The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Danielle Brooks Talks New Film, Early Career Struggles, Hollywood, Broadway, Motherhood + More

Episode Date: September 16, 2026

Today on The Breakfast Club, Danielle Brooks Talks New Film, Early Career Struggles, Hollywood, Broadway, Motherhood. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hold on. Every day I wake up. You're all finished or y'all's done? Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Salomey and the guy. We are the breakfast club.

Long La Rosa's here as well. Yes, indeed. We got a special guest in the building. My South Carolina Brethren. Daniel Brooks. Welcome. Sister. Sister.

Brethren, sisters. Family are the same thing. You can call him sister. Okay. You can totally call him sister. He acted. He acts like a southern old auntie. I always saw him that.

How are you feeling? I feel so good. I'm glad to be here. It's been a long time. I know you just said that. It's about 13 years. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, it's been a long time.

I was in Orange is the New Black, and I was a baby. I was probably like 23 when I came in here. You were 23 on Orange is the New Black? I was 22 when I started. Wow. Yeah, I was a baby. And you've done so much since that,

since that, what, was that 13 years ago? Yeah, 12, 13 years ago. You have had such an impactful, elevated career. Starting so young. I didn't know. I was about just graduated Juilliard at 21. Wow. Had my little struggle year, and then at 22, popped into oranges and the black.

Wow. Yeah, and then have been working ever since, thank God. What did Juilliard prepare you for? Hmm, huh. And what could it never? And also, what could it never prepare you for? You know what? It's funny because I sat with Juilliard alum yesterday and the current students,

all black, you know, students. And we were talking about this. And the one thing that Juilliard, can't give you is the talent is the heart is the soul portion they can give you the technical they can give you a toolbox for that but other than that you know and it's funny

when I did Orange's New York like I remember being interviewed once and they were like what did Julia I'd give you and I said nothing at the time which is not true because they did give me the skills but they couldn't teach me that heart stuff they couldn't teach me the grit and all of that so

I always say take what you need and leave the rest from any you know conservative that you go to, any place, anybody that gives you advice, take what you need and leave the rest. A lot of people think that when you get, you know, in these big Hollywood careers and these roles that it's keeping with you, like, you talk about their heart, that's like something that's like inputting in you. You were raised a certain way.

But people try to, I think, sometimes separate the two. Talk a bit about, like, keeping your root amidst all of that because you're in Julia, you're, you know, doing all these things. It's completely opposite of, you know, what some of us, like, come from it and know. Oh, yeah. I mean, look, I definitely am not a Nepo baby. My baby will be a nepo baby. Talk that's up. Okay. But, no, I came from, you know, where Charleney's from. I'm from South Carolina, small town, grew up in the church, you know, like low to mid-class family. Definitely, only at the time all I saw was the radio people or the news people on TV that made me say, well, maybe I can do that, you know what I'm saying? but to get to this point, to get to this moment in my career, the only thing that really keeps me grounded is one God, faith.

That's right. Period. Number one, source. And then my family, my friends, like, my foundation. They are my foundation. Like, they keep me grounded. They tell me the truth, you know, even if I don't want to hear it. So I make sure to keep positive people around me.

Like, that is important. Negative don't come over to the Danielle camp at all. And then your godmother left you 20 grand to go to college. Yes, yes she did. Yes, she did. She was actually a Delta, Delta Sigma Theta sorority Incorporated member. Miss Annie Ed, she was an older woman, had no kids, had no husband. We connected.

I asked her to be my godmother at five, six years old. She said, yes, I was by her hip all the time. We were tight, so I'm a little old lady too. And I am, a little saucy old lady too. And, you know, she just was so filled with love, but she passed away when I was. I was 15 from cancer and it was like one of the first people that I ever lost to that capacity. And lo and behold, she left $20,000 in her will for me to go to college. And thank God she did because we needed every dollar.

Every last in a minute, absolutely. You know why I love that because she believed in a version of you that she never even lived long enough. To see it. But God put that in her back then to say. To see it. You ever think about that? Hell yeah. And I put give it back.

I started a monologue competition in South Carolina. CCC monologue competition. It's in honor of August Wilson, but obviously my godmother. And it's my way of giving back. We do scholarships and things like that. And to give back to the kids. So yeah, I think of it all the time, you know, like the people that we love, all of us have those people that don't get to see the fruits of their labor

of what they poured into us. It's pretty awesome. So just honoring her, you know, while she's looking down. When did you know that this was going to be your path, right? When did you know that it wasn't going to be something else? And how difficult was it to continue on when you got the nose? When there might not have been enough money for tuition and books and bored and all that. I think God always told me this was for me.

He always had said, you just got to trust me. I got you. It might not look how you think it will look, but I got you. And I had to lean on that. But when it first hit me, I think it was my first yes, getting into Julia. Somebody said, yes, you have talent, and we're willing to, like, pour into you for four years in New York. I'm like, okay, okay. But it wasn't until that, and then I think once I learned I was here to stay, which I knew it inside,

but you have all these doubts, right? So I think I knew it, like, fully when I got Oscar nominated. I think that, I know it took a long time to be that confident, but I think that was the moment. I was like, no, I'm having longevity in this industry. I'm not going anywhere. But before that, it was like that climb of like so hungry and so like just wanting it so bad and like, can I hold on to it? But there was something once that Oscar came around, the Oscar nomination came around, there was something that settled in me. It was like, girl, you got this.

Like, you are that bad. You got it. Let's talk about the doubt. Before you go there, I want to talk about the doubt too, right? Because living in New York City, you see so many people that graduated from Jewish. are. You see them in restaurants working. It was one of them.

And I went to a one at a restaurant the other day where they actually sing while they're serving the food. Oh, yes. I have a friend that does that right now. It's super talented. So with all that, you know, you hear all the time that Broadway is not doing well and movies are not doing well. What were the doubts that you had?

And how did you overcome those doubts? Oh, DJ MB, I had so many doubts. I think I just, I don't know. I just didn't believe that it was real. You know, I think something in me was just so, I don't know, and disbelief that I could have that greatness in me. I think growing up I was taught about humility a lot and just to kind of downplay yourself. And that did not serve me well at all, you know.

And so I think I, playing Sophia on Broadway is the thing that reminded me because I had a song called, hell no. And so singing that every night was me saying, hell no to my fears, hell know that I can't do this. You know what I'm saying? And so I just, when you sing that song for a year of your life, eight shows a week, it does something to you, you know what I'm saying? And so that was one of those moments.

But I definitely had a lot of doubts and had to find a way to overcome them through therapy, through, you know, spiritual work with God and all of the things. But yeah, that's a little bit of. Second Corinthians 5'7, we walk by faith, not by sight. Yeah, come on, somebody. That's what that is. What about when you were 15? Right.

Okay, what you want to know? And your father took you to see The color purple. The color purple. Yeah, change my life. And you end up playing so teen. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you.

Let me tell you. Let me tell you how good God is. Okay. So yes, dad took me to see Color Purple at 15. That was the first Broadway show I saw. 10 years later, I ended up starring in it after auditioning for so many Broadway shows,

not getting them. First one I get is the Color Purple. Takes me to get my first Grammy. Takes me to get my first Tony nomination. Wow. Next thing you know, I'm 10 years later, they asked me to do the movie. Well, I audition for the movie. And get this Oscar nomination.

The thing that blows my mind about all of it is yesterday I met a young woman named Angel. And her name was Angel. From South Carolina, first Broadway show that she saw was the piano lesson with me and Sam Jackson and J.D. Washington. First Broadway show. Then she says from there, she looked in the playville and saw that I was from South Carolina. And then I went to, she just did some research and found out I went to this governor school in high school, right? So she ends up applying using the monologue from the piano lesson. Gets into this high school.

It's a conservatory you live there for two years on campus. It's really fancy. She gets into that, then decides to audition for Juilliard and gets in. Wow. I met her yesterday. Wow. That's what I'm saying is some God shit going on. Let me hold on.

So she went to the governor school. Yes. Was she the only black, because you were the only black girl? I was the only black girl. I don't know. I was too busy crying. I didn't ask you that question. I was too busy even like my feels.

Wow. How insane. That's God. It's God. So we just got to continue to do the work and walk in what he's telling us to do. And that's why I like, I just love what we do. A lot of times we talk about like with the art. You know, we're not doing rock and science.

We're not saving lives. It's doctors. But we are, though. Like, we actually are changing people's lives and the trajectory of what they see for themselves. I look at you, Charlotte, man. I'm like, God, damn. And, like, Lord, forgive me to use your name in vain.

But you know what I'm saying? How far you have come in your career? It's insane. You know what I'm saying? So we just got to keep, and it helps people to remind them, like, just again, how far they can go. You know what I'm saying?

So, yeah. When you're that young, right, and you're the only in a room, like the only black woman, at the only black girl in the drama class of government school, do you start developing confidence or do you quietly develop a habit of proving that you deserve to be in the room? Ooh, I think it's a little bit of both,

but I think what messed me up in the beginning was, like, when I was at governor school at the high school in South Carolina, I was the only black girl, yes. So when it came to auditioning for high colleges, I was like really like, it can only be one. So what's this other black girl over here trying to audition? Like, no, it can only be one? And then it was me.

one other sister in the Juilliard class of 18 because they only allow 18. It was only two of us and that's when I was like oh there's room. We're going to make room. Like even though they got me playing soldier to the left and playing witch number three, like

there's room for all of us and I cheerleaded the hell out of my sister and she cheerleaded the hell out of me and now she's a Tony winner and I'm an EGOT nominee but we supported each other through it you know what I'm saying? So it did at first messed me up a little bit

but I quickly got out of that mindset and was like, no, it's room for us all. What's the importance of learning every aspect of drama, right? Because you see some people like can sing but they can't act or can act and can't sing or can act and can't dance and can't. What's the importance

of knowing every aspect of the neighborhood? I think it's what you want to do. You know what I'm saying? Where you want to take it? Like I knew for me that the singing could take me to another place. And you always knew you can sing? Or did you have to No, that's another one of those fears. Because when you were a sister, dark-skinned black plus-sized woman and you went to church,

they expect you to sound a certain way. They won't Whitney Houston. Okay, they won't, they won't Mahalia Jackson. They want to talk to Chicago. And so I was not those, you know, but I knew that if I hid behind a character, oh, I could be Mahalia Jackson, you know, but singing as Danielle had always been a fear of mine. But I think to your question is what you want for. for your life.

You know, like I've expanded and thank you so much, Lauren, for shouting now my podcast, the intermission podcast. I watch your podcast so much. Number one, the name of it, I thought, was so genius because it just, you're just always a light. This is my first time meeting you in person, but it was perfect, intermission.

Like, your intermission, but intermission because of your work. But the conversations that you have, I feel like, I mean, it just, you do a good job. You just show it aside to yourself that I think it's just like a home girl. So I watch it because I feel like I'm with my homegirl just learning I appreciate. We got to have you on too.

Come to Atlanta. Please. We got to have you on. That would be amazing. But I've been expanding my world. So I think for any artist, it's like if you want more, you got to put more into it. Like, plant those seeds. Like for me, I knew I ain't no dancer. I can move. But one, two step, you know, all that stuff is not my calling. But so what I did was for my color purple audition. I got in classes. I paid this girl $50. to teach me a pot of a ray sachet and make it happen. You know what I'm saying?

So I think it's what you want. And for me, I want more. I want everything that God has for me. And I might learn along the way, he told me to put this down. Don't try that, you know, but at least I gave it a shot. Has being such a light, like, as you are, has that ever been heavy for you?

Oh, that's such a good question. Yes, because I'm not perfect by any means. there's days I want to cuss somebody clean out on a plane. And I don't. I choose the latter. You know, I have to bite my tongue a lot of the times. Because what I do know is it's so easy for us to affect each other, especially the best example is New York.

You can wake up and out your window, you hear somebody cussing somebody out, right? And so I just know how much we affect one another. And if I can do my part as a human being and come with good energy and know it ain't got nothing to do with me is probably something that happened within that person's life or whatever that's causing them to be a little off. Like, let me come with the God. You know, let me come with the love. And so I try to do that. And if I can't do that, Lauren, I stay in the house. You know what I'm saying? I go to my quiet place so that I don't affect people in a negative way. How do you navigate business, though? Because I feel like you come off so, like, positive. And, like, people don't

be trying to play with you, like, when it comes to your business. Like, how have you figured that out coming from South Carolina all the way to like I got to play with my business. So what was that journey? Girl, they got to go. I clip them. Clip, but I don't have to because I got an amazing team of people

that I have been working with for 14, 15 years that'll do that for me. Good cop, bad cop. I can go be good cop. They can be bad cop for me. And we handle it that way. My favorite role from you, man, is Leota. And Atabio, Peacemaker.

Oh, my God. And I always wonder about that. I don't want to give it away if you've never seen it, but the alternate earth episode. And I saw James Gunn said when he wrote that, he sent it to you. And y'all had a conversation because he wanted to make sure you were comfortable where how the racism was handled.

I want to know what you told him and were you triggered playing those, playing that role. I told him, that's a great question. I did, he did do all of the things he said he did. I wouldn't know Hollywood BS. He did call me. We talked about it. I was cool with it.

Because it's a fictional world anyway. This world is messed up with racism. I'm down. Let's have the conversation. But when I tell you, you got about 40 white people chasing your ass down the street. And it was not fun. Let me tell you, trying to jump a gate and like jump into a pool, you know, because you have 40 white people chasing you. Yeah, take you back, you know, to what our people had to go through.

And that was the hard part, you know. but I was willing to do that to have that conversation, especially in that kind of world, comic book world. You know, there's not many of us in that world to begin with. And every time we get to enter that space, or most times, they always have something to say about us being in those spaces, but we belong in those spaces as well. So I'm very grateful to James Gunn for putting me in that position.

I never would have thought that I would get to do that. Do you like being in those conversations? Or is there like ever a burden being the black person in the room who gets asked, Is this racist? Is this racist? Yeah, I mean, who wants to really talk about, you know, have that conversation? But, like, if I'm the one to do it, then I'll do it. But, yeah, it gets tiresome.

You know, I'm sure that you felt that way at times as well. It gets tiresome. But, hey, I guess I'm that person. Is we getting a season three? No, we're not. What? I know, I know. I know.

It ended all crazy. I know. I hope James, but that's the thing, James Gunn is in control. He can do what he want to do. Hopefully he'll bring us into other things that he does. That's crazy. I know, I know. They got to keep the universe is going to keep going because he's... I know.

We were supposed to do something with Valola Davis because I play her daughter. She plays Amanda Waller. I play her daughter in it. And we were supposed to do like a spin-off, but I don't know. It didn't work out. That's crazy. We'll see what the future holds because that would be fire. That would be so far.

But he's going to leave peacemaking in that other... You know, child, you gotta have James Gunn, come on here and talk to you. Damn. Now, your new movie, if I go, will they miss me? Yes. You shot that in 22 days? Yes, we did. Break that down. That's no time at all.

No time at all. And we shot it in the hood. And it looks amazing. It is so good. I cannot wait. That's the first thing she says. She said, it looks good for a shot in 22 days. Yeah.

The coloring, the weight, like, it's very much, I saw you say it gets a moon night feel and it does. It's like the color and the shadow and everything. That's a lot in 22 days. Girl, and Walter Thompson Hernandez is that dude. He is the next Barry Jenkins or plug-in amazing director. He's that guy. He directed it, he wrote it, he edited himself. You know, it started out as a short film at Sundance,

and now it's moved over into a feature with J.L. Fines from Peave Valley, and he's also in lanterns. But the story is a love letter to Watts and a love letter to fathers and sons. And it hits on all of the things And it's so beautiful, y'all Like if you love cinema This movie is for you

If you just need I mean if you got a child You are a child This movie is for you I love the conversation about fathers and sons Right I have four girls two boys And watching it

I love my daughters I hug my daughters I kiss my daughters I don't necessarily do the same For my son Right and it is not because of I don't love them But it's like you have a different relationship, right?

And I was like, yeah, I need to do that more. Like, I need to hug and kiss my son and let him know I love him in a way that we usually don't do, you know? And DJ MB, this one is so great because the young boy, he sees his father as a God. That's a hero. That's all he wants. You were talking about the comic books and stuff. Yes. He romanticizes his dad as like this mythical character.

Yes. It's so beautiful. And the God that he is, but he doesn't see himself like that. And the thing is, the father. is struggling with allowing the boy to continue to stay in this innocent place, right? Like this childlike wonder and use his imagination. A lot of us do that because we want to protect our children and show them what the real world is like. And we, a lot of times adults say too, well, I grew up all right. My parents didn't hug me and my parents didn't do this,

but I came out all right. Did you, though? Like, do you have an issue with like emotional intelligence or, you know, are you able to let somebody hug you? Like, you know, there's these things that we say we are good, but are we really? And this movie asks you to look at yourself and reflect. You know, and then John Batiste did the music for it. Like, it's so special. And I just, it's the little engine that could is how I describe this movie. So, like, to be able to talk about it on this platform is a huge deal

because I think it can get there to the masses. but we got to, like, we got to do the work, you know what I'm saying? You got involved in this film not because of the paycheck, but because of the passion. Oh, yeah, I didn't make something. Respectfully. What I thought was interesting, though, right? Like, you probably get scripts and things coming at you, like, crazy. And you, this one, you're like, not only do I want to be a part of it,

but you're out here, like, driving the conversation about it. You get a chance to really dive into the art. Is it you wanted to refresh and reset yourself because Hollywood can be totally, like, scripts, go, go, go. and this is like colorful and it's passion. Or isn't you really being like, we need to center more of this? We need to center more of this.

You know, I think when you're in a position, like I am, I'm so grateful to have movies like Minecraft or have TV shows like Peacemaker. You know, those are the shows that I love, get to the masses, and pay the bills. But then there's another group of movies and TV shows that really move the culture and make us better people, hopefully.

And so that's why I said yes. That's why I'm putting my own money behind this as an EP to promote this movie and, you know, to support what this director is putting out because it's necessary work, yo. I'm telling you, I don't like watching movies that I'm in a ton of times. Like, I really don't. Like, I'll watch it once and I'm done. I have watched this movie probably four or five times. Every time I see something different. And every time I'm, like, I'm crying.

And a good cry, like, you know, like a healing cry. Like I'm like in a cry of like I've come so far as a person You know what I'm saying like You a mom I'm a mom I'm a wife yo I go through a lot of stuff You know like I'm not saying like I've had a lot of trauma and all this stuff But like I'm a real person I go through shit You know what I'm saying in this movie It just reminded me like yeah

I'm making the right steps as a mom I'm making the right steps as a wife you know what I mean So I think everybody should go see it and do a little bit of this crying thing. There was a scene where you apologize to your son. First of all, your son in the movie, he is the most stoic but impactful child actor I've like ever watched, right? But you apologized to him in that scene.

And I saw you say that was improv. That was improv. And you're emotional here with us right now. What are you learning more about yourself as a parent as you watch? I hope that's not a used tissue to you. No, man. Why would I do that? No, because it's all crumbled up.

He's so sadder. You know how your auntie would like pull something out of her purse and church? No, because I'm just like that. And it ain't, she just been holding it. It ain't did nothing too. I can't wait. They were taking too long with the Kleenex.

I can't wait to hear what y'all think about this film because I just cannot wait. Like, I cannot wait to hear what y'all think. I think it's amazing. I think it paints another side of, we talk about escapism as like a bad thing sometimes because you don't deal with who you are because you're trying to get away from it.

I think this movie shows you what the positive, how escaping something can positively impact you if you have the right support around you. Like your son in the movie, like him drawing and having this whole magical world with the right support, he becomes genius. Yeah, I think we have a responsibility as parents, aunties, uncles, whatever it is, to really pour into our children. That's right.

And I think we got work to do. You know what I'm saying? And because at the end of the day, we're all big children trying to act like adults. Like, you know, like we all actually don't know what the heck we're doing. You know what I'm saying? So I think this movie is a reminder to go search for the help that you need. You know, y'all are all big advocates for therapy and things like that. Like, I think you have to do the work.

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And especially if you want to get rid of generational curses and make them generational blessings is what I think. Is that the emotion you were feeling? Like you're watching, it's like, wow, I can give that to this character because I grew, like in real life. Yeah, for sure. Like, somehow God knows exactly what you need or what a character needs at the right time.

And I was going through a lot of similar things at the time. and so it was very close to home. So when you talk about that improv, I know what that's like. You know what I'm saying? Now, I'm not asking people to go do a deep dive on my life. Now you ain't going to find anything. But yeah, there was moments that I had felt like Lozita, you know.

And so that improv came from a real place. I was going to ask you to change you as a mom. Oh, 100%. How? I am so protective of my child. I always have been. but like the thing is there's there's this thing where you're like okay I'm going to be protective of my child but

you might start teaching them it's okay to accept certain behaviors what do you mean um like you don't want them to say okay ex person is talking to me disrespectful so you tell your child just ignore your uncle, just ignore your daddy, just ignore your mama. No, you can't accept that. And a child who's five, six, seven years old, they don't have the language nor can they to a grown adult. So who has to step in? Another grown adult. And so that's what I'm saying. It's like I'm proud of myself for saying like my family, we're going to do this right. You know what I'm saying? And I'm glad that the people that are in my life

did the work so that we could heal as a family and now we're better for it. We're so strong, we're tight. She's thriving. You know, I'm thriving. Everybody's doing so well. My husband's amazing partner.

So, yeah, that's what I mean. It's like we got to do the work because sometimes these, a lot of times, these kids cannot advocate for themselves. You give yourself grace because it's easy to beat up on yourself, right? but we always say there is no instruction manual. There's not.

When the baby's born, they don't give you a pamphlet and be like, here you go. And everybody has to go through stuff. We all going, like, that's life. You know what I'm saying? He talks about flying, right, in the film. And he's always referencing the planes and stuff. But we all are going to have to go through turbulence in this life to get to the destination. And I can't stop my baby from going through turbulence.

You know, but what I can do is say we're not going to have it in his house. You know what I'm saying? And that's what I would encourage other people to do. And I think that's the importance of the work that we do. You know, I don't like to share. I don't want to overshare any part of my life because that is mine. Like I don't owe anybody anything. But what I will say there, we all do have testimonies and things that can help other people be better human beings.

As becoming a mom, changed your relationship with ambition. Because, you know, once you have a child, now you got to start saying no. I know. I do say no a lot. It does. it makes me more pointed. Like, I now live in the South. I don't live in New York anymore, and I miss it.

I lived here 14 years. Yeah, but that costs the living down south so much better. It's nice. I sit on my porch and drink lemonade. You know what I'm saying? I love it. I love it so much. But so when I come and step out of my home,

I'm here to work. I'm here to get the thing done. But the great part about it, too, is I can take her with me. So when we shot Minecraft too, I took her to New Zealand with me. And I'm giving this, six-year-old that kind of experience.

You know what I mean? And that, to me, is, like, the coolest thing. Like, she's a Nepro baby. That's beautiful. I know. Like, I know I keep saying, and I'm joking. But, like, what I mean is just there's, like, opportunities. I'm exposing her to so much more. You know what I'm saying?

And hoping that it eases her life a little bit more than mine was. You're always very kind to yourself. But has motherhood forced you to be even more kinder because you know your daughter's watching? Hell yeah. hell yes there's so many conversations I've had with my husband where I'm like I don't like how this person did me and I think da-da-da-da and he would say to me well what would you tell your daughter I'm like dang I guess I should act like that shouldn't I so it's definitely changed the way in which I approach people because it's how I would want her to approach or even how I tell her

what to you know how to handle certain situations and how a little six-year-old life when the little girl pull her hair at school. You know, I have to talk to her in a different way. What do you tell her? Two things. One, go to the teacher, let her handle it. Second time, if she don't handle it,

I'm coming up to that school and handle your business. If you need to pull her hair back, you're going to pull that little girl hair back. She's going to learn today. You know what's worse than the hair pulling? Well, the hair pulling is bad, too, when they just want to touch the little black girl's hair. I know.

Why? Why don't want to touch you? That's funny he mentioned because I did Karma's World with Ludacris and there's an episode like that where the little girls, they have a sleepover and the little white girls want to touch her hair. And she's like, mommy, they want to touch my hair. But yeah, that's a real thing.

That's a real thing that happens now as a grown woman with people who are touching your hair. But I mean, you know how bad that pisses you off when that happens to you, right? Like, how do you talk to your baby? You're not a dog? Yeah, but like how you talk to your baby where like you don't.

Oh, I thought you said you got a dog. No, I know. You're not a dog. Like, stop touching me. But it makes you feel like that. Or when they're like, oh my God. It's that the animal or something. They can't even put the words.

Like, is that the, like you? No, this is my favorite. Oh, my gosh, your hair is grown so fast. Come on now. But how you, how do you do? No, wait, but what if there was a woman that you knew who had like ball spots? Oh.

And you saw it growing. That is real. I know, but I'm saying it as a cop. Like, oh my God, your hair really grew in. Don't feed into him. I ain't feeding him. No. No.

It'd be the aunties from the South. What is he added with? I didn't know. I didn't know I was being offensive when I said that to somebody. I said it to Lauren, but I'm Come on now. You don't know if women have alopecia and the things that they go through. No, I do what it was.

Hey, hey, Charlotte, man, let me tell you something. She did tell me what it was. That's a crown, okay? It is. Whether they got hair on it or not. You know about not having hair on a crown? I don't have any. It's been a while.

She told me why she had it. But then I've seen it grow in over the years, so I gave her a compliment. Now, how did you get that compliment? I was like, yo, your boss. Did you say it out loud, too, D. He says it every day on the show. He literally had a hell. You got hell.

Like, people were. walk out to me and they'd be like, I didn't know you that tall. And also, I don't even see a ball spot anymore. I didn't know you that tall either. I was very sure. You have model height. You're giving model height. Yeah.

Yeah, editorial. Yeah, she's been killing New York Fashion Week, Eden, eating it down. You get out here. Yeah, I love fashion. I really do. Do you always had that love for fashion or has that come from? I know you talk about wanting to see representation, like more brown skin, you know, plus-sized women in the space.

Have you like intentionally been like I'm going to be the girl that pop out? I did at first But like you can't control the industry right And so for me I have always loved fashion Was like 2016 was the year of the plus girls honey And I was had a billboard You remember that old P Diddy billboard

That he had in Times Square Oh yeah with the Mohawk love? I took over that shit I know that's right Afterwards in Lane Bryant It was in my undies actually In that 16 foot Yeah I pull it up

So yeah I was definitely into that but you know the times come and change and all of that but um the the love for it hasn't lifted and i think for me is like i just want to feel like myself enclosed and that's the limitation is like you don't get to feel like yourself because these are the only options out there and if i could help change that that would be awesome but also lauren like i don't have to be that girl like i would love to be that girl believe me but if it's not for me it's not my calling if it's supposed to be somebody else i respect that as long as it gets done because when i tell you growing up it sucks Like looking in a magazine and not seeing someone that looked like me.

I remember high school I did a paper on it. Like I had picked like 20 magazines and I opened all the magazines. And to see like who looked like me, dark skin plus size, maybe even curly hair. You didn't even got to have curly hair. Nobody. The closest version of me was Raymond Simone. That was it. You know what I'm saying?

And she don't look like me at all. So I just feel like it matters so much what we put out there. You know, we just had the conversation about the young girl. from South Carolina having that representation matters. How do you learn to love your body in a culture that has been sending you messages your entire life about which bodies have? I love my body, honey. I do. And the thing is, it's gone through so many phases.

I have lost 60 pounds, y'all. And people don't know it, y'all. I must have been hiding debt from y'all in these pictures. But I did. When I had my daughter, I had gained 60 pounds. I was almost 300 pounds. Yeah. Nobody knew that.

but go back and look at some pictures, you're going to start seeing it. But I did the work on myself, you know, and I loved myself then. But like the point I'm trying to make is that we go through different iterations, especially as women. And I love the version of myself now. Do I still want to continue to work on myself to see certain things? Like I want to be able to wear like my backout and dresses and stuff like that. Like I have desires of that.

You'll be having your back out. Yeah, but girl, I'm going to keep, that's my point. I'm going to have my back out, but wait until I'll get it toned. up I'm gonna really have my back out. We're gonna do them low dips and stuff. So I just, there's, like, you only get one life and I want to see and experience all of those things. So I'm gonna keep working, but do it in a healthy way and just never lose myself in that.

But yeah, I really do love my body. When you were-starch marks and all. When you, you know, were pregnant and, you know, being a wife but also being on here in Hollywood, did you ever feel like you lost yourself? Because your character in the movie is fighting to kind of like stand up, like, show a platform of her own while fighting for the family, right? Have you ever felt that? Then I've lost myself?

No, no. I think that's what I'm so grateful for. Like, when I had ludicrous on my podcast, which I'm so grateful, he said yes to that. He talked about what success looked like, and he said for him was keeping his sanity in this industry. And I think that's something I pride myself on to. I've never lost myself.

Have I made some wrong mistakes? You know, have I let ego leave sometimes and things like that? like that, yes, but I correct it, you know what I'm saying? And again, keep people around me that remind me of what's important. And I've been good. So, no, I haven't lost myself, and I'm grateful that I got the same mind in this crazy-ass business. Was there ever a moment where Hollywood made you question something about yourself? Yeah, for sure.

Like, am I enough? You know, I think the fashion industry more than anything has, you know, like you can be an EGOT nominee and still not be invited to the Met Gala. You know what I'm saying? I've never been invited to. That's crazy because you were such a big name talent in fashion. Like we see the fashion. Yeah.

Thank you. But, yeah, I mean, I was in the biggest press tour with color purple, you know, thriving in that, getting nominated for everything and was not invited. Whole Oscar run. Whole Oscar run. And so I think sometimes that makes me feel like, dang, like Oprah has said that one thing that people really want in this world is just to be seen. and I have that desire too to be seen, not in a negative way, but, and I don't feel seen with that.

I have a wonderful stylist, Daniel Hawkins. That is helping me to be seen in these streets. But, yeah, I think that's a place where I feel a little. I wish I could make a bigger statement. You ever connected with Sergio Hudson? I know, Mr. South Carolina. We know each other. I've been to his shows.

I didn't get to go this year. but I've gone to several of his shows and he's such a great person but yeah I mean I would love to go with him one day that would be dope too much sense I know but you know they aren't always the decision makers you know what I'm saying

I think sometimes he's like yeah Sergio you can get he's not the one that makes that decision even though Ann and Anna Wentor from and tell me if I'm wrong but has stepped down from her position that woman's still running the show you know what I'm saying

and she has people in place that say yes and from what I hear these people out here will maybe sometimes hear a day before that they're invited That's crazy It's insane

But you're right though You got a Grammy You got nominee You've been in huge movies Like Minecraft Big shows like peacemaker Like it's new black As a hit

And in my opinion If a fashion house Is looking for a girl Who's like Representation for people Like you've always been there You've always been fashionable So when the invite comes

Is this something that you would even, like you want to go, but like, it's kind of like, y'all have been stunting on me this whole time. At this point, it's like, yeah. I don't operate that way. I know people that do, but I don't, because that's their problem.

I'm going to go have me a good time. Like, y'all, like, you know what I'm saying? I ain't got time for that. Like, okay. So I'm going to stop myself from enjoying myself and maybe even getting another deal or having a relationship with somebody because of somebody else, no.

I'm going to that party. I got to. And I at least want to explain. experience it one time. You know, I would love to experience it one time. So we'll see what's in the stars. Do you ever get tired of having to be representation? Sometimes you just want to be Danielle?

I think that's me being representation. I am Danielle. Whoever is supposed to connect with me will connect with me. And to be honest, I don't think my representation is only stuck at being a plus-sized dark-skinned girl. I think my representation expands that. I think Orange is a new black taught me that, you know, that, it's almost the thing they say about like the more specific you are in a story the more it resonates with more people and I think that's the thing that I'm aiming for I want you to relate to me through parenthood and you know what I'm saying me through fashion me and you through South Carolina like I think that's what representation is it encompasses I think that's the way you say the word but y'all know what I'm trying to say is so much larger than just the thing so that multi-connection is that one of you. Is that why you did, you launched your podcast intermission?

Because I was surprised to see you do a podcast that's so free because I feel like with the type of career that you have, it would normally be kind of like PR protected a bit because of all the political things that play when you are like on those Oscar runs and stuff like that. That's a great question. I think for me, the reason I started in admission, there's so many interviews, including things that I've seen with y'all, watch you with Ms. Pat, I've watched you with so many. Birdman, I'll be, y'all be with everybody, right? But I watched these interviews and I learn so much, you know, about myself and by people sharing more about who they are.

And so to be honest, I've been doing this since 2011. Right when I came out of school at a Juilliard, I had no money. I was working at a restaurant. I scraped up $357 to get a camera. Get a camera because nobody was hiring me as an actress. So I go to use the Juilliard studios and get in there and got no good lighting, got no good sound, but we're going to make it work. And I was interviewing Corey Hawkins, Devinejoy Randolph,

Tiana Pairs, I was interviewing people. Get Orange and New Black, and at the time my team tells me the quality of your podcast or YouTube channel at the time is not matching where you're going. So I took it down.

And so cut to doing color purple three years later, or, you know, three, four years ago, I was like, I want to do this podcast thing again. So I'm excited. I shoot four episodes. Have great. great guess. The quality is matching now. Oh, God. And it was this battle of like, do I do what the team wants me to do who I respect or do I do what I want to do? And I ended up going with the

team and them saying, hey, if you get Oscar nominated, let's hold off. So I held off. And so here we are. I said, no more holding off. I'm going to do this thing that's in my heart. And so that's how, you know, the intermission got launched. Could you navigate the convos well? the combo you had with candy, you know, she's going through everything, right? And the way that you navigated through her divorce conversation,

it didn't feel like it was like media, headline, whatever. She was so comfortable with you because you have a prior relationship, but you knew the questions to ask, but also the follow-up questions were great. And I was like, oh, she really, because sometimes with celebrities

in these podcast platforms, y'all have producers and it's like question here, question there. I had to do all of them myself. Yeah, like, y'all just talked about hanging out in Amsterdam for a while. And I was like, oh, okay. You navigate the conversation as well.

I do all the work of myself when it comes to asking the questions. I also have been interviewed so many times, so I know what annoys the hell out of me, and I know what works. And it's really when people, like, you're listening. That's the main thing. People have to listen. A lot of times people, it's a question.

They don't listen. They don't listen. Or take the time. You know, just a minute ago, you asked me a very deep question, but you were waiting for that answer. If you would have said something, I would have went on and not have given you anything. but you took that time to hear me and say, I'm open, what you got, Danielle.

And so I said, I'll give a little. And that's what I've been learning, too, along the way. Like, I just went to another podcast, and they told me it's about giving of yourself a little bit, too, sharing a little bit about yourself, which has been hard when you talk about the PR stuff. Yeah. Because I'm like, oh, God, I don't want to share too much. Not that you've been hiding, but you do crap. You've always crafted your brand where, like, we knew what we needed to know.

And we still loved you. Yeah. But, like, you're really open on the podcast. I am. You're talking about a lot. I've been talking about some things, so y'all better go watch it before I stop talking about something. But you created a safe space for yourself.

I did. Yeah. And it's been, ugh, it's been a little hard. It's been a little hard to say, okay, I'm going to open up about some stuff. But I think it's going to be great. And I hope that my next season can be in New York. It will be in New York because that way I can get some guests that I want, truly, truly want, because I think it's been a little challenge.

being in the A. Really? Yeah. I think of more people in A than New York. No, I think what happens in Atlanta, people come through. They come through real quick

and then they're out and they don't stay. And so that's where it's been a little challenging. And also, like, you know, Atlanta's music heavy. So you're going to get a lot of rappers or you'll get a lot of housewives.

I think you Talapari shot so much in Atlanta that you would see more and more actors and actresses. Not lately. Like, that's what made me move to Atlanta because I had three years. jobs. I had a renovation show. I had

color purple at the time and I had peacemaker coming up. So I was like, I'm moving to Atlanta. This is great. My parents are closed. So it was a lot of work. And now, no, it's not like that. It's changed a lot. What do you prefer more? Do you're movies or Broadway? I like

both for different reasons. I love Broadway because it's live. You never know what the heck is going to happen. I think it's just more visceral of a response. Like you feel the audience, you know? Immediately. But that TV is something special about that

TV and film two. One, it does pay all my bills. Thank you. Because Broadway ain't doing it. And I've always said I think Broadway actors should make what TV actors make because the work is insane. How different is it? Because you hear all these you know, like you'll hear celebrities come to Broadway

for a month or so. Yeah. I always wondered I was like, is it the same amount of money? So you say when they come to Broadway is for the love. It is for the love, honey. No, you were not, no, no, no, not at all. Like you, I don't know how you, no, no, no. You can't pay no rent with that, child. Even when you starring in a hit?

No. Wow. No. You can't, no. It's disrespectful how much Broadway actors is eight. The tickets ain't cheap, though. You think the actors get in that? They're not.

Eight shows a week. There's only seven days in a week. No, sir. The actors in Broadway are not getting paid nearly as much as they should be. it's disrespectful. Wow. And yeah, it's a lot of work. And the conditions aren't always the best.

You know, like you'll be in a space and it's mad like dust, you know, and you got to sing and it's just old buildings. You know what I'm saying? It's just not ideal, but you make it work. And when I was on Broadway, like I felt like an athlete, you know, like I couldn't go anywhere. I was doing oranges and new black and color purple at the same time. So it was a lot on the body, like wearing scar.

every night couldn't celebrate, couldn't go out, like you have to shut down and just be in the work or you're gonna like your body's gonna tank on you. Yeah, so. It's my last question, right? Like, you know, you've spent the first part of your life asking the world to make room for you, right? Now the world's made room for you.

What do you believe you're supposed to do with the room? What am I supposed to do with the room? I think is to, that's such a great question, man. I think just to remain being a vessel for people, to uplift people, to let them know that they need to shine that light as bright as they can. Like, don't let anybody dim your light. You know, don't doubt what God is giving you. I feel like I'm just at this point where it's like, how can I be of even more service?

Because I've been serving, but how can I be of even more service? So that's why, like, the century cycles continues. Monologue competition means so much to me because it's allowing these younger generations to know somebody like myself came from a small town just like you and did the thing. You know what I'm saying? Black woman on Broadway. I'm a co-founder of that. And that's a reminder to say, ladies, we can see. set our own table. The Tonys might not see us, but we see each other. So I feel like I'm in this

place producing, you know, if I go where they miss me on that, like just trying to, I'm in that place of making sure that I am being a platform for other people to stand on too. You're definitely doing that. You know, I got a, me and my wife, we own a crystal, a couple of crystal franchises, but one we got in Arnberg. I got a South Carolina Wall of Fame in there. Oh, shit. And I got your picture up in there. Oh, shit. I got to go see it. You, Chadwick, Stephen Colbert. Who else we got in there?

You got to get some more. You know, Nicole Bihari in South Carolina. Nicole Bihari is in the new movie with Yaya. With Mark Wahlberg and Yaya? By any means? Yeah, I think she plays the wife in that. Oh, wow, wow, wow. But Nicole, yeah, she's South Carolina, too.

You got to look up. You'll know her when you look her up for show. She's been working forever. Who else? I know Tiana Paris is well. She was in Mar-Oh, yeah, Tiana. Yeah, she played not Miss Marvel, Monica Rambo.

Yes, she did. Yes, she did. Yes, she did. And she's in a new movie with John Cena. See, I'm about putting my friends. I'm talking about my people. You know what I'm saying? But yeah, that's amazing.

And thank you for adding me and seeing you. You're an inspiration. They see you, they see themselves. That's what I feel. It's kind of crazy. I mean, what about you? Have you seen yourself? Like, when you look back,

are you like, damn, I just can't believe how far God has taken me? Very grateful. I feel a sense of gratitude every single day. Like you just find yourself saying, thank you, God. Taking deep breaths, like, thank you, God. So, yes, always feel a sense of gratitude. Yeah.

And what about you, Lauren, as you've come on to the show? I'll be sitting here in real time sometimes, like, God, wow. Like, this is insane. Like, literally, it happens random times a day, random days. Sometimes I might get emotional, like, all the time. Like, literally all the time. And DJ, you know, I'm going to ask you, like, with your kids and everything. What is for me, it's still not believable, right?

I still feel like I'm that 16-year-old kid that's DJ and making mixtapes, and I want to go out and make sure people are listening to my mixtape as the cars drive by, you know, and having six kids encouraging them and watching them because when I first started DJ, and it wasn't a career, my parents just wanted me to get a job with a hat, which was health insurance, right? But seeing what they want to do outside the box, like my daughter just want to dance, right? I'm like, what career is that? But I don't care. But whatever it is, I'm going to be all in.

Because it might be Broadway. That's why I asked the Broadway question sometime. They're mixed dancers now. He is being very hard. You're next dancers now? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Yes.

Where's dance going to take you? The next dancers. That's major. You're one of the biggest years for them. What? Yeah, so it's, it's... Congratulations. Thank you.

You did good, Dad. Watching them and just encouraging them and pushing them is everything for me. I love that. How do you turn this to the intermission podcast? I know. Because I'm curious about people. And that's been the best part. It's like I really want to connect with people.

So thank you for letting me turn this into the intermission podcast. Well, it's Daniel Brooks. We appreciate you for joining us. Thank you so much. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Hold on. Every day I wake up.

Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club. You're on finish or y'all done. Didn't catch the latest Roland Martin unfiltered podcast? Here's what you missed. People wake up and go. Oh, damn, wait a hold up. They changed all of that.

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