It's time to pull up at the bar for another episode of xoNecole's Happy Hour podcast!
Ayeee it's lit! This week, we are celebrating our one-month anniversary of launching xoNecole's new podcast. We are extremely grateful for all the love you guys have shown us, the positive ratings and reviews and helping us peak at #6 on Apple Podcasts (All Time Best Sellers) Relationship charts.
To celebrate, we decided to take Happy Hour out of the office and on-location at our favorite bars around Altanta while inviting some special guests.
During episode 6, the xoSquad Necole, Amer and Sheriden kicked it at Parlor in Atlanta with actor Kendrick Cross who plays Titus Hughes on OWN's new drama series Ambitions.
Over some delicious signature cocktails and a few giggles, the actor revealed how he turned poetry into an acting career, why vegans taste better, and answers a round of first date questions.
Don't forget to listen and subscribe to xoNecole's Happy Hour on Apple Podcast. And follow us on Spotify. You can also check out show notes for this episode here.
Don't forget to subscribe to the xoNecole YouTube channel for exclusive interviews and original series here.
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THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
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VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images
