Life's journey is often filled with times that are best described as happening by chance or by doing things on a whim. For Susan Kelechi Watson of NBC's This Is Us, a career in acting may have never materialized had she not decided to apply to Howard University in Washington, DC.
Watson says she wasn't even sure if she even wanted to go to college, but when she found out her good friend had applied, she did the same. This decision eventually led her to secure an acting scholarship to study Shakespeare abroad at Oxford University, and soon after, the acting bug bit her. Recently, the 36-year-old recently sat down with Glamour to discuss her career trajectory, her advocacy work, and why, as a Black woman, no one will invalidate her.
The New York native initially kept her career goals to herself and away from her parents. As any child of Jamaican parents can attest to (myself included), we are taught to provide for ourselves in more traditional ways. Jamaican parents value hard work and steady career paths over creative endeavors, and for Watson, she says that she went forward in pursuit of her dream job anyway, despite her parents' wishes. "I just kind of got into it without telling them," she told the mag.
And we are so lucky that she did! Watson's big break came when she landed the role of Janet on TV's Louie back in 2012. But once that show ended, she found herself back on the audition circuit hoping to secure another role. Watson says that after a particularly bad audition, she was on the phone with her good friend and fellow actress Danai Gurira. The two spoke her role as Beth Pearson on This Is Us right into existence. Of the conversation, she said:
"Danai says to me,' You know what, girl? Maybe God just has a pilot for you or something.' Then I get a beep on the other line—literally."
For the past two seasons, Watson has become one of the show's favorites on and off set. Her show husband, Sterling K. Brown, also really loves her, literally, He says he had to tell his own wife, "You don't have to worry, but I need to let you know that I love this woman." He continued:
"She's such a big giant heart of a human being. She's so Brooklyn. She's so New York—she's got the accent and everything—but underneath that exterior, she's just as warm a soul as you will ever come in contact with."
Watson doesn't take any of this for granted, however. She knows that it's the people that keep the show going. Now in its third season, there has been so much love show for her character as Beth Pearson. So much so that when rumors started circulating that perhaps the Watson's character's death was impending, fans started online petitions to "Save Beth Pearson." Watson revealed:
"It's always really cool as an actor to have a character that people want to see the best for… To know that people are behind her, to know that people are rocking with her and get her."
Watson readily recognizes her place as one of the few Black actresses forging a way in Hollywood, it's her work in the community that will leave the most lasting impact. She currently works with a New York City nonprofit called Drama Club, which provides mentorship to young people who are either currently incarcerated or are tied up in the court system. Additionally, she works with the Epic Theater Ensemble, an organization that provides access to theater for first-time audiences, promotes inclusivity in the arts, and engages students in the art of telling their own stories, which facilitates empathizing with the stories of others.
By lending her voice to these organizations, not only is she showing young people that they "can do it too", but she is also sharing love, compassion and optimism with disadvantaged young people who may not otherwise receive this validation. Watson's commitment to these organizations is helping these students find their value and pursue their purpose in live. She says of her work with these organization:
"As a black woman in a world that has tried to invalidate me, I just wasn't having it… We all need somebody to say, 'I love you. I see you. And I'm not going to give up on you'… Everybody has validity. Everybody has a purpose."
From the sounds of it, Watson's on screen character and real life share some commonalities. When asked about the future for Beth, the actress reveals:
"I feel like she's going to start a community project that's based on one of her artistic passions. She also has a background in dance, which you'll see this season...And still together with Randall, of course. I don't think he's going anywhere."
To read more of Susan's cover story with Glamour, click here.
Featured image by Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
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To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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