Talk about thatbecause I'm like you're buying
(33:40):
Really.
But it goes right back to that,brian, I was talking about.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
I started doing it during COVID, Like many people
did.
Many people started sidehustles and I went right back to
.
I knew I wanted to do something.
I wasn't working.
I was home, as we all were, andI didn't think I wanted to go
full time back to work either.
You know what I mean.
I wanted to invest in myselffor once, and I mean little did.
I know I'd be working every day, but I get it.
(34:10):
Sorry for another day, but mymind went to what do I already
love doing?
What do I already love, youknow?
And I was already experimentingand making that stuff for my
family on the holidays and it'ssomething I really enjoyed.
So that's what came to me and Iliterally bought a cooler.
During COVID, I think, I spentlike $60 on Amazon.
I bought a cooler, I boughtsome, some icy sleeves and I
(34:30):
literally made some frozen and Iwent out and I hit the street.
I was literally in Harlemscreaming out culture, served on
ice, get your go, people.
Christmas in July, and and thenjust it took off from there.
I've been blessed from thatmoment on.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Yeah, but another teachable moment, because people
are always asking well, whatshould I do?
I don't know what I should do.
Next, tap into what you love todo.
You're already doing it youalready.
You're already doing it Exactlyand just do it, so I'm glad
that you mentioned that.
So where can people purchaseyour cookie dough, cause I see
(35:09):
that you have strawberry, youhave a dosage and they let you
homework oh yeah, cause I loveme.
I'm really going to order some.
Where can they purchase thecookie dough?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
They can go to cookie ladycom.
It's C O, q, I, t, o, l, a D Y.
We're an e-commerce.
I ship nationwide.
I don't Ship outside of thecountry, however, and we also
for New Yorkers.
We schedule curbside pickups aswell.
So, and you can also follow onInstagram If you want to follow
the adventures on cookie thelady NYC?
(35:40):
Yeah, for sure.
So selling cookie dough.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Your mom, your wife, you're an actress.
What else is next for you?
I'm not sure, I'm not sure, I'mnot sure, I'm not sure, I'm not
sure.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
I'm not sure I mean who's to say.
I mean, you know, let's justput it out there that I continue
to act.
Let's put it out there thatsomebody buys Michael Peter
company.
Let's put it out there thatwhen we become famous, I have
that brand and I can show theworld what it is.
Let's just put that out there,you know.
(36:17):
Um, that's just where my headis.
I think about it every day,Like when I put out into the
universe what I want for myself.
I want to become a householdname and I want that product to
become a household name.
Um, I want to share my passionabout my culture with the world.
Yeah, and I want to be able todo what I love every single day.
Um, yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Got it, got it it's exhausting.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
trying to hustle, Let me tell you it's exhausting.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Oh, I know, Let me tell you something, irma.
This is a true story.
So I wanted to get a camera, aprofessional camera, because I
was starting to do a lot of redcarpet.
I waited until what?
Was it?
Labor Day.
Have you ever heard of the WestIndian Parade on Eastern
Parkway in Brooklyn for LaborDay?
Yes, I was out there with mymother, my mother selling, uh,
(37:02):
what do you call those things?
The drinks.
Um, where, what's that drink?
Nutcrackers, what were youtelling?
Yes, nutcrackers, I was in NewYorker.
Where are you asking me?
Where are you asking me?
I just had a brain freeze.
But just talk about the hustle.
Do what you know how to do inorder to get to where you want
(37:24):
to go.
Speaker 2 (37:26):
So that's what I honey.
We broke it because you want tobe broke.
So if you, if your legs work,if you got a laptop and if you
got a mountain, you can sell.
Speaker 1 (37:35):
Yes, yes, my mother was right with me on Eastern
Parkway selling nutcrackers so Ican get me a camera and
thankfully I did buy my camera.
But going back to yourcharacter, Valentina, real quick
, before we close out thisconversation, what does your
character bring to the episodesthat you're in?
Talk about it Like?
(37:58):
Is she feisty, Is she quiet?
Is she loving?
Talk about your character.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
I think my character you know there's not much I
could say about that because ithasn't aired, but it's.
I bring information, it'sprobably the most I could say.
I bring information to our, toour main star.
I like to say I bring a littlebit of character.
You know it's a Dominican hairsalon and if you've ever been to
(38:26):
the salon, I mean you know Idon't think I could say much
more than that.
I got a little bit of trouble,but did they briefly introduce
you?
If you're getting.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
If you're getting, I get it, but did they briefly
introduce you?
Did they briefly introduce youyour character on last week's
episodes?
I did see rock go into the hairsalon and I saw some hands.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
You saw my.
You saw just little bits of me.
I was watching they were goingto show.
I saw you.
It's funny that's something tobe known about that world when I
tell you so much footage wasshot that day.
There was extras all in thatroom.
I think we saw the receptionistonly right when we shot all
that footage.
It was a full day.
(39:14):
There was a receptionist, therewas an assistant sweeping the
floor, there were severalclients in the chat, just to
show the extreme amount offootage that can be shot.
You know they were filming mespring and you know, flinging
the cape, watching her hair, butwhat got in was my chin.
Yeah, yeah, but that's notgoing to draw.
(39:35):
That's probably why you see mehesitating, to be honest with
you, because part of the reasonI hesitated to do these
interviews is because you justdon't know how much they're
going to show.
Yeah, you don't, you never do.
There's an expression that somethings get left on the cutting
room floor.
So we're all going to find outFriday what gets left on the
cutting room floor and whatshows.
You know we can only cross ourfingers.
(39:56):
The work is done, but in theend those are decisions and
that's another part of this warthat people may not realize.
I'll always have the creditbecause I booked the job and I
did the job and I filmed the job.
But it's on them how muchfootage they use.
And you know that's anotherpart of this war that a lot of
people don't realize, thatthat's an expression.
Things get left on the cuttingroom board and in the final say,
(40:16):
in the final, magic happens inediting, right?
So we'll see.
We're going to find outtogether.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
I get it.
So what's your question?
What did your kids say aboutyou being on upcoming episodes
of Power Book 3, raising Canaan?
What did your kids say?
Because you know your kids arethe toughest critics.
What did they say?
No.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
I was just about to say.
I mean they're happy for theirmom but at the same time,
they're not that excited.
I mean they've been watching megrind this for a long time.
Honestly, they've grown upwatching me audition.
They've grown up watching it.
Some of these things don'tbecome real until they see it.
I know when they saw, finally,the footage of the cooking, they
were really excited to see meon that.
(40:56):
They were really excited towatch me compete and when you
know, sometimes you don't thinkthey're listening or learning,
but they are.
And I will say that when Ididn't make it past like this, I
did like two episodes, I think,and I think they felt really,
they were really sad, but at thesame time they were also my
biggest supporter Because oncethey saw that I was sad, they
were like wait, but you weren'tthe first one to go right.
(41:16):
And then they made me feel likeyou know, that's your kids.
I think they're proud of theirmom.
I hope they're watching becauseyou know I don't know if you
know your friends that have kidswho are Gen Zers there's a
little concern for thatgeneration.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
My daughter's 28.
So I trust them.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
Hopefully they're watching and learning.
Yes, oh, I am, let me, let melet me Conversation for another
day, but I'm gonna say what upthey have so many maladies Do
they not yes.
Let me not start bashing Gen Z,but they all have something.
Yes, they have over diagnosedthemselves and I thought it was
(41:54):
just Mike.
It's up to my friends, we'rethe same age, it's the whole
generation.
We're done X's.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
It's sound like what's wrong with these kids,
the whole generation.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
I just spoke to a teen, I think we might be seeing
the effects of a group ofsocial media.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Yeah, social media has a lot to do with it.
In every teenage, I do thinkyou know, yeah, yeah, we.
Speaker 2 (42:17):
It's hard enough for us, I feel, with social media
and we were introduced to it,like, I think in college we saw
the first chat rooms, right whenit was just a whole code and
you were excited that somebodywas actually texting you back on
the computer.
That's how it started, and theneventually it was like AOL and
dial up, but we kind of wentfrom not having any of that to
what it is now, whereas theykind of grew up with this stuff.
(42:40):
Yeah.
So I can't imagine, becauseit's addicting, I think, for
adults.
They spend a lot of time infront of these screens.
I can't imagine with them howdebilitating that must be,
because, well, we don't have toimagine that.
I think we're seeing it.
They like to say it's not socialmedia and it's nothing.
They like to tell me.
I'm oversimplifying that, but Icould tell you that for me, in
my experience, I feel like theworst of the teenage years was
(43:03):
all over social media.
They got into a hell of troubleover social media.
They were willing to risk itall over those little phones and
now I'm looking at them like yoat this age.
I mean I'm grateful they don'thave kids.
I'm not ready to be a grandmaor anything and I don't think
that I'd be concerned Because bythis age I did have them
already, hustling and grinding,and I'm just looking at my kids
like they're not ready you canget up.
(43:26):
Like what's going on?
I'm right, Right, you need tofill out health insurance papers
.
Like I'm, like yo, what's goingon?
Like what's OK.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
And then they say yeah, so one final question for
the person out there who'swatching this conversation or
listening to this conversation,who is thinking about becoming
an actor what advice do you havefor him or her?
Speaker 2 (43:55):
Go to school, like.
Take the classes, like learnhow to act before you try to do
anything else, Because I thinkwhat I see in this industry and
in some of the groups and thingsa lot of people try to bypass
oh, can I just get headshots,like they think they're just
going to be because they're cute.
Let me just get headshots andsee if I could try to get an
agent.
(44:15):
No, take the classes, it'sgoing to show up if you haven't.
And you might get away with afew small things here and there
and a few commercials, but thetruth is, when it comes to the
work that you really want, youhave to be able to produce the
goods and an agent isn't goingto take you on until they see
the gift that you have andthat's going to come.
(44:36):
You've got to crawl before youwalk.
So if you're serious about itand you've never done it before,
find a good, reputable actingschool and sign up just like
anything else, because I thinkpeople see the limelight and
they don't realize there's aneducation behind it, just like
everything else, and it's anindustry and it's a business
just like anything else.
And it comes down to money andif people are going to invest in
you, because that's what anagent is doing right.
(44:56):
They got to know they're goingto make money off you.
They got to know that you gotthe goods.
So, just like anything else andI know people don't want to hear
that but go to school, andthere are so many great, just
like you mentioned the actingstudio in New York City.
There's so many.
So, from very expensive to veryaffordable, and even the
expensive ones like we are.
There's scholarships too on topof that.
(45:19):
You got to remember that, andthat's very good.
I graduated, finally, fromBrooklyn College.
Brooklyn College is CUNY, veryaffordable, and they have an
immaculate theater program andthey have a TV club.
There's so many places youcould start.
So don't let money be adeterrent, because at a school
like that, you can definitely goto school affordably and they
(45:40):
have scholarships on top of that.
So if you're serious about it,you'll be able to, almost with
next to nothing withouteducation, and get your foot in
the door and get started.
Speaker 1 (45:49):
Got it.
But you're absolutely right,there are a lot of acting
companies and theaters out there.
I was walking on the Lower EastSide about two weeks ago and I
ran into a theater company whereNicole Ari Parker she was a
member putting on a plate.
So once again, these A-listactors and actresses they are
(46:10):
still members of theatercompanies further honing in and
perfecting their you alwayshoning in, it becomes your
family.
Speaker 2 (46:17):
After a while too, they do become your family.
Some of those relationshipsthat you see on screen where you
seem to see the same actorsworking together.
You'd be surprised how longsome of them may have known each
other or haven't known thedirector, because once you start
building a circle, you tend towork together again with these
people if you get along, andthey do become a family.
You've seen that with StephenAdley-Gerges's group.
(46:39):
These people are a family.
Colon Sias, who's on the bear,she's part of that theater group
.
These people all still hold eachother very near and dear and
they're well known to all of us,you know, and they all started
at the same little theater, youknow lab.
So, yeah, find yourself a group, you know, get that education.
(47:00):
Find yourself your group.
It start building yourcommunity, because New York City
one thing that you can agreewith me very big, so many people
, but it can be very lonely ifyou do not start building,
building your groups.
Right.
But once you start growing it,joining your groups, whether
that's your acting group, yourgym group, your whatever you're
into it starts getting a littlesmaller, does it not?
Because you start getting toknow these circles and you need
(47:22):
that here and that that's whatit's like in that world.
It also represents itself inacting.
These people get to know eachother.
So you and you need that family, because it goes without saying
that this career can be verydepressing.
It's a very rejection basedcareer for every.
When I started before therewere self tapes.
It was about 50 auditions toevery booking.
It's a lot more than that nowyou know, you're auditioning all
(47:45):
day, hey, hoping to get thatfinal role.
If I show you my actors accessand how many self tapes I've
submitted for a couple yearsbefore I finally got this, even
this one roll, you'd be likeholy, you know it's work, it's
work.
So you need that kind ofsupport group, you do.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
Well, you know, just amazing advice, lessons, gems,
your own experience, teachablemoments, or my.
Thank you so much for havingthis Conversation with me and
for blessing my platform.
Sign you on air.
Continue blessings to you inyour acting career.
This is only the beginning, andwhen you secure your next role,
(48:25):
I'm going to invite you back sothat we can discuss that, okay.
Speaker 2 (48:31):
Yes, 100%, I will be back.
Thank you for having me.
I really appreciate it.
Thank you for powering throughthe little glitches.
Speaker 1 (48:40):
It happens, it happens.
I'm gonna continue with thisshow.
Thank you so much and I'll talkwith you soon.
Take care, thank you, take care.
So there you have it, irma.
Now.
She minimized her role.
We don't want to do thatbecause you have to start
(49:00):
somewhere.
And, as Irma alluded to well,she matter-of-factly said she
got the acting bug when she wasin high school, when she started
to play.
Very young, life was life thing.
She had kids, she got married,she moved, but through it all
she remains consistent to herpurpose and passion and her love
(49:21):
for acting.
So for as many knows, as shereceived, this one loud and
resounding yes Comes in the formof her playing Valentina.
On upcoming episodes of powerbook 3, raisin caning.
I'm watching every single week.
Stars do me a favor, just don'twait so long between Series.
(49:47):
But I forgot I had ShaneJohnson.
He played on ghost and he toldme why.
So if you want to know whystars is always kind of Putting
so much space between all oftheir different series, tune in
to my son you and air celebrityinterview with Shane Johnson.
This has been an amazingEdition of son you on air.
(50:11):
Once again, please subscribe.
If you're watching this onYouTube, make sure that you hit
the notification button.
That way, every time I uploadan all-new son you and air
celebrity interview Unpackingtheir pivotal moments and
milestones, you'll be the firstones to know.
Now go ahead and subscribe.
Smooth, just alls, take care.
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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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.