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Hollywood Highs, Family First with Tyler Lepley and Serayah

1h 6m 23s

Hollywood Highs, Family First with Tyler Lepley and Serayah

Soraya and Tyler share a heartfelt, intimate conversation centered on motherhood, faith, identity, and personal growth. As Soraya reflects on becoming a mother and getting engaged, and Tyler shares his journey through parenting and career shifts, both emphasize how these experiences have reshaped their lives and values. They highlight the emotional challenges of postpartum life, including sleeplessness, parenting stress, and the struggle to maintain self through new responsibilities. The discussion delves into how their careers—especially Soraya’s role in *Empire* and Tyler’s work with Tyler Perry—have shaped their confidence and creative direction. A key theme is the role of faith as a guiding force, especially in times of uncertainty, with both expressing how daily prayers and family support have helped them through adversity. They also discuss the importance of authenticity in art, advocating for Black women to embrace all forms of expression without restriction. The conversation culminates in their excitement about the new Netflix film *Ruth and Boaz*, which they see as a powerful portrayal of genuine, non-transactional love rooted in faith and chosen family. Personal stories of vulnerability—such as discovering a romantic connection during filming—underscore how self-discovery and emotional honesty are vital in navigating life’s transitions. The episode blends personal insight with cultural reflection, affirming the strength of Black women’s experiences and the enduring power of community, faith, and resilience.

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a dark night a quiet house but inside danger was lurking oh not really we have xfinity shield so we're not worried what if protecting your home and devices could be drama free xfinity imagine that restrictions apply not available in all areas this episode is presented in partnership with airbnb where the best end of summer memories are made with your closest friends now let's get on with the show no matter what we're doing in the car just chilling pop on amazon music sit back and listen life love sex science covering it all especially the bad cause money always involved no matter what it is we gonna make it make sense nothing else to do but kick it with the homies and kids so grab you a drink and a snack you enjoy and get into the vibe that only you know it's your baby this is this is kiki baby this is kiki palma you oh my gosh first of all i'm so glad that you guys are on the on the show tyler this is my first time i feel like i've seen you around but this is my first time actually getting to sit down and talk with you yeah saraya we done had drinks caviar late nights you're my girl so i'm happy that you're on the show and we get to get into what you guys are doing i'm so excited for this movie i mean first we have to do the pre-show pull-up i do this with all my guests just to get into y'all's vibe and see what you guys are you know feeling today so i'm gonna start with you saraya uh-oh today i'm giving mother at work with the side of boss babe every day all day i mean it's so crazy that you're a mom boo yeah it is crazy and i know you said the baby traveled with you he's here yeah okay how's he been acting is this his first time flying it's like his second time okay um was totally in a whole uproar before i left so i'm i'm still feeling like the tension yes i'm like no i want to fix it and everything and yeah and i know it's with gg so he's good okay he's with gg hey gg okay so mother at work boss babe 100 today's mood in one word i can attest to this you are 100 serving here you always serve though do you when you i remember we were just at my album listening party and i'm like the bangles the dress oh thank you even after being a mom like it was a lot coming into your mind whenever you get dressed now is it the same feeling that you've always had with fashion i feel like it's definitely changed i mean my body's different things feel different have to lift things and you know squeezing you have something to lift listen my baby sucked it all out okay i'm like damn who is she where am i who am what am i what's happening don't fit nothing but it's cool because i feel like there's a new space that i want to go with fashion anyway so yes yes i'm just i'm finding it yeah i think that is the cool thing well after my son was born my body definitely did change and it changed i don't know it changed in a way that allowed me to show a little bit more curves you know because it gives us a little bit more weight you know so i never really had a lot of bamboo but after the baby i did so it definitely allowed me yeah you know so it allows us to explore fashion in a different way so i'm living for it you're serving so you was listening to my girl scissor on the way here yes is it the new project or you going old school scissor girl actually it was the heat they were playing scissor okay come on the heat we like the heat i would love the heat that's my girl okay last screenshot on your phone no deleting show me show you have it yeah girl it's literally my flight back home tomorrow literally i'm living two days from now three days from now tomorrow damn this was supposed to be you know two days but tomorrow look period i got you in and out huh she said what she said at the top mother at work boss babe okay what's your zodiac sign and do you know your big three of course you know your big three your gemini aries and libra now wait a minute which part is the i know your son's sign is gemini but what's the libra to aries okay the aries is the moon oh that's the moon yeah the libra is the rising oh do you feel which one do you feel most connected to oof i mean honestly all of them i cannot lie like i get a little bit of fire sometimes and then sometimes i'm very much my libra girly like i'm indecisive and you're so libra with the i mean libra's are known for their aesthetics you always showing up looking bomb i feel like that's very libra i do feel the aries because you have that fire i feel that fire but then that gemini is like i'm here i'm there i'm nowhere y'all gotta care that's very yeah i'm very much not really here no i'm here i'm there i'm nowhere i'm usually yes i'm not really here okay what's your love language cute oh quality time yes and gifts yes yes gifts yes i used to be very humble about that and it was like towards the end of my list that has changed over time i live with that so how do we get the guys to give us the gifts because the girls are like yeah how how yeah do you just be like i want a gift or is it just like i love or do you tell me i love gifts how do you think it's very much like oh i really like this like just letting him know what you like and what you're into and hopefully he gets you know he picks it up because i think that that's another testament to who you're with like you got to pick up send the amazon card pick up the pieces i like all of these things okay and what's the most unexpected thing on your talent? girl my writer needs an update okay that's true because they keep giving me flaming hot cheetos in mine that writer's from when i was 13. i like flaming hot cheetos but like i do need to update mine because every time cheetos have been like every time it's crazy okay and i got your autograph period love this now we're moving on to you tyler okay today i'm giving clean with two exclamation points i love that my own hair you know i'm saying wait a minute yeah that's that's your own hair come on yeah for sure how you learn how to do that? uh you know what i had messed it up a bunch of times when i first started probably like i mean i started out of necessity sure so i was um i was raised outside of philly so trying to find a barber to cut my hair i was telling him guys this this right here this whole beard goatee situation that gives philly down i feel like you've got to be from philly to have that yeah typically yeah that look is like the uh the the big beard like the bald head but so i started because everybody was always butchering my hair and then for the first few years i was butchering my own but then i 20 years later, I'm clean. There's nothing better than being able to do your own hair, though. It's nice, isn't it? It's like you're never going to catch me slipping. Now, you're getting clean with the side up. Ain't afraid to get a little dirty to keep it that way. Oh, you know what? I honestly thought we was going to be discussing these together, like, outside of the camera. Oh, like before the show. Yeah, I thought it was an icebreaker. We were just going to talk for a minute and come up in here. I'm howling. Now, what kind of dirty are we talking? No. The ladies want to know. I just, well, you know, a good way to describe it is, I got sleeves on right now, but I have a tattoo underneath my arm, and it is Archangel Michael. Okay. And he's one of the leaders of God's army. And he just, he would go to war. Matter of fact, can I show y'all? You go ahead and take the jacket off. It's going to be a little too much. But he killing a serpent, but he, you know, he will get his hands dirty to fight for the right things. Yes. You know, so I feel like, you know, I'm very. I don't know, how would you say it? But I think that this is important, because I think there was a time in my life where I was over-idealistic, meaning like, you know, just doing good and being nice. It always gets it done. Now, sometimes you got to check. Yeah. You know what I mean? You really do. It's like sometimes you have to get a little dirty to get things clean. So I get it. And I just feel like I'm kind of right there, right now. Yeah. In that balance. Yeah. Okay, today's mood in one word, blessed. I'm here with Kiki. Hey! Yeah, for sure. I would just say, we were just saying, before, I just feel like I done made it now. You know what I'm saying? Stop it! Yes! There's a few podcasts that I've always wanted to be a part of, and Kiki is at the top of the list. Yes. So, hey, we did something. No, for real. I just told you, Lisa, I was like, wait, when I seen Kiki pop up on the itinerary, I said, oh my God. Well, you know you my girl. We going on a press run. And I'm a fan of yours as well. I appreciate you. Come on, hat, hat, nods, all the way back to then. So, it's really dope to have both of you guys on. I respect you. And, you know, this is what the show is made of. I always appreciate it. Okay, what did you listen to on your ride here? Gunna, R&B, and Mob? Oh, R&B, Foam Mob. So, yeah. Okay. So, I've been listening to Gunna lately. He just dropped the album. Yeah. I feel like he's always, you know, his pen game is nice. You know, I like what he's bringing. And then R&B, Foam Mob is an artist out of Texas. He's making some waves and whatnot. So, I listen to some things that are out in the public and also some things that are a little underground, too. Last screenshot on your phone. No deleting. Show me. I'm seeing R&B. Eyes to the side. Uh-oh. This must be something. Probably because I don't know how to draw. That's probably the wrong eyes I draw. Is it a screenshot that, you know, is a little too much? No, I probably just wrote them because you said you wanted to see them. So, you don't like to see? I ain't got my phone on. But you know what? Y'all know what that means. I ain't even going to press them. I always forget, like, quick information, like codes and whatnot. So, it was something similar to what you had a screenshot of. Sure it was. She took it. She took it. It was yours. It was a ticket. Mine was, like, something else, yeah. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. Okay, what's your Zodiac sign? Do you know your big three? You don't know your big three? I'm an Aries, though. I don't know my big three. March 24th, yeah. Oh, my dad's the 26th. For real? Now, wait a minute. You not knowing your big three is crazy because I know you done met some girl that was like, what time was you born? Oh, yeah, for sure. It goes in one ear, out the other. I don't know. You know what time you was born? I do. I asked my mom so I could find out my big three. 3.16 a.m. 3.02? God so love, Kiki. 3.02. Yeah, I'm not sure. Your love language, physical touch, yeah. Yeah, for sure. Physical touch, yeah. I'm that same way. Even if I'm not being romantic, you just still, like, yeah, I'm like, no! Stop! And it's like, you're killing me. me. I had to back up on that. I'd be squeezing the hell out of people's thighs. Okay. May I have your autograph? Thank you so much. Keeping this autograph. Can't wait to sell them on eBay. Now, let's get into why you guys are here. I'm so excited about the new movie, Ruth and Boaz. This is Tyler Perry and Devon Franklin's project. But before we get into it, first of all, congratulations. I know it comes out September 26th. Yes. Looking forward to it, guys. This is a romance. It's going to be good, but with some faith to it, which we always love. But what a summer, Soraya. You just had the baby. Oh my goodness. And you just got engaged to Joey. How are you guys feeling? I mean, just what are the vibes? How do you describe this year? And is it what you expected it to be? You also just turned 30. Oh my gosh. You see what I'm saying? Girl. It's so much going on. But you know what? Just blessed, honestly. Rolling with the punches, with the vibes, and just blessed. Overwhelmed with love. Yeah. And overwhelmed with just all the love. Yeah. And just overwhelmed with all the goodness. That support. My family showed up. And it's just been a lot going on. And I just, I think the word is blessed, for sure. Yeah. How did you celebrate the milestone? Did you do a party, or did you keep it low-key? Because I know it was a lot going on. I kept it low-key. So me and my son are literally like a couple days apart from being just a month apart, our birthdays. Oh my gosh. So he was born. A month later, I turned 30. That was like literally like four weeks. And so we did a little cute staycation situation. Oh. And kept it low-key. But, yeah, we didn't do a big thing because I couldn't leave. That's like my mom and I. My mom is on the 24th of August and I'm on the 26th. Really? Yes. So, I mean, I try to do it big for her, but she'd be trying to do it more big for me. It's so funny when your birthday is close to your baby. Also, Tyler, you got engaged last year. Congratulations to Miracle Watts. I mean, how has that been? You guys also have a baby. Yeah. So how is all of this? And this is her, I know you have two other kids, so this is her first kid. How was it getting her through that first time? You know, I think it was a lot of learning, you know what I mean? Because as we were just talking about, you know, just the experience that y'all go through while you're pregnant, also the postpartum. And with me being a fix, you know, most men want to pull up and fix the situation. There's lots of things that are, you know, have a question mark on them. So you got to really roll with the punches, like you said. And I feel like it's been a whirlwind, but it's just been a, you know, it's funny, sometimes negative things will happen in life, then positive things will happen. And I realize that, you know, the choice of what I'm choosing to pay attention to makes a big difference for me, at least. Absolutely. Without a doubt. That was a word. That's exactly what it is. It's almost like, you know, we say it and it's a, sometimes we get old and we're like, oh, it's a cliche, but it's a cliche for a reason. Glass half full, glass half empty changes your entire life, the perspective of how you choose to approach things. So, of course, it's been a whirlwind, but I just feel so blessed to be able to, you know, just expand in my love life, expand in my career, you know, meeting new people in the business and, you know, just getting a deeper connection with God. I just feel like I'm focusing on the half full glass for sure. Okay. I'm feeling blessed. And you guys definitely have a lot to be blessed about, so I love to hear that. Gratitude is the greatest healer of anything. Amen. But since you guys are both engaged, it could be overwhelming, but have you been thinking about wedding plans? Have you been thinking about what kind of groom you'll be? What kind of bride you'll be? Like, are we going big, low-key? I know. I don't know. I'm just like, oh, my gosh. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. Wherever we going. You know, I've always wanted, I feel like us women, we planned this way before it's even like. Girl, yes. We didn't even ask you nothing. You don't even got a man. But I always wanted a destination wedding, but I don't know. I can see that. Yeah. I just, I don't know. I do feel like I do want it to be, like, a little bit more on the intimate side. But I'm like, how do we do that? We have so much family. And friends. And friends. If I'm just thinking about friends alone, it's 200 already. That's what I'm saying. But we'll be there. Do you think you turn into a bridezilla? Or do you think you'll be, like, a con bride? I mean, we never know till the day comes. You know what? I am definitely probably the con bride. Because I'm going to have somebody that's like, this is what I like, and plan it, please. Yeah. Because all of the details and all of the things, I get overwhelmed. I told you, the Libra in me is like, cannot decide. So I'm like, hey, this is what I want. This is what I want it to look like. Go ahead. Period. And what about you, D? So we have, we've narrowed it down to next July. So next summer. Come on, the date is always a kid. Come on, date. We're going to do it in Mexico. So it was, so it's difficult to try to figure it out. like you said um i feel like y'all are a little bit worse than we are because you know she uh at first she wanted this huge wedding and she has a huge family okay um so for our baby shower we did it down in houston where she's from and there was like 300 people at the baby but these are all real like real family members first cousins and whatnot so she got a huge family so at first she wanted something big and then um she wanted to elope and do something uh you know really intimate just us too and then we kind of uh we kind of settled in the middle ground and we have like a guest count of like 40 45 so it's semi-intimate yeah for sure which is which is a lot too because there's gonna be a lot of people that you know are a little are a little upset that they didn't get a invitation but it's it's you know it is what it is it is what it is are you like an into. She is a five-star chef. If y'all have never looked at her baked lamb, steak, and baked lobster, it's giving hours and hours. Lobster towers. I'm like, that man, I'm surprised you fit like this still. You see me covered up for a reason. But, you know, really, I'm not super into the details, you know, whatever is going to make her happy, I'm cool with. Yeah. Now, you shared online that you're in the newborn trenches. And you and I have talked about this personally, but we got to talk about it on the show, of how you're finding your balance back to your usual routine. I mean, we see you dancing. You're in the gym. So, to us, it seems like you still maintain, but how are you able to make space for yourself in this new responsibility? You know what? I'm figuring it out. Every day, every hour. It's just I'm finding it. And I feel like I want to start promoting that more. Yeah. Because it's not always just, oh, dang, she's still, you know, it's easy. No. I'm figuring it out. I have made it to the gym maybe twice in the past few months. Sure. And I think that that's a milestone, right? And I think that you just celebrate the little small pieces you get. And I did say something the other day on my page was like, if you get five minutes or 45 minutes, take it. Seriously. And I think that that's just what I'm juggling right now. Yeah. I'm figuring it out. How has it been with Joey? Because I think his daughter, he has a seven-year-old daughter. How helpful has he been being able to have the. The maturity of having experienced this before during this? Oh, my gosh. So helpful. I know that. He's very, very calm, cool, collected, you know, there for me when I'm having my little meltdown situations. Because let's talk about that. Okay. Let's talk about the night sweats and the. Girl, everything. He's not latching. Ready to rip your damn nipple off. Like, what's wrong with you, baby? Right. They said it was natural. Went through that phase. Now we're, you know, we're hungrier. And we're all of the things. So we're figuring it out. But he's been a great support. Yeah. Honestly. Was there anything in particular that surprised you most about becoming a parent? Ooh. Something that's very interesting is how the guys can just sleep. Yeah. You know? Yeah, they can. I can't sleep through it, for sure. I can't. Yeah, they can. You know, we can't sleep through it. I can't sleep through it. And every guy says that. Every guy says that. And that's very interesting. But I feel like. It's a very good detail. Hello. I think for us, again, I mean, we had an umbilical cord. Yeah. We created a whole organ. I can hear the breath. Like, I cannot sleep. I can, like, my baby, I keep going in the room seeing if he's breathing. Yes. Those first few months, it can drive you crazy because you're just like, are they good? Yes. Exactly. And the daddy just knocked. But I think the other thing, too, I would say is kind of like, I was in a very, like, denial space a little bit. Sure. I was like, whoa. I couldn't believe that, like. About what? That you had a baby. That I had a baby. Yeah, you were stunned. You were shocked. I was stunned. I was shocked. I think that was one of the most craziest parts for me, too. I didn't know I would feel like that. Yeah, the postpartum is huge. Yeah. And it hits everybody differently. And I think the main thing that doesn't get talked about enough when we get into it is that you don't know that what thoughts of yours are not your own. So you think, like, postpartum, you're going to know it as if there's a blinking light in your head that says, postpartum's beginning now. But no, it's just like. Suddenly, but surely, everything's an emergency. All of a sudden, you're stunned or you're shocked and you don't know how to process things. You don't really want to get out of bed. You're trying to find yourself. It's almost like a midlife crisis. And then after it starts to dial down some, you start to realize, oh, those are postpartum symptoms. Right. Because we don't know it. To us, it sounds like it's ourself. Yes. When I'm saying, he's trying to kill my baby. To me, it's real. But it's like, girl, no, just let them hold the baby. And so I think that's the. That's the big thing when it comes to postpartum, that I really try to, when I talk about it, normalize the reality. it just becomes a part of who you are right right it's not something that comes glaring at you absolutely now essence featured you in their 2024 sexiest man alive issue and they literally said tyler lepley doesn't get the credit he deserves for being one of the finest men in his next generation of leading male actors his smile swag and the party yes i mean when you hear stuff like that what goes through your mind is it like added pressure you know is it like a little humble grin And, like, what do you feel? Because that's a lot. You know what I think? That's a lot they put up on my man. All right, woo! I think for me, honestly, I just, it immediately takes me back to when I decided to do this. And everybody that I spoke to about it just didn't have anything positive to say, let alone any type of support, you know. So I just, yeah, I remember, like, you know, certain friends, certain family members even getting out here. Other actors that were going through a rut. You know, I checked everybody's temperature. And everybody had the same thing to say. Well, if you can't make a way for yourself in this small pond called Philadelphia, I mean, what makes you think you can go out to the middle of the abyss and do anything different? You know, so then you fast forward a quick 15 years, and you see, you know, you see all the support coming in different mediums. So that's what I really feel. It's like, you know, whatever it is that you're choosing to tune in for, it's like I feel that support. And that's dope because I came from the opposite. Wow. I hate to hear that, but I also love when I hear that because it's great for people that are going through that right now. Correct. People not supporting them. Somebody not believing in their dreams, not knowing if they have an opportunity or a chance to make it. But if you believe, and like you were saying at the top, seeing your glass half full and not empty, you'd be surprised at things that you can overcome. Before we get into Ruth and Boaz, we got to get into some of the other projects that you guys have done because you both were a part of huge cultural moments where these shows became phenomenons. I mean, obviously, I'm talking about you, Soraya, with Empire, and I'm talking about you, Tarla, with the Half Half Knots. How did that change your life? Like, what do you remember when those shows— Which everyone wants to go first, when those shows hit. And it was everywhere. I mean, it was insane with Empire. Yeah. Yeah. That was pretty crazy. What was it like? What was it like? Honey, I don't care what the pumpkin spice industry says. Summer ain't over just yet. And let me tell you, I had the vision of the perfect late summer getaway that would make Earth, Wind, and Fire proud. I can already see it now. And I'm dancing in a spacious Airbnb living room, surrounded by my crew, belting out Do You Remember? Because trust me, this is a memory in the making. With all the back-to-school chaos, sometimes you need a breather. Last year, I booked a guest favorite for a quick family escape. We had bedrooms for days, a kitchen big enough for our chopped leftover edition competitions, and the kids could do their schoolwork without feeling like they were in detention. If you're looking for that last taste of summer or a cozy fall retreat, check out Airbnb Guest Favorites. I mean, seriously, these are the cream of the crop, y'all. Perfect for family trips or friend getaways. You get more space, privacy, and locations that'll make your Instagram followers green with envy. Whether you're chasing the last rays of summer or embracing the pumpkin everything, Airbnb has a spot for you. Ah, baby, I just had the wildest ride with The Prophecy Season 2 on Audible. And Kerry Washington, she's taking Supernatural Thriller. To a whole new level. Dr. Virginia Edwards really thought she could finally breathe easy. But the universe said, "Not today." Just as she's setting in with her family, the power-hungry billionaire cult leader shows up threatening everything she's protected. On top of that, she's being hit with these intense visions, cryptic, otherworldly, and impossible to ignore. Now, she's racing against time with just one month to decode them before the world falls apart. And where do these visions lead her? Straight into the deep south. On a relentless run. Giancarlo Esposito is locked in as the villain, and he's hot on her heels and coming with full force. But good thing Virginia's got her trusted Ally Moses, played by Dulé Hill, riding shotgun. He and Kerry Washington go way back to psych, but this time, their characters are trying to stop a plan that could change the world forever. The performances will grab you, and the sound design, it'll pull you so deep into Virginia's world, you'll be looking over your shoulder at every strange noise. Whether you caught the first season or you're diving in fresh, The Prophecy Season 2 serves up thrills, chills, and some serious "what would I do?" moments. Ready to test your faith and face your fears? Listen to The Prophecy Season 2, now on Audible. Head to audible.com/prophecy2 for your free trial. Trust me, this is one prophecy you want to hear. I mean, it all came so fast. I mean, I know before then, you were performing and stuff, but I know you were working at, was it for a record label or something like that. I know before then, you were performing and stuff, but I know you were working at, was it for a record label or something like that. Where were you working when you were H&M? No, girl, so, yeah, so, H&M! H&M, yes! And just, you know, kind of maybe a low-key more vibe, but still working on your goals. Yeah. So then you get, you become Tiana, and then. No, I mean literally from, you know, no place to live to. How did you hear about the audition? From H&M, right there. From H&M to. So, crazy, one of my friends from high school hit me up, his name is Dejon. You gotta shout out Dejon. Okay, Dejon always gets a shout out from me. Hello! And he was like, "Oh, his stepmom is Leah Daniels." Okay, great. Never knew that before, though. Just for those who's listening or watching don't know, Leah Daniels' sister, Leah Daniels, she's also a casting director. Casting director, right. So they're looking for this character. They had been, Tiana on Empire, they had been auditioning for months or whatever, and no, you know, studio liked him. They didn't like him, you know. All this stuff going on. So anyways, he hits me up, "Oh, are you still, you know, acting? Are you still, like, doing music and stuff?" I'm like, "Yes." And then he's like, "Well, my mom has this, there's this new show they're doing, and, you know, they're auditioning for this role, and I think that you could be cool for. " I don't care what it is, just send this to me. I don't have no auditions, no agent, no nothing. I was just ready to do whatever. Yes, girl! So he sent it through. My mom over there, she's still right here. We went over the lines all night. I auditioned. They sent that through. Then I had to come back and audition a second time. And then it was like, "Okay, we're already shooting. We're filming. We need her in Chicago." And then literally, I just, like, stumbled on set, and everybody there was already casted. So Taraji, you know, Jessie, and they're like, "Oh, you're Tiana. Okay, we've been waiting to see who Tiana was." I mean, what was it like meeting Taraji, being on the set with Taraji and Terrence Howard? Especially this all coming so fast. Girl, I was like this, "Hi." That's it. I was 19. 19. Oh, my gosh. And where were you living before then? The Valley. I was in the Valley. Okay, you was in LA. So then now you're in Chicago. My city turned upside down. Yeah. Now I come to your city, know nothing about nothing, staying at the Thompson, just going back and forth. And just one thing led to another. I was a guest star for "Recurring," and I think I was a guest star until, like, season three. Or something like that. I mean, you were incredible, and you are incredible. Thank you. One thing I loved about that show that it gave people the opportunity, especially multi-hyphenates, is to show singing, dancing, and acting. Yeah. Because people be knowing you be singing, people be knowing you be acting, but you are also a great dancer. I remember when you did the video, I forget which video it was with Chris Brown. "Undecided." Dancing your ass. Thank you. So I love that we got to see that with that show, and obviously we continue to see that as fans of yours. But that was an iconic moment. We'll always remain in culture. And you, Tyler, with "The Have and Have Nots." I mean, what was that experience like? Where were you in your career when you got that opportunity? I was a personal trainer at the time. What? Okay, that tracks. I feel like I can see you being like, "All right, squat. Hold your back up. Spine straight." Oh my goodness. Yeah, Joyce. Spine straight. Spine straight. You know they always say that. Like, what are y'all talking about? The spine can't bend. It's obviously straight. Man, I was on my last couple dollars. Wow. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Okay. I remember getting down to my last client seat. So when we're chasing our dream, we always got to keep a couple dollars in the tank, obviously. Yes, yes. But then at some point, you can play both sides up until a certain point. You got to make a choice. So for me, it was like I had my 10 clients, and I was going on auditions, cool, auditioning here and there. Then I really liked it, and then I was going on a few more auditions and brought the client list down to five. I thought I'm down to my last client. Yeah. And she's really just here. You know, this client is helping me pay my rent and pay my car, and that's it, and my acting class, and this is what I'm doing now. Yep. So I'm probably like a year and a half into moving to LA. And I remember I needed some more money to be able to go out to the final callback. Yep. He was having one of the callbacks out in Atlanta. So you had to fly out. Yeah, yeah. And they flew us out and put us up. But like when I say I'm down to my last dollar, like if everything's paid, like I don't got a couple dollars for a sandwich. Yes. Like if I'm broke, I'm broke for real. Yeah, we're going into debt with a credit card now. Yeah, we're going into debt now. Right, right. For sure. So I remember, long story short, I had asked, can we do 20 sessions so I can get a little bit more upfront instead of our 10 sessions? It's going to end up being the same amount of sessions anyway. Long story short, the answer was no. And she had her two cents, too. She said this would—she was an English woman. And she said, it would almost be like if my doctor was—pardon me for the butchered accent. I'm like, is she Jamaican now? she said it would be like my doctor telling me he's gonna quit to become a dancer oh really yeah so almost like like who are you you said you finna go what be an actor imagine if my doctor told me he's gonna quit and become a dancer she thought she ate she was trying to play yeah she thought she ate she thought that was a mic drop moment she was cooking anyway anyway so that was so I ended up doing it anyway just put the faith up and you know that was actually the last call back for the haves and have nots and I switched them out on the same day how about that what oh my gosh God is really a comedian but um yeah yeah but I remember diving into that for the first time going from zero pages to a hundred pages a day can you imagine cause Tyler doesn't play I mean you have to tell me what was the experience of being a I mean I worked with Tyler when I was a kid but this was before he had the empire he has now like I did Medea's Film Reunion then I did oh my gosh House of Pain when he just started building the studios but now Tyler is you know he damn near Walt Disney yeah you know you know what I mean like he really has his own thing so when you were working with him up close and seeing that what kind of things did you take from he engineers his own work yes I mean so what did you learn in that process cause it's a lot of it's a lot of work for all of you yeah I would say the main thing is just what a real work ethic looks like you know this is this is the billionaire who's showing up he's there before everybody and he's the last one to leave he's out working everybody here you know what I mean it's like man it just puts it into perspective you know what it takes to get there a lot of people like to look at it and be like oh yeah like billionaire and all of a sudden billionaires are popping up left and right it feels like it's attainable to the outside it's like but when you get on the inside you see what it really takes to get there yes my man is a is just a workaholic and you know what he just all right my last thing about Tyler Perry sorry I love Tyler Perry he just man it's just it's amazing how he can still stay so grounded and he'll be he'll be just like this with you kicking all the game in the world there for as long as you need so I've taken that at my worst and been like hey T I just need a couple words prayers support insane advice so I couldn't agree with you more you know good people is good people and they're blessed because of it as an actress and a musician as we were talking about how do you feel like one side feeds the other creatively and I get this question a lot where people are like do you like no I like them all the same but they do feed each other and like I know when I want to get in one bag over the other like I feel like lately obviously you're getting ready to do this movie's getting ready to come out but I feel like I have been seeing you do a lot of music on your page I feel like you're getting in your music bag in this season a little bit so how do you know when you want to do what you know what it's very interesting and I do get that question a lot that's probably the number one question I get but I think that they definitely feed each other I think that it's just it's different parts of you creatively right like I feel music is like me and my authentic self whatever I want to talk about and I also always grew up like journaling and things like that so it kind of turns into that type of like release for me whereas with film and acting I get to like kind of tap into like a different side of me creatively and like bring different things out and find out what resonates with myself and my character and different things like that it's like painting I think but it's like canvases and they're just like slightly different but it's still painting right yeah I think people are starting to come around in our generation like when I was younger it was very fragmented what you were allowed to do as an entertainer it was just you was an actor you was a singer you was a comedian now I feel like we're having the opportunity to reintroduce the concept of just being an artist and like you said expressing yourself in whatever medium you see fit if you want to paint you know what I mean if you want to dance sing whatever it's all a part of you expressing yourself as an artist and so I love when we're not allowing those rules to stop us from being everything we are between Harlem and Pea Valley you're showing a lot of different things different sides of yourself which role do people stop you about most in the street? you know overall I don't know if I'm in the south I get a lot of Pea Valley if I'm I get a lot of Harlem too but I can't lie I get the most have and have nots yeah for sure what really? yeah that makes sense even after all this time yes it's crazy because I mean how many seasons was that? I think it was nine seasons oh my goodness you know Tyler Perry just has his like you said he's like he's the he's like Walt Disney yes and I mean I mean that's a soap opera like we don't get like that was a clear like that could have been I could if he wanted to he could have made that like Days of Our Lives and it could have went on 25 seasons you know and his audience is just but how long did it take you to shoot because I know he shoots really fast yeah yeah it still took about seven or eight years but you know you're shooting that whole this is back when we were doing 22 episodes and what not you know we were in and out in three weeks for 20 episodes I promise you no cap it doesn't feel good going to work sometimes I mean you want a break too yeah but when you're on your breaks don't y'all feel like I feel like this all the time whenever I'm working I'm like get me off of here and as soon as I'm on break get me back when's the next time I'm going to work again it's so weird because we always people don't know as entertainers we out of a job yeah till we get a job seriously it's like independent contract I'm like literally jobless literally I'm jobless till they hire me again right so they don't know it's a free flowing job okay now let's get into what we're here to talk about you guys are starring in Ruth and Boaz this is a new Netflix film that reimagines a classic biblical love story now what spoke to you most about this and I have to ask too especially as like I'm somebody that's nervous whenever I get whenever a romance comes across my desk unless it's like goofy and stuff I'm spooked because I'm like I'm going to have to kiss and we're going to have a love scene so how did y'all feel when this opportunity came for this movie that is it's a romance you know but we have the faith to it so what were you thinking any apprehensions any concerns yeah I mean okay so love love story right but um Devon did kind of like brief me on what it was and um Devon Franklin Devon Franklin the producer and so when I read the script I was like okay this is giving wholesome black love and so fabulous yes and so I was I was really here for it I love a good love story and I want to see us in good love stories more often so I think that was something that really rang to me and it was always on my vision board I had Love Jones on my vision board and so I'm like I always tell you who you look like Robin Gibbons oh yes yeah you do I tell you that every time I see you so Boomerang remake you need to be Robin hello can we do it girl you give me that down I live for her too I don't know who don't live for her but yes I know we love we love Robin yes we love her um but yeah so that was something that was like I was here for because I was like really excited obviously Devon Franklin Tyler Perry never worked with Tyler Perry before it's my first time yeah when I drove onto the lot and I got my little key card I was like yes it just gives life it does driving up it's beautiful I mean y'all at home like it's beautiful and I mean so inspiring but other than that um auditioning was awesome you know we did I was at we were okay we were actually filming a whole nother movie we auditioned virtually we were on the same movie from like the same hotel oh yeah what was the other movie because I know the cast of that one too what was Goons yes it's a slasher horror movie we're on the same movie we're going to work complete opposite complete opposite of what going from art to baby complete opposite we come down how did it happen I seen you in the lobby and he was like yeah I'm doing my audition and you had me too same thing yeah and then we're here like you know doing the chemistry read via you know virtually it was crazy chemistry read virtually is nuts it's crazy isn't that defeating the yes crazy chemistry through the wifi um okay so what were you thinking and feeling T I think the first thing I was feeling was excited to do something I have never done before I never did a been a part of a love story like specifically even you know when you get into Harlem yeah it's romance but it's comedy as well it's like a rom-com so I've never did anything that you know specifically gets to dive into just a love story so I was excited about that obviously to piggyback off of some of the things you were talking about Netflix Tyler Perry Devon Franklin you know what I'm saying Soraya you know what I mean so it's like I was excited about that as well but then when I actually like once I got the role and then I was able to read the script I was just really excited about us being able to tell our version of this because as you mentioned it's an older story originated in the Bible but then just where we're at with dating you know we've talked about this here and there on you know in certain interviews it just feels like everything is very transactional love is just on the surface it's transactional I can't look at you if you don't pull up with stars on the roof it's just like what's going on am I working the corners or am I working my heart that's what I'm trying to figure out I mean I live for you know look you need to make sure you're in an equal relationship where there's an equal give and take and that's important and it's finances is the top of your list that's real we live in a dying economy so yeah get it where you live it but I do think we are in a time where because we're in a dying economy and because everything is so rooted on survival sometimes we're not even creating any space for genuine love and connection we're not getting the opportunity to meet people from a place of being completely secure and full and in return it becomes very transactional so and I feel like you know where Boaz meets Ruth it's not you know she's definitely not the finished product she's you know she's in you know she's perfect no no but you know what I'm saying you know what I'm saying she's going through you know she's getting ran out of her old place she finds a new job she has a life going on yeah and I just feel like Uh, in the, in the real world, sometimes we make the mistake of feeling like we have to level all the way up to be ready for love. No, love can meet you right where you're at. God is always working, you know? That is everything. Facts, facts, facts. Because, by the way, who in their 30s is all the way leveled up? Right, what are you talking about? Right. I got grades. I don't know what I'm doing. Yeah, like, what's going on? Now, the film also features Felicia Rashad and some cameos from music legends like, first of all, Jermaine Dupri and Babyface. I mean, what was it like being on the set with all of these legends? You got a chance to actually work with them a bit more. Yeah, I did. Felicia Rashad. She's just everything. The icon. She's the icon. She's the regal. I just love talking to her and getting to know her. And I found out we have a, our birthdays are a day apart. Oh, my gosh. She's a Gemini, too. Yes, girl. And so, that was awesome. But Jermaine and, obviously, Babyface. I mean, I was so nervous. I was, it was epic. I was so nervous. You had a singer for everybody. Yes. You're going to record with Babyface in L.A. We're going to fly you out. And I was like, oh, chow. I walked in and you see Whitney and you see, just everybody's on the. When you think about Babyface's catalog, it gets kind of silly. The Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. Let's start and begin there. So, I go in and he's so poised and he's so chill and laid back. And he's like, yeah, we're going to do this. Are you ready? And I'm just like, okay, I want to flip out right now. But, you know. I mean, it was great. He's awesome. And Jermaine was super cool, too. I love Jermaine. He's still making, Babyface is still making hits. I mean, Jermaine is still living with the money long. Yes, he is. But it was also cool to see them in our element as far as film and TV. Yeah, that was pretty cool. Because he was kind of like, wait, like, oh, wait, I did my line wrong. And, you know, it was really cool to see, you know, that moment. And him ask me questions. I'm like, he's asking me. Something. So, it was really cool. It was awesome. How was it getting into the emotional romance bag? Did you guys learn something about yourself? Were there nerves? Did you guys have sideline conversations? Like, okay, this is a big scene. You know, how are we going to support each other in this? Or did you kind of go head first? I just don't know how she got through this while she was pregnant. I had no idea she was pregnant. Baby, this is Kiki Palmer, yeah. When I think about Church's Chicken, I'm taken back to those nights we try to figure out what we're picking up for dinner. And my dad would say, Church's, I'm not going to lie, we had a little tradition of our own. We'd always snag one of those fresh-baked honey butter biscuits for the car ride home. Sorry, family, quality control purposes. You know, that's what makes Church's so special. It's fresh, hand-breaded chicken seasoned just right. I still do the jalapeno squee just like my dad taught me. It's part of the experience now. And those honey butter biscuits I mentioned, baked from scratch daily. And, yes, they're worth the potential family drama. What I love is how Church's always comes through with portions that can feed everybody. Even after our little quality control moments, everything's made with real care. And you can taste it. At the end of the day, Church's Chicken is more than just a meal. It's family. It's tradition. It's home. Find your next meal and deal at Church's.com. How was you able to hide that? Well, the first. Body snatch like that? No, as soon as we started filming, literally, like, maybe that's. Maybe that week or. I don't even know. I think it was right before production started and we were doing pre-production. I found out. Girl, I mean, it's like as soon as you pee on a stick. Joey said, you're going to do a romance with Tyler Lethley. I know what to do. I am so done. I am so done with you. Good job, Joey. I found out and as soon as that happened, I was so sick. So, to be honest, I don't even. I don't even. I don't understand how I. I was just jumping in. Well, like we said at the time, I know how you did it. You did it as a mother at work boss babe. I mean, it's just in you. It's not on you. Yeah. The movie is rooted in, like, faith and chosen family. How have those principles shown up for you guys in your lives? At the end of the day, when the ish really hits the fan and it's like it's just you and yourself, the faith is all that you have. Yeah. I'm speaking for myself. You know, so I'll follow faith into the dirt. It just is what it is. We're all going to go one day. I feel like, you know, I feel like I know exactly what I'm here for. I'm figuring it out more and more every day. But, like, I have, like, an overall idea of what I'm here for. And it's not just to, like, pay bills and pass away. Yeah. It's. So, I have faith in every aspect of my life with, you know, with what I'm doing with film and TV, with what I'm doing with my. You know, with my fiance, my relationship with my parents. You know, that's. It's been rocky at times. Is your stepfather also white? I know your mother is white. So, yeah. So, you grew up as the only black person in your family. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. So, how was that experience? Yeah, I mean, that's. Oh, shit. Am I being microaggressed or do you love me? No. I mean, it can be hard if nobody understands your experience. You know, it's. I can only imagine. Yeah, yeah. I'll say this. You know, me and. Me and. Being one of the reps from Netflix, Julissa, we were talking about this recently. And, you know, I'll say that it was very, very different, very difficult to be. To have to be able to figure everything out, you know, alone. Now, my parents. The one thing my parents did just the best job in the world at was making sure I had that foundation of love. Yeah. No matter what. No matter what I messed up on or with, I was always able to go home and my parents both had my back, loved me to death, no matter what. Yeah. And I never felt that waver at all. You know, and that was enough to give me the springboard to go figure out who I was. Yeah. You know, especially, you know, it's like, who am I? You know, it's a lot. Especially when you don't have, like, an OG or anybody in your family to teach you about it. I had to. In the nature versus nurture aspect, it was all nature in terms of, like, who I am, who am I culturally and racially and stuff. And what about in school? I know you grew up in Philly, but, like, what kind of school did you go to? Were there. Was it a diverse school? Did you at least have some. All white. Uh-uh. Yeah. Really? My best friends. Okay, so let me tell you. I didn't know why we were laughing at that. It's not funny. She said, it's not funny. So I said, all right, cool, cool, cool. So I did this story the other day, and it was 2D. We're just going to keep this one light. But it just helps shine a light on, like, what I went through and having to deal with it alone. Right. With the love that I have for my parents. So my best friend in the second grade, my best friend in third grade, he. I'm on the bus, and he says, do you know what a n***a is? Oh, my gosh. He was saying. Not just. How do I know? Do you know what one is? I said, before I could say no, he said, that's what you are. It's you. It's you. Ooh. Bus stop. He got off the bus. He said, all right, I'm going to holler at you tomorrow. None of my. Just informing me. Did he add the N after? I'm going to holler at you tomorrow. No, he didn't say that. But I remember. I remember. My. My. No. So I just remember processing that on the ride home. I know. And had you heard the word before? No, but I knew. I felt it. You knew. I knew something. Oh, my gosh. Yes. So then I remember. I remember by the time. Charged. By the time I got home, like, you know, then the waterworks start coming. He's like, my parents were there for me. They loved me. And I remember even them marching down to Homeboy's crib. And, you know, my dad stood on business to let them know we wasn't riding for that. And all that was great. But, like, you know. But it's still. When it's time to go home and, like, you know, I'm in my room alone. I wake up the next morning. And, you know, and the rest of the life, you know, after that is, like, this is something that I had to really figure out for myself. So to take it back, you know, the faith, the faith in that scenario works because God is never going to steer me wrong. And even in terms of, like, my parents. Like, I put the faith everywhere. Even in terms of my parents, at that time, I didn't know if they was going to be able to show up for me. And it's a hard thing to show up for. But, you know, but 30, 37 years later, damn it, they're right there for me. So it's like the faith is always, has always served me. Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I mean, I had similar experiences growing up, going to private school. You know, both my parents are black, but they still. I still am going to be. I'm going to be, as a minority, you're going to be in situations where you are the minority. I was the only black kid in my class. They telling me my hair snapped, crackling, popping. And I'm like, what's wrong with it? You know, this is just, it's what it do. I got gel in my hair. It's a little hard, but it's cool. You know, and so you go through these experiences and sometimes your parents, even as my parents are black people, they were like, you got to go there and get your education and get the education that we paid for you to get. This is what it's about. And you got to ignore these people. You got to hold your head up high. And they're teaching me how to navigate it without letting. And that's stuff that. Yes, that's stuff that I take with me to this day as a black woman in corporate America. Like, everybody not going to like me. And sometimes people might say something crazy to you and you cannot. Toni Morrison said, the greatest form of racism is a distraction. It distracts you. It stops you from being on your goal because you're worried about telling this person you got value and teaching this person your worth. I don't really care if you see it or not. I'm focused on the prize. And I couldn't agree with you more with that faith. How has it showed up? I just want to know from you too, how has it showed up for you and even especially in this time in your life? Going through these changes, what does it look like for you with your family and your faith? Oh, girls, everything. Okay. Faith every day, every moment, every hour. Okay. I mean, for me. And I never do that. Wow. That was very compelling. But I think. We do our research. Okay. Okay. No, but for me, I think it's in everything I do. I have to. I feel like I don't have anything without it. Honestly, I grew up very faith-based. and so it's it's embedded in me in that way as well but then on my own journey you know as I became a big girl a grown adult you have to take that with you in every different situation and I can tell you whatever prayers grandma and mom prayed over me has kept me in a lot of different situations out of a lot of situations and took me through a lot of hard situations so I think that when I am facing tough times I do lean on that I do have those conversations with with my God you know what I'm saying and I think that that definitely just brings me through because I don't know what I'm doing yes I think that's the big thing we gotta always talk about that don't know what I'm doing I have no clue free-flowing you know what I mean just hey rocking with what I can I love what you said about the prayer zoo and I think me and my friends often talk about that when we look at the blessings in our lives that we feel like we did like I feel like there's so much that's happened in my life that I did nothing to get not saying that you deserve blessings things happen for you but like just my parents you know whoever prayed for them that prayer came to me and whatever prayers that were said before years back and back we are still reaping the benefit of those prayers and I think that's so incredible you know when you look back and think about those that prayed for you yeah you guys both talk openly about mental health as well I know that you have your deserving love foundation how did you come to creating that and what what made you feel that it was an important thing to do actually that's that's definitely my mom that she has always been cultivating deserving love it wasn't always called deserving love but it's always been there as an idea you know and the identity of it is is is up lifting women and and single parent moms and having this overall kind of like we we meet up we see each other face to face we we talk about things um we have speakers come sometimes it's just it's really about cultivating that community and sisterhood um and and that's kind of like where we're starting and we want to do retreats and we want to we just want to really push mental health to the front but then also having community because right now a lot of things are virtual everything's online and i think we have to pull up for each other and we need to be in each other's shoes and we need to be in each other's shoes and we need to be in each other's face and hold each other's hands literally the energy we need it we need it back so and it's it's it's truly honestly every time we do a sister we call it sister circle yeah every time we do sister circle it's someone leaves feeling like oh my gosh i didn't know i needed this so much or i could when's the next one or how can i help how can i be a part and we're growing um and and i think the fact when i see people changing in real time and and it affecting people in real time i'm like okay yeah and i love the name deserving love i remember i got into an argument or just like a conversation with my friend who wasn't of the same background as me about the word deserve with love and with god and i'm like it means so much different when you live an experience as a black woman where you're often told what you don't deserve and you're actually always entitled to it you're entitled to love you're entitled to god's love you're entitled to feeling of value and worth and so it is important the way that we you know we're not used language a lot of times it's different the way that other people use language some people might think that means something else but no like i deserve it because i've been told that i didn't right and so we have to rework that with those affirmations so i also love the title because those that's important when it comes to language it's important to say i deserve things especially when you've often been told you don't absolutely so thank you for doing that work and then how did you find your way into men you know just caring about mental health now i know that sounds crazy but i do feel like it's something that many of us are still waking up to is like it's okay to sit on that lady couch yeah i mean go see that lady and quick you know so how did you realize you needed to take a plop um i uh and i do also love that name by the way thank you um so i actually got started with so long i've been with gary um i love we call him gary yo g i haven't been there in a couple months but um maybe like it's been over 10 years yeah so i would say i first got into it because i got i got into it uh for for work purposes yeah you know so you you get there and whatever it is that they need they need it on action you know what i'm saying so it's like i was having trouble getting right there yeah on action so um you know one of my acting coaches was like here's a you know here's my roll decks of people like go go talk to a few people and that's why i sat down with gary for a while um and then and then i started i started seeing why i needed it in life you know so so it did it did help so the first first you know couple months couple years or whatever it worked i would go on set and i was i was noticing some improvement it was great but then as i kept going i started noticing that i was having you know i was working on certain skill sets in therapy that i was able to use you know when things got tricky and you know relationships in real life friendships business colleagues whoever and i would say that uh i realized again aries fire sign either i was blowing up if i was making a mess because y'all hold stuff in yes very keen to that yeah because that's like one of the things i struggle with and because we're holding in either when it comes out it's going to blow up and you're just making a mess which isn't really uh feeling your anger by the way you're just making a mess yeah you're avoiding it yeah so as soon as either that or then i was or i was going all the way in and i was having like uh like a crippled loyalty it's like i would cripple myself to make sure that you're good which is also not good oh my goodness yeah it's also not good because i'll be doing that too you know so the people pleasing thing yeah same idea committed to everybody but you but yourself damn so i feel like it'll be a lifelong for real it'll be a lifelong thing but um but i have noticed some um some positive changes from being able to go there even just in terms of like perspective yeah and having a proper one i just like what you said with lifelong thing because i think a lot of times we be thinking like you're only gonna fix our lives and then our life is fixed no it's like it's a continuing fix every day you know every day we're changing we're growing our mindsets are changing i cannot tell you how many conversations i've had with my friends as we've entered our 30s as now no longer the gen z-ers of the world with the millennials you know our time was great we were trendy and popping and now we've been kicked out and gen z is gonna know how it fails when gen alpha comes after their ass okay okay okay because they're ready to kick us out of everything anyway entering these 30s there's so many revelations so now we're at a whole new whatever conversations and things we were feeling like we overcame in our 20s it's like you're 30 now have you remember this no for real girl recapping and you're like i thought i was healed and it's like there is no heal there's continued healing and even beyond healing because that comes with the idea of being broken it's really like it i always talk about this with self-esteem because people so and so have low self-esteem there really is no low self-esteem no highest self-esteem there's a continuing growth of esteem because you only can know what you know once you've experienced it and so having that grace with ourselves and i think that's what i'm talking about i think about this all the time as a i hate to bring signs into it but as a virgo that's always trying to be perfect it's like things happen so you know not to make them happen again and so grace is a big thing for me this season grace with myself grace with what i don't know what i'm trying to undo um and then like embracing the unknown you know you guys have amazing chemistry i see it right here yeah we had fun on set we did we did we had a lot of fun but now we're going to get into this pairing off screen so i thought we'd play a little game called most likely to to see how this aries and gemini pairing really goes what do you guys think let's do it so i have these paddles and i'm going to play along with you guys i'm going to give you this one there are no it's when the outfits are stiff it's fine yeah you can barely even get up i can't even reach i am i am me too babe to the seat she's like i'm sewn in okay so i'm gonna ask you guys who's i'm gonna ask you guys who's most likely to blah blah blah okay and you guys are gonna show me with this and i'm gonna play along i might be wrong i might be right we'll see so who's most likely to and this first one is because i know that you both are former athletes who's most likely to win in a one uh one-on-one pickup basketball come on i am gonna see who's most likely to win in a one-on-one i'm gonna say him i'm gonna say him too i know you were the head in your high school i did okay i try to do a pickup game while my dad is always pulling me into pickup games first of all my dad plays basketball he pulled me yesterday i haven't played basketball in years i've nails and everything i've given him work listen i couldn't breathe let's talk about that i do want to talk about let's talk about running and dribbling it's quite impressive it's quite impressive because the hand-eye coordination and cardio that's going on guys the cardio i forgot about that part i'm like oh yeah cool let's do it couldn't breathe couldn't breathe yeah okay be the first to cry at their wedding he gives that he's gonna tear up yes you think you're gonna cry yeah she is though she's a little sensitive too you guys both are sensitive but you guys don't show too much that's why i feel like on the wedding day it's gonna be like you guys y'all reading y'all vows and you are my rock he's gonna say some deep okay blast the better playlist in the trailer i feel like you got a mean playlist because you'll be getting that hey i know and i've been in one of your parties before what flavors do you want okay i like all the flavors all right um Clap back the hardest if someone comes for them online. This is tough for me because I feel like neither one of y'all clap back. I had to clap back bad at somebody earlier this morning. That's my thing. Yeah, no, but I'm going to say her because she got that hair. I'm going to say her because it's just that new mother in her. I feel like she's going to be mama bear. If somebody says something about that baby. Somebody play around, I don't think she's going to play. Somebody said my baby look like Ed Sheeran. I would have been mad, but he did a little as a newborn. It was a little bit, you know. I was like, hey, Ed. I got over it. Knows everyone's business before lunch. I'm only going to say you because you're the type of person that everybody would tell everything to. This is true. You have such a calm vibe of just like, she ain't going to ever tell my business. She really don't care what she's hearing. It's going one without the other. So I feel like a lot of people vent to you because they know you don't. You're never going to be like on it like that. You know? Why are you reading me? You are reading it though. God, I live for you. Because it's not that I don't care. I just don't care to share and keep going back and forth. So, yeah, you can tell me. That's why I'm telling you. She don't care about my business. Period. Okay. Has the hottest DMs right now. Well, the only reason why I'm going to say you is because I feel like Joey will kill everyone. Like, I feel like you. I feel like. My DMs are like Spongebob and Sandy. I know them DMs was fire, sister. Yes. But I feel like you probably have. Look, look, look. No. My girl. Everybody wants it. I'm so done with you. Period. Period, girl. I am finished. Get off. But I know it's hard to get the girl. What happens, actually, when you and Miracle go out? This one. I honestly. Do they? I feel like it's the same. Y'all capping it up too much. It's very dry. It's very boring in the DMs. I'm telling you. It's going down in the DMs. Yeah, I know. Okay. Hide snacks on set for between takes. I'm saying you just because you was pregnant at the time. Oh, my gosh. For sure. Definitely. Even when I'm not pregnant, I snack. Yeah, she just came back in here chewing on some type of candy. What's your favorite snack? I had a pineapple. Like, are you a salty or a sweet is really the question. Oh, girl, salty and sweet. I like it all. You know, I'm with the chocolate. I want a fruit. You know, I might want a bar. Yeah. I might want a chip. Today, I might want a Dorito. We got some good chips and salsa in the bag. We do have snacks at Baby Disney. Now, wait a minute. The snacks here, the setup here is. Yeah, setup was crazy. Green room was nice. We appreciate that. I didn't get a good green room. I mean, yes. Y'all know I'm the hostess with the mostest. I can't have y'all. I'm crazy and hungry. Okay. Show up. Show up late, but be the best dress every time, on every occasion. I literally was late today. She might be, like, a little late, but she gonna come through and show you why you was late on the show. Yeah, just came through, though. You know. Period. Okay, last one. Leave set with a little souvenir without asking. You look like you might clap, though, a little something. Oh. Come on, Philly. I mean. They were my house shoes. What did Denzel say? I'm leaving with something. I'm leaving here with something. He leaving here with something. I'm gonna tell you right now. I always leave with something. Jewelry. The underwear, I already put them on. No, yeah. Who's giving that back? Come on. Shapewear. I got a lot of free shapewear. Girl, my whole draw is nude. The best. Yeah. Nude, nude, nude. Nude, nude. And I love it. Guys, you're amazing. Thank you so much for coming to the show. Ruth and Boaz coming out September 26th. We're getting romance. We're getting love. Shout out to Devon Franklin and Tyler Perry. God bless you guys. Thank you, Kiki. This has been an honor. Absolutely. Congratulations on everything. Thank you, Ruth. You are simply amazing. Continuing to rise, continuing to show us the right example. Baby, this is Kiki. Baby, This is Kiki Palmer is hosted and executive produced by me, Kiki Palmer. Lucas Siegel is our post producer. Our producers are Lauren Hampton and Molly Nestor. Hilary Esty. Nick Laughlin is our executive producer. Production services provided by Evolution Media. Our original theme song was written and performed by me, Kiki Palmer. For Team Kiki, my producer is Sharon Palmer. For Wondery, our managing producer is Olivia Fonte. Senior managing producer is Nick Ryan. And our executive producers are Emily Feldbrake, Aaron O'Flaherty, and Marshall Louis. There are books that change how you see the world. And there are books that change how you see yourself. In a new podcast series, A Great Book with Barack Obama, President Obama sits down with a series of surprising and sharp guests to explore six books that have shaped his life and perspective on the world. From Song of Solomon and The Fire Next Time, to All the Pretty Horses and Gilead, the president is joined by guests like Tom Hanks and Ta-Nehisi Coates to reflect on how these timeless stories of the world have changed his life. His timeless stories shaped his thinking on everything from fatherhood to leadership. And discover together what they tell us about the world we live in and the world we want to create. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of A Great Book with Barack Obama ad-free right now. Plus access each audiobook discussed in the series. Download the Audible app today. Dr. Seuss' Cat in the Hat. And fish are back for a whole lot of wonderfully whimsical fun. What happens when you switch bodies with your best friend? Discover a caveman frozen in ice? Or make an alien so angry he threatens to destroy the planet? Find out in Season 2 of the Cat in the Hat podcast. The cat and fish are traveling the world in the great catastrophic cacophony cruiser, meeting genies, clown professors, cave trolls, and extraordinary characters along the way. With clever wordplay, imaginative rhymes, original songs, and stories celebrating curiosity, empathy, and creative problem solving, every adventure brings something new to discover. It's a world of wonderful words, big imaginations, and plenty of heart for the whole family. Listen to the Cat in the Hat podcast wherever you get your podcast. Audible subscribers can binge all 20 episodes early and ad-free right now.

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. Soraya and Tyler share personal experiences of motherhood, love, and faith, highlighting how these roles have transformed their identities and relationships.
  2. Both reflect on the challenges of postpartum life, including emotional volatility, sleeplessness, and the unexpected reality of parenting, while emphasizing the importance of support systems.
  3. The conversation explores the cultural impact of their careers, especially Soraya’s role in *Empire* and Tyler’s work with Tyler Perry, which shaped their creative confidence and professional growth.
  4. A central theme is the balance between faith, self-worth, and resilience, with both guests expressing how faith has sustained them through life’s struggles and transitions.
  5. The new Netflix film *Ruth and Boaz* is celebrated as a meaningful reimagining of a biblical love story that centers on authentic, non-transactional relationships and chosen family.
  6. They discuss the importance of embracing all forms of artistic expression—music, film, and personal storytelling—as interconnected parts of a holistic identity.
  7. Moments of vulnerability, such as discovering a romantic relationship during production or early parenting, reveal how personal growth and self-awareness unfold in real time.
  8. The episode promotes inclusivity and cultural authenticity, acknowledging the experiences of Black women in predominantly white environments and the lasting impact of parental love and faith.

Summary:

Soraya and Tyler share a heartfelt, intimate conversation centered on motherhood, faith, identity, and personal growth. As Soraya reflects on becoming a mother and getting engaged, and Tyler shares his journey through parenting and career shifts, both emphasize how these experiences have reshaped their lives and values. They highlight the emotional challenges of postpartum life, including sleeplessness, parenting stress, and the struggle to maintain self through new responsibilities.

The discussion delves into how their careers—especially Soraya’s role in *Empire* and Tyler’s work with Tyler Perry—have shaped their confidence and creative direction. A key theme is the role of faith as a guiding force, especially in times of uncertainty, with both expressing how daily prayers and family support have helped them through adversity. They also discuss the importance of authenticity in art, advocating for Black women to embrace all forms of expression without restriction.

The conversation culminates in their excitement about the new Netflix film *Ruth and Boaz*, which they see as a powerful portrayal of genuine, non-transactional love rooted in faith and chosen family. Personal stories of vulnerability—such as discovering a romantic connection during filming—underscore how self-discovery and emotional honesty are vital in navigating life’s transitions. The episode blends personal insight with cultural reflection, affirming the strength of Black women’s experiences and the enduring power of community, faith, and resilience.

FAQs

It refers to balancing the responsibilities of motherhood with a strong, confident professional presence in the workplace.

Her body changed post-baby, allowing her to explore fashion in new ways, embracing curves and finding a more personal, authentic style.

It reflects a positive outlook on life that helps individuals focus on blessings and overcome challenges, especially during life transitions like parenting or marriage.

He was excited to participate in a faith-based romance story, as it aligned with his personal values and offered a meaningful, authentic narrative about love and connection.

She struggled with postpartum anxiety, sleeplessness, and emotional overwhelm, including moments of confusion and fear about her own mental state and parenting abilities.

Their journeys highlighted growth in self-awareness, faith, and emotional resilience, showing how personal challenges shaped their confidence and perspective on love and success.

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