Saying “Yes” To Opportunity (w/ Erica Peeples)

into your life. And I do this with inspirational insights and conversations with celebrities and everyday people like you and me, Because if you want to be better and you want to do better, then you're going to have to be able to see better. So join me on this journey of living our best lives and understanding and realizing how you are your greatest dasset. What's the best compliment that you've ever received? And I'm not necessarily talking about a

physical thing. I mean, although that does feel good, I'd say for myself one of the best I've received as someone saying like, Hey, John, I really appreciate your energy. Don't you really make me feel welcome? Don't you make me feel comfortable? Don't I feel safe? And for myself that is the biggest thing for me to feel safe around you because to me, that says peace and when you look around it, what's all going on in the world.

Peace is the promised land. So many things spell from peace, and I think you ought to surround yourself around people and situations that allow you for that piece. We're compliments are no longer a visual thing. It's something that you can feel. It makes me think of uh nd R and her tract truth. She says, you know the truth by the way that it feels. How do you feel now? If your compliment is based on looks or an outer thing,

that's all right too. But for me that was a big thing because energy and presence around people are so important. I mean, we're not gonna be able to exist on this earth alone. That's not how we function. But I want to charge you to make peace your priority and having every extension of you be that of peace, enjoy and love, because let me tell you something, it feels good to feel good. Hell, it feels good to feel

good when everything around you ain't looking so good. And it's a beautiful thing of knowing that even when you're going through the storm, you know what they say, you ain't got to look like what you've meant through. Get your rightem andy right with me and get excited about your lives. Man, we got Erica. People's up here here. Do whatever doubt that's you try. You know, welcome to my dream. Thank you. I've loved being a part of a dream I know, and I'm grateful to have been

part of your dream. Thank you, Thank you. You know as we manifested this because we're here together. Come on, you know, somebody said this quote, they said, we're living the days that we want to pray for. How amazing is that? Amazing? Like? Really, when we think about nothing, that's why it's like you know, they say, gratitude is everything that is. And the more grateful you are, the more things that you have to be grateful for, the more abundance you're tracked. Come on, this is the part

of the lifetime. Listen here. Abundance. That's what we're calling for. Nothing but abundance, exceedingly and beyond. And you know, talking about this abundance, you know, we have things to be grateful for. What are you grateful for today right now? Right now? Oh well, I'm grateful to be here. I'm grateful to be alive. I'm grateful that I just had a very successful movie, a very successful movie and trophy wife. Thank you, thank you, you have. Everybody needs to watch

some two. We're gonna real delay, Jereliah. When we had the conversation, come on, come on, okay, But you know what, sometimes it's like that, right. You may think it's a delay, but it's always right on time. You better talk about it. Listen, you better bring it up. We're on this hike and we had to sell that lady that she thought she was going too slng. She did this. This lady was a reference. We were at running and there was an

older woman coming up the hardest. When I tell you, I've never taken the left side of running, I thought, I was, oh, I've done running. What do you mean? We went up the left side of running, which is to me the hardest side because this hill out the hell is here and it's steep, there's really no steps, and saying just up there. So we get on this hill and there's an older woman, she had to be in her late seventies maybe eighties, trying to get up the hill and she was like, y'all just go past

me because I move a little slow. And what do you say? Said, No, you're right on time. Hey catch it at you man, So like I said, I have Erica People's here on the podcast, um Eric is an actor as a poet, a DJ, and acting teacher. Uh A manifest a magnificent, beautiful being. Thank you. I am from Detroit, I represented Hard Hard. I am from Detroit. Yes, yes, from Detroit, and uh, we didn't know each other in Detroit, not each other out here in l A at the

parlor Rest in peace. You know it's closed down now. We were actually there for the closing of it the last day, last day, me, you and Anton. Yeah that was dope. Anton's her brother, the other the other half of the Magnificent People's due out. But it was so dope, you know, to talk. And even on that first day we realized, along with being from Detroit, that we both studied at Mosaic. Mosaic for those of you who don't know, do you remember the slogan? Do you remember the motto?

Mosaic is a multicultural arts organization who's mission is to develop young and performing artists. The comprehensive theatrical and musical training and to provide high quality performances for audiences of all ages. Catching Now, y'all, remember you know Jamal Mallory. Jamal was on the podcast Jamal You know, did I just make that up? Thought he studied that I was a No, we were in school together. I made that up. I was gonna say, I remember Jamal though that was

at Mosaic, Jamal Mallory. I don't know if Mallory was his last name. Oh man, I wonder if I made He's gonna Detroit. So shout out to Jamal, shout out to Jaman. But along with study of the Mosaic. So you went on like you did, really the real deal, like training with acting. I did. I went to Columbia for a years, Columbiago in Chicago before me year at school,

and then I left there. Did you for Juilliard? Got accepted to Juilliard, went to Julliard, graduated from Juilliard, and then I came to I love that you said I went to Juilliard. Then you had to make sure you literated. I graduated from Juilliard. I did. Did you know they have a well when I was in school, they had a cut system. So your second year which is your

hardest year at school. They put you on probation if you don't meet certain quiteria for for the program, meaning you could be tardy, you could be not as talented as everyone else, you could just not really be focused, and or they could put you on probation to make you better because you might think you're too good, to scare you a little bit in a sense, to humble you. And then they cut you out of the school if you don't make it past probation, and during the whole year,

the whole year you're on probation. Luckily, thank god, I was never on probation. But there were six people that were cut checked out of school the year that I went to school, so they did not graduate. Like, what's the estimate of the class eyes Comma specifically, typically they have sixteen twelve to sixteen people per class. My year had the most. We had twenty two people and then

we lost six. That's into sixteen. Yeah, Like people that's their dream, like I'm going to Julie are like blood sweat and tears, Like, oh yeah, and it's still blood sweating tears once you get in exactly. So then you said, all right, I didn't dabble those in New York. I'm about to go to the l like what the stars are? Yeah? Yeah, well that kind of happened, not really. So I graduated

from Juilliard. I stayed there because I did a lot of Broadway off Broadway and Broadway shows that did a couldn't it was supposed to turn into a Broadway show, but they call it off Broadway. And so I did a lot of theater when I first graduated, and I traveled around a lot. In fact, I did Joe Turners Coming Gone with uh, but directed by del Worry Lindo in California. Actually I did that at Berkeley, California for three months. It was the best time in my life,

best job out of school ever. Del Worry Lindo was amazing to work with. I learned so much from him, and he's so passionate. And to see him as a director and know him as the actor that inspired me, and then to work with him as a director was

just an honor, uh and a privilege. But then I did I did an episode Law in Order, and then I also did a couple of commercials in New York, and then I decided to come to l a, okay, so before we get salary, since we've now you're booking gigs and stuff, do you remember what it felt like what you were doing the first time you either saw yourself on television, heard yourself on the Brady, or tells like the first time you experienced you weren yes, I do um. The first time was Law and Order, and

that was that was a hot mess. It was almost because literally, I think I had decided I wanted to cut my hair. It was the first time I cut my hair, which most of you don't know. My hair is normally short when it's not in braids, and I cut it right before right, like think you before I graduated, and I was going through this weird hair stage right, So it's like my hair was like kind of perm not pern. I didn't know what I was doing. I was trying to find myself, trying to figure it out,

and I book Law and Order with this hair. So the first time I saw myself, I was like, so, we're not going to do that again, right, But it was exciting because it was it was my first time to see myself on screen and at the time, Lawn Order was one of the biggest shows, so That was kind of your rite of passage coming out of Juilliard was if you make it to lawn, order made it wow and you did it fast. Yeah, that's something about accomplishment,

ghost is it is? It really is? You know. It's interesting, is though, staying focused and accomplishing your goals also, Uh, this has been coming to me a lot of staying in the moment and being present and enjoying the journey. It's just as much as important as it is to accomplish your goals, because once you accomplish them, you still have more goals. So you're like, yes, I did that, but I'm trying to do this now and I need

to do this. But if you're like, wow, this is happening right now, and I'm gonna sit in this and live in it. And even when it's not happening, I'm gonna live in that because I know that it will happen. You know, it's a beautiful thing everything. My former barber Shotts Low, what it does Low, he's the journey is the experience, and the experience is the journey. That is

very true. You know, I was told in school over and over again that it's a marathon, not a sprint, and that just reminds you to slow down a little bit, stay keep running, don't stop running, but know that you got You may have some ways to go, and that's okay, because you need to pace yourself to make it through that journey. Because if you try to sprint to the end and you still got twenty more miles, you're gonna

fall out. And then if you're not being president, you're gonna be so caught up on looking so far ahead and then psyching yourself out versus Okay, one step of the time, they say, what's the fastest and the best way to eat the elephant one bite at a time. I've never ate an elephant, but I'd love to try it, all right, So all right, so you book law and Order and then you you you skirt out of your way over LA. Now, did you come to l A with a job or you would come seeking a job?

So the thing is for me, I'm led by my intuition and I'm led by God more than anything. And for me, no, I did not come here with the job as the answer. But I did feel like I needed to be in l A. And I felt like it was time we were told coming out of Juilliard, especially when you do a showcase. You do a showcase in l A showcase in New York, and that's when all the agents and all the casting directors, directors, they come and they watch you and they're like, we want

this person. You did great, you get up. You get an envelope at the end of your showcase, which is very scary and embarrassing because if you have a small envelope, guess what, nobody wants to see you, right, we have a big envelope and everybody's that you're the one. You're the pride of choken, token child or a student. So anyways, long story short, I left New York and I had

a boutique agency and a very big commercial agent. I'm signed with Abrams and leading artists, and I was booking commercials and I was doing well leading artists with theater. But they didn't want me to go to l A. They told me that if I went to l A, they would have to drop me, which means I wouldn't have an agent come into l A. And I said, Okay, it was hard, it's a little scary, but I felt like I needed to go to l A. I just felt like it was time. So I had a job.

I was working at Disnease Jazz Club. Disnease Disseease Jazz Club. It's in um It's kind of uh Central Park. It's in the New York, in New York, and I bought a car for five hundred dollars. My dad found me this car. Now, this car was your typical like g Poopy, made a loud noise when you turned it, like the side door was bent in. I didn't give up. Excuse my language, don't give a fuck. I was going to l A and I just need a car to get

me there. So I said to my money, my friend who I went to Juilliard with, shout out to Max. Thank you. Max had Um had an extra apartment and he was trying to rent it. He had a room for his department, and he let all of us know. I'm like a Juilliard chat. Hey, you know I got a room for win. Anybody in l A want to come, right, And I said, I on it. I wasn't. I didn't even leave New York yet that I wanted. I sent

on the money like two months before I left. I was just paying rent over there to keep my place, to cure my place until like a save up enough to get from l from New York to l A. And so I saved up. It wasn't a lot, I think, I said up like six thousand dollars or something. I thought that was like enough. I didn't know you just second one step at the time, right, I just needed to get here, come on, So I got in my car,

drove my brother actually jove with me. He didn't move at that time, but he wrote with me, and we drove from New York to l A two day trip, two days to not busted in two days. Y'all busted it out in two days, two days because say, there were three of us, my brother and his friend, and we took turns like one person was sleep drive, fault, get sleepy, next person drive. So we just kept rotating. I heard the hell lot of that, and we made

it in two days. Got here, got into my apartment, and that's say I knew I had to get a job because my six thousand dollars was already halfway go, right, my little six about half way go. So I literally just my stuff in the car, just like packed up bags, like got rid of my apartment, left the furniture In fact, I left my apartment until very close friend of mine, miss Jessica Beett's, she was in New York. That's why I left my apartment too, and I said I'm out.

He and I came, and then I had to get a job because it was expensive in l A. Not that New York wasn't, but it was a different kind of expense. And so because now I had gas and I had insurance, I had to pay for. Now I had my rent had to pay for. I don't think I've ever told this full story, by the way, So this is this just like foreshadowing or going back, I don't know what you call it. So anyways, I got

a job at Wolfgang Puck as a waitress. That wasn't enough though, because they didn't pay as much as they pay in New York. I was making like five hundred dollars a night in New York as a waiter with tips. Here, I've made like a hundred and fifty if that on good two days, and you gotta share your tips with everybody. The differences you get paid hourly, So I made more hourly, but I didn't make more on the daily. Right, So I remember, and I'm gonna make this story short. I

had to get a job. I get two more jobs, so I was working at Wolf Game Puck. Then I got a job of Kitchen twenty four and I worked the overnight shift, so I would leave from Wolf Game Puck, go to Kitchen twenty four, worked from nine pm till nine am, get up. And then I found a job dog sitting, and then I found a job working with babysitting. So I had like four jobs at one time just to maintain that's hobby. Something people don't tell me it's not possible, because this is how bad do you want it?

And you'll know your desires and your wants based on your choices. Yeah. Wow. It's also faith more than anything because I couldn't really see, but I could see, m hmm what was for me? I knew what was for me. I was just like, Okay, that's what I gotta do it for right now until it happens. That's so important.

You gotta have a vision. And you know, I showed this to everybody, and I remind myself all the time, don't let what you see make you forget what God said, because it's if if it's put inside you, it's inside you. For a reason. God hasn't sold the tease. He doesn't tease to take away. There's nothing that you're lacking because it would not have came to you that part, that whole part. But you gotta stay committed. What are you willing to do it for it? How uncomfortable are you

willing to get? Well, here's this, God said, he will make you uncomfortable in order for you to grow. Hey, they said, I asked God to go and started raining. I mean, you planted the seed and now it's time for the harvest. But what's it gonna take for that water to come? What that looks like it can't be actually the form of literal tears. It's a cleansing, it's a washing away. That's huge. That's huge. And trust me, I did a lot of crying. Yeah, and go ahead,

Oh you did some crying. And we just say. In fact, the night before I got trut the game, I was on my knees crying. I had a breakdown. I breakdown because I was like I had left l A at that point, moved to New York, and I moved back to New York. Oh, back to New York. How long did you say like before you got from New York seven years, seven years and I was doing you know, I found an went to acting classes, I found an agent. I was a manager. Sorry, I was getting callbacks, but

I wasn't booking anything. And I was like, why am I staying here? Just go back to New York where everybody, you know, they loved me and I was working. Go back to New York. Your friends living there and moved back to New York. And you moved back to here with Jessica. No, actually, Jessica had moved out somewhere else. She was still living in New York, but she moved somewhere else, and then I moved with my friends. Now what's she playing? What she doing music or was she acting?

She was doing music music. We actually met through Mona Scott. She was doing music. Another story another day. After seven years. Yeah, but went back to New York, New York, and I said I'm gonna I said, I wasn't gonna work. I didn't put my whole entire faith into my career at this point, and I was gonna figure it out, but it was only going to be through acting, and I was gonna make money. That's what I said. And It was hard because I wasn't making any money for like

a month or two. But luckily I had a friend who was looking at who let me stay with them until I can get on my feet, you know. Um. But anyways, I had a breakdown. I was crying and I was talking to God and I said, you know what is got to give because I need to I need a door to be open. I need I need something, I need some help. And I thought I was doing everything. I was fasting. I was, you know, putting my all into this so it has to work. And nothing happened.

And then I got a phone call that same night from my friend Country calling me to get me in touch with Columbus Short because they couldn't find me. And we were friends. We were all friends and anyway, so he calls me. I get ahold of him and he says, I have I feel so honored to be a vessel of God and give you this opportunity. Real life. I couldn't I couldn't write this. It's a movie. Real life,

this really happened, really happened. I said, Okay, he said, I've been trying to find you, but I have this role for you, have this part that you're perfect for and I'm gonna put you on the phone with the producer so that we can get you out here. The producer was Manny Hayley. Manny got me on the phone and said, yeah, you know, let's just you know how many times and say hey, how you doing? You know, I said hey. He said, um, Columbus has been talking

about you. I'm gonna put you on a plane right now. I just need your day of birth. I need your name, full name, day of birth. Said okay, I'm like, this is really happening, and Columbus is back on the phone. He said, you're ready. I said, I'm ready. Let's go. I'm ready. Thirty minutes later, I had a plane ticket to come to l A, come back to l A, came back to l A. On the plane, I had no idea what I was going to audition for, what I was going to see. I just knew I was ready.

I knew who I asked for it, and Guy said, Guy said, And I said, yes, Yes, got on the plane, got here. Columbus picked me up from the airport and he said, we're going directly to the director's house. Now get that. This is the funny part. Too. I said, Okay, what's the movie about? Like, what am I doing here? You know? Um? And so he said, it's about this girl's a book. It was based off a book and

the bestseller and Terry Woods wrote it. And you're gonna be the lead and vivicusin and and it's gonna be great. Just trust me, Just trust me. We're going We're going to go to the director. So I said, okay, ready and with it, get the director's house, which is Preston Whitmore. Preston is from Detroit. What Preston? What up? Though Preston. I did a co read for Preston. I'm just not even knowing what's going on. Just yeah, I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I said, if you stay ready, you ain't

gotta get ready to that part. So I read the Corey. He said, I like you. I'm gonna send you to Manny right now. Send me to Manny. I meant Manny in person. Then he looked me up and down. He said, okay, I like you. I'm gonna send you to Lea Daniels. Lea Daniels. I've auditioned for her before, but this would be my first time. Like really be introduced to her.

So I go straight to her reading the sides on the way, reading back with Columbus Columbus, and are in the car going back and forth from these sides, like you got this, you got this, you got this, fighting for me, you know. We get to Leah Daniels and we go in the room and it's like it's on, cameras are on. She's ready to see what I got. We get in Columbus is like, you got this. We get up. I'm sitting down. There were two other people

I can't remember who they were with. The two other people in there are auditioning as well for the same movie. And I was just I just remember I was sitting there and I was just patient. Put the side down and I just said and they asked me to get up, and then I got up, and all of a sudden, the director Preston wentmore Manny and Y'landa Haley, who is Manny's wife, walked in to watch me do this audition. This is this. This doesn't happen like this in real life.

That's not gonna happen, folks, but this happened to me. So I was like, Okay, I didnt feel intimidated that. I just knew I had to tell the truth and do my job. I did it right, I did it. They were a little impressed I could tell, but they try not to show it right. So then two days later than they wanted me to come back in again and read again and read again, and I was just like, so do you know. I was talking to Clumbs and like, so, do I have a join And He's like, no, you

got it. You gotta gotta trust and trust me. And then he was like, we're gonna work this, working from every angle. So we went to believe it was Yolanda's birthday and everybody in Black Hollywood was there. I mean you you name it. I'm walking in with Columbus and all of these people just hanging out. Mon Scott was there. Everybody was there. So I'm walking through. He was like, you just walk in like Gina. You are Gina, right. So we walked Another story is really long, but I'm

ending it now. I'm getting to the end. We walked in. Did that next thing, I know, Columbus called Leo Daniels and Manny and they said I got the job. Not even a week later, we were shooting. That's and it turned out to be a trilogy, true to the game one, two,

and three. Now, where did you meet Columbus? You guys know so So I met Columbus actually not too long after I moved to l A. Which is why the first time, the first, the first time, the very first trip, my my intuition told me it was time to go. Came here I was. I met him through mutual friends. I literally at this. I remember this I was looking at. I can't remember if it was Scandal or Stump the yard,

it was one of them. But I remember watching him, and I remember looking at him specifically and saying, I want to work with him. You claimed, dude like. I was like, he's good, Like he's good, and work with him, I promised you. Maybe it was a day later, it might have been that same day, but he came over my friend's house with another friend and we were just hanging They were just hanging out, like and he didn't notice me at first, and then I remember we were

sitting by the fire. Then all of a sudden there was this really strong connection. It was just like and him and I connected and we saw each other. When you and I say saw each other, I mean we saw each other's spirit. So it was there was a deep feeling of like we know each other, you know. So from that moment, from that day, we stayed connected and we were just friends. He would see me, you know, going to acting classes. He would always say, you know, I saw you putting a thousand hours, so I knew

it was you deserved this break. And so we were just we were friends and and he respected that I was from Juilliardy respected you know, the craft, and that's how it happened. Yeah, And I was a big moment like would you say true to the game really changed the trajectory, but maybe the trajectory of your career completely?

Should the game change my life completely? Because it was the first time Manny was the first person to give me an opportunity to be seen and the movie because it was a book that was the best seller that Terry Woods wrote and shout out to Terry Woods because she's amazing. Um it was the best seller, number one best seller. But so it already had a fan base, so people were already people already knew about Gina, which was which is what was very smart for Manny to

take on the franchise. UM. So when I did. When I did play Gina and did the game, people were like, let's see what she could do? Who was Gina? Right? But then they fell in love with Gina. I fell in love with Gina. I put my heart into Gina, and that built a fan base for me that to this day is probably when this. My fans are die hard, beautiful fans that make sure I'm okay, that put up posting pictures every day. I appreciate you, guys, thank you

so much. But they you know, even people I asked, I've seen the movie, They've watched it three or four times to do the game. So I changed my life. And you mentioned the other day, didn't you say something about aren't you getting an award for it? Or something? Yes? Actually, so I was nominated in Amsterdam for the International Film Festival, and so I was nominated for both Thank you, thank you, I make I want these class. Let me say something funny,

just flap um. Yeah. So I was nominated for Best American Actress, which actually won two years ago the same company, the same film um International Film Festival for a movie called Fall Girls, which is amazing. That's another beat original, Yes, awesome, awesome, Yeah, your bird and then you were also on c W America. I was an All American. That was the fun. That was my favorite. Yeah, Oh, because I got to play the villain. In the villain everybody loves and hates the

villain and that was the best part. You know. I got to come on there and just kind of like scared people would be a badass and like I was the one you didn't want to mess with. I was MO and I came back to avenge my brother's death. And at the end I got to shoot Coop, so

gangster with it, shot her, shot her. That's amazing. Yeah, gratitude is everything, it is, it is and and you know, gratitude living in the moment and like receiving life, just being president as president as you can, because every life experience is going to be an experience that adds to something else, you know. Day and we're gonna add on

this well, but we're gonna take a quick break. We come back, we're gonna be talking a bit about Trophy Wife, and it's Mental Health Award is month and I want to talk about your movie, your character, also um your expensive experience with mental health as well as in the acting community. All right, all right, So we're gonna be back. Erica Peoples is in the building. Whatever though. Hey, this

is your girl, Surly Strawberry. How are you doing? Hi? Everybody, this is Jasmineberg coming to you from the viting indep with. Don dat you call her down? Day her loving light, keep shining down, keep shining. Great people do things that every day people don't do. You want to be great and I want to be great? Heard the hell out of that? Why be good when you're supposed to be great? M hmm, because most of you don't know how to be great and it's just being, like we are human beings.

Just be that's the thing. Just you can just be, but you can you sometimes you gotta add something after that, be like, just be great. I mean, you can't just be. You gotta do something with that. Yeah, you know what I mean? Does that make sense? Yeah? Faith with that works is done. You know. That's what it says. That's what the worst says. Wow. So, um, you just celebrated the release of your new movie et plus Amen Trophy, What what amazing? And you had a private screening out

there in West Hollywood. Dope ass Manchion and um you share the story of how you got the role and talked to We saw the film and had a chance to witness this character who was dealing with mental illness. And his name is Tony. Tony. Tony was a trophy wife who she was She was on prescription drugs, dealing with mental health issues. Yes, and what was interesting even getting to Tony, that was a blessing in itself to get casting for that role, right, yes, yes, yes, So

once again here we are. I was talking to God one day. I'm talking God one day and I talked to God often. I talked to God all. I like you to keep that communication open. I do, I do, but sometimes it's you know, sometimes it's a little louder than others. And I'm like, God, can you hear me? But I said, God, I need a breakthrough. I need a door. I need you to open that door for me, please. And I was charging my car at the time because

I drove in Teslas, so I charge it. Uh. And I got a call from my agent and he said, I gotta roll for you, and I said great. He's like, but you would have to be on a plane tonight if you decided to take it. I'll call you back. I'll let you know. And I was like, what is this? Yes, yes, He's like, okay, but you're gonna be the lead, and all right, you got the part. So you already had

the part before you got out there. No, So he told me that he called me to give me the information about it, and then he confirmed it maybe five minutes later. Okay. So I had to be on a plane that night, that night, not the next morning, but that night. So I'm rushing. I rush home, get all my stuff together, get to the airport, and I'm flying to d C to do a part that I have no idea what it is about. I just know that the actor who was supposed to play the lead dropped

out last minute for whatever reason, blessing. Maybe it was just meant to be. Maybe it was just you know, it was mine. So I get on the plane. I have no script. Oh my god, what no script? And they probably sent it to me, but I was on the plane at this point. How am I supposed to get the script? When are you supposed to found the

movie the next day? The day that I got there, I was filming the following day, and I literally was supposed to film that day because that's when it was scheduled to shoot, but they had to push back because they had to get another at last minute. It was me. Production was in full script, full swing when this person dropped out. So here right here we go, and so I get so I'm on the plane, no scripting. So I just decide I'm just gonna relax. When I get it,

I'll get it. And I got to the hotel literally literally, they took my hair down because I had braids at the time. Again, took my hair down and said, we're gonna figure out do your look, We're gonna take you on set to meet everybody, and they start shooting in the morning. I got the script that night, read the script shot in morning. That's that, Julie, are training right

there that you can do something overnight. I definitely credit credit that to my training because I was completely engulfed in the script and focused, and I had the tools that I needed to be able to like repair and put it together. Yeah, and I'm just thinking to myself, like, like, how do you even prepare to I guess present and show up as somebody who is dealing with depression and anxiety. And the thing is that that the depiction that you did is so accurate because women are twice as likely

as men to suffer from a mental illness. And that's from the CDC in the Center of Disease Control. Mm hmm, I didn't know that. Give me that one more time. It says from the CDC, it says that, um, women are twice as likely and then men to experience depression. Wow, let me give you another statistic. According to Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance dbs A, seventeen point three million American adults have depression and if you look at it, that's

what seven point one percent of the US population. I know, right,

it's real. But I think that's important that when we talk about representation that people can actually see not only how it affects the individual, but the people around you and some of the stigmatism because sometimes even dealing with that, you're trying to figure out what's going on with yourself, trying to seek out the right support, and then you have people that may not be supporting in the right way and kind of veering you off because there was

a conflict with family members that were throwing things your way and figuring out how to navigate, and it was like a real life experience to be like what that truly looks like and what that can feel like for an individual. So I'm just curious. You know, they say our MT it's life. Do you or have you ever had any experience with depression? Me myself exam. Well, you know what, I'm gonna be honest. I mean, there definitely there were times where I felt depressed when I wasn't working.

You know, I think that it took it took real work on myself on a daily basis to make sure that I didn't go into a deep depression, meaning like I e. Meditating yoga. Yoga was one of my big things that saved my life, just saved me in general because it was an outlet for me, praying, going to church, whatever that was, running, exercising. But I did have a best friend who dealt with mental health issues and depression and he actually passed away. And his name was Nelson

Ellis and from True Blood. Yes, yes, my best friend, my very best friend. We talked every single day and well, I mean he wasn't diagnosed bipolar or depressed, but he is very depressed and a lot of it. I think. I think the biggest thing was we're taught and he went to Juilliard as well. A lot of us actors are taught how to become successful, but we aren't taught

how to be successful. And I think there's a challenge and things that come up when once you're in the limelight and once you have all this money, and you're pulled on in so many different directions, and people are talking about how you look and how you act, and you know, you're validated by a yes or no from

someone else. You know, that is what acting entails, you audition and it's either yes or no. And that can in and of itself, can like be mentally crushing, you know, or crippling in in a in a lot of ways. So um, I think he he had a lot of demands on him. He was one of the first in his family to become very successful financially. Uh And also, you know, visibly True Blood was the number one show for a very long time, and he was one of the leads of the show, one of the biggest characters.

And so he was pulled on a lot by people in the industry, by his family, people asking for wanting things and asking for money and constantly this and he was also battling dealing with his sexuality, which also can cause a very high mental uh emotional states. As you said that, I have a statistic right here. First of all, one out of five adults in the US lived with mental illness. Then on top of that, just talking about

the l g B t Q plus community. According to the a p A, the American Psychiatric Association reports that l g B t Q plus individuals are more than twice as likely as had all sectual people to have a mental disorder in their lifetime. That's a different kind of pressure. Well, I mean especially for us as black women, black people, we are very very most of us are very very religious, and we are taught in church. A lot of churches they preached this homosexuality is wrong, You're

gonna go to hell. It's a lot of pressure on someone when you don't even know if that's true. You know, I do believe myself that God is real and your relationship with God is your relationship with God. You can't force your relationship on anyone. And I do believe that love is real and you can love who you are entitled to love whoever you love, and there there can't be any wrong in love. Have you known anyone to die from loving. Have you know anyone to get hurt

if they love m No? So you know are we are society and sadly has a lot of stereotypical stigmas that we put on it are people that are unnecessary and so we go around, we walk around like we're supposed to. Men are supposed to be very manly and women are supposed to marry a man and have babies, and that's the right way of life. But whose life right? Who are you living for? Right? Because you're the only

wants dying at the end of the day. Which is why I think it is beautiful that we have people like Jessica Beetts to NISI like, you know, these these Janelle Monae, people who are not afraid to be black and be proud and love who they love because it needs to be seen. You know a friend of mine, Kiva Clark. Now I'm just gonna take a snippet of her quote, but she says, you cannot be what you cannot see. Yet when you have things like that, do not say gay bill down in Florida? What is it?

Do not? So basically it was with the children, Um, I think it's k through eighth grade, Jeremiah remind me K through eighth grade that they are not going to teach sexual orientation to the children, and I guess they feel that that's something that parents would do. So just like if there was Mother's Day, Father's Day, any type of holiday, you're seeing the cards, you're seeing the pictures. But we live in a diverse world. We realized that

everyone is not the same, every family unit. And just as much as African Americans have fought to have a visualization of them just as much as women have fought to have a visualization of themselves, why not have people who represent different sexual orientations have a represition representation of who they are. And on top of that, you know, Jeremiah was just saying that if children are to bring up topics about sexual orientation or sexuality, teachers are required

to bring it up to their parents. But whatever case, we're shutting this down and not giving the possibility. And I can only imagine how suffocating that is. And as I understand you are a member of the LGBTQ community, how does it feel are what responsibility do you feel that you have to show up as you are? Um? You know, I think I think that's just it for me.

I don't feel like I have a responsibility to show up for who I am in my personal life ever, But I do have a responsibility to myself to tell the truth and to live in my truth. Well what does that mean? So for me? For that, what that means for me is that if I love a woman, I love a woman, and I'm not going to pretend that I don't. You know, if I love a man,

I love a man. I'm not gonna hide it. But I'm also not I don't feel like I need to like showcase it for anybody unless I'm showcasing it for myself, if that makes any sense. So I feel if I have a responsibility, it is that I live in my truth and I all people to see that you can fully be yourself. You can be successful, you can do what you love, and you can love who you want

to love. Mm hmm, and it's okay, it's okay, I think even for myself, Like it took people like a Queen Latifa just to have a representation of this a plus size, curvy woman and just being just being Dawn. I think I've always I've been saying this as of lately, like I just want to make room for myself because I can't imagine if I saw somebody that looked like me, like what that could have been like. And like you said,

it isn't a thing. I guess where it has to be on the billboard that has to be shouted out, but to know that you exist. But if I did want to shout it out, that should be okay too. You know. Um, when you say I'm a part of the LGBT community, I I am a bisexual woman, but I lean more towards women, and I think that is my truth because that's what I like, is what I love. But it doesn't discriminate anyone sex. But it shouldn't be. I shouldn't have to identify with anything for anybody. I'm like,

can you just be you? I'm just just Dereka. Yeah. Now once I get married, I feel like that's different. I feel like I would love to like shout it from the trees, like you know, this is this is my wife or this is my husband, whichever one I decided to do. When I do it, she gotta wait till I do it. That's when hot is hot, you know. Um, But I think it's important right now, in our time, the time that we're living in, to not be afraid

to be unapologetically yourself. Yeah, I think yeah, And I think especially for you know, I really think it's important for our for our black community. We have to love on each other more. We have to accept each other more and stop living in past beliefs because it's not known like people was doing this. It's like And the sad part is it takes you having kids for your kid to be like, mommy, I'm gay, for you to be like, oh my god, I guess it's not wrong

because I love my child. I can never not love my child, right. And we understand that's not the story for everyone. That's the story for everyone, but I mean, maybe maybe everyone should imagine it that way. What if it were your child, Because there are people killing themselves, taking their lives, taking their lives because of how they love, because of how they love them, because of not being accepted for how they love. That's the biggest part, not hating.

We didn't say that, not damaging or anyone else, simply for loving. For loving, And I think that's that's the scariest part, and that's what creates depression and that's why the statistics are probably higher for those of us who like the same sex because there's so much judgment and there's it's so inclusive that like you, you don't have the opportunity to feel like you're apart of this world right because you can't be what you cannot see. That's why we need more women to like love on women,

women in love. But then you know, it comes to thing where you know, I'm not saying it's wrong, but like you said, even what your mindset of saying, like, well, it's not something it's for me, it's private, I'm not boasting it out there. And you know, I've heard people even ask the question how many times did you have

to come out? Like no one has to come out of straight, but each time you have to say, oh I'm gay or I like this moment, I like this man, and it's a moment of presenting each time whether it just existing, yeah, um, that's because nobody, like you said, it's not being seen, so you have to come out because it's like how would any whatever know? You know, it's like I just can't sliding there and exists. You're just what y'll woo And it's like oh kay, that's it.

But that's still coming out in a way, in a way that saying it. It's still like, but nobody comes out being straight. Nobody's like, oh my god, I'm straight. It's just because that's accepted. That isn't the norm, and that's what we have to change. That's what needs to change. That. The norm is not being straight anymore. The norm is you can be pulled to any energy. Really. I mean, I'm seeing so much these days that it's a little it's it's a lot out there. So it's just like,

let people live their life, let them be. And I want to shout out to everybody that's just living and being and I hope that's encouraging you to just just be, just be, just be, just be. Um. Let me see, I want to do this. I have this new like segment, you know, I want to do this really quickly. I want to give us a couple of minutes. I want you to shed light on this. Okay, I'm gonna give

you this and I'm gonna read it as well. Um, but basically shed light on this is a game where we're going to give give you a scenario with a person or we're gonna say character, I was dealing with a particular situation that they don't know how to handle. Now, your task, peoples, is to come up with a solution that you believe will work best for the situation. Now, there there are no right or wrong answer. There is no right or wrong answer, only what you feel would

work best for the situation. And I want you to give advice based on your life experience. Okay, now the game master, So I'm at us attract what I feel is right wrong. Okay, let me let me So I'm giving you advice as a person in this This person has a scenario. I need you to give them advice based on your own experience, what you were doing. Okay, Okay, Now would you like to read this along with me? Or can I read you this? Just read you? See about She said, I can catch you while this happen.

So Carmen. Carmen is an actress in Los Angeles and she just found out about an acting world she believes she's perfect for. Bursting with excitement, she decides to call her best friend Mary, Yes, Mary, Mary was also an actress, to tell her about her plans to audition. As soon as Carmen calls Mary to tell her. Mary insists on telling Carmen her good news. First, okay, the news being that Mary is also auditioning for the same role called off Guard. Karma makes up another reason for why she

called Mary. Okay. They both have been trying to lend an acting role for months and now Carmen does not know whether to tell Mary the truth or to go after another role. Erica, can you shot have some light on this? Absolutely? First of all, Mary and Carmen, let me just tell you that is gonna happen over and over and over again in this business. The sad part is most women, especially black women, don't like to share the roles that we're doing together, so it becomes competition.

But here's the news, here's the the kicker, here's the catchup. While you're hotting, if you may, you're competing no matter what, and what is for you is for you. No one can take that away from you. And you never know. There may be something that you get because you told the person that you got it. The more you give them, more more buntance you get back. Right. It's it's a it's a trifecta effect. You put it out there, it comes back, you give it to somebody else. They received.

That means they give. So I say, you let her know that you got the part and maybe you guys could even work. They weren't even talking about they have the part. She's just talking about the fact that auditioning for the part. When I say you have the partment, meaning like there is a part that you're auditioning for. I don't even fry this moment. Right, what was the central cast? Because I had gotten into the final round or no, I was auditioning for a Macy's, a national commercial. Now. Um,

I was so excited. And I remember I called one of my good girlfriends at the time and I was like, girl, it was for curvy girl plus eyes girl. And I was like, oh man, hello cheek bones, hello eyes come through Dawn. And I told her and rather her being excited or let me not say, she was not excited for me. What I received when I told her about the road. It wasn't like, oh my gosh, girl, um go ahead and kill it. She's like, oh, give me

the information so that I can audition. And immediately I felt some type of way, But you know, my mama raised me, right, and whatever that means I found it in my heart. I gave her the information. Now I went on to go to the what do they call it? When you was h damn on a veil. I got on a veil. That's amazing. Why are you yelling? No, it's good. I got on a veil. But I realized I worked with so much gratitude because I had to remember the same thing that you said, what's for me

is for me. I'm not gonna block your blessings because if I did not get it, it wasn't mine. I can't take. But I think offering myself a moment of grace to say, Dawn, as a human, we are still human beings having this spiritual experience. That's not an awful feeling to have in a moment, but it's how we move forward with that moment. So it's like, krmen, I

feel you. I feel on that hesitation. I don't think that she should cut herself short, Like, don't cut yourself short just because you don't want to disappoint somebody else. You can't take without who's supposed to be in your mouth to eat, right. So that's that's what I said, saying, you think she should tell her yeah, absolutely, teller. But this whole situation of even entertaining the idea to go after another role, that's insane. You just discussed how you

don't in the acting community, the industry. You may not book things for months. You had moments where you were in tears like God's about to happen. Yeah. So yeah, so we had to shed light on that. So that's thought. That's good stuff, Thank you, Jarre mind. So that's a new thing feature that we're gonna be putting out there. Jeremiah came up with that because you don't. Vitamin D is all about shedding life. It is you on the

good and the bad. Because if you want to be better and do better, you gotta be able to see that and you gotta get in that light to get some of that vitamin D. Hey catcher, while we're about to catch this vita jass, Okay, wasn't it look yes in this chess here? Okay? Our terms okay, terms dealing with your career as far as acting, djang just life, all this kind of good stuff. And I want you to put a word out here. Right it's gonna have his Dictionary definition, but I want you to put some

people's on it. What I mean by that? Say, for example, if you were a race car driver, it may say, what does it mean to put your foot to the metal or to put the car in break? And say, sometimes break means to stop, but sometimes you gotta break in life, break to just get your balanced, break to get your positioning. So that's kind of like the round this is in. Do you think you can dig it? I mean, let's go, all right, shake shake, shake, all right,

here we go vitor box. Okay, just don't look, just put your hand and it don't look, switch it around. I hope you get something good. Okay, now what am I sssoited technique? I don't know what that is? Technique? Oh sorry, I can't read yo technique? What does technique mean? And how would you put an inspirational twist on? That? Technique means? For me? Um? But an inspirational twist you said, an acting world technique is considered what an acting world

technique is considered? A skill set that you have that you work, that you learn to build. Um. So you work. I went to Juilliard to learn what my technique for acting is, meaning how I work best to get to my best work? Right? But what I need to do to get to my best work. And I think you can have technique in life, uh by applying your best self for finding the tools that make you be your best self. So technique, I think is one of the most important things to have if you want longevity in

your career. Um and there are different techniques you can study. There's the Meisner technique, there's the Alexander technique, there is the method technique. All their different techniques that you can have, but everyone is a tool that you need to have in your tool kit. And being able to pull those tools out when you're ready, when you're ready. You know what it makes me think about like when people talk

about even going to therapy. He said technique and I said technique, I'm still and I was like, you know that she capitalized it, and I really like, Oh, did you didn't write this? No? Oh, the magical person that wrote this Jeremiah. Jeremiah. But I do know how to read y'all. Some people would think otherwise, No, but I love this because I think, just like when you talk about technique, when I think about technique even with life and it being Mental Health Awareness month, of just using

your toolbox, and even getting a therapist. Let see there, how what technique are you using to get through life? Everybody has their process and I think this whole idea of making room to figure out how you can fit in and take up your space, I think, yeah, I think technique gives you. It's like it's like a it's taking taking life or taking whatever you do to the next level, taking it serious. Because if you study, you have to study at the work. You know, some things

do come to you. But if you in order to have a technique, I means you have to do the work to know what to do right, do the work, and the work doesn't stop because as an actor, you don't ever stop learning, right, never stop learning, and never stop doing the work of myself, you know. I mean it's a it's a constant work in life and metates are.

I think I'm a better actress now because of the life experience that I've had, and honestly, the timing is so right for me to be able to showcase my art and work and receive the work that I'm getting now because now I've lived life, so now I can just reenact as opposed to trying to really act like you know, light emitates life life. Thank you for making the room for yourself for that. You know. I was talking to or texting with a friend today and they're

dealing with grief. By the way, thank you, thank you.

I was talking to a friend and experiencing grief and I didn't reply back, but in my thought process of applying back, I was like, I think like it sometimes when we're dealing with any type of mental illness or um that if we look at in the place of how it's negatively affecting us, is that in our life and what we're feeling, we want things to stop, and life is like no, we gotta keep life in and we get caught up and saying oh stop, and then that frustration of figuring out how can I deal with

this moment rather than living or breaking through with the moment. I think that's what stands out. So just to circle it back, if you are experiencing something like, don't be afraid to seek out. In fact, I got a number for you. That's amazing. If you've got some thoughts, you're feeling like you're in despair, you need somebody to talk to right now. Well, there's a hotline, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the phone number is eight hundred to

seven three eighty two fifty five. That's eight hundred two seven three eighty two fifty five and guess what. They're available seven in English and Spanish. Please and to be If you do not seek, please reach out. If if you really are going through something, do not be afraid to reach out to someone, anyone, because your life is worth it. You're worth it. People love you, and don't think. Don't ever feel like you don't matter to someone, because

you always do. And if you can't, if you haven't heard it from anyone else, you hear from me, you matter to me. It mattered to me even if I don't know you. I need your love. So everybody needs to be loved. So don't do that. Reach out, use that number, give yourself a second chance before it it's your last chance. Hey, catch while it's hot. So um, there he goes. What's next? What's going on? What's next? So next? I have a movie coming out called lights Out.

Don't stop, Kang stop you know it's exciting. Lights Out is um it's it's a fight movie starring Frank Grillo, McKay fi for myself. It's gonna be a good one, y'all. I'way, I'm excited for that. How do we see? So it's gonna come to theaters sometime in the fall, so get ready for that. I also have a series coming out that I'm doing called House of Vicious with Tammy Roman, Tiffany Hass, Tiffany Haddish Tiffany Hass, and we are doing

that in sometime in the fall as well. So those two things, those two projects are coming out, which I'm excited excited about. And it was Tiffany Hass, not Tiffany Hattish, but maybe I'm gonna work with her because we've seen what you have many let's go. I'm ready for you, Tiffany. So yes, I'm really excited about those projects. Let me looking at my cute cars. I'm looking down. Nothing wrong about to say excited about those projects, especially lights Out.

I think it's really going to give you a chance to see me on kind of a different caliber of work. And her movie and working with McKay was just McKay and Frank. I learned so much from them. It was just it was great. It was really great. Cry And are you working on any project with Anton? Oh? Yes, yes, we are producing something. We are producing a series called Real People's when it works with that right now, So stay tuned to find out what network is gonna be

be on. But Anton, who was my brother who's also an actor, shout out to Anton. That's how I met her. The Anton time we met at a party his brother named Lame and he came up. He was over there again at Badridge. I'm beating the Bradford. I was like, you know, we we saw each other and he's like hey, he was like, I like yourself. I was like, oh, thank you so much. Then I walked over back to the gym. I said, you know, like he's like, I know, Like I was like you were at the party where

he was like yeah. And then Erica at the park and it was instant connection. Instant both areas. Dang they are We love Geminis too. Yeah, I am a Gemini. By the way, every one my birthday is coming up. Who woo two weeks who makes a second so you already know it makes you hit her up and say happy birthcast. Also, my brother and I are dj. I DJ taught my brother how to DJ, so we have been DJing together. We have a we have a show we're producing coming up called Love Jones that we're doing

it so whole Warehouse. Uh, and it's gonna be a night of artist renaissance. So it's gonna be some live poetry. I'm gonna do this a little poetry of mine. We got some singers happening. What's what I've recorded this so so we got so soho house we're doing. It's called Love Jones, produced by my brother Anton Peoples and also Kenneth Nelson. And we are going to have some live artists and poetry. And I believe that Dawn might be stepping on the mic, might be doing something. I'm just saying.

I mean, you might get a little a little vitamin D b C. But we do have some amazing artists. Let me just mentioned their names because they were amazing. So we got Dawn Day and myself, Erica Peoples. Of course I had to jump on and do some of that little poetry skill. We had q who goes by q Roy q u x r i O, Alonso Slater he killed it, and Tom Peoples, Josh McCoy, Joey Manuel, Mike mctroget, Erica Rane and Lauren Lott handled it, handled it killed it. So for some of them, that's gonna

happen often. This is something we would like to keep going. Right now, we're doing it as so whole house. Uh. The next place will probably be at a restaurant called Verse, one of my favorite spots in l A. Actually. Um yeah, and we we do a little jam session, live poetry music and then we DJ at the end. It's fire fire Um. So okay, we got that. Not only anyways,

other ways that we can support you. Yes, you can follow me on Instagram please at Erica People's as pe e p l E s no Erica People's Instagram, Facebook, everything, Erica People's follow me. Shot me out, Send me some love. I need it. I love it. I love to give it. I love to receive it. So and right now you better check out on b et plus Trophie Wife, Trophie Wife it is. I'm so proud of this movie and so proud of the work. I think you guys will all enjoy it as all kinds of plots and twists.

You think you know what's going on, but you have no idea. I'm telling you, I'll listen to it. And I was like, oh, Blesten, let me stop. Okay, thank you so much for coming. Thank you for having me. I can wait to come here. What's We're both from Detroit.

It's an opportunity to really talk and just let people know who I am, where I come from, what's going on, and get people tapped into other things that are important, like me to health and being a representation for the queer community, like love you lots, love is going led show. I'm glad that we are connected. I'm glad. Thank you me too. I think you're pretty great. You're the dawn of the dad. When it's a new dawn, it's a new day. Hey, um, I appreciate you for listening to

UM and joining this conversation. I hope you got something from it. I did. I hope you guys didn't. I hope you did, and I hope if if anything is going on, if you feel like you can't identify, you don't know who you are, you feel lost, just know that there's someone else out there who's feeling the same way. Everyone goes through something. I go through things. I've had challenges. I've had a hard time trying to identify with my sexuality for years. And I am okay, and I am

happy and I'm loved. Hey, so listen, you got an idea for us to talk about, or perhaps you want to be on the show. I want you to email us Vitamin D at dawn day speaks dot com. We're growing, we're getting better for evolving, and more importantly, we want to hear from you. Okay. And then also you know, um about our Vitamin D advice letters. If you need advice on love, relationship, your career, purpose, anything, shoot me an email. And you know I'm gonna keep it real

with you, because what do I say? If you want to be better and you want to do better, you have to be able to see better and that shed and light on the good and the bad or what we can say they're not so good? Okay, Because I want the best for you. Plus if you're seeking it for me, hey, I'm ana love on you the right way. Okay. Also, you know I plan to be here for a long time, so we might as well jump on the bandwagon while

we're here. If you enjoyed yourself, if you enjoy listening to this conversation, tell somebody to tell somebody to tell somebody else that Dawn Day got a podcast. It's Vitamin D with Dawn Day and it's available whatever you get your favorite podcast, okay, and tell them come on in and have a good conversation, have some water, have a little sock, a little coffee, a little song. Song, just can't get it's some good energy, some good energy, good conversation.

Let's hear the world. And if you want to see what we're talking about, you don't catch some memes, some quotes, video. We're on social media everywhere Vitamin D Dawn Day, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok what have you fan base? Yes, Vitamin D during day okay, and if you want some of my goodness, make sure that you follow me. I'm back on social media right now at Dawn Day. I was off for a couple interviews. Hey y'all, so you know I'm gonna

step out of here. But you know I always say I'm in the business of making dreams come true, and I damn sure I ain't gonna forget about mine. So until next time, always remember you are your greatest dass, get your right MND right here with me, and get excited about your lives.