November 13, 2024 • 23 mins
ICYMI: Hour Three of ‘Later, with Mo’Kelly’ Presents – An in-depth conversation with Director Christina Swanson & Actress Lynn Whitfield regarding the new Faith Filmworks release ‘Albany Road’…Directed and written by Christine Swanson; ‘Albany Road,’ (in select AMC Theaters Friday, November 15th) stars Lynn Whitfield alongside Renée Elise Goldsberry and follows “a New York executive who shares a rental car during bad weather with her ex-fiancé's mother” - on KFI AM 640…Live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well this late.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
With Kelly one K.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Sixty KF I am six forty. It's later with mo Kelly.
We're live everywhere. In the iHeartRadio app on her way
to the most important meeting of her career, a New
York executive is forced to share a rental car with
their ex fiance's mother, only to discover that the mother
is hiding a major secret. The ex has a new fiance,
(00:30):
so sets the stage for the movie Albody Road, which
hits theaters on November fifteenth.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
PAULA, I got twenty dowlas if you can lose that chick.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
PAULA, wait, if we lose this one, I can't afford
you anymore.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Back in the room, River has it. My job is
writing on you landing this account.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
So good luck, Celeste. Oh no, whoa, whoa, don't let
us see me. I am writing in this car.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Fine, then assume your role as my driver. I am
not moving until you put on a seat belt.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Talking with the odd couple, right, I hope not too
much trouble, No trouble, got souls.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
It's totally Randoms, crazy coincidence. I always say there are
no regrets in life, only lessons. You can't always play
it safe, same way.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Everything happens for a reason.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I know what I said to you, but you're not
hearing me.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, she tends to be very territorial when it comes
to herself.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Your actions hurt people, and you can't always fix it
after the fact.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
We come face to face with what we fear the
most or what we want the most, and sometimes you win.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
I lost something, and sometimes what was I supposed to do?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Is everything all right?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Call me when you lad.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
That might be a good time for you to tell
me why she isn't your wife.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Before my mom got to him.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
I can only imagine how all of this looks.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Joining me on the show now is Emmy Award winning
and Golden Globe nominated actress Lynn Whitfield, who co stars
in Albany Road as Paula Henderson, the afore mentioned ex
fiance's mother. Miss Whitfield, A pleasure to meet you. How
are you this evening?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
I am doing very well, and you look.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I am over the moon.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I've been looking forward to this and also I'm pleased
to be joined by the writer and director of Albany Road,
Christine Swanson. Miss Wanson. How are you doing this evening?
Speaker 5 (02:43):
I'm great, great to be here.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Christine.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Let me start with you, and I'm going to warn
you that I may make a lot of references to
my mother in this conversation because there's so much about you,
Christine and you, Miss Whitfield, which make it seem like
we're ken folk. So, Christine, you're from Detroit. My mother's
from Detroit, Troy. And the rules are whenever you meet
someone from Detroit, you have to find out which high
school they went to.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So which high school did you attended Detroit?
Speaker 6 (03:07):
My mother went to Yeah, everybody went to cast except me.
I went to Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic School
in Roll Oak.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
All right.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
The reason I asked that is how much or how
little does Detroit play in who you are today and
the writer you are today?
Speaker 5 (03:25):
Oddly enough, that's a Lynn Whitfield question.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
It plays a whole lot. You know, Christina is a
mixed woman. You know, she's Korean and black, but she
latched on to Detroit, Buddy, I mean, she loves Detroit.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
She stands on it, she moves forward in it, and she.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Puts a little bit of it. And there's a lot
of it in Albany Road. A lot of it coming
from the voice of Aretha Franklin, come from a lot
of her references, coming from just the edge that she
has for it and the love that she has for
the people of Detroit, the culture that she received there.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
And so it's like, really funny.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I'm like, well, Christine, you know, you have a lot
of different cultures going on with you.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
She's like, it is Detroit and she brings it, you know.
So it's amazing and you're going to feel a lot
of it at Albany Road.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Talking about feeling miss Whitfield, I was watching the trailer
of Albany Road, and I have to say I thought
I was watching my mother.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
On that screen.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
The mannerisms, the witticisms, the well intentioned but poorly executed
relationship advice. That is my mother. That is my mother.
And then I remembered, Oh, yeah, just like my mother.
You're a Howard University alone, just like my mother. You're
a member of the Lynx. Just like my mother. You're
a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
So did you like channel my mother or something like that?
How much of Lynn Whitfield are we seeing in Paula.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Well, you know, there's a little bit of me in
every role that I tacko.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
But there are I mean, so many mothers are well
intentioned yet giving poor advice, you know, And it was.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Part of me.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
But I think that my daughter Grace would say that
I'm cooler than Paula Henderson.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
You know, we'll have to ask her just to be sure, though,
because I know my mother thinks the exact same way. Hey, Christine,
I think there's a universality in knowing what a long,
uncomfortable car trip can be like. We've all been there
on some level with someone at some point, but few
(05:41):
of us know what it's like with a former would
be in law. Where did the inspiration for this uncomfortable
car trip come from?
Speaker 6 (05:50):
See, the whole point of storytelling is to create conflict.
So what's a great avenue to conflict but to be
stuck in a car ride with your pretend ex mother
in law. So it was just an idea to concoct
the most conflicting scenario possible and from there it just
all literally goes downhill and we go on this journey
(06:14):
until we get back up to the right places again.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Ms.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Whitfield tell me about Christine's directorial style. I imagine and
tell me if I'm wrong. I imagine that there are
these moments which couldn't be scripted in that car. I
imagine that there are moments that couldn't be scripted when
you have these emotions flowing around that dinner table and
you're dealing with those interpersonal relationships and all that baggage
and history and intensity. How much freedom, my word, did
(06:41):
you have to just roll with the scene and it
may have taken you somewhere which led off the script.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, first of all, Christine creates an environment on the
set that you feel like you can take chances. You know,
you feel comfortable in your own you feel like someone's pulling.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
For you and not judging you.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Right, So in that table scene actually, and there are
times when, yeah, a little improvisation is okay, but it
was a timing thing. The table scene has what two
four six eight I think characters in it, and so
(07:26):
in that you just have to remember that it's not
only you, you know, and so sometimes it's not easy
to improvise. Though we were never told no by Christine
to not try something, you know, if it wasn't right.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
She pulls us back. But she's a.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Very mindful director, very generous director, and extremely focused and
she never loses the sight of the goal of what
that scene is to accomplish. And when you have a
director that is that clear, it gives you the room
(08:07):
to play because you know that she has your back.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
She knows she'll pull you back if you go too
far out of line.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
My guest right now is Emmy Award winning and Golden
Globe nominated actress Lynn Whitfield, who you just heard, who's
co starred in Albany Road. And I'm also joined by
the writer and director Christine Swanson.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Will have more in just a moment.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It's Later with Moe Kelly CAFI AM six forty live
everywhere on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
It's Later with Moe Kelly and I'm having a wonderful conversation.
It feels like I'm just talking with family and Albany Road.
The movie we're discussing is that it's about the interpersonal
dynamics of family and sometimes it can be real uncomfortable,
especially if you find yourself in the car, which.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
You would be former possible in law.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
And let me come back to you Christine Swanson, who
is writer and director of Albany Road. Was there ever
a time just in your directorial career where you see
a scene and it's happening and you see some magic there,
and then you immediately will change the script to add
something because somebody did something and inspired you in that moment.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
That that happens a lot.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
So what you want to do is create a succinct
platform that everybody can just jump off from. So I
would say we had a pretty tight script that ninety
percent of it is on the screen. But you put
these actors like in a room together and they just
start bouncing off each other, and my job is to
(09:42):
just kind of capture it and contain it and stuff
that's magic to use it, and the stuff where they're
just exploring to encourage it. So yes, like the energy
in the chemistry between Land Whitfield and Renee at least Goesberry,
who plays our lead is I did a lot of times.
I was laughing out loud, like uncontrollably because it's just
(10:05):
it was just kind of magic happening in real time.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
It was a gift. It's a gift to humanity to
watch these two go.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Let me talk about that magic in that chemistry, because
what I loved about what I've seen of Albany Road,
Miss Whitfield, is we likely find ourselves in the story.
We've all likely had relationships that we may think back
on and wonder what if or whether there might have
been an overbearing parent on our side or your relationships side,
(10:35):
or maybe both. Did you, as a person finding yourself
possibly identifying with Celeste Simmons, who was played by Renee
Elise Goldsbury, did you find yourself possibly talking to a
younger version of yourself?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Let me put it that way.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
The two characters take this journey together, starting off not
liking each other, being very uncomfortable, and through time they
discover each other's humanity. Right, So there are lines that
I have and we don't want to give any spoilers,
but as they come to respect each other more and
(11:13):
have compassion for each other's lives, I found their lines
that I say that Paula says to Celeste that it
could be Lyn Wickfield speaking to the young Lynn Wickfield.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
And what is so moving about Albany Road, our film.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
That is coming out on November fifteenth and selected AMC theaters.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I just want to get that in there is.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
That we explore the humanity of people, and yes, people
that we know, people that we want to come to
know better. And Christine, in her absolute genius in writing,
creates an environment where it's all all of these universal themes,
(12:03):
themes that have no color, themes that have it has
to do with nothing but your humanity. And so in
that way, this film is for everybody you know, and
that makes it very.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Exciting for me. But yes, there were moments, very clear
and defined moments where I wish I had heard and
followed the advice that Paula gives to Celeste.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
You're preaching right now, Christine.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I have not seen the movie full disclosure, but I
get the sense without giving away any spoilers, I get
the sense that there are some realizations that the past
is okay, and the past serves a purpose because it
prepares you for our future that we don't even know about.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Wow, that's deep and you nailed it.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Yes, I also suspect that and tell me if I'm wrong,
that it's okay to have a failed relationship because they failed.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
For a reason, You've been through some things.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Look, that goes back.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
That goes back to what Miss Whitfield was talking about
the universal nature of relationships and how we may experience
it in different ways. We will experience this movie in
different ways. We may see ourselves as Paula, We may
see ourselves as thee lest, We may see ourselves as
a family member watching the turmoil of these two people
(13:29):
that we may respect in love, or we may be
the new fiance realizing what the hell did I just
step into. I noticed that there's something still going on
between these two and I think that's why I'm so
eager to see it on November fifteenth and select AMC theaters.
As Miss Whitfield reminded us, all, let me come back
to you, Miss Whitfield, When you are choosing a project
(13:51):
like this, and I'm quite sure you have your choices
that you can make, Is it more about the script?
Is it more about a degree of synergy with a
director you have that energy that flows what goes into
your decision making process?
Speaker 4 (14:07):
First of all, the story, you know what is the story?
Then second it is what is the character and the
arc of the character does it allow me space to
bring something to it it? Does it mean something to me?
Is it entertaining to me when I read it off
(14:28):
of the page.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
And then my southern mother has this thing that she
says that it's so Southern, and she'll you know, she
used to put an outfit together or put a throat
pillow on the couch, and she'd say, what do you think.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Does it add?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
So if I feel like all that I am and
my vision for a particular project, if I can add
something to it, you know, brings something to the table,
then it's exciting to me. Then it means I'll be
able to play and that, you know, whether it's watercolors
(15:08):
or sculpting or whatever. And figuratively, you know, through the
art form of acting, then I get.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Excited about it.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
So I got excited about Albany Road and Paula, and
I got even more excited when Christina and I had
our initial conversation about the project, and I realized that
she wasn't a cookie cutter storyteller. She was in fact
and artists with a vision, and that she was courageous,
(15:44):
and that she was a lover of our culture.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
And so I said, yeah, I think I can have.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Fun doing this because it's an independent film and I
don't want to overtalk, but also which I do. But
also when you meet a storyteller or any artist that's
willing to back their own work, so Christine and her
husband produced this themselves with her own money. When you
(16:18):
meet someone with that kind of courage, you're willing to
work for little and you're willing to go and take
a chance with them because they believe in.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
What they're doing. And I could tell she was talented,
thank God, Praise Jesus. Not gonna work, you know, It's
not always like that.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
So yeah, so all of that came into play for
me in deciding to participate in this project.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Ladies, can I get you to stay over for one
more segment because I want to talk to you more
about Albandy Road, some of the other featured cast members,
and some of the other messages and meetings which could
be found in that.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Could you do that for me?
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yes, yes, we'd love to.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
I am six forty. It's Later with mo Kelly.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
We're right in the middle of a conversation about Albany Road,
which it's AMC Theaters on November fifteenth. I'm speaking with
writer and director Christine Swanson and one of the stars
of Albany Road, Lynn Whitfield, and Christine will almost forgot.
This is a full cast of talented and intense characters
(17:29):
and actors in this.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Tell me who else is in this movie?
Speaker 6 (17:33):
So speaking of intense actors, Jay Alphonse Nicholson stars in
this film as well. He plays the love interest to
Renee Elin Skillsbury. And you would know Jay Alphonse Nicholson
as Little Murder from P Valley, Yeah, p Vach which
is where I met him when I directed him in
P Valley. And I looked at him and I was like,
(17:53):
that's a young Marlon Brando. He don't even know it.
So I scooped him up and put him in this movie.
And then there's also Gary door Dan who this is
actually my third movie working with Gary dor Dan, who's
been a heart throb since since he came on the screen.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
So you're telling her yourself, don't get yourself hurt by
your husband.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
Well, too late. He's just a wonderful actor.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
And then Joe Holt, he plays this character that is
just going to blow people away.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Everybody loves It's for everybody.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Let me ask you about that, because I know some
of my friends will say, Okay, this is a relationship movie.
It's not for me, it's for the women. I don't know,
you know, outside of taking my woman to this movie,
I don't want to see this. What would you say
to them?
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Oh, no, this movie.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
The representation of men in this movie is very, very strong,
and every actor stands in the middle of their characters
that they're playing, and every male role in this Everybody
wants something, everybody's trying to gain something, everybody's dealing with
(19:04):
the consequence of their decisions, and so it is a
human story.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
It's not a chick flick.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It's a film for all people, for male and females,
the whole family.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
You can go to it and it's like incredible, and.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
The men are so like Joe Hot plays this character
that is so wild and so funny. He steals every
scene he's in Gary Jordan, I mean, he's so sexy
still and belonged and that whole thing, and the women
are always swooning over him.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
And Jael Fonds is playing a character that is so
different than Low Murder. It's amazing.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
He plays a professor looking for tenure, and so to
see them all and the women, it's just something for
everybody in it, you know, and that is so very
exciting because it's not often that you're in a project
that's so equally balanced that way.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yes, Christine, I got to ask you, as someone who
grew up a lover of film and media, to have
the dreams of forwarding your vision directing for television and
movies and then start also developing the resume of great
talent that you've been able to work with.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
What has this journey been like for you.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
It's been long. I've been at this for a while.
Lenn and I discussed how we actually missed each other,
but mainly I also have four kids that I raised,
so I took a little bit of a break from working,
and then when I come back, just to be able
to work with Lynn and whitfield's nothing short of like
(20:48):
a divinely orchestrated act of grace by God. And what
I would love to say about Lyn's performance in this movie.
So many people are blown away, and I'm telling you
I'm not. I'm not making this up because it's my movie.
People are literally floored by the end of this movie
and they're out of breath, and a lot of that
(21:11):
has to do with the journey that Lynn's character takes
us on. But I'm telling you, there is not an
emotion that Lynn Whitfield has not played. She is putting
in the work. And what's important about that is not
just there's a great performance. There is that, but it's
so transformative that it leaves the audience wrecked in a
(21:35):
joyful way.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
When's the last time any.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
Actor on screen has made you feel like that as
an audience member.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I can't think of something, but I'm quite sure it
might be when I see All the Body Road.
Speaker 5 (21:55):
Yes, that's what you can expect.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
And more.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
We're in select theaters, so make sure you check to
see what AMC theater we're in in what cities. And
the more people go and give us a strong, a
strong kickoff with their presence and buy those tickets, the
more theaters we can be in. So we're so grateful
(22:17):
to you and to iHeart for giving us as time
and for sharing, for sharing our excitement about this movie
that hopefully will go clear through the holidays. So you
take your family, take your friends and go and spend.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
Some time with us at AUBURNI Roadmovie dot Com. At
Albany Roadmovie dot Com.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Yes, November fifteenth, Albany Road Hits Theaters Select theaters, AMC Theaters,
November fifteenth. Do not miss your opportunity. I Am going
to be right there. Let me think my guess one
more time. Emmy Award winning Golden Globe nominated actress Lynn Whitfield,
thank you so much for coming on this evening. It's
been a treat. And writer director Christine Swanson, thank you.
(23:02):
I've been following your career, you know when you did
your episodes for Chicago p D it saying like, oh, yes,
that's what happens to my favorite TV show of all time.
So thank you both for coming on this evening. And
I'm looking forward to seeing Albany Road and I wish
you both very well in your future endeavors.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Thank you, Mo.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
It's later with Mo Kelly can if.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I am six forty were live everywhere the iHeartRadio app
k S, i'most HD two.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Los Angeles, Orange County Live
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Everywhere on the radio
Well this late.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
With Kelly one K.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Sixty KF I am six forty. It's later with mo Kelly.
We're live everywhere. In the iHeartRadio app on her way
to the most important meeting of her career, a New
York executive is forced to share a rental car with
their ex fiance's mother, only to discover that the mother
is hiding a major secret. The ex has a new fiance,
(00:30):
so sets the stage for the movie Albody Road, which
hits theaters on November fifteenth.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
PAULA, I got twenty dowlas if you can lose that chick.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
PAULA, wait, if we lose this one, I can't afford
you anymore.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Back in the room, River has it. My job is
writing on you landing this account.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
So good luck, Celeste. Oh no, whoa, whoa, don't let
us see me. I am writing in this car.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Fine, then assume your role as my driver. I am
not moving until you put on a seat belt.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Talking with the odd couple, right, I hope not too
much trouble, No trouble, got souls.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
It's totally Randoms, crazy coincidence. I always say there are
no regrets in life, only lessons. You can't always play
it safe, same way.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Everything happens for a reason.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I know what I said to you, but you're not
hearing me.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah, she tends to be very territorial when it comes
to herself.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Your actions hurt people, and you can't always fix it
after the fact.
Speaker 5 (01:49):
I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
We come face to face with what we fear the
most or what we want the most, and sometimes you win.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
I lost something, and sometimes what was I supposed to do?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Is everything all right?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Call me when you lad.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
That might be a good time for you to tell
me why she isn't your wife.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Before my mom got to him.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
I can only imagine how all of this looks.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Joining me on the show now is Emmy Award winning
and Golden Globe nominated actress Lynn Whitfield, who co stars
in Albany Road as Paula Henderson, the afore mentioned ex
fiance's mother. Miss Whitfield, A pleasure to meet you. How
are you this evening?
Speaker 4 (02:31):
I am doing very well, and you look.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I am over the moon.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I've been looking forward to this and also I'm pleased
to be joined by the writer and director of Albany Road,
Christine Swanson. Miss Wanson. How are you doing this evening?
Speaker 5 (02:43):
I'm great, great to be here.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Christine.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Let me start with you, and I'm going to warn
you that I may make a lot of references to
my mother in this conversation because there's so much about you,
Christine and you, Miss Whitfield, which make it seem like
we're ken folk. So, Christine, you're from Detroit. My mother's
from Detroit, Troy. And the rules are whenever you meet
someone from Detroit, you have to find out which high
school they went to.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
So which high school did you attended Detroit?
Speaker 6 (03:07):
My mother went to Yeah, everybody went to cast except me.
I went to Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic School
in Roll Oak.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
All right.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
The reason I asked that is how much or how
little does Detroit play in who you are today and
the writer you are today?
Speaker 5 (03:25):
Oddly enough, that's a Lynn Whitfield question.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
It plays a whole lot. You know, Christina is a
mixed woman. You know, she's Korean and black, but she
latched on to Detroit, Buddy, I mean, she loves Detroit.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
She stands on it, she moves forward in it, and she.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Puts a little bit of it. And there's a lot
of it in Albany Road. A lot of it coming
from the voice of Aretha Franklin, come from a lot
of her references, coming from just the edge that she
has for it and the love that she has for
the people of Detroit, the culture that she received there.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
And so it's like, really funny.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I'm like, well, Christine, you know, you have a lot
of different cultures going on with you.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
She's like, it is Detroit and she brings it, you know.
So it's amazing and you're going to feel a lot
of it at Albany Road.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Talking about feeling miss Whitfield, I was watching the trailer
of Albany Road, and I have to say I thought
I was watching my mother.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
On that screen.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
The mannerisms, the witticisms, the well intentioned but poorly executed
relationship advice. That is my mother. That is my mother.
And then I remembered, Oh, yeah, just like my mother.
You're a Howard University alone, just like my mother. You're
a member of the Lynx. Just like my mother. You're
a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
So did you like channel my mother or something like that?
How much of Lynn Whitfield are we seeing in Paula.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Well, you know, there's a little bit of me in
every role that I tacko.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
But there are I mean, so many mothers are well
intentioned yet giving poor advice, you know, And it was.
Speaker 5 (05:13):
Part of me.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
But I think that my daughter Grace would say that
I'm cooler than Paula Henderson.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
You know, we'll have to ask her just to be sure, though,
because I know my mother thinks the exact same way. Hey, Christine,
I think there's a universality in knowing what a long,
uncomfortable car trip can be like. We've all been there
on some level with someone at some point, but few
(05:41):
of us know what it's like with a former would
be in law. Where did the inspiration for this uncomfortable
car trip come from?
Speaker 6 (05:50):
See, the whole point of storytelling is to create conflict.
So what's a great avenue to conflict but to be
stuck in a car ride with your pretend ex mother
in law. So it was just an idea to concoct
the most conflicting scenario possible and from there it just
all literally goes downhill and we go on this journey
(06:14):
until we get back up to the right places again.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Ms.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Whitfield tell me about Christine's directorial style. I imagine and
tell me if I'm wrong. I imagine that there are
these moments which couldn't be scripted in that car. I
imagine that there are moments that couldn't be scripted when
you have these emotions flowing around that dinner table and
you're dealing with those interpersonal relationships and all that baggage
and history and intensity. How much freedom, my word, did
(06:41):
you have to just roll with the scene and it
may have taken you somewhere which led off the script.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Well, first of all, Christine creates an environment on the
set that you feel like you can take chances. You know,
you feel comfortable in your own you feel like someone's pulling.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
For you and not judging you.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Right, So in that table scene actually, and there are
times when, yeah, a little improvisation is okay, but it
was a timing thing. The table scene has what two
four six eight I think characters in it, and so
(07:26):
in that you just have to remember that it's not
only you, you know, and so sometimes it's not easy
to improvise. Though we were never told no by Christine
to not try something, you know, if it wasn't right.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
She pulls us back. But she's a.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Very mindful director, very generous director, and extremely focused and
she never loses the sight of the goal of what
that scene is to accomplish. And when you have a
director that is that clear, it gives you the room
(08:07):
to play because you know that she has your back.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
She knows she'll pull you back if you go too
far out of line.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
My guest right now is Emmy Award winning and Golden
Globe nominated actress Lynn Whitfield, who you just heard, who's
co starred in Albany Road. And I'm also joined by
the writer and director Christine Swanson.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Will have more in just a moment.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It's Later with Moe Kelly CAFI AM six forty live
everywhere on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
It's Later with Moe Kelly and I'm having a wonderful conversation.
It feels like I'm just talking with family and Albany Road.
The movie we're discussing is that it's about the interpersonal
dynamics of family and sometimes it can be real uncomfortable,
especially if you find yourself in the car, which.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
You would be former possible in law.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
And let me come back to you Christine Swanson, who
is writer and director of Albany Road. Was there ever
a time just in your directorial career where you see
a scene and it's happening and you see some magic there,
and then you immediately will change the script to add
something because somebody did something and inspired you in that moment.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
That that happens a lot.
Speaker 6 (09:20):
So what you want to do is create a succinct
platform that everybody can just jump off from. So I
would say we had a pretty tight script that ninety
percent of it is on the screen. But you put
these actors like in a room together and they just
start bouncing off each other, and my job is to
(09:42):
just kind of capture it and contain it and stuff
that's magic to use it, and the stuff where they're
just exploring to encourage it. So yes, like the energy
in the chemistry between Land Whitfield and Renee at least Goesberry,
who plays our lead is I did a lot of times.
I was laughing out loud, like uncontrollably because it's just
(10:05):
it was just kind of magic happening in real time.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
It was a gift. It's a gift to humanity to
watch these two go.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Let me talk about that magic in that chemistry, because
what I loved about what I've seen of Albany Road,
Miss Whitfield, is we likely find ourselves in the story.
We've all likely had relationships that we may think back
on and wonder what if or whether there might have
been an overbearing parent on our side or your relationships side,
(10:35):
or maybe both. Did you, as a person finding yourself
possibly identifying with Celeste Simmons, who was played by Renee
Elise Goldsbury, did you find yourself possibly talking to a
younger version of yourself?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Let me put it that way.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
The two characters take this journey together, starting off not
liking each other, being very uncomfortable, and through time they
discover each other's humanity. Right, So there are lines that
I have and we don't want to give any spoilers,
but as they come to respect each other more and
(11:13):
have compassion for each other's lives, I found their lines
that I say that Paula says to Celeste that it
could be Lyn Wickfield speaking to the young Lynn Wickfield.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
And what is so moving about Albany Road, our film.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
That is coming out on November fifteenth and selected AMC theaters.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
I just want to get that in there is.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
That we explore the humanity of people, and yes, people
that we know, people that we want to come to
know better. And Christine, in her absolute genius in writing,
creates an environment where it's all all of these universal themes,
(12:03):
themes that have no color, themes that have it has
to do with nothing but your humanity. And so in
that way, this film is for everybody you know, and
that makes it very.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Exciting for me. But yes, there were moments, very clear
and defined moments where I wish I had heard and
followed the advice that Paula gives to Celeste.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
You're preaching right now, Christine.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I have not seen the movie full disclosure, but I
get the sense without giving away any spoilers, I get
the sense that there are some realizations that the past
is okay, and the past serves a purpose because it
prepares you for our future that we don't even know about.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Wow, that's deep and you nailed it.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Yes, I also suspect that and tell me if I'm wrong,
that it's okay to have a failed relationship because they failed.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
For a reason, You've been through some things.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Look, that goes back.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
That goes back to what Miss Whitfield was talking about
the universal nature of relationships and how we may experience
it in different ways. We will experience this movie in
different ways. We may see ourselves as Paula, We may
see ourselves as thee lest, We may see ourselves as
a family member watching the turmoil of these two people
(13:29):
that we may respect in love, or we may be
the new fiance realizing what the hell did I just
step into. I noticed that there's something still going on
between these two and I think that's why I'm so
eager to see it on November fifteenth and select AMC theaters.
As Miss Whitfield reminded us, all, let me come back
to you, Miss Whitfield, When you are choosing a project
(13:51):
like this, and I'm quite sure you have your choices
that you can make, Is it more about the script?
Is it more about a degree of synergy with a
director you have that energy that flows what goes into
your decision making process?
Speaker 4 (14:07):
First of all, the story, you know what is the story?
Then second it is what is the character and the
arc of the character does it allow me space to
bring something to it it? Does it mean something to me?
Is it entertaining to me when I read it off
(14:28):
of the page.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
And then my southern mother has this thing that she
says that it's so Southern, and she'll you know, she
used to put an outfit together or put a throat
pillow on the couch, and she'd say, what do you think.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Does it add?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
So if I feel like all that I am and
my vision for a particular project, if I can add
something to it, you know, brings something to the table,
then it's exciting to me. Then it means I'll be
able to play and that, you know, whether it's watercolors
(15:08):
or sculpting or whatever. And figuratively, you know, through the
art form of acting, then I get.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Excited about it.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
So I got excited about Albany Road and Paula, and
I got even more excited when Christina and I had
our initial conversation about the project, and I realized that
she wasn't a cookie cutter storyteller. She was in fact
and artists with a vision, and that she was courageous,
(15:44):
and that she was a lover of our culture.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
And so I said, yeah, I think I can have.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Fun doing this because it's an independent film and I
don't want to overtalk, but also which I do. But
also when you meet a storyteller or any artist that's
willing to back their own work, so Christine and her
husband produced this themselves with her own money. When you
(16:18):
meet someone with that kind of courage, you're willing to
work for little and you're willing to go and take
a chance with them because they believe in.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
What they're doing. And I could tell she was talented,
thank God, Praise Jesus. Not gonna work, you know, It's
not always like that.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
So yeah, so all of that came into play for
me in deciding to participate in this project.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
Ladies, can I get you to stay over for one
more segment because I want to talk to you more
about Albandy Road, some of the other featured cast members,
and some of the other messages and meetings which could
be found in that.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Could you do that for me?
Speaker 4 (16:57):
Yes, yes, we'd love to.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand from
KFI AM six forty.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
I am six forty. It's Later with mo Kelly.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
We're right in the middle of a conversation about Albany Road,
which it's AMC Theaters on November fifteenth. I'm speaking with
writer and director Christine Swanson and one of the stars
of Albany Road, Lynn Whitfield, and Christine will almost forgot.
This is a full cast of talented and intense characters
(17:29):
and actors in this.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Tell me who else is in this movie?
Speaker 6 (17:33):
So speaking of intense actors, Jay Alphonse Nicholson stars in
this film as well. He plays the love interest to
Renee Elin Skillsbury. And you would know Jay Alphonse Nicholson
as Little Murder from P Valley, Yeah, p Vach which
is where I met him when I directed him in
P Valley. And I looked at him and I was like,
(17:53):
that's a young Marlon Brando. He don't even know it.
So I scooped him up and put him in this movie.
And then there's also Gary door Dan who this is
actually my third movie working with Gary dor Dan, who's
been a heart throb since since he came on the screen.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
So you're telling her yourself, don't get yourself hurt by
your husband.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
Well, too late. He's just a wonderful actor.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
And then Joe Holt, he plays this character that is
just going to blow people away.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Everybody loves It's for everybody.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Let me ask you about that, because I know some
of my friends will say, Okay, this is a relationship movie.
It's not for me, it's for the women. I don't know,
you know, outside of taking my woman to this movie,
I don't want to see this. What would you say
to them?
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Oh, no, this movie.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
The representation of men in this movie is very, very strong,
and every actor stands in the middle of their characters
that they're playing, and every male role in this Everybody
wants something, everybody's trying to gain something, everybody's dealing with
(19:04):
the consequence of their decisions, and so it is a
human story.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
It's not a chick flick.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It's a film for all people, for male and females,
the whole family.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
You can go to it and it's like incredible, and.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
The men are so like Joe Hot plays this character
that is so wild and so funny. He steals every
scene he's in Gary Jordan, I mean, he's so sexy
still and belonged and that whole thing, and the women
are always swooning over him.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
And Jael Fonds is playing a character that is so
different than Low Murder. It's amazing.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
He plays a professor looking for tenure, and so to
see them all and the women, it's just something for
everybody in it, you know, and that is so very
exciting because it's not often that you're in a project
that's so equally balanced that way.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yes, Christine, I got to ask you, as someone who
grew up a lover of film and media, to have
the dreams of forwarding your vision directing for television and
movies and then start also developing the resume of great
talent that you've been able to work with.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
What has this journey been like for you.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
It's been long. I've been at this for a while.
Lenn and I discussed how we actually missed each other,
but mainly I also have four kids that I raised,
so I took a little bit of a break from working,
and then when I come back, just to be able
to work with Lynn and whitfield's nothing short of like
(20:48):
a divinely orchestrated act of grace by God. And what
I would love to say about Lyn's performance in this movie.
So many people are blown away, and I'm telling you
I'm not. I'm not making this up because it's my movie.
People are literally floored by the end of this movie
and they're out of breath, and a lot of that
(21:11):
has to do with the journey that Lynn's character takes
us on. But I'm telling you, there is not an
emotion that Lynn Whitfield has not played. She is putting
in the work. And what's important about that is not
just there's a great performance. There is that, but it's
so transformative that it leaves the audience wrecked in a
(21:35):
joyful way.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
When's the last time any.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
Actor on screen has made you feel like that as
an audience member.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I can't think of something, but I'm quite sure it
might be when I see All the Body Road.
Speaker 5 (21:55):
Yes, that's what you can expect.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
And more.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
We're in select theaters, so make sure you check to
see what AMC theater we're in in what cities. And
the more people go and give us a strong, a
strong kickoff with their presence and buy those tickets, the
more theaters we can be in. So we're so grateful
(22:17):
to you and to iHeart for giving us as time
and for sharing, for sharing our excitement about this movie
that hopefully will go clear through the holidays. So you
take your family, take your friends and go and spend.
Speaker 6 (22:35):
Some time with us at AUBURNI Roadmovie dot Com. At
Albany Roadmovie dot Com.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
Yes, November fifteenth, Albany Road Hits Theaters Select theaters, AMC Theaters,
November fifteenth. Do not miss your opportunity. I Am going
to be right there. Let me think my guess one
more time. Emmy Award winning Golden Globe nominated actress Lynn Whitfield,
thank you so much for coming on this evening. It's
been a treat. And writer director Christine Swanson, thank you.
(23:02):
I've been following your career, you know when you did
your episodes for Chicago p D it saying like, oh, yes,
that's what happens to my favorite TV show of all time.
So thank you both for coming on this evening. And
I'm looking forward to seeing Albany Road and I wish
you both very well in your future endeavors.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Thank you, Mo.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
It's later with Mo Kelly can if.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
I am six forty were live everywhere the iHeartRadio app
k S, i'most HD two.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Los Angeles, Orange County Live
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Everywhere on the radio
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