The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Lynn Whitfield Talks 'The Chi,' Black Stories & Women In Hollywood, Evolution Of 'Big Screen' + More

Episode Date: May 19, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club, Lynn Whitfield Talks 'The Chi,' Black Stories & Women In Hollywood, Evolution Of 'Big Screen'. Listen For more!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Hi, I'm Kristin Davis, host of the podcast Are You a Charlotte? Sarah Jessica Parker is here. And she is sharing stories from the very beginning, like the time she forgot we filmed the pilot episode. I remember some things about shooting the pilot. Right. I have some memories I can fill you in. That you're going to fill me in. Yes.

But then you forgot about it? I completely forgot about it. In the very long time they took to pick us up? Listen to Are You a Charlotte? on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler. iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on Dear Chelsea with me, Chelsea Handler, Ed Helms is here. I of course was drawn to the LSD story.

This was all under official government activity. They built a apartment that had a glass mirror where he could sit there and watch, and then they would drug these customers and he was just sort of taking notes and God knows what else behind this double mirror. And this was all in the name of science. This just sounds like a guy ****ing off behind a wall. It does. Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What happens when we come face to face with death? My truck was blown up by a 20 pound anti-tank mine. My parachute did not deploy.

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Listen to Alive Again on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ, Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

The legendary. The icon, Ms. Lynn Whitfield. Welcome. Good morning. How you feeling Ms. Lynn Whitfield. Welcome. Good morning. How you feeling? Thank you. I feel great. Glad to hear that. I'm happy to be back.

Look amazing. Yeah, thank you. Thank you. You just came back from South Africa and Zimbabwe, right? Yeah, I came back from South Africa. I was doing a film in Cape Town. I was there all like two and a half months. What was that like for you spiritually and culturally?

Okay, so spiritually, there's a lot of, there's a magnetic force there, you know, with Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope out there. It's so powerful. So I feel very energized by the energy of the place So I feel very energized by the energy of the place and often saddened by the history of the place. So I have to kind of balance that out and maybe not go to the Slave Lodge Museum right away and maybe not go to District 6 and remember Robin Island and all that you know and just feel the energy of the place

why it was so attractive in the first place that people wanted it so badly and still do. Yeah I'm going to Cape Town for the holidays. I've been to Jowberg, I've never been to Cape Town. It's beautiful. It's very beautiful. It's like a cross and topography between say a San Francisco and a Miami.

I think it's like Miami. I always say Cape Town reminds me of Miami a lot. Durban is kind of like DC. Yeah, and you know I haven't been to like Chicago, Atlanta. Yeah, that's how I feel. But I love it there. It's my fourth time in South Africa. Now you're on season seven of The Chi.

Yes. How are you enjoying The Chi? Oh, well, I really enjoyed season seven. It was great. I mean, I went in for three episodes at the end of season six, and then I was invited back for all of season seven and it was great.

So many young, talented actors and an interesting storyline for me. So, yeah. How do you decide what you want to do now, right? Because you've done so many things and so many things have been impactful for our community. How do you say, you know what, I wanna do that. I wanna work with the Young Bucks on this one

or I'd rather do this one. How do you decide what, Ms. Linfield? I don't know, when I read it, when I read something and my imagination gets to cooking and I can see where I can add something to it. My southern mother in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who's now 94, Yama. She says, she says well she'll put something on or put a throw pillow on the couch or do something and she'll stand back and she'll say, I don't know, does it add?

So if I feel like I can add something, add dimension, add deeper meaning, thread something through a story that makes it better, I usually wanna do it. Also, I like roles that are a little bit showy, that I get to do something exciting. I heard you did that with Alicia. I heard that you said that you were drew to the role,

not because of what was on the paper and that you needed to fill that role out a little bit. Right, right. I had the possibility of it. Okay, because it was only for three, it was supposed to be for three episodes. So we have the first, the first information was she wanted her son to go and revenge the death of her brother.

Okay. Which is, you know, street culture, street law, like revenge, right? So I found that very interesting to me because I don't understand people, I don't really understand the visceral energy of people who actually are hurt, disappointed, feel lost, and then turn that out into I'm gonna make somebody pay because it still didn't make the pain go away you know so it was very interesting to me to

take that journey and kind of figure out and fill in the gaps of how a human being can decide that because I'm hurting I'm gonna hurt you I'm gonna kill you and hopefully it makes me feel better and hopefully that makes me feel better you know because I watch true crime sometime and you know I love our country I love it but there's a lot of gun violence going on people are acting out in some ways that more violence will make me whole that's crazy That's a crazy concept to me. And so I wanted to explore that kind of psyche. You know, people are just hurt,

and hurt people hurt people with projection. Well, that's exactly right. When you have all that unhealed trauma that you haven't dealt with, you just go around projecting it on other people. Exactly. So, but the journey, so we understand intellectually how that works, right?

But do we actually, if we were to fly on the wall and saw people move in that direction, and move to that and go and purchase a gun and go and do, and all of that. So it's the nuances of it that are interesting to me, not just the sweeping bullet point concept. Mm-hmm. Have you ever had to emotionally recover from a role you played? And which one took you out the most, personally? Mm. It's one that nobody ever, that people didn't really see. It was a part of a trilogy of short stories

that was on Showtime years and years and years ago and with Andrew, I can't even remember all the people who were in it, but the character was raped. And when we shot it, it was a rainy day in Toronto. And you know, the whole thing, the being thrown down, the invasion of it, of course there was no sexual act, but it really took me a little while to process all that

and release it because that aggressive act was so harsh to my spirit, even though we were acting, I had to just kind of heal from it. And that was an unpleasant one, and it took a while, and I cried myself to sleep that night So my heart goes out to you know women or any human beings who've been You know sexually assaulted sexually assaulted. We hear that in the news. Did that bring you back there? when I act and roll

When I hear it in the news it You know again, it's the nuances of something. So we hear, oh, somebody was raped, somebody was sexually assaulted, but the nuances of actually that happening to you, your body being invaded, you being overpowered, you being overthrown, it's frightening, and it's painful, and it's helpless.

And you've also portrayed a lot of powerful matriarchs, right, and I always wondered, what did- Well, powerful women, they're not all matriarchs. Sometimes they don't, you know, there are powerful women who don't have children, can't have children. That's true. I always wondered, what did your mother or even grandmother teach you about

that commanding presence that you brought to those roles? I don't know, I think that's an energy that somebody's kind of born with, and my mother has it. And it's funny because my mother has this commanding presence and she's, you know, and her youth was really beautiful and well-groomed and all of that. Yet, as her daughter, I know the nuances.

So that's why I texture all of the women, because I was raised by women who have a lot of dimensions to them, you know, who have a lot of insecurities. And sometimes insecurities are all wrapped up and dressed up, you know, in fancy clothes, or, you know, jewelry, or perfume, and, you know, hair, and all of that. But that doesn't have a lot to do with the evolution of a soul. So, I find it very interesting to always go

a little bit past the power and into the other nuances of who people are. So they're never just always powerful with no problems. Without character flaws, they're not perfect. They're always some little missing link that they could make better that makes them not quite the person they wanna be. Is it even possible to capture the complexities

of a human in one row? Because it feels like you can only focus on one or two layers of a person. Well, that all has to do, well, of course. It depends on the script. It depends on the way a writer allows you to develop a character. Yeah, so you can't tell the whole story.

I mean, when I did Josephine Baker, we couldn't tell the whole story. How can you tell the whole story? How can I tell your entire story? You know, I mean, I could read your book and you probably didn't tell your whole entire story. You know, that's a very specific, you can only make some decisions and take an angle and make some creative decisions and go with that, you know?

That's right. Because there are, if you look at a human being, there are like central events in people's lives that make a big difference in who they turn out to be. So you can make a choice. And that's not just the actor, that's the writer, the director, I can decide in my mind, these are events that I know that occurred

in this human being's life. So that will affect how I respond, right? Even if the audience doesn't see it. The audience seeing those important events that happen to you, help them have more compassion for your mistakes, I think. Understand, I mean, there's so many people that we love in the world who are cultural icons.

You know, big mistakes, you make mistakes. Well, something happened when you, something had to happen long before you made these mistakes that skewed your judgment, you know. So I believe that human beings were born good. No baby is born a villain, no baby is born a murderer, and it's up to you know how they're parented, what they're surrounded by, what they're exposed to, who they turn out to be. That's right. I was gonna ask about the

evolution of Hollywood right, meaning I don't think people look at movies as they did back then. I wanted to get your thoughts on it, right? Because when a movie came out, everybody wanted to go see that movie. But now I feel like we don't have that same, that same feeling towards movies a lot of the times. Like I was just talking to Charlamagne

about the Clarissa Shields movie, and I was like, it was an amazing movie, but I forgot it came out. It came out on Christmas, and I happened to see it on a plane, and I'm like, damn, this was a good movie. I was like it was an amazing movie but I forgot it came out. It came out on Christmas and I happened to see it on a plane and I'm like damn this was a good movie. Movie and you didn't yeah well technology has sort of changed everything I think you know because everything is accessible when

when movie culture was a family event when people waited with bated breath to go and see a movie the opening of a movie it was because they weren't gonna see it. If you miss it in the movie theater, you might not see it. Until it went to Blockbuster. I know I'm telling my age, but yes, it went to Blockbuster. Until you could get it in Blockbuster, damn Blockbuster. I thought of Blockbuster in a long time,

but it was so like great because it's a family event. Everybody gets together, you're going. People even used to wanna look cute. They have dinner before and the family goes to the movies and shares this idea. I loved drive-ins. Drive-ins were great. We'd go in our pajamas.

But no, it's not like that anymore because people have access. Sometimes they have access to the movie before it's in a movie theater. So technology has kind of changed all that. But has that killed the experience? Like we were talking about, even Sinners, like he said, you want to see it on IMAX

because the sounds and the quality. Yes. And seeing it on airplane TV is not doing anything for it. You know, it's still going to be good when it comes out on TV. No, of course it's gonna be good, but when I trained to be an actress,

when I was at Howard, when I trained privately after college and all that, I was training to be on a big 30-foot screen. It was not occurring to me that people would be watching my image on a three-inch screen on a phone, it really, that part makes me a little sad sometimes. Yeah, because I fell in love with movies and storytelling, watching things on a big screen,

or at least the million-dollar movie with my grandmother when you could, you know, but this had been a movie and you couldn't see it anywhere else unless you caught the, you know, you caught the late night movie and it was playing again. You couldn't just on demand it somewhere. So. What's the difference, like how do you approach it

differently as opposed to, okay, I know this is gonna be on a film, big screen, this is gonna be on TV. Like, how do you approach it differently when you act? A little bit. Wow. Okay. Okay, when you know something is gonna be on a big screen,

and you trust the director, I'm so excited, because I just did a thriller with Malcolm D. Lee. That's what I was doing. Oh, in South Africa. In South Africa, so I'm excited. And we know that it is made for the movie theater. Okay, so when a screen is 30 feet tall, you really can think a thought and it will transmit.

You don't have to show people what you're feeling. You can simply feel what you're feeling. You can simply feel what you're feeling. You know, and that's so beautiful, but if you know it's on a tiny, a small screen, it kinda gives you freedom to be more animated. You know, I mean, you know, on a 30 foot screen, I mean, I don't wanna see people's lips trembling and all that.

But you know what I mean, I don't wanna see somebody, you know, if they're surprised, like eyes, because that means your eyes are like 15 feet, it's big, you know? And invasive, and I think film just pulls you into the experience, you know? And the smaller the screen, you don't have to think about it quite as much. So it can be different. But good acting is good acting.

Believable acting is believable anywhere. It could be on the stage, a big screen, television. But there are little nuances that can change when you're doing it for a big screen. How do you like seeing stories? How do you like to take it? That's an interesting question. I mean, I'm hearing you say it now,

then I heard like one of my production partners who was talking earlier this week, and he was like, you shoot it, then after you shoot it, you determine where it's gonna live, or you can tell where it's gonna live. And I had me just thinking, I personally think I like the theater,

even though I like the comfort of home, but certain things I want to go see in theater. Like I enjoyed watching centers and theaters. I wanted to go see Thunderbolts the other day. I haven't seen it yet, I can't. Me neither. Yeah, I enjoyed the theater. Wait to see it. I still see Thunderbolts the other day. I haven't seen it yet. Me neither. Yeah, I enjoyed it. I still enjoy the theater.

Well, too bad I'm leaving a week ago. You could have went. Yeah. But I like home too because I like the comfort of my home and the safety of my home now with everything going on. I like being home. I know. Every now and then, I remember last year I was in Chicago.

I went to see a was it Pretty Thing? I forgot the name of it, but it won the Oscar. And I was leaning back on the seat and the seat was kinda tweety. And all of a sudden I got into my mind, like, oh my God, what if somebody had some kind of something that I could catch from being on my knees. Now you're scratching the whole time.

I know. You're not enjoying it. No, I be like that when I go to the matinees, because I go to matinees, so nobody's in there. Yeah. So I'll be all the way to the top. So if somebody comes up there and sits by me, I'm like, why would you come all the way up there?

All the way up there to sit. It's a whole thing. What in the world? Yes. That's like being at a gym. Yes. And the gym is completely empty. Why in the world are you gonna choose to treadmill

right next to me? I don't want to hear you grunting and breathing. You know? And I like the theater experience now because I'm learning how the IMAX experience enhances it. The other day I went to go see Thunderbolt last week and I went to go see it in, what is it, RPK or RPX or something like that?

And you can feel it. You felt it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. All the rumbling, all this, more experiential. Kinda, well, we certainly need really quality escapism right now, I would say. So yeah, it's great to be enveloped in an experience and lose oneself to just being, taking in,

taking in another story, taking in humanity from another point of view, whether it's action or whatever it is, romance, sensual, whatever, it's just great to leave our problems behind and step into somebody else's reality, I think. You were talking about Black stories and all stories. I know you're going to call me Lynn. No.

He said Miss Linfield. You used to. Miss Linfield. I say Miss Lin. You know, just Lin. I ain't never called you no Lin. I said hey, Miss Linfield. No, but would you please call me Lin?

I can say Miss Lin. This is respectful. It is respectful. Okay, Miss. All right. Miss Lin ain't cool, right? Miss Lin. This is respectful. It is respectful. Okay, Miss. All right. Miss Lin ain't cool, right? Miss Lin. Well, then if you're going to do that, I probably like Miss Whitfield better.

Miss Whitfield, okay. I was saying, you know, when we talk about- Miss Lin sounds too southern for you. You and her from New York. I'm from South Carolina. Born and raised. I'm from New York. He's from South Carolina.

Oh. Yeah, I was born in Charleston, South Carolina, raised in Montesquieu. Really? Yes, ma'am. I never would have thought so. Absolutely. Born and raised. All my family there right now. Really? Mother, dad, in-laws, brothers, sisters, everybody. Cousins.

I didn't know we- That's home. Oh, okay. We country can then. That's right. Okay. My bad, Russel. That's right. Yeah, okay.

I was asking about, you know, you talked earlier about our stories black stories Why do you think it's still so hard for black stories to be told and sold in Hollywood when you know, obviously we're supporting People are going to see but they just don't want to produce them Now, you know we could just go on and on. We got a little time. Well, the relevancy of who we are as a people, the entertaining nature of who we are as a people, the magic of who we are. Of course. Is always being downplayed.

Is always being made less important than it is. In every aspect of our culture, I mean, in fashion, nobody's gonna say, wow, this is really something that was very much influenced by the wraps that were worn by men in some, you know, Western African tribe. Even the Met Gala, me, 31 million. How much went to organizations that benefit black and brown people? This is zero. So you know, I just came back from South Africa, a country that I love. I love this

country but that the supremacy of others and the self-, being threatened by our majesty, our creativity. So it's constantly a threat to people. It's constantly being belittled and made less important. That's just the nature of it. Because, you know, I thought I would be thought I would be just getting away from some things, being in another country for two and a half months. But it is so the through. I mean, I go to Victoria Falls, which is called Mosa Tuna. And that's the storm that thunders. I think that's the tribal, you know, Kosa, I think it's Kosa, the language.

And that was the name of it. So this English explorer comes, the tribe show him this seventh, one of the seven wonders of the world. tribe show him this seventh one of the seven wonders of the world and he says that Livingston you know oh marvelous yes I discovered this I think I should gift it to the Queen and name it after crazy so that's Victoria Falls, you know. So it's a constant kind of wanting something that doesn't belong to you. Or wanting to quiet things that are threatening to you, or makes you seem less interesting, or has commercial value, but you want to own it.

So that, I mean, it's the same story over and over and over and over again So sometimes I feel like if we just keep just talking about it We're just romancing, you know, like oh dead mess because I can't see I Can't see white supremacy disappearing. I can't see the need to make others small to feel strong. I don't see it leaving, right? The hilarious thing about white supremacy is that we're not the threat to your existence.

White supremacists are the threat to white supremacist existence. Well, of course. But when you get to the point, when we're just even hitting the tip of an iceberg talking about cultural things, artistic things, and why, you know, soldiers' story, which was soldiers' play could be done,

and do all that box office back 30 years ago with Adolf Caesar and Denzel and all that box office back 30 years ago with Adolf Caesar and Denzel and all that, you know, and then after that there's still a dirth or how you could have Lady Sings the Blues and it'd be so incredible but the, you know, thank God HBO said what 20 years later let's do Josephine Baker. I mean how many stories? So it doesn't matter often, like what the box office is, that it actually made money. They just don't see the relevance of filling

our theaters with more. And sometimes, we maybe don't even, we maybe don't put forth we maybe don't, you know, put forth the stories that move us forward. I mean, there's so much complexity in race in every corner of it. What do you think? I think everything you just said is absolutely correct.

You know, but I- But does it make you tired? You have these conversations, does it make you- You know why? Because you have so many of these conversations. It makes me tired when we're not doing anything about it, but I think that there's a lot of people that are doing things about it, and I'm not looking for white acceptance.

Well, Ryan Kugler's definitely doing stuff, but I am just, Ryan, I wanna work with you. You are brilliant. He is just so brilliant and courageous. And authentic. And authentic, you know, just so multi-layered in his message. So there's always, always something that moves us forward.

You know, we got all the leaders we got and now and now maybe we have a pope who'll be some voice in something to to speak up, you know, just it's there's always I have faith, I hope, but I have faith that there'll always be something that'll bring a balance to it. Well, that's something that's always got, I think. Well, God is always it. That's right. But God will always provide some new voice,

some new leader, groom somebody that we don't know that'll come out of nowhere and help us to get through this. Or groom us each. What? I love you. They said you have to leave at 945. Oh, I do? She said, oh, I do.

Exactly, relax. Oh, you're just tired of me. Okay, okay, perfect. You know, I love your longevity in the game. I don't think we applaud that enough in people. Just the fact that somebody can be around for so long and be so consistent, right? Was there ever a time in your career when you felt...

Yo, Kebap fans, it's your boy, Bomhan, and I'm bringing you something epic. ever a time in your career when you felt... From producers and choreographers to idols and trainees, we're bringing you the real stories behind the music that you love. And yeah, we're keeping it 100, discussing everything from comebacks and concepts to the mental health side of the business. Because K-pop isn't just a genre. It's a whole world, and we're exploring every corner of it. And here's the best part. Fans get to call in, drop opinions, and even join us live at events.

You never know where we might pop up next. So listen to the K Factor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This isn't just a podcast, it's a movement. Are you ready? Let's go. Made for this mountain is a podcast that exists to empower listeners to rise above their struggles, break free from the chains of trauma, and silence the negative voices that have kept

them small. Through raw conversations, real stories, and actionable guidance, you can learn to face the mountain that is in front of you. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify. The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. This is the thing that's in front of me. You can't make that mountain move without actually diving into it.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to conquer the things that once felt impossible and step boldly into the best version of yourself to awaken the unstoppable strength that's inside of us all. So tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional wellbeing, and climb your personal mountain. Because it's impossible for you to be the most authentic you. It's impossible for you to love you fully if all you're doing is living to please people. Your mountain is that. Listen to Made for This Mountain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly. I am talking to a felon right now, and I cannot decide if I like him or not. Those were some callers from my call-in podcast, Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take real phone calls

from anonymous strangers all over the world as a fake gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot. Matter of fact, here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show.

I live with my boyfriend, and I found his piss jar in our apartment. I collect my roommates' toenails and fingernails. I have very overbearing parents. Even at the age of 29, they won't let me move out of their house. So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for therapy gecko on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's the one with the green guy on it. Hi, I'm Kristin Davis, host of the podcast, Are You a Charlotte? What We Have All Been Waiting For. Sarah Jessica Parker is here. And she is sharing stories from the very beginning, like the time she forgot we filmed the pilot episode. I remember some things about shooting the pilot.

Right. I have some memories I can fill you in. And that you're going to fill me in. Yes. But then you forgot about it in the very long time they took to pick us up. And she reveals what she thought when she read the script for Sex and the City the very first time.

He said he wrote this like I was in his head in some way, which I found really interesting. And does she think Carrie is too good for Mr. Big? She had inexplicable feelings. It is the human being that can't explain to her friends why somebody that might be beneath her is dictating the hunt. You can't miss this.

Listen to Are You a Charlotte? on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Invisible? And how did you push through that season? Well, you were just talking about God, right? So those times when you say, God, I've contributed, I've done, you know, I've tried to do good work all this time. Why is nobody seeing it? Why is the continuum?

Right? So yeah, that happens. And then I have to have faith that this gift that was deposited in me, this purpose that was put in to me, what is not there for nothing and that the right vehicle will come or perhaps maybe what God is saying, well, you need to do the right thing for your damn self. That's right. Because I've given you all kinds of talent to do so. So you know, whether or not I'm obedient to that,

you know, we'll know maybe in our next conversation. But of course, and I get through it with God, I get through it with my love of storytelling, my love of acting, of being a part of this phenomenon. Why wouldn't you be obedient to God telling you to make your own? What would even be the hesitation? I don't think it's a hesitation of, I don't know if I should do it. It's the energetic activity of what it takes to do it

and to sell it, you know, to see it all the way through. That's why I'm saying Ryan Coogler is just so inspiring, you know? Because he went all around Africa, to many, many countries before he did Black Panther, you know, researching. He researched the blues and all those. So it, I mean, so it takes, it's me wanting to put forth all the energy, effort, layers that it takes in a craft that I haven't spent my life developing. Like acting, telling the story,

but creating the story, like taking a pen and putting it on paper, and I kinda always wanna be good at what I do, so the sloppy copy, I just feel like. The sloppy copy. Yeah, the sloppy copy might scare the shit outta me, you know what I mean? Like, oh my God, I can't do this, you know?

Like a blank page. So that's why it's not a brazen disobedience. It's more maybe a lack of confidence in that area. I love when I hear the OGs talk about people like Ryan, because I wonder what is Ryan doing that you haven't seen before? Because the Gordon Parkses and the Melvin Van Peebles and the Kathleen Collins, the Spike Lee's,

all of these people have created great black work as well. What Ryan is doing is taking that same kind of authority, what Ryan is doing is taking that same kind of authority, creativity, authenticity into genres that were not usually. Got you. Yeah, you know? Got you, got you. So that's wonderful.

Got you, got you. So we have voices and being told in all those areas. Sinners is, well there's, yeah, it's vampires, right? And the blues. And so authentically moving us into, not camp, just authentically, like this is a real story, not like a shiny costume, but a tweed suit, and it's been around a long time.

It has character. And it still feels black. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's exactly right. So that's why I applaud him so, because we need the new voices, right? We're talking about new voices. We need new creative leadership. We need fresh energy all the time.

I think Jordan Peele does a good job too. Yes, yes he does. He really, really, really does a really great job. And I think there's so much more to come. Is there a movie role that you turned down that after seeing the movie you was like damn I shouldn't have turned that one down I like that movie or a part or a character? No there there were one or two that they didn't choose me for that I thought I should have done. But then, you know, you can never name those.

So y'all are not. I would have did a way better job there. They should have told me. You not gonna rip me a new asshole on that. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. We're gonna leave here with this. It's gonna be smooth sailing. I've seen a lot of people online comparing

the role of Alicia to your Lady Mae role. Have you seen it? And how do you feel about those comparisons? I mean, they can do what they want. Yeah. I think, you know, Alicia, Lady Mae, they have a kingdom and they're not gonna lose it. You know, they have, you know,

what they have they're not gonna lose it. You know, they have, you know, what they have, they're not gonna lose. Lady Mae would not pick up a gun and go kill somebody. She might pray you out of the church, but she wouldn't take someone's life. Lady Mae is a God-fearing woman who feels that putting her faith in God will help her do what she needs to do. Lady May had a long-standing love affair with her actual real husband, even though they

had problems. So it was a much more organized family structure. Alicia's out there on her own, you know, divorced by herself, trying to make something of her son, not having much faith in anything, so therefore feeling like she's gotta take care of it all. than anything, so therefore feeling like she's gotta take care of it all. They have in common that they're well-groomed women, but I really pay more attention to the diversity

in these women's emotional experiences. So for me, they're very different. Yeah, I think you're looking at the onscreen diva. Well, this is it. And yeah, not like who they are. And it's not always my fault. I am not somebody who says, it's in my contract that I have to have fabulous clothes

and I take them home with me when I go. They must be gorgeous. They must be designer. People see that in me and it always just, even if I'm trying to be less. But did you see my film Albany Road? You didn't see that. You didn't see Albany Road

because it was an independent film that didn't have great distribution, but there's absolutely no glamor. It was last year, we won several film awards, and it's me and Renee, Elise Goldsberry, and a lot of great actors. But you see, that stuff, it doesn't, I was funny, I was not glamorous.

I was a flat footed. It wasn't your typical part, as you would say. No, no, no, so there are. I've played my maid, and this and that. But they don't see them. They don't seem to stick. They like, people like what they like. Yeah, they like seeing. But do you still audition? Do you still audition? Do you enjoy the audition process? Or is it one of those things now you're like, give me what I want? We just talked about Hollywood. Why are you asking me some shit like that? Because you're OG and you got the hits on the board. I do.

I do. I've made classics. Absolutely. I'm a horse that you can bet on. Absolutely. Bet on me. I will not break a leg or lose the race for you. I will take it to the end and people will feel something.

That's the truth, but that is not always rewarded. And there's, you know, so yeah. Many times I'm invited to do things. I was invited to do The Shy. I was invited to do Albany Road. I was invited to do the film I just did with Malcolm D. Lee, which I have great expectation that it'll be good. But then sometimes it's like, oh, really?

Well, we just need to see her. We need to see her do it, prove it. And many, many, many, many, many people. Yeah. And now you're not even. What would the Golden Globe nomination and after that? Absolutely, absolutely. Because here's the thing, so much of casting in Hollywood

and Hollywood is based upon fear. So like you don't want to make a mistake. A director wants to be sure maybe that you can deliver their vision of something and nobody wants to take the blame. Nobody wants to take a fall. So show me, prove it to me. I don't know if everybody goes there, but I think if you ask many actors,

probably not Denzel or Sam or, you know, it tends to be a little bit easier for our male stars than women. You feel you get the flowers you deserve for all the roles and the hits and the big movies and the big shows? Do you feel like you get the flowers that you deserve? Honestly. Look, well let me say, I think I'm more in the market for like, cause you know, flowers will die. So I'm good with, I mean I understand when they say

I want to give you your flowers, why you, I know but you know give me some diamonds. Give me some things that stick that continue to gain value. And so classics, so an opportunity to do more films or stories that will be classics, that will stick around after I'm long gone is what I want. I don't need so much people sitting around saying,

oh, you did so good and you're an icon and on your shoulders you open doors for me. I'm opening doors for myself still. I you know I still have stuff I want to do you know so the Black Critics Association honored me this year at their luncheon not at their evening big gala but it was beautiful at the luncheon because it's more intimate and people why y'all ain't honor Miss Whitfield at that goddamn dinner? No, no, Gil, Gil don't listen to them. Gil, come on Gil.

No, Gil, you don't. The luncheon? Just the brunch? No, Gil, no, because people really talk real smack at the luncheon. It's not so formal. I really, really enjoyed it and I said something there that I really would not say probably at the gala, which is thank you so much for the respect, thank you for giving me flowers, that I opened doors for you and you're inspired

and all that, but I mean, I really don't feel comfortable when people say, you know, on your shoulders I stand, and please don't stand on my shoulders because I need to be laying on my feet. I'm not gonna be put in some corner, and as long as I can just keep the, I heard that alt therapy and red light therapy really tightens skin,

so as long as I can keep it, then I have so much I wanna do. What do you tell the young actress in college right now, Hampton University, that is looking to be in this game, what do you tell that individual? You heard that little shot he tried to throw, he just tried to get a little shade. Is that your child or your girlfriend or who you talking about?

No, I went to Hampton, I went to the real Asian. Oh, you would tell, I'm trying to tell, I just wanna know who you talking about. I'm just talking about the young actress in college right now. She would tell her, transfer to Howard. That's what she would tell her. No, that is so mean.

That is so mean. I would say, you know, that it's really important to really be good at what you do, to work on the techniques that will give you the upper hand when all that stuff is going on, you know, auditioning, nerves, you know, action, you know, everything's going, people, if you have to have your game plan, so that's called technique. So I would say, you know, everything's going, people, if you have to have your game plan, so that's called technique. So I would say, you know, real study

so that you have command of your own talent is really important, and then after that, to understand the shifts in this business that would give you visibility to even be considered. That is important. Social media is important. Now where are people finding talent? So figuring out the business part of it and how you can attain it.

Because agents don't even want to represent people who don't already have credits. And then out in Hollywood, you know, everything's behind a gate. But every audition is like virtual, so you don't even get to... There is no couch thing even that you have to worry about because there's...

They just... They have to be virtual. It's all virtual. You don't even have to be worried about that. It's like, oh, can you send a tape? It has to be in by 5 o'clock. And they get 100 tapes. And then a casting director goes to that.

So you don't even have the opportunity for your personality to stand out or whatever you're trying to... I thought anybody said you don't even have the opportunity to sleep your way to the top. No! I didn't wanna say it, cause I have to be careful. Like, Lynn Whitfield was talking about,

what is she doing for young, I was like, I don't know, people take things out of. Yeah, yeah, so you don't even get to get in the room. So learn the business and how you can amplify your talent. But first, please be good. Mediocrity is just the most boring thing. I just got two more questions because I know you gotta go.

What does success look like to you at 25 and how did that definition change now? Oh, at 25, I wanted an Oscar. I still don't have one. I haven't even been in anything that would give me a consideration for an Oscar. I haven't even been in that conversation. I would, I don't know, that was just a childhood.

It's superficial, I know it is. But oh my goodness, I just, it was just sort of something I romanced in my life, right? So I still have the 25 year old version of that But now I just am more comfortable with myself and I trust myself more and What was different of my 25 year old self than now I think I was much was much more of a romantic and now I'm not so much of a romantic. Really?

I don't think so. Okay, here's the thing. I am a romantic but I thought that being a romantic about life meant that you would find the best of romance that life would be so romantic and I don't think that life is as romantic as I thought. Got you. You are aging like fine wine right? So what's the most misunderstood thing about being a woman who ages publicly in Hollywood? That they, that there's some kind of neutering thing that goes on, you know, where you don't think of women as sensual or or sexual beings, or real women. It's stereotypical things that begin to happen

in terms of roles and casting and writing. And that's what our black writers do it as well. It's not a white Hollywood thing where this happens. It just happens. And it's boring as shit. It's really a boring. You can still be sexy. You can still be romantic.

You don't have to grandmommy. You don't have to auntie me. That's why I call you Miss Whitfield. Because if I call you Lynne. But that's boring though. Yeah, but. But that's boring to call me. Because you still got that everything.

You still got the sexiness. Well, it's fun. So I said, if I get this old therapy, just keeping everything. The red light thing. So you wear the mask and now you put the mask on and the red light mask. I have it.

I don't do it as often as I should, but I'm going to because that would be the only thing. Just keeping everything tight and grab it. What is the energy about you? Is the energy that you have? Is the energy Stephanie Mills has? It's the energy. Alicia Rashad.

Alicia Rashad, oh my God. Lord have mercy. Angela Bassett. Yes, so that's it. I just think they do that and that's boring. It is so, so boring. How they, the stories that they write, how you're perceived.

Yeah, I get what you're saying. They wanna write you into parts that they think a older woman should be playing, basically. Yes, yes. They wanna write that in a comfortable role. Everybody ain't got children. There are barren women, there are women who've never had children children who are really interesting,

who have a life. And even if you do have children, people have lives separate from their kids and their husbands and their appendage roles. I don't know. I'm very just fascinated by interesting women who continue to be productive and have a life. And they do, and we do. So I don't like that. Well, we appreciate you for joining us. Always.

Oh, I don't want to end on something I said I don't like. That's so boring. Okay. Does that sound fussy? No. No, no, but I mean no. I know we have to go. But you always get me talking and I always leave here saying,

did I say anything that's gonna be? By the way, you've earned the right to say whatever the fuck you want. That's right. Okay, all right. But did he tell you that I was one of the early people to make him take his hat off. And I don't know how many people have felt his head.

And how it just is amazing. I'm just so happy and I've seen you without, and you're very handsome without it. I like it. When you come up here, he starts to blush in and pace back and forth. I saw y'all sitting up in here looking bored as shit before I got in here but thank you so much but thank you so much and thank you for supporting the Shy and all my cast mates and mainly for supporting me always and always being kind

and never making me too controversial. But I was saying maybe I need more controversy because then I, you don't think so? You don't want it to be contrived. That's why I'm glad what you, I don't know if you was trying to do that, but contrived controversy. Like contrived controversy, you don't need that.

I don't, right? No, no, just keep doing the work. I can't even do, I know, I can't, right? No, no, just keep doing the work. I can't even do it, I know. I can't, but you know, the people who do, they find them more, but you don't, come on. No. See? I don't agree with that. I'm sorry.

I don't agree with that. I feel like the people who are actually good, cause you said that earlier, make sure you're good. You're actually good. Everybody knows that you're great. I think that's, it hurts to say, but it's a lost art of being great. But anytime you're doing art, you should be being great.

Yeah. You just don't have a lot of great people out here. Yeah. You just don't. Or at least trying. You know, we can make mistakes and do a sloppy copy and maybe it didn't work, but keep working at it and getting down to the right.

You wanna act? No, I'm actually to the right. You want to act? No I'm actually gonna be producing. You producing? Yeah I like producing. Okay that's good I could see that. What about you? I did before but I'm good. You good? I'm good. I know it's a lot of work it's hard to work those. It's a lot of work. Well you all thank you so much. Season 7 of The Shy is streaming now. Ms. Lynn Whitfield, thank you so much. You're quite welcome. Thank you for having me.

It's the Breakfast Club. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. The Made for This Mountain podcast exists to empower listeners to rise above their inner struggles and face the mountain in front of them. So during Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional well-being and then climb that mountain.

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Listen to Dear Chelsea on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A lot of times big economic forces show up in our lives in small ways. Four days a week, I would buy two cups of banana pudding, but the price has gone up. So now I only buy one. Small but important ways. From tech billionaires to the bond market to, yeah, banana pudding.

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