The Bobby Bones Show - Actress and Director Brooklyn Sudano discusses her directorial debut with a documentary on her mother Donna Summer.

Episode Date: May 26, 2023

Brooklyn Sudano has made a name for herself in TV shows such as “Cruel Summer”, “Taken” and “Ballers”She has directed a new HBO documentary “Love to Love You, Donna Summer” about her disco icon mom. *****Thank you so much for listening to the THIS WEEK IN MUSIC HISTORY hosted by Buzz Knight!  MUSIC HISTORY ON FOOTListen to more honest conversations with a compelling mix of guests ranging from musicians, authors, and insiders with their own stories. Get inspired, get motivated, and gain insights from honest conversations every week that can help you with your own journey. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and be part of this blessed family.Website: https://takinawalk.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebuzzknightLinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/buzzknightLinkfire: https://lnk.to/takinawalk Please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with your friends and family!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice in silence, correct? I doctored the test once.

It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg, a lesbian, Michael Mancini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is love trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.

Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Vodom. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah. It would not be. Right. It wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Yeah. Listen to Thanks Dad on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Readers, Katie's finalists, publicists. We have an incredible new episode this week for you guys. We have our girl Hillary Duff in here. And we can't wait for you to hear this episode.

They put on Lizzie McGuire 2 a.m. Video on demand. This guy's... 2 a.m. Whatever time it is. Lizzie McGuire. And I'm like... Wild. A wild batch you were with. It was like a first, like, closet moment from me where I was like... You're like, I don't feel like she's hot. Like the rest of that. No, no, no. I was like, she's beautiful. But I'm appreciating her in a different way than these boys are. I'm not like... But listen to Los Coleristas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or whatever you get your podcast. Welcome to the Take and a Walk podcast. This is Buzz Night.

us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, tune in, the podcast playground, or wherever you get your podcast. And leave us a review, just like David Myers did on Apple Podcast. He said, great podcast, easy to listen to. The host is having a good time. You will too. I love it, David. Thank you. Today, our guest is Brooklyn Sedano, an actress and director. She's been in TV shows like Cruel Summer, Taken, and Ballers. She's the daughter of Donna Summer, and she's just directed a new documentary called Love to You Donna Summer on HBO. We'll join Brooklyn Sedano next on Taking a Walk. Hello, Brooklyn. Hi, Buzz. How are you?

I'm excellent. Thank you for being on Taking a Walk, albeit virtually, but thank you for being here. Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me. Congratulations on the documentary. Tell us about it. the process that led to the creation of it? Well, you know, it started about seven years ago from the very beginning. And, you know, I went to my father, was like, you know, there's so much, I think, that people don't really know about my mom. And I had just become a mother and was processing her not being there and, you know,

having people come up and share their stories. And I just felt like there was a really great opportunity to have a film that, you know, really was reflective of her in all of her facets, not just the persona that people, you know, the icon, the, you know, the buzzwords that people kind of gravitate towards. But she really was an artist and a really complex woman, and I felt like it was really important for the world to be able to see that. Well, your mother was a trailblazer, really, in the music industry. What's her legacy and, you know, how do you hope to continue to showcase her work? Well, I think this film is one of the ways we are able to really move her legacy forward

and allow people to really, in knowing who she really was as an artist, I think there's a deeper level of understanding, of respect for what her contributions to music, to culture. I mean, electronic dance music was created with her Pee Pilotti and Giorgio Maroder with I Feel Love. electronic dance music is pop music these days. And so I think that her legacy continues to move forward through the music formats and, you know, style and fashion. And I think this film is just kind of bringing awareness to all of that. Well, you come from a, you know, a family with a rich musical legacy. How was it growing up around music and how did it influence your career and your, and your,

artistic purpose? Well, my sister, Amanda, says in the film, it was like living in a musical. You know, everything in our family was about creation. My dad Bruce Siddano is a songwriter and a singer and artist himself and my mother would paint. And so, you know, everything was a creative endeavor. And so that's how my sisters and I, we all live our lives in some kind of creative way. And so I think it's for us been very rich and just felt normal that we would try to always be in this mode of creativity and see the world, even in the small minutia of it, as something wonderful and to be expressed. And so, you know, I think I counted as a great blessing to have had that and to be able to use that foundation in my own life. I mean, we're just in the family business, basically. Well, your mom's music, it was a bit of a paradox in that, you know, she was kind of the first lady of love, but yet, you know, her religious beliefs as well were in conflict with it.

Can you talk about that? Yes, you know, I think my mom had this very strong calling. I mean, she even would speak about it often, that she felt. that she heard the audible voice of God tell her you're going to have a gift use it well you know you're going to be famous so from a very early age she felt this very strong spiritual calling and I think the way that it happened wasn't how she anticipated and so but she also realized that this was her door in and so she was going to take it so I do think that there was always kind of this rub of how to you know make these things work together

At her core, she was always, you know, spiritually connected to God. But, you know, she was living now in the world and doing all of these different things. And so, you know, but that was a bit of a rub, you know. I mean, it was definitely sometimes hard for her family to go to church. Or, you know, to reconcile this kind of how sexual and secular the music was to what she was kind of coming out of. What was it like for you pouring through her archives? It was like finding a treasure chest. It was such a blessing to be able to.

You know, my mom was an early adopter on technology. So she had a video camera out on the road in doing these backstage skits with her bandmates in the 1970s. And that wasn't typical, you know, for an artist. So a lot of the film is really her behind the camera. So in many ways, she's a cinematographer and sometimes the director of the film. And so it was just finding like a gold box of treasure to be able to go through and see all of these things as they were happening in the moment. It was really a blessing to be able to do that. During that period, I think it's fair to say Boston and the area where,

was, you know, there was a lot of racism. Can you talk about that perspective and how I think your mom looked at that? You know, I think my mother viewed it. It was something that, yes, everybody was having to kind of navigate at that time. But my mom was also a risk taker, a box breaker. You know, she was in a band called The Crow, which was a psychedelic rock band. at the age of like 16 or 17, and it was an all-white band, and she was the lead singer, The Crow, as a black woman.

So it was something that she was wishing, you know, willing to push the boundaries on. But I do think that her moving out of Boston at that time was because of some of the dynamics and things that were going on, and she moved to New York, which is where she was able to, you know, get into the scene there and the art scene and the singer-songwriter, hippie kind of vibes that was going on there, which launched her then into hair, which brought her to Germany. So, you know, I think her way to deal with it was to just push through and to not let that stop her. And, you know, that was her nature, was to just break beyond the boundaries. Does it blow your mind thinking that she really kicked off the disco era?

You know, I think that's one of the things that I most appreciate about her after having done this project was really understanding all that she did, all that she recorded and performed and did the press for during that time. It's incredible that I'm amazed at how much she was able to do and accomplish, as well as juggling being a mother at that time. You know, it is, she did what she said she was going to do, and that's really amazing to be able to be a part of that legacy. You've had success as an actress and a singer. How do you balance those two careers,

and do you find that one sort of informs the other in a certain way? You know, for me, I feel like there's, all, even with directing this film, it's all storytelling. And it's just different, it's just a different way of telling a story. It's a different way of owning a character or a persona, and it's using this storytelling to communicate with people, some emotion or feeling or events. And so for me, it's really just about storytelling. And are you connecting with the audience and how you do that? You know, for me, my singing has really happened through being an actress. I, you know, that's really where I've been able to perform as a singer, mostly in my career.

And so to be able to kind of connect all of those things has always been a fun thing to do. I always, you know, raise my hand when somebody's asking, I'm like, I'll do it. Because it's such a natural part of my life music. And so to be able to weave that in, I always jump at that chance. What philanthropic causes were important to your mom and which ones are important to you? Oh, wow. You know, my mom always gave to the Salvation Army and would do things for the Salvation Army because when she was growing up, she would go to their camps and things in Boston.

You know, the gay men's health crisis. She was, you know, did many shows for them, the Elton John's Aid Foundation. You know, she really, my mother was a giver by nature. So whether it was a nonprofit or the person on the side of the street that needed a hand, she would be the one to do it. No questions asked. And so my mom's legacy of giving. is something that I think is very important to me and my family. And so, you know, I, again, we try to partake and do all of those things in our daily lives.

But there's a lot, I mean, there's a lot of charities that I am a part of and tried to give to. Mostly, for me, it's like mother and children. There's like Alexandra House in Los Angeles and, you know, different things like that. So I try to follow my mom's footsteps when it comes to those kind of things. You've been around the entertainment business for a long time. How has the industry evolved? What changes do you sort of notice? You know, unfortunately what I've noticed is that it's much harder and harder to make a living for most artists.

and I think that, you know, there's a lot of people that are able to create, but sometimes it is harder to, you know, you can get it out there. There's just so much content, but it also is also harder to make a living, creating that content these days. And so that's been a little bit tricky. Obviously, there's a writer strike going on in Hollywood and the DGA and the back after also have their conversations. I mean, this is very much talking shop.

But, you know, I do think that it is becoming a little too unequal and that we have to reset. We have to reset the system because artists are not going to be able to live off their art. And so we're going to miss out on some great art as a result of that because people are not going to be able to sustain themselves doing it anymore. What does it feel like when you hear your mom's music on the radio to this day? Can you describe that feeling? Well, for me, it's always a little bit of a wink.

Like, hi, I'm here. You know, I was getting on a plane recently, and as I was boarding the plane, hot stuff came on. And I was just like, okay, hi, mom. So for me, it's just an acknowledgement that she's still with me. That's so sweet. what would your mom think of this project you know I think

she would be really proud growing up my mom would always tease me and call me the reporter and which I didn't like that title because I would come home and I would share everything that happened in the day and you know it was my a little bit of a journalistic streak in me

so I think she would just get a kick out of the fact that my first big film report basically would beyond her. And so, you know, I definitely feel like I've been able to move her story forward in a way that she wasn't able to. And so I think she would be proud about that. Is there one thing you learned with this project that you didn't know about your mom? You know, I think it just enhanced what I knew about her. And like what I said earlier, I think, you know, I have a deep appreciation for the fact that.

sacrifices she made to be successful. And, you know, and there was sometimes ramifications for that. You know, my older sister, Mimi, had to live with my grandparents and was away from my mom. And, you know, that affected her life in a different way than it affected my sister, Amanda and I's life, because we had more of my mom because she was at a different point of her career at that point. So I think I have a deeper appreciation for the sacrifice and the sacrifices, I should. say that she had to make in order to live out her calling and live out her dream. Well, you have a glow about you about this project, obviously, and I want to congratulate you

on the documentary. Love to Love You Dawn of Summer, Brooklyn. Thank you for being on. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day. Taking a walk with Buzz Night is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. They take matters into their own hands. I vowed. I will be his last target.

He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2023, Bachelor star, Clayton, Eckerd was accused of fathering twins.

But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Gillespie and Michael Mancini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young.

This is love trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Vodam. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo.

My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar. of, you know, the cat, just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that.

There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Readers, Katie's finalists, publicists, we have an incredible new episode this week for you guys. We have our girl Hillary Duff in here, and we can't wait for you to hear this episode. They put on Lizzie McGuire 2 a.m. Video on Demand. This guy's bobble-a-m. 2 a.m., whatever time it is, Lizzie McGuire.

and I'm like, wild bat you were with. It was like a first, like, closet moment from me where I was like, I don't feel like she's hot, like the rest of that. No, no, no. I was like, she's beautiful. But I'm appreciating her in a different way than these boys are. I'm not like, but listen to Los Angeles on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.