Synopsis: Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) bond over an eventful day in South London after discovering they are both recovering from bad breakups.
Would I recommend it?
Yes! This 2023 Sundance Film Festival selection checks all the boxes for a good rom-com movie, especially with the acting chops showcased by David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah. The tone and pacing of the film felt appropriate, I was at no point thrown off. Although their experience together took place in one day, it did feel like they had this journey over the course of at least a few days.
I have not been to South London, but from the looks of it, it is an excellent place to visit. This is all based on the amount of scenic exposure the director gives the audience. The environment looked spectacular. He did a good job of sucking the viewer into the locale. You almost feel like you’re there yourself.
The film pays tribute to the music of the ’70s, ’80s, and ‘90s with songs from each of these eras. I personally commend this because I love music from those periods. The nostalgia rushed over me when I heard back-to-back hit tracks during a backyard bbq scene.
I loved the chemistry between Jonsson and Oparah in this film. The dialogue between the two (including non-verbal cues) had me rooting for them to end up an item. Each brought the best out of the other, from the shy and broken Dom to the free-spirited yet delicate Yas. I haven’t felt this since Dwayne and Whitley from A Different World. I also enjoyed the lead characters’ interaction with the other personas in the film. For example, to me, the funniest moment was when Yas’ ex’s family appeared. They didn’t have much screen time but quickly had me laughing since they reminded me of my family hangouts. There was a sense of relatability that made this flick feel nostalgic.
Jonsson is already ascending in stardom, but I can for sure see Oparah as another rising star whom I wouldn’t mind watching in more projects. Oparah undoubtedly wins over the audience with her charming and fun personality.
Cinematography
What stands out in this film is how Allen-Miller uses color palettes and visuals to set the scene’s tones. For example, during flashbacks, the director uses darker purples and blues when a character reveals a heartbreaking story. The director cleverly sets up these flashbacks like stage plays where the characters are in the audience along with the movie’s viewers watching these memories play out. It’s one of my favorite things about the film; if I had to compare it to a style, I would say it resembles Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You”. I look forward to seeing more work from Allen-Miller and witnessing her career flourish as she becomes a household name.
Initially, I did not understand why the art gallery at the end featured portraits of naked butts, but as I thought about it further, I realized that the beginning of the film featured pictures of people’s mouths in the art gallery. I wonder if this is supposed to be symbolic of moving from start to finish as the viewer is introduced to the mouth in the film’s opening and then as we exit the film, we are shown bare naked bums. Clever.
This is one of the best rom-com I’ve seen in a while! If you loved Brown Sugar, Love and Basketball, or Love Jones, Rye Lane is a film definitely worth your time. I can just about guarantee it’ll be added to your list of top Black rom-coms. With loveable characters, creative cinematography, and a heart-warming love story, Rye Lane is one of my favorite films of 2023 thus far.
Some of us in the Black community were taught that therapy was for people who were either batsh*t crazy or very wealthy (we call that “eccentric”). For everything else, you could talk to a family member on the porch or Pastor Curtis after Sunday service. Nowadays, it is not unusual to seek therapy. That is a stigma to which we’re more than happy to say farewell. The new film A Snowy Day in Oakland explores the hesitation and the process of getting treatment in the Black community. Two of its stars, Nicole Ari Parker and Loretta Devine, were kind enough to discuss with Taji Mag about the film and how they manage their own mental health.
Dapper Dr. Feel (DDF): Can you tell us a little bit about A Snowy Day in Oakland and a little bit about your character, Jeanette?
Loretta Devine (LD): A Snowy Day in Oakland is really a dramedy. I’m sort of like the comic relief in the show. I’m sure you’ve probably met people in your community that are a little like her. Lol! She’s a gossip. She barely does her job, but the way she carries on you would think she was doing more than her job. She is in everybody’s business. I think she might be reading their mail. She is nosey; she’d tell them she didn’t open it and glue it back together. She’s the busybody of the community, but I think every community is blessed that they have at least one person that is all up in everybody’s business. So they’ll tell you if somebody comes by somebody’s house. She’s a little over the top compared to everybody else who seems so normal. I have to admit, when I watched it I was like, “Oh my God, pull out, Loretta, pull out!” But that’s what the director Kim Bass told me to do.
DDF: Yeah. I can definitely relate. My life was like that. That’s why I was cracking up the whole time. I was like, “Man, I know somebody just like that”… I’m not gonna say who.
LD: They know you’re talking about them.
DDF: I know, and they’ll see this and call me after seeing this video.
DDF: Nicole, why are people opening up to Latrice? Everybody seems to resist her at first but then ends up on her couch opening up to her.
Nicole Ari Parker (NAP): I think she has to earn their trust. With her capacity to listen, I think it helps. Even if she isn’t from that particular moment in their lives, she seems like a fancy lady coming in. I think she calmly lets them know that they’re in a safe space, then has the patience to listen, and then is strong enough to give it back to them in a way that makes them think and talk more about what it is that’s affecting them. Because we hold everything close to our chest, a good therapist really lets you know it’s okay to honor what’s going on inside of you and to verbalize it. You can ask for help. So I think that’s a great message in the film. It’s a gentle but still compelling message.
DDF: Loretta, your character Jeanette seems to have a unique relationship with Dr. Monroe. She reads her very well. Can you describe the relationship between your character Jeanette and Dr. Latrice Monroe, played by Nicole Ari Parker?
LD: Well, you know, it seems like this movie title tells you a lot about what the movie’s about. Initially, it was called “Head Shop“. We started production in 2017. That was way before the pandemic. And what we’ve gone through since then with being shut down for three years, and we’re just now coming out…I think now everybody does need therapy.
Kimberly Elise as Theona, Deon Cole as Davis, and Loretta Devine as Jeanette
My character thought the couch was the trick, which had nothing to do with the doctor and her knowledge. She figured “the therapist is constantly asking questions…, so I’m gonna just sit here and answer questions, but when I go to Jesus, I ain’t gotta do all that.” So I think she came in initially knowing everything [she could find out] about the doctor. But eventually, she realizes that therapists need therapists as well. This is when the movie really gets interesting. Anything she knew about the doctor, she passed it back to the community. I’m trying so hard not to tell too much so people won’t be saying “Well, I don’t need to see the movie because she already told me everything that’s gonna happen.”
DDF: We see Jeanette slowly get Latrice to open up. What do you think makes her open up to Ms. Jeanette?
NAP: Well, I think Loretta could get anyone to hand over the secret code. She’s just so brilliant! And I just think the writer/director, Kim Bass, really wanted to show all facets of everyone’s healing process. So he wrote those kinds of moments in which everyone gets a revelation.
DDF: How do you manage your mental health? Do you pray, exercise, etc.?
NAP: That’s a great question! I have a lot of different ways of managing life’s obstacles, but I’ve started with my self-esteem. Meaning if I am in pain, I say I’m in pain. I no longer swallow it right away because of shame, fear, or [being unsure of] who I can tell this to. I honor that this is an opportunity to heal something. I don’t let it break me anymore, but I also say, “Okay, this is a particular issue I should take to my therapist. After I’ve talked to my therapist (or even before I’ve talked to my therapist), I also say to myself this is also an issue I should pray for. If it involves another person, I now have the words to express that to them and I don’t hold it in anymore. It doesn’t mean there’s confrontation when I let it out, but there are steps to honoring the process of healing. Sometimes a bubble bath, candles, and meditation music are mixed in there too. So it’s a lot of different modalities, but it starts with honoring the identification of something [being] amiss, [accepting that] something is not right.
LD: All you have to do to manage your mental health is to believe everything’s fine. Lol! Everything is everything. It is what is. You know, I stay busy all the time. I’m a workaholic, which may be why I probably need therapy. I also have a lot of activities that I love to do. I love knitting, crocheting, making gowns, and making jewelry. So I think you have to fill your life up, you know? That’s how you maintain your mental health. Keep it full. Plus, I lived alone for a long time, so I had to figure out how to entertain myself if there was nobody there to consider me. When people came over, I’d say, “I wish they’d go home ’cause I could be doing stuff I want to do. I could’ve made a whole evening gown and ate my food while they sat there talking.” That’s how I maintain my mental health. So don’t ask me any more hard questions, ok? Lol!
DDF: I can’t ask you any hard questions??
LD: You can ask me hard questions.
DDF: You’ve done everything from this character to your character in Spell; how do you manage to get these phenomenal roles?
LD: Did you like Spell?
DDF: I did. I was like, whoa! I was impressed.
LD: It was shocking. DL Hughley wished it on me. During an interview with me, he said, “I’m so tired of seeing you play nice. I know you ain’t that damn nice. I hope you get an evil character.” And just after he said that, about a month later, I got the offer to do Spell. But with me and the stuff that comes to me, it ain’t nobody but God. See, God and I, we are close, we are like this (gestures closeness).
Loretta Devine as Jeanette
DDF: Loretta, I’ve been waiting to ask you this question for years. In Waiting to Exhale, your character, Gloria, gave her neighbor a plate full of food. Gloria made the greens, cornbread, yams, etc. So what does Ms. Devine want on her plate?
LD: You know, it depends. If you were going past Phillips, you could gimme some ribs and barbecue. You can bring me some of those tacos if you go by Bill’s Tito Taco. If you go by the Serving Spoon, [I’ll take] food from there. If you go to the Spanish restaurant, you can bring me some margaritas.
DDF: Nicole, I will tie in one of your other characters. We saw in TheBest Man: Final Chapters, Xiomara goes off the rails after Quentin (played by Terrence Howard) breaks up with her. If Xiomara was a client of Latrice, what would happen?
NAP: Latrice might not let her (Xiomara) bring the sage into the office but I think Latrice would have Xiomara do the talking and see where all this came from, all the multiple personalities.
DDF: What do you think people will get from this film?
NAP: The belief in love again and joy and the trust in reaching out for help and talking about it if you need to.
A Snowy Day in Oaklandis a dramedy that explores therapy and mental health in the Black community. The characters are good representations of people I’ve come across in my community growing up, making the film funny and relatable. It resembles movies like Barbershop or Friday, but with less exaggerated scenarios. There are some profound messages in this film that I think people will connect with and hopefully serve as a reminder that everyone needs help and shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it. A Snowy Day in Oakland will be released in theaters on March 17, 2023.
Directed and Written by Kim Bass
Starring Loretta Devine, Nicole Ari Parker, Keith David, Kimberly Elise, and Deon Cole.
NIGHT COURT — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: Lacretta as Gurgs — (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC/Warner Bros. Television)
Back in the 90s, I remember this show and especially its distinctive theme song with its upbeat tempo and saxophone-laced tune, it was Night Court. It usually meant it was almost bedtime for me. It featured a cast of colorful characters: a judge who performed magic tricks (Judge Harry, played by Harry Anderson); a bald, physically imposing but friendly bailiff (Bull, played by Richard Moll); and a no-nonsense, quick-witted bailiff named Roz (played by Marsha Warfield). Now the 2023 Night Court features a host of new characters besides prosecutor Dan Fielding (played by John Larroquette). The show has a new bailiff, Donna “Gurgs” Gurganous (played by actress Lacretta). The actress took time from her busy schedule to talk with Taji Mag about her role on the show, her castmates, and even her love for gaming.
Dapper Dr. Feel (DDF): I wanted to start by asking, how in the heck did you fall out of your hammock on New Year’s Eve?
Lacretta: So, I’m still kind of in shock with everything happening, right? Even though I’d been part of the Night Court project this whole time, I was trying to talk to my viewers about it. So I was like, “You know, let me just go upstairs to the roof and just kind of chill out for the night.” I got a little bit ahead of myself and instead of putting one leg into the hammock first and then the other leg, I decided to put both legs into the hammock and promptly tipped myself out of it. I scraped my toe on the wall, which was not a pretty picture. After I got myself all cleaned up, I went back up to the roof with a cocktail, and then I sat in a chair like a proper lady.
DDF: Bet you won’t make that mistake again. Tell me, what was your reaction when you got the role and how did you prepare for it?
Lacretta: I gravitated to and responded to the weirdest moments in cinema because I wanted to capture a little bit of Richard Mall. I felt I had to pay homage to him and the other bailiffs on the show.
I know altogether there were four different bailiffs. The first two, unfortunately, passed away at the end of their season. The other two were the most iconic for me (Richard Mall as “Bull” and Marsha Warfield as “Roz”). I had to pay homage to both of them.
Um, so as I was saying, for certain parts in the script, weird moments in cinema like from Orient Express and from Are You Being Served and Keeping Up Appearances (both British comedies) just kind of popped into my head and I just allowed myself to release. And then when I got the call that I had booked it, I was actually laying on the floor with my feet up because my ankle was a little puffy and I was trying to recirculate that blood. I got a text message…”oh my God, congratulations on Night Court being picked up” and I was like “What do you mean?” And my friend said “You guys got picked up!” I sat up so fast that I saw stars and got a little dizzy. I just had to text all my friends the good news.
I continued with the person that gave me the good news and said, “Well, did you check the date on the article?” He was like “yeah, it came out in Hollywood Reporter 10 minutes ago. Y’all got picked up by NBC!” Tears started rolling down my face and snot was coming out of my nose, I started hyperventilating. It was really bad. But I love that the person who called me and let me know was actually one of the writers/creators for Disaster, which is where I made my Broadway debut.
DDF: “Gurgs” seem to have the best chemistry with “Olivia” (India de Beaufort). Who do you think your character has the best chemistry with?
Lacretta: Yeah, I think it’s all different, but I spend a lot more time with India de Beaufort and Kapil Talwalkar who play “Olivia” and “Neil” [respectively] in the series.
Outside of work, I definitely spend a lot more time with Kapil because we’re both gamers. So we call each other and check on each other more often, but it just kind of trickles down. What I love about it is that we’re very much a family. And with family, you don’t always talk to your cousins, you don’t always talk to your aunties, but when you do get together, you know that this is blood…this is family.
DDF: When I first heard about you getting this role as the new bailiff, automatically the character “Roz” popped into my head. How would you say “Roz” and “Gurgs” are similar and how are they different?
Lacretta: We’re both very grounded. We both have our moments, she more so than I. Where we differ: my character is a lot more playful than “Roz”, but she did have her moments. I was telling someone before that there’s a beautiful episode that I just kind of stumbled upon of “Roz” teaching “Dan” how to ballroom dance. There’s a moment where they’re sitting at a table in the cafeteria. They’re just kind of chatting when he says something along the lines of “You know, I came to your apartment and I stood outside your door” and she replied “Yeah, I know. But you know, there could never be anything between us right?” It was just a lovely episode and I loved to see that interaction between the two of them because they are such polar opposites. It’s just such smart writing on this show from then until now that I’m just…I can’t wait to see what happens with it.
DDF: Now, since you are a gamer, if you can make “Gurgs” a downloadable content character, what game would you put her on?
Lacretta: Oh, Saints Row! What!? Especially in this new incarnation which I still haven’t finished. But in the new incarnation of Saints Row, my character very much looks like her except for the piercings. That’s the only difference. What else would I put her in? I would put her in High On Life, which is a new game with a lot of the voices from Rick and Morty. That would be kinda interesting. That game’s crazy and so funny. That was a good one. And then I mean everybody wants to be a Fortnite avatar. I wanna be on Fortnite.
DDF: What do you think people will get from this revamped version of the 80s/90s classic?
Lacretta: I hope that they get a sense of nostalgia. I hope that they find joy while watching this new Night Court and find a moment to escape from the stress that’s going on in the world right now. In a world of uncertainty, what’s for sure is that for at least 20 minutes out of our half-hour slot, you’re going to be laughing and you’re gonna be able to step away from what you’re dealing with. Watch Lucretta as the charismatic bailiff “Gurgs” and her castmates on Night Court on NBC. The sitcom has just been renewed for a second season.
From writer/producer/director, Phil Augusta Jackson (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine“) and creator, Dan Goor (also “Brooklyn Nine-Nine“) comes a new comedy that proves life is better with your crew.
Synopsis: This group of young professionals are all trying to navigate the ups and downs of life and love in Los Angeles, and they always find time to gather at their favorite bar to “wine down” and unpack it all. There’s Noah, a hopeless romantic too eager to settle down; Nicky, a go-getter in real estate who’s adventurous in romance; Sherm, a low-key genius who plays the dating odds; Anthony, whose true love is his career; Wyatt, who’s relieved to be married and out of the dating scene; and Fay, who’s recently divorced and looking to start fresh in LA. And just like wine, their friendship gets better with time.
Grand Crew cast: (left to right): Justin Cunningham, Nicole Byer, Echo Kellum, Grasie Mercedes, Carl Tart, and Aaron Jennings.
Issa Rae’s popular series, Insecure, recently aired its last episode, posing the question “What Black-led series will be the next to have genuine relatability to the Black community?” My answer is Grand Crew! Not only is the series Black-led, but it’s mostly a male cast. Something not commonly seen on television. Grand Crew is a show about Black people navigating everyday issues where drugs, police, and violence are not the main focus. Taji Mag was able to talk to the cast and producers of the show to discuss the importance of having shows like Grand Crew on television.
Representation is Everything
When asked about the show being the next big hit like Insecure, Jackson said “Anybody that is saying it’s the next Insecure…I think that’s very flattering. I do think that the shows are very different [though]. I think highly of Issa Rae and Prentice as a team and as leaders behind the scenes. I was able to learn so much from them about the craft and the business. You know, like how to run a room and every job that I’ve had working with Dan on Brooklyn‘, too.” Jackson also added “As far as those comparisons go, we are not setting out to replace Insecure, especially after having worked on the show. I knew how special that show was. I think, tonally, the show’s different. I think the point of view is different. It does take place in Los Angeles, but it’s also a different part of Los Angeles.”
What does the cast want people to get out of the show? Grasie Mercedes stated, “I would love it if people watch the show and are inspired to create more characters like this; to create more shows like this that just show different black, different Latin, different Asian, different people’s of color experiences, and not try to put us in these monolithic boxes that we are constantly portraying over and over again.”
Grasie Mercedes and Nicole Byer
Justin Cunningham added, “[With] the majority of black characters or diverse cast or diverse crew or diverse producers, whatever the makeup of the show, we can start to open our eyes to what is possible and not try to place labels or limits. Not to say what something should or should not be in society’s eyes, but what things could be. This could be a show that is just about people who happen to be Black and has Black themes. But there are people who go through the same things and themes in the show.”
Grand Crew cast: (left to right): Echo Kellum, Carl Tart, Justin Cunningham, Nicole Byer, and Aaron Jennings
The Actors on Their Characters
With part of the show exploring the dating lives and relationships of the characters, I had to ask what advice would the actors give their characters? When asked what advice Nicole would give to her character, Nicky, she said, “I would tell Nicky to keep doing what she’s been doing. She’s pulling them in and getting dates. She’s getting what she wants. She’s having the relationship she wants. I would tell her to not dim her light for anybody.”
For Noah, Echo stated, “I would definitely tell him to be true to himself. Don’t try to force anything. Let it come naturally and really take your time with love. Because the truth is that if love doesn’t come from within, it can’t come from anywhere else. To do yourself justice for the rest of your life, I think you have to deal with yourself, love, and aspects of yourself before you can brag now.”
Grasie Fields encourages her character, Fay, to continue to be “open to love”, especially after being divorced. “It hasn’t discouraged her from finding love again. And I think she believes she has a good relationship with her ex-husband. Maybe we’ll see him, if we continue to be able to do the show, in a future episode. But I think she’s very open to love”, Fields says about Fay.
Noah, Fay, and Nicky all have unique ways of approaching dating, and the audience has seen some development towards a season finale that has everyone wondering with whom they will end up. Part of the reason why we need a season 2!
Black Masculinity
One of the things I love about the show is its coverage of Black masculinity. Wyatt, the level-headed voice of reason in the group, is a stay-at-home husband. He isn’t ridiculed or insulted because of the arrangement he has with his wife, his situation is normalized by not focusing on his status.
When asked how Wyatt embraces his masculinity, Justin exclaimed, “How does he embrace his masculinity [while] being a stay-at-home husband? By vacuum cleaning the floor as perfectly as possible, by cooking meals as an expert like Gordon Ramsey would. That’s it. It’s fabulous. It’s great. I think that because that’s part of myself (as I’m [also] a perfectionist in that sense), I’m gonna do my best to be good at whatever I’m doing. I’m going to find joy in whatever I’m doing.”
Episode two of the first season, titled “Wine and Serendipity”, I found to be very funny because it addressed the topic of men crying and one of the characters, Sherm, talked about how he doesn’t cry. The episode even poked fun at how some men perceive that being caught crying is worse than being caught naked, a notion that is tested when Wyatt is caught naked in the bathroom by Sherm and, indeed, was more concerned about being caught crying.
Aaron Jennings, Carl Tart (center), and Justin Cunningham
When asked what would make Sherm cry, Carl Tart said, “The only thing that would make Sherm cry is the LA Clippers winning a championship. That would make me cry.” Tart added, “I have a $10,000 Clippers crystal ball sitting in the cart online now for when they win a championship.” “Yeah, by the time the Clippers win a championship, you’ll have enough money to buy the Clippers”, Aaron Jennings jokingly replied.
Aaron Jennings and Carl Tart as Sherm and Anthony have great chemistry as roommates. Various episodes have resonated with me and brought back memories of my experiences with a roommate. When I asked them what sports duo they could be compared to, Carl responded “I’m going to say their relationship is like two teams at odds. This is the Lakers versus the Clippers. Sherm and Anthony are like those two teams. We share a home like they share a home court.” Aaron jokingly replied, “It’s like greatness versus mediocrity. Lol!”
The Take-Away
I love the fact that the show explores some of the very same topics my friends and I have discussed and they utilize a group chat, which my friends and I have also used. If you are a fan of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Living Single, or other single-camera comedies like those, you will love this show. I do, however, find a few moments where the dialogue is not authentic, or at least not relatable to me and my friends. Then again, dialogue is difficult to write.
With the lack of representation and exploration of the dynamics of the Black community on television, Grand Crew is considerably one of the better shows to watch. With a helluva cliffhanger, an awesome cast, and more room for relatable content, we all hope to see this series renewed beyond season 1…and hopefully beyond a season 2! Tune in to NBC Peacock to catch the first season of Grand Crew.
From eighty dollars and a suitcase to Emmy award-nominated writer, X Mayo has always had a knack for entertainment. With her new NBC show, American Auto airing on December 13th and Amazon comedy special Yearly Departed premiering on December 23rd, X Mayo is giving audiences much-needed laughs into the new year. The South Central native took time out of her busy schedule to chat with Taji Mag to talk about her new show, her love for comedy, and her homage to Living Single.
Dapper Dr. Feel (DDF): When did you fall in love with comedy?
X Mayo (XM): When I was 8 or 9 years old, I acted with a dance theater company. I wasn’t sure what was classified as improv, comedy, or sketch at that age. All I knew about was performing and dancing, no specific category. During a performance of Cinderella, I was acting as one of the evil stepsisters with another little girl. The girl’s afro wig fell off on stage because we all had costume afro’s in the play. I came on stage and pulled my afro off, and yelled at the audience, “Stop laughing at my sister!” The audience laughed so hard. It was all instinct, and I wanted to protect her too. The little girl was mortified because we were dancing to fucking Mozart, and my improvising was not supposed to happen. I wasn’t sure what I did, but once I got backstage, the experience felt terrific, and all I could think was, “I want to do that again.”
X Mayo’s Inspiration
DDF: Who was your favorite comedian growing up?
XM: Martin Lawrence. He is one of my top 5 favorite comedians. He was just a fucking idiot when he performed on his show, Martin. Martin reminded me of a lot of my cousins and many people I grew up with, and I loved how he played so many characters on his show. That show still makes me laugh so hard to this day.
Starring in American Auto
DDF: What made you take this role?
XM: Justin Spitzer created it, and he has worked on hit shows like The Office. I thought to myself the opportunity to work with him. I just love the character. Dori is not just an assistant or some minor character; she’s three-dimensional. I love the fact that she cares about Catherine, and the writers wrote her not to play small, which gave me free rein to do my thing and not worry about being restricted.
DDF: What is it like during the table read?
XM: I am extroverted-introverted, so I was like, “Fuck, I want to be in the room with you all!” I feed off energy. Anna, John, and Humphrey were all improvisers, so they made me really want to do the table read in person. I loved that we, as the cast, could get feedback directly from the studio. I could feel all this good energy during the table read, which made me think this show would be a hit.
DDF: How much input did you have on your character Dori? Did you come up with the pink braids?
XM: I definitely had some input because she was initially written to be a 50 years old white woman from the midWest and a grandmother, which I am none of those things! I talked to Justin, and I got to speak to the writers. After my audition and shooting the show, the writers definitely curtailed Dori to fit my voice.
DDF: Who came up with Dori’s pink braids?
XM: I auditioned in braids, but they weren’t pink, but they were pink at the table read. Justin Piltzer (Creator/ showrunner) and Jeff (executive producer/writer) decided at the table that the pink braids fit the character. Throughout the entire season, you’ll see Dori’s hair change. I grew up watching Living Single and, to this day, I think it’s one of the greatest depictions of uniquely different Black women ever! So my homage to Regine (played by Kim Fields) is Dory’s hair change. That’s not just a trait of Dori, but Black women in general, and I change my hair a lot. I told Justin, “I know you like the pink braids, but next episode, the hair has to change.” and he was ok with it.
DDF: Were there any obstacles shooting this show?
XM: Just this thing called COVID. That was the only obstacle. We made adjustments, wore our masks, tested three times a week, sanitized our hands, stayed six feet apart, and I went to my trailer more often so I could take my mask off to breathe. So, I wouldn’t say it was an obstacle, it’s just the new normal, and we want to keep everyone safe, which is totally fine.
X Mayo Self-Reflecting
DDF: Did you learn anything about yourself after playing this role? If so, what?
XM: I learned that it is essential to prepare. So I knew I needed to punch up my jokes on the side before I came to work. Because the cast was so kind and collaborative, I would punch up jokes for other people and pitch things to them. I just wanted the best possible product, not to say that my jokes or ideas are the best, but maybe they can take part of my suggestion to make it work for them.
I also learned the director would always pull me back; they would encourage me to do my thing but guide me. I come from a theater background, so I would be concerned that I was overacting when I was not. I am just used to playing for audience members in the last row of the theater. I would play small in some scenes, but the director would work with me to get me where I needed to be.
DDF: Can you explain, “If my momma asks, I am in school for nursing?” in your bio for Instagram?
XM: Ha! I switched up my bio. It was my filler until I changed my bio to promote American Auto and Yearly Departed. I put that because my mom is super supportive, but she is like “Mija…” because my mom is Mexican, “Mija, I love what you are doing, and I am so proud of you. But if anything fails, you need to have a degree.”
Anybody in my fucking life that has had any achievement or success. My mom is like, “Mija, you know why Dorian got that job? Because he has a degree. You know why Ashley has a fiance? Because she went to college. Mija, you know Joy got a house? Because she went to school.
I am like, “what are you talking about?” Lol. If my mom saw someone get a reservation ahead of us, she would be like, “They probably have a master’s degree.” That is why I put that quote because if mom asks what I am doing? I am going to school for nursing.
X Mayo as Dori (American Auto) Photo courtesy of NBC
DDF: What do I have to say about haters/negative energy?
XM: I don’t have haters. I have people that count my blessings and prayers. I don’t think people want what I want, I think they (haters) focus on what they don’t have, and I don’t address negative energy. I stop it in its tracks if it ever tries to come my way.
DDF: How would Dori handle it?
XM: It depends on who the hater was. If it were someone she worked with like Wesley, Dori would have a conversation with him, and she’s going to keep that shit he did to her in her back pocket and whip it out when she needs it. Like, “No, you are giving me a Porsche. Remember what you said; you are giving me a Porsche.”
Final Thoughts from X Mayo
DDF: What do you think the audience will get out of this show?
XM: These are a group of funny-ass people that work at this place. Sometimes you will hate them; sometimes, you’ll love to hate them. A lot of laughter, fun, and you’ll want more.
Catch X Mayo as Dori on American Auto, airing Tuesdays on NBC 8/7c and streaming on Hulu. You can also watch her on Amazon Prime’s Comedy special Yearly Departed streaming now.
American Auto: From the creator of Superstore comes a new workplace comedy that takes the wheels off the automobile industry. Set in Detroit, the corporate executives of Payne Motors are at a crossroads: adapt to the changing times or be sent to the junkyard. Shaking things up is the new CEO, whose leadership, experience, and savvy is only slightly offset by her complete lack of knowledge about cars. Luckily, her team has some of the best minds in the business – when they aren’t fighting or trying to outwit each other. From the corporate office to the factory floor, the crew of Payne Motors is driving home the laughs.
