November 22, 2025 • 39 mins
Actress, comedian, and new mom Bresha Webb joins host Deborah Joy Winans Williams for a deeply personal and joy-filled conversation about marriage, motherhood, healing, faith, and navigating Hollywood with grace.
Bresha opens up about her high-risk pregnancy, discovering a genetic heart condition while carrying her daughter Brave, and the frightening moments that tested her faith. She talks candidly about grief after losing her father, the miracle she experienced in postpartum recovery, and how becoming a wife and mother changed her understanding of love and purpose.
With her signature humor and honesty, Bresha shares what it means to protect your peace, why saying “no” matters, how gospel and Cardi B coexist in her self-care routine, and why she believes joy must be chosen over and over again.
If you’re looking for a story of healing, hope, laughter, and the power of faith, this episode will bless your spirit.
💜 “You can’t make me doubt Him — I’ve seen too much.” — Bresha Webb
00:00 – Opening: The industry finally sees Black women
00:38 – Deborah Joy introduces her 19-year friendship with Bresha
01:22 – Becoming a wife, mother, writer & artist
02:50 – What marriage actually looks like vs. expectations
04:16 – How partnership changed Bresha’s life
06:00 – Putting God at the center of her marriage
09:00 – Grief, love, and learning to lean on her husband
11:22 – Becoming a mom & balancing Hollywood
12:16 – The pregnancy complication that changed everything
12:54 – Discovering her heart condition
13:53 – Fear, faith, and the birth of Brave
16:03 – Why her daughter’s name carries so much power
17:07 – Deborah Joy shares her own pregnancy challenges
18:27 – Postpartum healing & Bresha’s miracle recovery
21:03 – Protecting peace in a demanding industry
21:56 – The role of faith in every obstacle
22:33 – Gospel + Cardi B = Bresha’s wellness formula
23:17 – Lessons from Niecy Nash & Kim Whitley
24:31 – Handling rejection & relying on God
25:21 – The audition that gave her new perspective
26:03 – When a "no" is really a divine redirection
28:55 – Honoring her value as a Black woman in Hollywood
29:55 – College memories & high-energy grit
31:09 – Losing 100+ lbs postpartum
32:38 – Health, wellness & lifting heavy
33:32 – Reflecting on years of growth
34:21 – Theater dreams & stepping into new callings
36:20 – Realizing she’s living her childhood dream
38:08 – Seeing herself clearly for the first time
39:02 – Closing reflections on joy, gratitude & purpose
#ChoosingJoyPodcast #BreshaWebb #DeborahJoyWinans #BlackWomenInHollywood
#MotherhoodJourney #FaithAndHealing #CelebrityInterviews #BlackJoy
#WomenInEntertainment #InspirationDaily
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The industry that we so night that we've been placed in.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It's groovy and it loves us. It loves black women.
It loves black women. It says black women, its it
sees our words. Yeah, you know, sometimes you got to
speak those things that are not amen.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
You know it pays as well, you know, it.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Awards us and.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It doesn't pit us against each other. Hello, I am
Deborah Joy Winan's Williams. Thank you so much for tuning
in to choosing Joy and today I am. I'm super delighted.
(00:50):
I get to talk to a woman that I met
at this point nineteen years ago, nineteen and we look
better now than we did the period.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
But had her I've.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Had nineteen years ago, and the woman that you see
now she is the same funny, beautiful, brilliant, interesting, amazing woman.
She's a writer. She's an actor. First of all, she's
(01:26):
fabulous at all that she does. So you've got acting,
you've got writing, you've got singing. She will play sing
but the girl can sing you down. She's a singer.
She's a wife, and most recently she has added mother
to that title. And to know the young lady I'm
(01:48):
at nineteen years ago and to see how she is
evolved and been able to tread the landscape of Hollywood
with the career that she has and still maintain that
beautiful faith and discovery of what she does and all
around consistency. You don't find that very often in this industry.
(02:13):
So I am grateful that I get to sit with
my girl, the talented, the incredible, the crazy and amazing
one and only Braves. Mommy, are you sure were?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Thank you so much? Thank you for choosing I was
gonna miss a girl. I wasn't gonna miss that cow.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yes, yes, I'm happy to have you.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Oh my god, we've been how long have it hasn't
been since We've been just trying to get together.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
At this point, I feel you've become since the last
time I've seen you. You have become a wife.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I think when you last saw me, I just got engaged.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Yeah, what is that like?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Oh my god, it's it's been a blessing. Just the
complete transformation of becoming a wife, becoming a mother, a
bonus mom and now mother to my daughter Brave and Mackenzie,
and just all the blessings that come with that, the additions,
(03:25):
you know, and time management and but so rewarding in
such a new level of happiness and excitement and just
spot like just spontaneity that I just never could have
imagined to be a part of my life.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Now I love that. That's so it's funny because you
are literally one of the funniest people life, you are,
and so you would think that like spontaneity comes to
you like you are.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I'm quick, baby, quick, baby, you real quick. So in marriage,
has that been So I'll say for me, yes, married,
because you know.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
We are just two years. Yeah, we're about to Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
We're baby.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Look two years.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I think I was two years in when I got Greenlee. Yeah,
we were two years in. So we are twelve years now.
But I think when I got married, I had this
certain vision of what it was supposed to look like
and what a wife needed to look like and what
she needs to do, and how a husband needed to
be and what did you have a particular vision of
(04:43):
what marriage was? And then, if so, how has it
changed or is it what you thought it was?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
The movies are wrong. Marriage can sometimes be the ghetto.
I you know, I'm at a certain age where I
decided to get married at a certain age, So I
have been living my lot yeah for a long time,
by myself, checking with myself, and so to make else okay,
(05:11):
I do to what I want to do, you know.
And so just the what God has worked through me
to get with my partner and my husband and just
to like partner up like we are truly partners, and
to respect and look at each other in that way.
It's been a growth, you know, like you walk together
(05:34):
in this and every day hear day, hear day, you
choose to do it again, and it's a blessing, it's happiness.
It's I just feel like we're like at a mountain
jumping up and down. Like we literally said that this morning,
like opening up a joint account together, like and it
(05:56):
was like it was like we're doing things that grown up,
like we still feel like little kids.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
At some point.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Like opening up a joint account this morning just was
so like, wow, look at us. Yeah, we made it
to this point that I trust you, you trust me,
and we are still individually who we need to be. Yeah,
but it just felt like another milestone. Y're still making
milestones in our marriage, which is really cool and on
(06:26):
our terms.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Yeah, that's the really good thing because everybody's marriage is different.
That's yes, it's very I think we grew up in
a time where we were told what marriage should look
like and what.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
You are, especially coming from the church.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Yes, and that is not I didn't marry Deacon so
and so. So, why am I gonna try to treat
my husband like Deacon so and so? They're not the same.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
How about I don't want Deacon, I don't want.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
I don't want to, I don't want you know, and
I don't want would you like? Would you guys have
us for you?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
And so I think what that was one of the
biggest things that Terrence and I had when we went
to our premarital counseling. They were just like, we can
give y'all tools, but they're tools because the way we
are is the way we are and the way you
have to relate to your spouse.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
You have to figure out what they need.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And so I love the joy that has just kind
of permeated your whole being when you.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Talk about your marriage is really beautiful? Has that been.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Everything you thought it would be?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Like the growth, the growth, listen, it takes its truth.
You know, the accountability you have to take when you're
noticing when you hurt, you know, thinking that you're doing
something you know, oh, this is what I normally do,
and that's hurtful. And of course me being a comedian
(07:58):
at my mouth she quick, you know, So I gotta
temper that. And I have to be able to be
soft enough to be a soft place for him as well.
And I'm still learning.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
That, Like we're beautiful.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah, we're learning how to walk this thing out together.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
And I might fallen trip and he might fall on trip.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
But thank god, we learned early that God has to
be at the center yeah it all, yeah, you know,
and that we need to I can go to the rock, yeah,
and God can fix it. He'll come up out of
his sleep and be like, we need to talk, and
I said, you know what you did, And that's when
that's when I realized, oh.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, you're my husband. Yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
You can go to the rock.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Was was God always the center of what y'all came
together on?
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I mean we met in the panda roach hand. Damn man,
it was a tough.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
I mean, I feel like we both just because I
want to. Was this like something that you guys bonded over?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I mean yes, yes, like we both had our own
walks of faith, and we both were raised Baptists and
all of that. And of course how I worship in
the way that I go to God is completely different
than him, and that was also a gross thing and
to accept and to realize and learn and walk together.
(09:33):
And we're still learning in that place too, you know.
But really made you what made me willing.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
To walk and to understand his walk.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Because I loved him and I wanted to get to
know him on a deeper level. And I needed to
know that the God that I'm talking to is still
the same God he's talking to, even if he's talking
in a different way, and not to pull him on,
like to force him to be, like you need to
go to church for me every Sunday.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
This is how my mama taught me.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
To, you know, like, you know, this man has been
at war. You know, my husband is a marine, so
he's seen and gone through so much more. And so
I had to quiet myself.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
And be with him.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
And he came into my life while I was going
through grief and was going through a lot of things,
and his patience and his stoic nature kind of just
showed me everything I needed to. I was like a
little chihuahua and him being as still as possible, and
me like, no, God's telling me that I need to
(10:44):
stay here, even though you're biting and nipping me at
the ankle. I'm gonna stay right here, I say, you
know what, you know where You're gonna stay a little longer. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
So so okay, Well, first of all, I cannot wait
to meet him.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah, listen, he's for the house.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
And I love that.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
I love that we're gonna find something. But I love
I think you are incredible. I've always thought this. I
love seeing how people compliment what I think is already
beautiful about somebody.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
And I don't think that it was a quieting.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I think it was just an understanding. And you are
just you just continue to evolve into such an amazing person.
The art always evolves, but you, as this wife, as
this mother, as this friend is just I see layers
and it's so exciting.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
And I note that it's not always easy.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So where is a moment between maybe getting married or
having brave becoming a bonus mind? Was there a place
where you felt stuck or you had to figure out
how to like, you didn't feel the happiness did you
have to search for the joy is there? Did you
(12:13):
have to make a choice to just see it regardless
when you didn't feel it?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Yeah, I mean the moment I realized that my pregnancy
was about to be what it was. You know, I
haven't really talked about it, but you know, my pregnancy
and the journey of that, you know, we just hey, surprise, surprise,
we're pregnant, and you know, going through the life of
(12:41):
it all during the strike and I'm like lord o,
we okay, you know, and going through that and realizing
that I had this health condition that was kind of
taking over and being in the hospital so many times.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And we asked what it was like when.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Oh, sure, I started having complications, like maybe in the
fourth or fifth mom my father passed away from this
genetic disease called HHT.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
It's a really long title. I'm not going to pronounce
it right.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
But.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I lost my father in twenty twenty two and I
was still grieving through that when I was pregnant, and
then I found out that I had it as well,
and it really wasn't disrupting my heart. It was a
heart condition and I'm very active, and so the doctors
(13:44):
weren't really concerned about me. But when I got pregnant,
and because your body's going through all these changes, my
heart started to really get overactive. I had a resting
BPM of one, and so that was the doctors were like,
oh my god, well we don't know what to do
with you. You could you could die. You know, if
(14:06):
this is just you resting, what are you going to
go through further on in your pregnancy? And it was
a lot to consider. But I made a choice in
that moment that one I wanted to keep going, and two,
I just knew God was with me. I knew he
(14:27):
was with me, and I chose to be brave and
chose to enjoy this moment. Still, you know, I wasn't
gonna give in to what the doctors were saying, what
my body was doing. I still got up. I went
(14:48):
to those doctors appointments, even if I had to go
every day. My friend stepped up to the plate. My husband,
being a nervous wreck, was present as much as he
could be for me with everything going on in his
life and worrying about me. It was definitely a trial.
But that was a definite choice where I literally had
to say I am going to enjoy this because I
(15:13):
know the end result will be better and it has been,
and I thank God every day. And that's why I
named my daughter Brave because she was a brave baby
to get through that. I was brave to get through
that as well.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
And I ain't doing it again.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
But you know that was a conscious choice that I
was like, I'm Daddy, I know you with me, and
Father God, you're with me too, and I'm going to
with these nose bleeds and all the complications that was
going on and doctor's looking at me sideway, going to
three different hospitals and all of that, it just.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Feel like you're like a specimen.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
What's going on about it?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Was? God gave me exactly what I needed, led me
to whom I needed to be with, got me right
where I needed to be. So I was like, Okay,
so I'm choosing to not be defeated by yes, and
I'm going to watch God work.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
And he did that. He did it.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Toast to God, Amen toast God, and we thank drink
on this show. Is that all right? Because I'm toast
to Jesus.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
We do that. I'm grateful.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
The thing is, you can't make me doubt him because
he's done too much in my life.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
I've seen too much for myself. So it doesn't matter
if it had not been if it had not been
for the Lord. I found my son, That's what. So
I can't I can't start doubting him now.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
I and my pregnancy was very much so a place
where I found out I was pregnant a few days
before I to go shoot this Christmas movie in Canada
by myself, and then I had a twenty to sent
me to Fibruary. I was in well, horrific pain. It
was a mess, mess and I didn't want to keep
telling to you because it wasn't too much he could do.
He couldn't come. So it's just like I'm just there
(17:20):
by myself and me. And I remember telling my sister
friend Anika, because most people didn't know I was pregnant,
and I told her because I was in tears. I
said for the first time, I don't I don't see
my way past this, and she was like, yes, you do.
(17:40):
It's just a little blurry right now. And so having
people that understand, oh my God, that can speak that you,
because sometimes you do struggle, that's what it is. But
having people that will speak it, that will see you
and understand you is so important to me. But when
it comes to your health, So my doctor told me,
once I have my baby, I had to start getting
(18:02):
all these tests that are usually reserved for like forty plus.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
And at the time I gave birth.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I was thirty eight. But she was like, oh, no,
you're gonna do this. You need to do this, you
need to do this. And I was like, but I'm
not even forty yet. It doesn't matter. You have a
child and we need to do everything preventive to make
sure you're here for this baby. Did anything like that
changed for you when it came to your health after
having your child?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
You know what, God is good. My heart and everything
went right back to normal.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
You Jesus, and.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
My baby does not have such amatic situation.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
So I am re shock.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I can lay out right now. It was like take
a lap. I can take that lap. You know what
I'm saying, A lap. Yeah. It was like as soon
as the baby came out, my body just reset and
I would I'm so used to seeing my heart right,
like watching the nurses and watching the doctors look at
(18:56):
me like how are you here?
Speaker 1 (19:00):
You know?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
And to see them after and to see what they
would see after I had the baby, and they were like,
you can go home. We were prepared for you to
be here for a whole Mom, you can go home.
You and the baby. The baby was early, and the
baby came out pooping and ping on me, you know,
(19:23):
said she's fine, she's ready, and so we were covered.
And I'm grateful my mom was able to be there
because she was having her health issues and God just
made it open for us to have joy, you know,
and to celebrate. And you know, it was amazing to
(19:45):
see my doctor and the nurses look at me, going,
your heart rate is normal, man? And I said yeah.
I was like, I can go back and lift away.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
When when can I touch a ten pounds?
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Nay?
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I had that little waist train up.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
What a waste baby, you drop baby.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
So the industry that we've chosen, you know, the night
that we've been placed in, it's really it's groovy.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
It's groovy, and it loves us.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
It loves black women, It loves black women, It pays
black women.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
It sees our words.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
You know, sometimes you just gotta speak those things that
are not amen.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
You know, it pays as well you know, it awards
us as.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
Well, and it doesn't pit us against each other.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
That's what it is, and that's what that's the industry
that we've chosen, and we're very excited about it. Love it.
Now that you have, uh, I feel like you've always
been able to protect your peace to a certain degree,
and now that you have a husband and knowledge, you
have a dog, you have two daughters. What are the
(21:05):
things that you have been able to sort of set,
like the boundaries that you set to ensure that you
keep peace in your house and all this other industry
foolishness at bay.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Oh, well, it's kind of hard. My husband's a writer
as well, so we are living in it, you know,
and so as much as I'm going through he's going
through it too. Yeah, And so hmm, how do we
keep it up? Behind? I mean, it's it's a dose,
(21:40):
do you know what I mean? And a do you know?
I just try to keep my life my personal space,
you know, as peaceful, you know, as possible doing my
own self work.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
I was gonna say, is there like a maybe not
a mantra, but is there a certain routine uh that
you do that keeps you grounded, that allows you to
be the best you for your daughter and for your husband.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
It's definitely just a mix of gospel and Cardi B
you know, and that's what music when it's up and it's.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Snubby, and we keep our eyes to the hills.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
Keep our eyes to the hills.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
So it's just, you know, it's just it's on a
constant shuffle, you know of just like remember who God is,
but also if needed, you know, and that's how I
keep the balance.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
So I like it.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
That's actually very well balanced. Thank you, Oh happy day.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Yeah, and then be a beer. And I say that
to myself, why are you acting.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
Like a beer?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
You know?
Speaker 3 (22:48):
My baby loves it, you know, not the curse, you know,
just you know, we keep the cursing low. But she understands, Yeah,
but you gotta.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Have a real life.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Gotta have a real life.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
I understand what real.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Life is absolutely in my life. And one thing, one advice,
piece of advice that exact gave me is don't forget
about your life, like, don't make this career your whole life,
you know. So when she said that to me, I
immediately went and froze my eggs and did I use.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Anyone of them. No, you know, God is good.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
I was able to you know, to strike and a
nice glass of wine and a trip. I got a baby,
but I wasn't even trying to break. But yeah, but
you know, like I always and and Kim Kim uh
Whitley actually told me that too. She was like, don't
(23:45):
you get so hung up in this career that you
don't have a life outside of it. You want something
to go home too? Yeah, And that humbled me real quick.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
That's beautiful. Yeah, And I think a lot of times
it's easy to forget because you're on the home on
to school and now we're hustling. We're trying to be
seen and we're trying to get this audition and meet
this person. And it's a constant thing even and I
think a lot of times people think when you've done
a show, then oh you don't have.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
To No, the hustle just changes.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
It just changes, that's all.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
But you're still constantly doing things, improving, proving, and then
feeling bad when you're not picked. You get a thick skin,
but it doesn't mean that the nose don't hurt. And
I remember getting to I got to a this is
my first time I had to do a camera test
(24:38):
with somebody. I've only done one camera test, okay, and
it was for a CBS show. And I do this
camera test and it was great. Everything was amazing. And
then CBS calls, They're just like, hey, it's you know,
it was four people that got sent, but now it's
only two.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
It's your client and one other person really like her.
She's amazing.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I was like, oh my god, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
God.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
Yeah yeah, And I didn't get it.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
And I was like, and then you signing that paperwork
and you know, girl, I.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Said, ooh. And I remember telling this woman who she's
she's she's family, and I shared so many things with her,
and I just it's good to have a mentor. And
so I talked to her about so many things, and
I was telling her about it and I told her
what happened, and she said, honey, don't you forget You've
already won.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Look at that husband, look at that child you have one.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
This is a no.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Whatever God has for you will be a yes.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
That has been my song I forget listen, listen, listen.
If I wasn't chosen to go, it's because I'm not
supposed to be the host. I don't want I have
to fit myself into something that ain't supposed to be mine. Yeah,
and the nose are thank you. Yeah, it truly is,
because it's making room for what I'm supposed to be.
(26:05):
You know, what I'm supposed to be doing in alignment
with where I'm supposed to go, you know, and I've
seen that time and time again. I don't get hang up.
I don't get hung up on it. I could be
like auditions and things like that. I'll be like, oh,
that would be cool, but like, look, you will be done.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
I really can't.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
I can't. I can't do this. Yeah, I did my work.
They want me, they know who to call. Yeah, you know,
if it's not for me, you have something else.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Did it take you a minute to get there? Or when?
Speaker 1 (26:36):
When was that shift?
Speaker 3 (26:38):
You have to be a little weird. You have to
be weird and crazy to be in this you do,
you do like you look crazy. You get a whole
bunch of no's and almost and.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
Set up all these things.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
You're just living in this weird, crazy world.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Just keep going.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
You're just like okay, like this is not you know,
to wake up with the tenacity and the goal to
keep going after no, You're not cute. This is gonna
be the next big thing. This is gonna this show, this.
Speaker 6 (27:15):
Movie is what's gonna roussa.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Let me tell your summer you are. I've been through ship.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
Just wait for it. I see it.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
I'm gonna you pay me seven thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
And I am gonna make your firm.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I know, Oh, Brah, I know I'm gonna get you,
doctor Phil.
Speaker 4 (27:46):
You know I got I got connection.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Ship s.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
I'm like, who want me? What time? They know my quote?
I'll be there, I'll be there.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
I be there here, girl.
Speaker 4 (28:05):
You know when I.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Found out what a quote was, they asked if I
had a quote when they asked about greenleaf, and that
was my first thing I'd never had.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
And you were giving your life doing your.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Thing, baby, I said, what what is?
Speaker 4 (28:20):
What's a quote?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Girl?
Speaker 1 (28:22):
I didn't know you didn't you, babe? Honey, honey. And
you know, we praise God for quotes, bro.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
We praise God, you know, because if they won't respect us,
we have to. Hey.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
But but you know what they're going to because they
love black women love. They need black were in industry
that loves black women, that pays Black Women, That endorses
Black Women, That awards black that awards Black Women.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Endorses endorsements, endorsements, endorsements, all three.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Endorsements.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Yes, yes, that's where it is reaching Like I just
have a genuinely just love you and I have been
so happy to see the way you have grown.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
And it's not because you were incredible when I met you.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
So we know each other for so long. In college,
we were just little bub we were babies.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
We were little babies.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
In the hall, just trying, like with dreams.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
And it's so.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Funnyls, so funny.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
All the ones made it.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
That is that's what the babies do.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
That's a little we made it. Endorsement, endorsement, endorsements, endorsements,
and we look, look and we were okay and don't
(29:55):
and don't let it be.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
You know, you was inspiring me when I was pregnant.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I said, I got to put that waist train, okay,
because she was up there lifting and running and doing
the marathon of the workout. And I said to myself, bitch,
get the person on the line now as soon as
this baby, so soon as you dropped the baby. I
gave myself two weeks. I was still still bleeding everything
(30:26):
real life. But you know what, my crazy ass was
still like.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
I listen.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I was up there doing like strapping myself up, still
trying to do auditions. Like my husband was just like,
just go ahead and.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Do it, because he.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Was like, your brain just can't shut off. I was
in the hospital doing a voice over. Can you turn
this machine off? Is it a way we can sound?
Speaker 5 (30:55):
We need it for your heart, baby, and.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
We are back.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
But it kept my brain like in this this crazy
place where I was like mm hmm, I'm still you
needed it.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
I need it.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
You need it.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Yeah, And there's well, but there's something too that there's
something to understanding your body enough, your mind, your spiritual space,
all of that to know what you need.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
I have to keep going.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
I was like, yes, I can have this baby, and
this baby knows how to be quiet too.
Speaker 4 (31:29):
We're on set.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
I know you just got here, but baby, you know
your lines, you know what, you know what?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
It was crazy. It was great to see you doing
that because I was like really inspired by that.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
You Yes, thank you.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
That means a lot.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
It was.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
It was it's been a journey. I was two hundred
and thirty eight pounds when I gave birth, and so
I've lost over a hundred.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
You lost a person.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
I lost a whole person.
Speaker 5 (31:58):
Yeah. Some people eat people and I lose.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
You lost them, You let them loose. Listen, people say, Brisher,
you look great. I worked hard. Yeah, thank you, snatch
By Drea.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Worked hard, and I'm very grateful and notice.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Thank you for noticing. And God is so good. He
gave me a film to go right into right after,
so I had something to get ready for. I was like, listen,
we're going to start squatting. Yeah, now, yeah, and so God. Yeah,
I'm on my uh my, my.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Bbl no surgery journey.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
I'm you look great.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I'm working, Thank you, I'm working that booty though I'm
working the way I'll be doing squats.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Let me tell you something. I come from the dance
world back in the day. I do attitudes while I
brush my teeth. The real dancers know what it is.
I give myself an attitude and lift that twenty seconds
on each leg. Well, I'm rushing onto.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
That booty will stay it lifted and I will.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
I'm gonna rise up, all ride up.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
I'm not We're not sagging right now.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
I will stay lifted.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Oh my god, Brisha, y'all, so here's the thing. You
are absolutely where God has meant for you to be.
You are doing absolutely what you should be doing too.
And it is beautiful, really good at this, Thanks friend,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Really, it's just like, and now we're wrapping things.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
I was like, oh, I'm doing it.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
Just doing it, don it girl.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Oh my god, y'all don't understand. This is twenty years.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
I love this woman, and I am I'm just I'm proud.
I'm so incredibly proud, and I'm excited to see all
the more that God is doing in your life. There's
so much more. This is barely scratching the surface.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Same for you.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
What happened to that play that I came to see? Oh?
Speaker 5 (34:15):
I know they want to take it to Broadway.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
They should. I loved it.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
We'll see.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Yeah, great, thank you. It was so great. I was like,
look at their family.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
I missed theater.
Speaker 5 (34:29):
I really do.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
I did something in Arkansas for two weeks at Theater Square.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
And I just it lit another fire in Yeah. I said,
oh my god, I missed this. This is what I dream.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
So yeah, we'll see. You know, God's working things out Broadway.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Yeah, they do love us.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
They do love us, and we love them, love them. Yeah,
keep going and I love you, Thank you, Thank you
for choosing joy. Is there anything that you would say
to uh, young women in this industry that want a
you in this industry finding something that will allow them
(35:06):
to choose joy in the midst of maybe not seeing
it happen the way they would like it. To any
piece of advice.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Well, just know that however you see it and imagine
it for it to go, it's not gonna be like that.
Speaker 4 (35:23):
Yeah, Okay, because at this.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Point we're supposed to be on a Hollywood walker fang. Yeah,
you know, for all the turmoil and we've put in,
it's not gonna go that way. But if you stick
with it and you keep one foot in front of
the other and keep keep realizing the dream that he put.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
In your heart.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, and keep staying true to that dreamy and why
you do it and what makes you good? Yeah, you
know that should give you, that should place you exactly
where you need to be. Yeah, And that's gonna be
far better than what you could ever dream of. Fart
and imagine and see, like absolutely I would. I would
(36:06):
always put little stars at the end of my name.
I would wear a star. When I was in Baltimore City,
I would wear a little star sticker on my face.
I was so obsessed with stars, and I was saying,
I'm gonna be a star. I'm gonna be a star.
And so when I realized that, I was like, man,
I thought it was gonna happen like this, and I
thought it was gonna happen like that.
Speaker 4 (36:25):
Yeah, it wasn't.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Until last night, girl. I was at this dinner Hollywood
Confidential shot you out, Steve. I was at the table
sitting next to Yvette Lee Bowser honoring Marlbrock a kill,
at a table with so many amazing women, and I
sat there and they asked me a question and I
(36:46):
started to tear up, and she was like, you know,
did you ever imagine yourself to be one of the girlfriends?
And I was like, I remember being in CalArts at
that and I'm stinky and I'm stinky. What was it
what it called it? The condos or whatever what they
called it, Yeah, them stinky rooms.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
You got a little bunker where we had one little.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
TV and I will watch Girlfriends And seeing myself on
that show made it real to me that that dream
could be possible, and to know that I was sitting
at that table and that I grew up watching Living Single.
And then I looked to my right and I said,
Essence Atkins is.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
One of my close girlfriends.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
We came here to get like it's like you're living
in the dream and if you don't even know you
are your wildest dream.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
You're actually in it.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
You're walking and you're running so hard at a thing
that you don't really take a moment to sit back
and look around and be like yeah, oh yes you yeah, ah,
who you say or think? You don't even think that
you're this, and you're actually this. It was a moment
(38:00):
where I sat there and I got so full, and
I came home so happy, and I was like I
had to thank my husband because he's always been speaking
life into me and I would beat on me like
I gotta gravel, you know. And I sat back and
(38:22):
I was like, Nick, I finally see it. He was like,
now walk in it.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
That's incredible.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
And it was such a moment. And standing here with
you and knowing that we were in the mall girl.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Was and I think what's really incredible is you get to.
Speaker 5 (38:43):
Enjoy the journey.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
Enjoy the journey. We're married, we have children, we're like
and able to support ourselves doing what we love to do.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
That's the dream.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
That's the dream. That's the dream.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
That's enough.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Yeah, that's the dream.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Yeah, that's the dream.
Speaker 5 (39:03):
That is the dream. I love you.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
I love you so much. I'm so happy for you, y'all.
Thank you so much, thank you for tuning in, thank
you for choosing joy today. UH realize that you are
the dream.
Speaker 5 (39:19):
You are it.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
Let us know what you want to hear. Click that
subscribe button, click that like button, and UH know that
we're here for you, and do your best to try
to keep choosing joy and enjoying the journey every day,
every day,
The industry that we so night that we've been placed in.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It's groovy and it loves us. It loves black women.
It loves black women. It says black women, its it
sees our words. Yeah, you know, sometimes you got to
speak those things that are not amen.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
You know it pays as well, you know, it.
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Awards us and.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It doesn't pit us against each other. Hello, I am
Deborah Joy Winan's Williams. Thank you so much for tuning
in to choosing Joy and today I am. I'm super delighted.
(00:50):
I get to talk to a woman that I met
at this point nineteen years ago, nineteen and we look
better now than we did the period.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
But had her I've.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Had nineteen years ago, and the woman that you see
now she is the same funny, beautiful, brilliant, interesting, amazing woman.
She's a writer. She's an actor. First of all, she's
(01:26):
fabulous at all that she does. So you've got acting,
you've got writing, you've got singing. She will play sing
but the girl can sing you down. She's a singer.
She's a wife, and most recently she has added mother
to that title. And to know the young lady I'm
(01:48):
at nineteen years ago and to see how she is
evolved and been able to tread the landscape of Hollywood
with the career that she has and still maintain that
beautiful faith and discovery of what she does and all
around consistency. You don't find that very often in this industry.
(02:13):
So I am grateful that I get to sit with
my girl, the talented, the incredible, the crazy and amazing
one and only Braves. Mommy, are you sure were?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Thank you so much? Thank you for choosing I was
gonna miss a girl. I wasn't gonna miss that cow.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yes, yes, I'm happy to have you.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Oh my god, we've been how long have it hasn't
been since We've been just trying to get together.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
At this point, I feel you've become since the last
time I've seen you. You have become a wife.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I think when you last saw me, I just got engaged.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Yeah, what is that like?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Oh my god, it's it's been a blessing. Just the
complete transformation of becoming a wife, becoming a mother, a
bonus mom and now mother to my daughter Brave and Mackenzie,
and just all the blessings that come with that, the additions,
(03:25):
you know, and time management and but so rewarding in
such a new level of happiness and excitement and just
spot like just spontaneity that I just never could have
imagined to be a part of my life.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Now I love that. That's so it's funny because you
are literally one of the funniest people life, you are,
and so you would think that like spontaneity comes to
you like you are.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
I'm quick, baby, quick, baby, you real quick. So in marriage,
has that been So I'll say for me, yes, married,
because you know.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
We are just two years. Yeah, we're about to Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
We're baby.
Speaker 5 (04:20):
Look two years.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I think I was two years in when I got Greenlee. Yeah,
we were two years in. So we are twelve years now.
But I think when I got married, I had this
certain vision of what it was supposed to look like
and what a wife needed to look like and what
she needs to do, and how a husband needed to
be and what did you have a particular vision of
(04:43):
what marriage was? And then, if so, how has it
changed or is it what you thought it was?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
The movies are wrong. Marriage can sometimes be the ghetto.
I you know, I'm at a certain age where I
decided to get married at a certain age, So I
have been living my lot yeah for a long time,
by myself, checking with myself, and so to make else okay,
(05:11):
I do to what I want to do, you know.
And so just the what God has worked through me
to get with my partner and my husband and just
to like partner up like we are truly partners, and
to respect and look at each other in that way.
It's been a growth, you know, like you walk together
(05:34):
in this and every day hear day, hear day, you
choose to do it again, and it's a blessing, it's happiness.
It's I just feel like we're like at a mountain
jumping up and down. Like we literally said that this morning,
like opening up a joint account together, like and it
(05:56):
was like it was like we're doing things that grown up,
like we still feel like little kids.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
At some point.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Like opening up a joint account this morning just was
so like, wow, look at us. Yeah, we made it
to this point that I trust you, you trust me,
and we are still individually who we need to be. Yeah,
but it just felt like another milestone. Y're still making
milestones in our marriage, which is really cool and on
(06:26):
our terms.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Yeah, that's the really good thing because everybody's marriage is different.
That's yes, it's very I think we grew up in
a time where we were told what marriage should look
like and what.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
You are, especially coming from the church.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Yes, and that is not I didn't marry Deacon so
and so. So, why am I gonna try to treat
my husband like Deacon so and so? They're not the same.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
How about I don't want Deacon, I don't want.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
I don't want to, I don't want you know, and
I don't want would you like? Would you guys have
us for you?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
And so I think what that was one of the
biggest things that Terrence and I had when we went
to our premarital counseling. They were just like, we can
give y'all tools, but they're tools because the way we
are is the way we are and the way you
have to relate to your spouse.
Speaker 5 (07:19):
You have to figure out what they need.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
And so I love the joy that has just kind
of permeated your whole being when you.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Talk about your marriage is really beautiful? Has that been.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Everything you thought it would be?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Like the growth, the growth, listen, it takes its truth.
You know, the accountability you have to take when you're
noticing when you hurt, you know, thinking that you're doing
something you know, oh, this is what I normally do,
and that's hurtful. And of course me being a comedian
(07:58):
at my mouth she quick, you know, So I gotta
temper that. And I have to be able to be
soft enough to be a soft place for him as well.
And I'm still learning.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
That, Like we're beautiful.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah, we're learning how to walk this thing out together.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
And I might fallen trip and he might fall on trip.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
But thank god, we learned early that God has to
be at the center yeah it all, yeah, you know,
and that we need to I can go to the rock, yeah,
and God can fix it. He'll come up out of
his sleep and be like, we need to talk, and
I said, you know what you did, And that's when
that's when I realized, oh.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yeah, you're my husband. Yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
You can go to the rock.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Was was God always the center of what y'all came
together on?
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I mean we met in the panda roach hand. Damn man,
it was a tough.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
I mean, I feel like we both just because I
want to. Was this like something that you guys bonded over?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I mean yes, yes, like we both had our own
walks of faith, and we both were raised Baptists and
all of that. And of course how I worship in
the way that I go to God is completely different
than him, and that was also a gross thing and
to accept and to realize and learn and walk together.
(09:33):
And we're still learning in that place too, you know.
But really made you what made me willing.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
To walk and to understand his walk.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Because I loved him and I wanted to get to
know him on a deeper level. And I needed to
know that the God that I'm talking to is still
the same God he's talking to, even if he's talking
in a different way, and not to pull him on,
like to force him to be, like you need to
go to church for me every Sunday.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
This is how my mama taught me.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
To, you know, like, you know, this man has been
at war. You know, my husband is a marine, so
he's seen and gone through so much more. And so
I had to quiet myself.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
And be with him.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
And he came into my life while I was going
through grief and was going through a lot of things,
and his patience and his stoic nature kind of just
showed me everything I needed to. I was like a
little chihuahua and him being as still as possible, and
me like, no, God's telling me that I need to
(10:44):
stay here, even though you're biting and nipping me at
the ankle. I'm gonna stay right here, I say, you
know what, you know where You're gonna stay a little longer. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
So so okay, Well, first of all, I cannot wait
to meet him.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yeah, listen, he's for the house.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
And I love that.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
I love that we're gonna find something. But I love
I think you are incredible. I've always thought this. I
love seeing how people compliment what I think is already
beautiful about somebody.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
And I don't think that it was a quieting.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I think it was just an understanding. And you are
just you just continue to evolve into such an amazing person.
The art always evolves, but you, as this wife, as
this mother, as this friend is just I see layers
and it's so exciting.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
And I note that it's not always easy.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
So where is a moment between maybe getting married or
having brave becoming a bonus mind? Was there a place
where you felt stuck or you had to figure out
how to like, you didn't feel the happiness did you
have to search for the joy is there? Did you
(12:13):
have to make a choice to just see it regardless
when you didn't feel it?
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Yeah, I mean the moment I realized that my pregnancy
was about to be what it was. You know, I
haven't really talked about it, but you know, my pregnancy
and the journey of that, you know, we just hey, surprise, surprise,
we're pregnant, and you know, going through the life of
(12:41):
it all during the strike and I'm like lord o,
we okay, you know, and going through that and realizing
that I had this health condition that was kind of
taking over and being in the hospital so many times.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And we asked what it was like when.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Oh, sure, I started having complications, like maybe in the
fourth or fifth mom my father passed away from this
genetic disease called HHT.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
It's a really long title. I'm not going to pronounce
it right.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
But.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I lost my father in twenty twenty two and I
was still grieving through that when I was pregnant, and
then I found out that I had it as well,
and it really wasn't disrupting my heart. It was a
heart condition and I'm very active, and so the doctors
(13:44):
weren't really concerned about me. But when I got pregnant,
and because your body's going through all these changes, my
heart started to really get overactive. I had a resting
BPM of one, and so that was the doctors were like,
oh my god, well we don't know what to do
with you. You could you could die. You know, if
(14:06):
this is just you resting, what are you going to
go through further on in your pregnancy? And it was
a lot to consider. But I made a choice in
that moment that one I wanted to keep going, and two,
I just knew God was with me. I knew he
(14:27):
was with me, and I chose to be brave and
chose to enjoy this moment. Still, you know, I wasn't
gonna give in to what the doctors were saying, what
my body was doing. I still got up. I went
(14:48):
to those doctors appointments, even if I had to go
every day. My friend stepped up to the plate. My husband,
being a nervous wreck, was present as much as he
could be for me with everything going on in his
life and worrying about me. It was definitely a trial.
But that was a definite choice where I literally had
to say I am going to enjoy this because I
(15:13):
know the end result will be better and it has been,
and I thank God every day. And that's why I
named my daughter Brave because she was a brave baby
to get through that. I was brave to get through
that as well.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
And I ain't doing it again.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
But you know that was a conscious choice that I
was like, I'm Daddy, I know you with me, and
Father God, you're with me too, and I'm going to
with these nose bleeds and all the complications that was
going on and doctor's looking at me sideway, going to
three different hospitals and all of that, it just.
Speaker 5 (15:54):
Feel like you're like a specimen.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
What's going on about it?
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Was? God gave me exactly what I needed, led me
to whom I needed to be with, got me right
where I needed to be. So I was like, Okay,
so I'm choosing to not be defeated by yes, and
I'm going to watch God work.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
And he did that. He did it.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Toast to God, Amen toast God, and we thank drink
on this show. Is that all right? Because I'm toast
to Jesus.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
We do that. I'm grateful.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
The thing is, you can't make me doubt him because
he's done too much in my life.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
I've seen too much for myself. So it doesn't matter
if it had not been if it had not been
for the Lord. I found my son, That's what. So
I can't I can't start doubting him now.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
I and my pregnancy was very much so a place
where I found out I was pregnant a few days
before I to go shoot this Christmas movie in Canada
by myself, and then I had a twenty to sent
me to Fibruary. I was in well, horrific pain. It
was a mess, mess and I didn't want to keep
telling to you because it wasn't too much he could do.
He couldn't come. So it's just like I'm just there
(17:20):
by myself and me. And I remember telling my sister
friend Anika, because most people didn't know I was pregnant,
and I told her because I was in tears. I
said for the first time, I don't I don't see
my way past this, and she was like, yes, you do.
(17:40):
It's just a little blurry right now. And so having
people that understand, oh my God, that can speak that you,
because sometimes you do struggle, that's what it is. But
having people that will speak it, that will see you
and understand you is so important to me. But when
it comes to your health, So my doctor told me,
once I have my baby, I had to start getting
(18:02):
all these tests that are usually reserved for like forty plus.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
And at the time I gave birth.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I was thirty eight. But she was like, oh, no,
you're gonna do this. You need to do this, you
need to do this. And I was like, but I'm
not even forty yet. It doesn't matter. You have a
child and we need to do everything preventive to make
sure you're here for this baby. Did anything like that
changed for you when it came to your health after
having your child?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
You know what, God is good. My heart and everything
went right back to normal.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
You Jesus, and.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
My baby does not have such amatic situation.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
So I am re shock.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
I can lay out right now. It was like take
a lap. I can take that lap. You know what
I'm saying, A lap. Yeah. It was like as soon
as the baby came out, my body just reset and
I would I'm so used to seeing my heart right,
like watching the nurses and watching the doctors look at
(18:56):
me like how are you here?
Speaker 1 (19:00):
You know?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
And to see them after and to see what they
would see after I had the baby, and they were like,
you can go home. We were prepared for you to
be here for a whole Mom, you can go home.
You and the baby. The baby was early, and the
baby came out pooping and ping on me, you know,
(19:23):
said she's fine, she's ready, and so we were covered.
And I'm grateful my mom was able to be there
because she was having her health issues and God just
made it open for us to have joy, you know,
and to celebrate. And you know, it was amazing to
(19:45):
see my doctor and the nurses look at me, going,
your heart rate is normal, man? And I said yeah.
I was like, I can go back and lift away.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
When when can I touch a ten pounds?
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Nay?
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I had that little waist train up.
Speaker 5 (20:03):
What a waste baby, you drop baby.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
So the industry that we've chosen, you know, the night
that we've been placed in, it's really it's groovy.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
It's groovy, and it loves us.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
It loves black women, It loves black women, It pays
black women.
Speaker 5 (20:23):
It sees our words.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
You know, sometimes you just gotta speak those things that
are not amen.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
You know, it pays as well you know, it awards
us as.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
Well, and it doesn't pit us against each other.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
That's what it is, and that's what that's the industry
that we've chosen, and we're very excited about it. Love it.
Now that you have, uh, I feel like you've always
been able to protect your peace to a certain degree,
and now that you have a husband and knowledge, you
have a dog, you have two daughters. What are the
(21:05):
things that you have been able to sort of set,
like the boundaries that you set to ensure that you
keep peace in your house and all this other industry
foolishness at bay.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Oh, well, it's kind of hard. My husband's a writer
as well, so we are living in it, you know,
and so as much as I'm going through he's going
through it too. Yeah, And so hmm, how do we
keep it up? Behind? I mean, it's it's a dose,
(21:40):
do you know what I mean? And a do you know?
I just try to keep my life my personal space,
you know, as peaceful, you know, as possible doing my
own self work.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
I was gonna say, is there like a maybe not
a mantra, but is there a certain routine uh that
you do that keeps you grounded, that allows you to
be the best you for your daughter and for your husband.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
It's definitely just a mix of gospel and Cardi B
you know, and that's what music when it's up and it's.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
Snubby, and we keep our eyes to the hills.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
Keep our eyes to the hills.
Speaker 6 (22:20):
So it's just, you know, it's just it's on a
constant shuffle, you know of just like remember who God is,
but also if needed, you know, and that's how I
keep the balance.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
So I like it.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
That's actually very well balanced. Thank you, Oh happy day.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Yeah, and then be a beer. And I say that
to myself, why are you acting.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
Like a beer?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
You know?
Speaker 3 (22:48):
My baby loves it, you know, not the curse, you know,
just you know, we keep the cursing low. But she understands, Yeah,
but you gotta.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Have a real life.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Gotta have a real life.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
I understand what real.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Life is absolutely in my life. And one thing, one advice,
piece of advice that exact gave me is don't forget
about your life, like, don't make this career your whole life,
you know. So when she said that to me, I
immediately went and froze my eggs and did I use.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Anyone of them. No, you know, God is good.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
I was able to you know, to strike and a
nice glass of wine and a trip. I got a baby,
but I wasn't even trying to break. But yeah, but
you know, like I always and and Kim Kim uh
Whitley actually told me that too. She was like, don't
(23:45):
you get so hung up in this career that you
don't have a life outside of it. You want something
to go home too? Yeah, And that humbled me real quick.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
That's beautiful. Yeah, And I think a lot of times
it's easy to forget because you're on the home on
to school and now we're hustling. We're trying to be
seen and we're trying to get this audition and meet
this person. And it's a constant thing even and I
think a lot of times people think when you've done
a show, then oh you don't have.
Speaker 5 (24:12):
To No, the hustle just changes.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
It just changes, that's all.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
But you're still constantly doing things, improving, proving, and then
feeling bad when you're not picked. You get a thick skin,
but it doesn't mean that the nose don't hurt. And
I remember getting to I got to a this is
my first time I had to do a camera test
(24:38):
with somebody. I've only done one camera test, okay, and
it was for a CBS show. And I do this
camera test and it was great. Everything was amazing. And
then CBS calls, They're just like, hey, it's you know,
it was four people that got sent, but now it's
only two.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
It's your client and one other person really like her.
She's amazing.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I was like, oh my god, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
God.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
Yeah yeah, And I didn't get it.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
And I was like, and then you signing that paperwork
and you know, girl, I.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Said, ooh. And I remember telling this woman who she's
she's she's family, and I shared so many things with her,
and I just it's good to have a mentor. And
so I talked to her about so many things, and
I was telling her about it and I told her
what happened, and she said, honey, don't you forget You've
already won.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
Look at that husband, look at that child you have one.
Speaker 5 (25:37):
This is a no.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Whatever God has for you will be a yes.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
That has been my song I forget listen, listen, listen.
If I wasn't chosen to go, it's because I'm not
supposed to be the host. I don't want I have
to fit myself into something that ain't supposed to be mine. Yeah,
and the nose are thank you. Yeah, it truly is,
because it's making room for what I'm supposed to be.
(26:05):
You know, what I'm supposed to be doing in alignment
with where I'm supposed to go, you know, and I've
seen that time and time again. I don't get hang up.
I don't get hung up on it. I could be
like auditions and things like that. I'll be like, oh,
that would be cool, but like, look, you will be done.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
I really can't.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
I can't. I can't do this. Yeah, I did my work.
They want me, they know who to call. Yeah, you know,
if it's not for me, you have something else.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Did it take you a minute to get there? Or when?
Speaker 1 (26:36):
When was that shift?
Speaker 3 (26:38):
You have to be a little weird. You have to
be weird and crazy to be in this you do,
you do like you look crazy. You get a whole
bunch of no's and almost and.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
Set up all these things.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
You're just living in this weird, crazy world.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Just keep going.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
You're just like okay, like this is not you know,
to wake up with the tenacity and the goal to
keep going after no, You're not cute. This is gonna
be the next big thing. This is gonna this show, this.
Speaker 6 (27:15):
Movie is what's gonna roussa.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Let me tell your summer you are. I've been through ship.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
Just wait for it. I see it.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
I'm gonna you pay me seven thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
And I am gonna make your firm.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I know, Oh, Brah, I know I'm gonna get you,
doctor Phil.
Speaker 4 (27:46):
You know I got I got connection.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Ship s.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
I'm like, who want me? What time? They know my quote?
I'll be there, I'll be there.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
I be there here, girl.
Speaker 4 (28:05):
You know when I.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Found out what a quote was, they asked if I
had a quote when they asked about greenleaf, and that
was my first thing I'd never had.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
And you were giving your life doing your.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Thing, baby, I said, what what is?
Speaker 4 (28:20):
What's a quote?
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Girl?
Speaker 1 (28:22):
I didn't know you didn't you, babe? Honey, honey. And
you know, we praise God for quotes, bro.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
We praise God, you know, because if they won't respect us,
we have to. Hey.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
But but you know what they're going to because they
love black women love. They need black were in industry
that loves black women, that pays Black Women, That endorses
Black Women, That awards black that awards Black Women.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Endorses endorsements, endorsements, endorsements, all three.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Endorsements.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Yes, yes, that's where it is reaching Like I just
have a genuinely just love you and I have been
so happy to see the way you have grown.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
And it's not because you were incredible when I met you.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
So we know each other for so long. In college,
we were just little bub we were babies.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
We were little babies.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
In the hall, just trying, like with dreams.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
And it's so.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Funnyls, so funny.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
All the ones made it.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
That is that's what the babies do.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
That's a little we made it. Endorsement, endorsement, endorsements, endorsements,
and we look, look and we were okay and don't
(29:55):
and don't let it be.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
You know, you was inspiring me when I was pregnant.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I said, I got to put that waist train, okay,
because she was up there lifting and running and doing
the marathon of the workout. And I said to myself, bitch,
get the person on the line now as soon as
this baby, so soon as you dropped the baby. I
gave myself two weeks. I was still still bleeding everything
(30:26):
real life. But you know what, my crazy ass was
still like.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
I listen.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I was up there doing like strapping myself up, still
trying to do auditions. Like my husband was just like,
just go ahead and.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
Do it, because he.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Was like, your brain just can't shut off. I was
in the hospital doing a voice over. Can you turn
this machine off? Is it a way we can sound?
Speaker 5 (30:55):
We need it for your heart, baby, and.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
We are back.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
But it kept my brain like in this this crazy
place where I was like mm hmm, I'm still you
needed it.
Speaker 5 (31:10):
I need it.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
You need it.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Yeah, And there's well, but there's something too that there's
something to understanding your body enough, your mind, your spiritual space,
all of that to know what you need.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
I have to keep going.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
I was like, yes, I can have this baby, and
this baby knows how to be quiet too.
Speaker 4 (31:29):
We're on set.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
I know you just got here, but baby, you know
your lines, you know what, you know what?
Speaker 3 (31:39):
It was crazy. It was great to see you doing
that because I was like really inspired by that.
Speaker 4 (31:43):
You Yes, thank you.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
That means a lot.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
It was.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
It was it's been a journey. I was two hundred
and thirty eight pounds when I gave birth, and so
I've lost over a hundred.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
You lost a person.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
I lost a whole person.
Speaker 5 (31:58):
Yeah. Some people eat people and I lose.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
You lost them, You let them loose. Listen, people say, Brisher,
you look great. I worked hard. Yeah, thank you, snatch
By Drea.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Worked hard, and I'm very grateful and notice.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Thank you for noticing. And God is so good. He
gave me a film to go right into right after,
so I had something to get ready for. I was like, listen,
we're going to start squatting. Yeah, now, yeah, and so God. Yeah,
I'm on my uh my, my.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Bbl no surgery journey.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
I'm you look great.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
I'm working, Thank you, I'm working that booty though I'm
working the way I'll be doing squats.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
Let me tell you something. I come from the dance
world back in the day. I do attitudes while I
brush my teeth. The real dancers know what it is.
I give myself an attitude and lift that twenty seconds
on each leg. Well, I'm rushing onto.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
That booty will stay it lifted and I will.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
I'm gonna rise up, all ride up.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
I'm not We're not sagging right now.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
I will stay lifted.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Oh my god, Brisha, y'all, so here's the thing. You
are absolutely where God has meant for you to be.
You are doing absolutely what you should be doing too.
And it is beautiful, really good at this, Thanks friend,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Really, it's just like, and now we're wrapping things.
Speaker 4 (33:44):
I was like, oh, I'm doing it.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
Just doing it, don it girl.
Speaker 5 (33:50):
Oh my god, y'all don't understand. This is twenty years.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
I love this woman, and I am I'm just I'm proud.
I'm so incredibly proud, and I'm excited to see all
the more that God is doing in your life. There's
so much more. This is barely scratching the surface.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Same for you.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
What happened to that play that I came to see? Oh?
Speaker 5 (34:15):
I know they want to take it to Broadway.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
They should. I loved it.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
We'll see.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Yeah, great, thank you. It was so great. I was like,
look at their family.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
I missed theater.
Speaker 5 (34:29):
I really do.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
I did something in Arkansas for two weeks at Theater Square.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
And I just it lit another fire in Yeah. I said,
oh my god, I missed this. This is what I dream.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
So yeah, we'll see. You know, God's working things out Broadway.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Yeah, they do love us.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
They do love us, and we love them, love them. Yeah,
keep going and I love you, Thank you, Thank you
for choosing joy. Is there anything that you would say
to uh, young women in this industry that want a
you in this industry finding something that will allow them
(35:06):
to choose joy in the midst of maybe not seeing
it happen the way they would like it. To any
piece of advice.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Well, just know that however you see it and imagine
it for it to go, it's not gonna be like that.
Speaker 4 (35:23):
Yeah, Okay, because at this.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Point we're supposed to be on a Hollywood walker fang. Yeah,
you know, for all the turmoil and we've put in,
it's not gonna go that way. But if you stick
with it and you keep one foot in front of
the other and keep keep realizing the dream that he put.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
In your heart.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
Yeah, and keep staying true to that dreamy and why
you do it and what makes you good? Yeah, you
know that should give you, that should place you exactly
where you need to be. Yeah, And that's gonna be
far better than what you could ever dream of. Fart
and imagine and see, like absolutely I would. I would
(36:06):
always put little stars at the end of my name.
I would wear a star. When I was in Baltimore City,
I would wear a little star sticker on my face.
I was so obsessed with stars, and I was saying,
I'm gonna be a star. I'm gonna be a star.
And so when I realized that, I was like, man,
I thought it was gonna happen like this, and I
thought it was gonna happen like that.
Speaker 4 (36:25):
Yeah, it wasn't.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Until last night, girl. I was at this dinner Hollywood
Confidential shot you out, Steve. I was at the table
sitting next to Yvette Lee Bowser honoring Marlbrock a kill,
at a table with so many amazing women, and I
sat there and they asked me a question and I
(36:46):
started to tear up, and she was like, you know,
did you ever imagine yourself to be one of the girlfriends?
And I was like, I remember being in CalArts at
that and I'm stinky and I'm stinky. What was it
what it called it? The condos or whatever what they
called it, Yeah, them stinky rooms.
Speaker 4 (37:06):
You got a little bunker where we had one little.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
TV and I will watch Girlfriends And seeing myself on
that show made it real to me that that dream
could be possible, and to know that I was sitting
at that table and that I grew up watching Living Single.
And then I looked to my right and I said,
Essence Atkins is.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
One of my close girlfriends.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
We came here to get like it's like you're living
in the dream and if you don't even know you
are your wildest dream.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
You're actually in it.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
You're walking and you're running so hard at a thing
that you don't really take a moment to sit back
and look around and be like yeah, oh yes you yeah, ah,
who you say or think? You don't even think that
you're this, and you're actually this. It was a moment
(38:00):
where I sat there and I got so full, and
I came home so happy, and I was like I
had to thank my husband because he's always been speaking
life into me and I would beat on me like
I gotta gravel, you know. And I sat back and
(38:22):
I was like, Nick, I finally see it. He was like,
now walk in it.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
That's incredible.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
And it was such a moment. And standing here with
you and knowing that we were in the mall girl.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Was and I think what's really incredible is you get to.
Speaker 5 (38:43):
Enjoy the journey.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
Enjoy the journey. We're married, we have children, we're like
and able to support ourselves doing what we love to do.
Speaker 4 (38:54):
That's the dream.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
That's the dream. That's the dream.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
That's enough.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Yeah, that's the dream.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Yeah, that's the dream.
Speaker 5 (39:03):
That is the dream. I love you.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
I love you so much. I'm so happy for you, y'all.
Thank you so much, thank you for tuning in, thank
you for choosing joy today. UH realize that you are
the dream.
Speaker 5 (39:19):
You are it.
Speaker 1 (39:21):
Let us know what you want to hear. Click that
subscribe button, click that like button, and UH know that
we're here for you, and do your best to try
to keep choosing joy and enjoying the journey every day,
every day,
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