Before we get started, I did want to warn you there are Emancipation spoilers ahead. So if you haven't watched Emancipation yet, paulse this episode, watch Emancipation on Apple TV and then don't forget to come back and hear the insights Gammy had to share with us. Hey y'all, Hey, what's up? And welcome to Let's Red Table that I'm Tracy t wrote and I'm Cara Pressley, and boy, what a truly special episode we have today. Tracy ay Man Will Smith came to the table bringing all three of his kids with him to talk about his new movie, Emancipation that just came out on Apple TV. He really dug deep for this role and this Red Table Talk exclusive. And now we get to bring a Red Table Talk host who wasn't at the Red Table, so she has to come to the virtual Red Table for the recap. Welcome the one and only gimme. Hey, guys, thank you for having me. Yeah, thank you so much for joining us. All right, well, let's jump into our favorite segments. It's my favorite part of the show. Wait what okay? This is the part of the show where we reveal which moments made us pause rewind and listen again. So let's get into it. Tracy want to kick it off. Absolutely. Since the trailer dropped, we've been told that Emancipation is not just another slave movie. And at the Red Table, Will said when the first teaser came out, as people were like, why another slave movie, and it's like, this is not a slave movie, this is a freedom movie. I love that because it's so true. Did Emancipation feel like a freedom movie to you, Gammy? Absolutely? Absolutely, it felt like a freedom movie, and it felt like a history lesson. I agree. You know, it was really important for us to see the struggle and remember the resilience and power that we have as a community and a culture. And that's what I want people to see in the movie. I want them to see the power of faith that was really strong in in that movie. It also helped me understand how religion's so grounded in our culture. That was the way we survived. But it was really depicted so beautifully there, and it was almost hard to understand, you know what I mean, because when you're struggling like that and going through those kinds of wow, tumultuous times, it's like that kind of brutality like, how can you survive it? So that was really powerful for me. So it was faith, freedom, resilience, black love, right, family, that's the undercut for me. The backstory is the black love because he did everything for his family. Yeah. Yeah, it was the being fed up like we we all go through, and of course we're not dealing with that level of well stress. However, the moment he got fed up and decided to retaliate, I definitely resonated with that because we all said, what if I fought back? I did this, I did that, and to see it for that time was powerful. How do you feel about slave films being made today? Not emancipation but just other slave films? Hey, listen, I feel like it is really important, but I do understand people's resistance to it. But it is part of our history. No, it is not our entire history, but it is the beginning an important part of our history here in America. And we can't forget it. We cannot because I'm telling you, and I think even Jaden said it in the show, and I say it all the time. Those who forget are doomed to repeat, repeat it. The normalization of bigotry and racism in America. That is continue wing today is dangerous and so for me it is really important, not so much for people in my generation, but for younger people because they think it's so far removed. It is not. It is not, and we are living and dealing with this today. Now I'm gonna say this, and you all can cut it if you want, But this past Saturday in New York City, there was a gathering of white supremacists and white nationalists at a very fancy gathering and dinner. They were there to support one another and to strategize, right, okay, and that is dangerous and dangerous. It is dangerous, and we can't forget that. So we have to remember who we are and take these moments to help bring us together as a community, as a culture, as as a race, because if we don't, we're not going to survive. And if we can ever put all of that aside, all of our differences just within our culture aside and come together as a community and as a culture, the power that we have, baby man, it's unstoppable. It's unstoppable, and we are missing it. We are missing the importance. We are totally missing. And young people, let me tell you, they're worried about the wrong ship, say it again, worried about the wrong style. It is the truth. I had a conversation earlier about this, and I think that's why emancipation is right on time, because there's so many people who are so far removed either by time in generation, but also not being exposed to it in proximity that they put themselves in a suburban environment, they don't have to deal with any of the things. They're not quote unquote seen as people of color, are black people, so they don't feel the true pressures that are out in society until they get fully exposed, and then they're literally blindsided by it and don't know how to handle it. So this was a phenomenal for everyone. And listen, it was important for the Smith family to see it, m okay, because they're removed. Yes, they're removed, and they have individually had their experiences though, but it's important. It is just important because sometimes you get caught up in your everyday life and if you are not subjected to it, you kind of forget what's going on for the average person. You are so right, and if you're growing up black in America or if you're living black in America. You are suffering from PTSD, yes and period. Yes, that's a fact, no cap Yeah, yeah, So I think it's important. I think that it's important that these stories continue to be told. And yes, we have so many more stories that need to be told. But trust me and believe that there were students in that room that are creatives, that are future filmmakers, that are future writers and directors and cinematographers, and they need to see that and then be inspired to create other stories. The stories that we have to tell. We have to tell our own stories, but we also have to teach our own history. We're sitting around waiting for somebody else to teach us our history. No, that's our job. It's our responsibility. In your own family, yeah, you have to responsibility for what your children are exposed to. You can't expect them to get it. You ain't in around for them to get in school. You'll be waiting a long damn time. You will just have you'll die before you get to exactly. Absolutely listen, when we'll explain how he feel on his character that was empowering, I'm gonna say number one because he chose to dig deep. It won't be too much work to find this character putting the chains on. As an actor, you're always trying to find the thing that makes you understand the character. When those chains went on, can you imagine even wearing those? And then the additional chains he shared at the table. The part that stuck out the most was when he said, who even imagines this? You know? So that's why when white culture is like, oh, let's just forget about it. Let's not forget about it. Let's talk about how you even thought about it? So, yeah, exactly what is that experience? Like, what do you think about those chains? Oh? Man? You know it was. It was so emotional. It was so emotional and hard to sit there and watch the movie. And I think what a young lady in the audience that had a question for Will also talked about the fact that it's one thing to read it, yes, but then you see it kind of come to life, and that's just I mean, And that was lightweight, right, light that was lightweight to what we know really what's going on? Right, that's right? I had no words. It's that heartbreaking. Yeah, when Will said they lost the key for a minute, so they put it on and doing so I'm standing there and then he goes to take it off and it doesn't work, so it's locked on and my heart jumps and I'm like, oh no, oh no, oh no. So I'm sitting there now he's running around looking for the keys, and for fifteen minutes, I'm stuck there in the chain and my heart is pounding, and I'm like, will do not freak right? And I'm sitting there and then it's like I got it. It's like I'm Will Smith with Pete both running around looking for Keen and my heart is still pounding and I'm still scared. Imagine what it was like for Peter to have that stuff on. Oh my gosh. I felt that anxiety and that claustrophobia anxiousness with him, even his piece when he said he felt embarrassed, I feel as though he felt embarrassed to maybe even react like you, because they want you to be subdued right in these chains and night have any emotion that's baffling to me. I hope that people really watch this episode of Red Table, because it's important for people to understand what goes into making a film like that and how deep you have to go to just to try to get close to authenticity, yes, and so yeah, just close to authenticity. When Ben Farster was talking and Will was talking about the fact that he never spoke to him, how could it be that they could work and do scenes like that to the level that they did it and then be laughing and joking at this word. It wouldn't work. It wouldn't have worked. I think that it made it even more effective and believable that Ben Foster took the approach he did because he stayed so deep into his character. And if that is the antithesis of who you really are, I imagine that you have to have some constant reminder of the brutality of the hatred that feeds that type of character as an antagonist. And so the wait what for me? When he talked about hen who played that antagonist and he was the antagonist of all antagonists and emancipation not knowing Will until the final shot was complete, that was powerful. I'm doing my you know thing, and the extras, Hey, thank you all very much, everybody, blah blah blah. In my mind, I was giving my best Will Smith, and Ben just walked past me and didn't say nothing. I was like, Oh, he must he must not have seen me, and then for six months, he didn't speak to me, he didn't make eye contact with me, he didn't say a word, he didn't acknowledge me for six months. Okay, even though it was for the film, seems like this added to how emotionally draining this production would have been for Will. I cannot imagine tapping out of the day, and like he said, he was reaching back trying to find himself and couldn't always make that connection. How does hearing some of those behind the scenes stories affect how you viewed the film as a whole gaming Oh, because there were times when they had to break from film because of weather and stuff like that. I knew what was going on, and I had those conversations with him during those break periods, and all I could do was just sit and listen. That's all I could do, was just sit and listen, because I just couldn't imagine. I just couldn't imagine putting myself in those circumstances and going back there. Like you said, the brutality and violence and dehumanization that was experienced during the times, it's just unimaginable. It's just like right now, just us thinking about what we saw what our own people experience because their stories that are like Peters throughout all of our family histories are lineage exactly. That's the hardest part about it. And you can forget about it if we want to, but it's still there. It's still there, critical race theory, teaching or not exactly. Listen, we're gonna take a quick break because it's just getting juicy, so listen. But when we get back, we're gonna ask him all the questions we've been saving up this season. So stay tuned. We're back, and let's just talk about what we all overall felt and what we thought of emancipation. Was there a scene or a moment of emancipation that really stood out to you guys? Oh my god, pick one, right, I can kick it off. I'm gonna kick it off. One of the things that stood out for me, of course, was just the overall color of the movie. The cinematography was amazing and eliminating. That color really helped me focused on the story more so. I was appreciative of that, because who knew I needed that. I have so many dudes, I have three that are my top three. Okay, do you know what, let me say this. I have felt like you have been my voice this entire season, because almost everything you've said this season, I'll be like, yeah, I agree, gam I gave Side I to the person forever Side I, just like damn gave you. So you forget it. So go ahead and say three game because I think we'll probably align with this too. Probably. So one of the ones was because I saw the film before it was totally complete, and then I went to the premier and saw it and this scene was not in there, and so it shocked me. And that when was when Dodienne put her hand into the cotton gin to maim herself. That through me the extent that black women have to go through and the suffering, like she maimed herself to save her family because she was gonna get sold away, right to stay. So it was that. The second one was when the little girl cried runner runner mm hmm, I said, who knew? This is when Karen's were born. That is taught, Hate is taught. And then Ben Foster's scene again proof that hate is taught, when they were at the campfire and he was talking about the woman that cared for him. But the important thing was his statement of if you give them a crumb, they'll take the world. There are people that still believe that to this day to day. The thing, that's the thing. Yeah, that's the scary part. We're on the same scene now, you know, I didn't know about the hand, but now the campfire scene was one of my favorites because it showed how Ben Foster's character was this loving and he knew he was being taken care of, he was being nurtured by this person. And he's like, it's something so simple as let's just share a meal together, and the dad was like, and then what no compassion at all? And then even though she's raising you, the lack of there's a detachment. It was just hard because at that moment, that was his breaking that was his breaking point, that was the turning point for him and the point of no return right at a younger and watched her die for three days three days, so that means you went to check. Like a part of him was like, well let me well, okay, that makes it worse. That makes it worse. And I can tell you that while at the campfire. Of course, now y'all know there's always gonna be one who's got the same scan but not can. That's another part in that whole same scene that made me sick because I was not looking at you. The other slave just said that you two were slaves together and now here you are helping him. Okay, that's a whole We can have a whole another weight conversation that too. But that was his means of survival. That was his means of survival, as ugly as it is and as as difficult, but he's just trying to get through. You had, Gammy that watching emancipation was emotional for you. Were you surprised at all by your reactions to it? No, No, you knew I lived through the Civil Rights and so no, I was not surprised at how I felt. I feel the same way whenever I see one, no matter whether it's well done or poorly done, I understand the intent. What do you think it means as a black woman in America? Well, I have to go back to that scene with Dodien. But I also think about the statement that Trevor Noah made recently, is that black women can't afford to sit around and find out right and that and that really resonated when Dodiene maimed herself but I also think about that Malcolm X quote from all those years ago, the black woman is the most disrespected, disrespect the most unprotected, the most neglected. So all of that kind of comes into my head when I'm watching the film. But once again, for me, the most important thing for us to remember is that this is part of our history, and I wanted to be used as a way to bring us together and not separate us. Now, how do you think that? How does that happen conversations like this? Yeah, I think it's conversations. I think it's education. I think we have to educate ourselves and try to regain some pride in who we are and what we bring to the table and who we can be. It starts at home, that part. It starts at home. That's big. And you even saw it through Peter, through Will's character, because there were several instances where he remained true to him through his kindness, and the movie opens up with him choosing to help someone working right alongside him, so he was able to stay himself Peter anyway throughout his character. We got to ask this because people are talking, what did you think of Will's accent? Did you get to hear him practice it beforehand, because you know he's immersed in these roles. I didn't. I did not get to hear him practice his accent, and mind you, I didn't know what he should sound like. I'm not familiar with that accent. But my father was from Barbados, my mother was from Jamaica, and I cannot do a West Indian accent if you pay me right. And my nephew speaks Patois to me all the time just to make me laugh because he knows I love to hear him speak that way, but I can't do it. Accents and dialects are difficult and challenging. So if he didn't get it exactly like, Okay, he tried and he did his best, that is a minor situation. It is you know what I mean that, Gammy. I'm gonna just back you up here, because for all of the films that I have watched and people have butchered the southern accent, I'm gonna give will a pass. Are very very difficult, Like come on, and here's the other part of it. If you don't know where he's supposed to be from, then you don't have any familiarity with what he's supposed to sound. There's that. I loved it. Listen. He couldn't do any wrong. The execution was there was so much more other things to focus on. Whether his accent was quite right? Please understood? Yeah, I want to hear somebody say, y'all executed. Listen. We do want to ask you if you red Table Talk questions that he building from the past five seasons Jesus from the past five seasons of Red Table Talk. So to start. This is a good one though, because this is one of my favorite episodes is the very first episode of Red Table Talk. It discusses all things motherhood. Okay, so from blended families to how your mother daughter relationships have evolved. You touched on a few of your own specific struggles and impactful moments with each other. Then it came full circle with the mother Hunger episode this season. That was an amazing, amazing episode. What have been the most impactful discoveries that you've made on this Red Table Talk journey of introspection. It's interesting because I had someone asked me this question recently of how is it that I can just gracefully sit and listen when Jada is talking about her journey and her childhood and how she felt neglected and uncared for and unprotected, and that I just I sit and listen to it and receive it. The only thing that I can say about that is that it is part of the healing process. To try to defend yourself against something like that is almost negating what the other person has experienced. That was her experience, and so me being able to listen to that, here that and accept it as her truth is important for me to understand the damage that I did, how I did it, so that I don't repeat the same mistakes. So it's part of our healing journey. And when I can sit and have compassion and grace for her, then I can have it for myself. Now, Jada would tell you that it's the other way around, that I have to have compassion for myself in order to have compassion for others. I just don't see it that way. I think that my ability to have compassion for other people than allow me to have compassion for myself, because I don't know if there's anyone who's harder on themselves than I am, and I still am to this day. I still carry people think that I am totally completely relieved of guilt from the damage that I've done. Absolutely not. I don't know that I ever will be, but I've learned to grow from it. Jada has taught me that all experiences, good and bad, help create and make you the person that you are. Absolutely but trust me, if I could have done it, I wish I could have done it differently. There is no parent on the face of the earth that doesn't say that, no matter what, they had to overcome me. I mean, that's a fact. So I appreciate you being in the position, though, to take those experiences and learn from them and grow a lot of that also is just how I was raised, was how I raised Jada. Even though my mother obviously did not suffer from any form of addiction, there was still a way that she had with us. How she cared for us and handled us was not the tender, loving way that Jada mothered her children. You give as much as you can give, and that circumstance, You know what I mean When you look back as a mother and not me, I'm a mother of a twenty year old boys, he taught me some things. When you look back and you just recognize I did do my best and then we just continue to evolve. That helps the process because, like you said again, we all absolutely beating ourselves up or wishing and shooting, and could we have done all of us When you welcome Olivia Ja Gia Nali to the table, you were very against it, and I was with you. Your parents are gonna go in and they're gonna do their sixty days and they're gonna pay their fine, and you guys will go on and you'll be okay and you will live your life. And there's so many of us that it is not going to be that situation. It just makes it very difficult right now for me to care. Less than a year later, Olivia got a spot on Dancing with the Stars proven your viral claim when you said, at the end of the day, I really feel like she's gonna be okay, you know, and she's going to recover whether her ass was sitting at this table or not, and you were right, okay, So now how do you feel about her and haven't had her at the table? What you think? I don't feel any differently. I knew then she was gonna be all right. She was gonna be all right, whether she got Dancing with the stars or not. That's the thing. That's the thing she and her family were gonna be okay, And that grace and that ability to move forward with almost a clean slate is not something that most African Americans are given. We're not giving the same forgiveness, the same grace when we make our mistakes, that some of those things we take to the grave and even from our own not just from you know, but even within the community. I was gonna say, even when your peers are at the top, you know, we can be very judgmental and unforgiving. Poking poke Chop didn't get the nickname Pokin polk Chop for no reason exactly. So I don't so at the end of the day, I don't feel any differently about Olivia. But that is the point of the red table, you know what I mean. If we all agree with everything, then what's the conversation. That's true. I was with your center. I was like, Okay, the last thing this girl needs is a dog on platform. But okay, and not a platform from black widow, Like really, listen, well, that's the thing. If she had it, we can only have our platform, but the other women as well, or any other women like I don't think because it's not wrong that she got a new start, Absolutely not right. She just don't have to do it. All good black women are tired of saving the world. Hell yeah, come on, it is all good. It's all good. She's not the only one that came on there that I didn't think should be on there. And don't be asked to who else, because I'm not doing that. I wasn't going there. I was not going there. You did tease it up, jazz. Nope, listeners, don't you know? Tune in next time for boring tea with dam and she ain't spelling it. Okay, listen. Give me about a year ago, I got to ask you what your favorite role of Jada's is. You know you're proud of Jada. Do you have a favorite role she played? Oh? God, go ahead, Yil. What I want to know now is is just still your answer? And secondly, what made you so confident that Jada would succeed in Hollywood? Okay? Yes, it is still Peaches, because I think that Jada just is such a great I love to see her in comedy. I'd love to see her in comedy, and I'm her biggest fan, so I love everything that she's done. Girls Trip, Jason's lyrics set it off your name. But I also have to say that I think one of the proudest things when it comes to her career is actually Red Table Talk because I know how important that was to her and to share her journey of healing and recovery with the world, and it was something that like it started out for just the three of us, for Jada, Willow and I and then expanded out in to the world and a community and everything. Just what just when it's taking to the world, Just being able to open up conversation like that, I think was really important work. So I am hugely proud to be a part of that. Someone came to me the other day and said, I just want you to know. I know you're connected to Red Table Talk, and I keep a notebook and the growth that I've had from watching those episodes has helped me. And I've been able to take what I've learned and shared with my sisters and we've gone through such tremendous helland so no, it matters as absolutely it definitely it's changed my life. If you haven't noticed, I love Red Table Talk always will It's just there was the first space building the community online where I had a voice when I didn't have a voice with my employer, where I was that only black person in the workplace, and I just was able to connect with my women, was able to It's important. It's helped me tremendously and I thank you, yeahing me, thank you. Yes, there's so much more we could talk about, because I mean, we have you here, like we want to keep you, but we know that we want you to come back. It's what we want to do, so we won't keep you this definitely, So we want to thank you, thank you for having me on. I was glad to be here, glad to have this conversation, particularly about Emancipation, which is such an important film, and I hope people can go and see it and be open minded. And it's about the message. It's about the message, and it's not a black film. It's a film about history and things that happened to black people, but it's not a black film. Everyone should see Emancipation. Yes, thank you, jam thank you so much for being with us and coming to our virtual red tape. Thank you and just reminding people that they can see Emancipation on Apple TV. That's right right. It's streaming now, and if you're smart, you'll go to Will's i G page and get a special promotion that's going along with Apple TV to get two months months. Can't beat that. Thank you so much, Gammy. All right, thank you guys. We want to know how you're feeling about this new season a Red Table Talk. We are open to talk about anything with you, so please send in your questions at Let's red Table that at red table talk dot com, or there's another option, leave us a voicemail at speak pipe dot com slash Let's red Table that. Yes, we want to hear your voice. Thank you so much for listening to us. We want you to make sure that you subscribe on I Heart Radio app and please rate this podcast on Apple Podcast. Y'all know we want to find We'll be back next week for another episode of Let's Red Table That Special. Thanks to executive producers j D. P. Pett Smith, Valan Jethro and Ellen Rakinton. Thank you to our producer Kyleague Candiru and our associate producer Yolanda Chow. And finally, thanks to our sound engineer Stephanie Aguilar. Let's read Table that. Let's read table that Hey

Before we get started, I did want to warn you there are Emancipation spoilers ahead. So if you haven't watched Emancipation yet, paulse this episode, watch Emancipation on Apple TV and then don't forget to come back and hear the insights Gammy had to share with us. Hey y'all, Hey, what's up? And welcome to Let's Red Table that I'm Tracy t wrote and I'm Cara Pressley, and boy, what a truly special episode we have today. Tracy ay Man Will Smith came to the table bringing all three of his kids with him to talk about his new movie, Emancipation that just came out on Apple TV. He really dug deep for this role and this Red Table Talk exclusive. And now we get to bring a Red Table Talk host who wasn't at the Red Table, so she has to come to the virtual Red Table for the recap. Welcome the one and only gimme. Hey, guys, thank you for having me. Yeah, thank you so much for joining us. All right, well, let's jump into our favorite segments. It's my favorite part of the show. Wait what okay? This is the part of the show where we reveal which moments made us pause rewind and listen again. So let's get into it. Tracy want to kick it off. Absolutely. Since the trailer dropped, we've been told that Emancipation is not just another slave movie. And at the Red Table, Will said when the first teaser came out, as people were like, why another slave movie, and it's like, this is not a slave movie, this is a freedom movie. I love that because it's so true. Did Emancipation feel like a freedom movie to you, Gammy? Absolutely? Absolutely, it felt like a freedom movie, and it felt like a history lesson. I agree. You know, it was really important for us to see the struggle and remember the resilience and power that we have as a community and a culture. And that's what I want people to see in the movie. I want them to see the power of faith that was really strong in in that movie. It also helped me understand how religion's so grounded in our culture. That was the way we survived. But it was really depicted so beautifully there, and it was almost hard to understand, you know what I mean, because when you're struggling like that and going through those kinds of wow, tumultuous times, it's like that kind of brutality like, how can you survive it? So that was really powerful for me. So it was faith, freedom, resilience, black love, right, family, that's the undercut for me. The backstory is the black love because he did everything for his family. Yeah. Yeah, it was the being fed up like we we all go through, and of course we're not dealing with that level of well stress. However, the moment he got fed up and decided to retaliate, I definitely resonated with that because we all said, what if I fought back? I did this, I did that, and to see it for that time was powerful. How do you feel about slave films being made today? Not emancipation but just other slave films? Hey, listen, I feel like it is really important, but I do understand people's resistance to it. But it is part of our history. No, it is not our entire history, but it is the beginning an important part of our history here in America. And we can't forget it. We cannot because I'm telling you, and I think even Jaden said it in the show, and I say it all the time. Those who forget are doomed to repeat, repeat it. The normalization of bigotry and racism in America. That is continue wing today is dangerous and so for me it is really important, not so much for people in my generation, but for younger people because they think it's so far removed. It is not. It is not, and we are living and dealing with this today. Now I'm gonna say this, and you all can cut it if you want, But this past Saturday in New York City, there was a gathering of white supremacists and white nationalists at a very fancy gathering and dinner. They were there to support one another and to strategize, right, okay, and that is dangerous and dangerous. It is dangerous, and we can't forget that. So we have to remember who we are and take these moments to help bring us together as a community, as a culture, as as a race, because if we don't, we're not going to survive. And if we can ever put all of that aside, all of our differences just within our culture aside and come together as a community and as a culture, the power that we have, baby man, it's unstoppable. It's unstoppable, and we are missing it. We are missing the importance. We are totally missing. And young people, let me tell you, they're worried about the wrong ship, say it again, worried about the wrong style. It is the truth. I had a conversation earlier about this, and I think that's why emancipation is right on time, because there's so many people who are so far removed either by time in generation, but also not being exposed to it in proximity that they put themselves in a suburban environment, they don't have to deal with any of the things. They're not quote unquote seen as people of color, are black people, so they don't feel the true pressures that are out in society until they get fully exposed, and then they're literally blindsided by it and don't know how to handle it. So this was a phenomenal for everyone. And listen, it was important for the Smith family to see it, m okay, because they're removed. Yes, they're removed, and they have individually had their experiences though, but it's important. It is just important because sometimes you get caught up in your everyday life and if you are not subjected to it, you kind of forget what's going on for the average person. You are so right, and if you're growing up black in America or if you're living black in America. You are suffering from PTSD, yes and period. Yes, that's a fact, no cap Yeah, yeah, So I think it's important. I think that it's important that these stories continue to be told. And yes, we have so many more stories that need to be told. But trust me and believe that there were students in that room that are creatives, that are future filmmakers, that are future writers and directors and cinematographers, and they need to see that and then be inspired to create other stories. The stories that we have to tell. We have to tell our own stories, but we also have to teach our own history. We're sitting around waiting for somebody else to teach us our history. No, that's our job. It's our responsibility. In your own family, yeah, you have to responsibility for what your children are exposed to. You can't expect them to get it. You ain't in around for them to get in school. You'll be waiting a long damn time. You will just have you'll die before you get to exactly. Absolutely listen, when we'll explain how he feel on his character that was empowering, I'm gonna say number one because he chose to dig deep. It won't be too much work to find this character putting the chains on. As an actor, you're always trying to find the thing that makes you understand the character. When those chains went on, can you imagine even wearing those? And then the additional chains he shared at the table. The part that stuck out the most was when he said, who even imagines this? You know? So that's why when white culture is like, oh, let's just forget about it. Let's not forget about it. Let's talk about how you even thought about it? So, yeah, exactly what is that experience? Like, what do you think about those chains? Oh? Man? You know it was. It was so emotional. It was so emotional and hard to sit there and watch the movie. And I think what a young lady in the audience that had a question for Will also talked about the fact that it's one thing to read it, yes, but then you see it kind of come to life, and that's just I mean, And that was lightweight, right, light that was lightweight to what we know really what's going on? Right, that's right? I had no words. It's that heartbreaking. Yeah, when Will said they lost the key for a minute, so they put it on and doing so I'm standing there and then he goes to take it off and it doesn't work, so it's locked on and my heart jumps and I'm like, oh no, oh no, oh no. So I'm sitting there now he's running around looking for the keys, and for fifteen minutes, I'm stuck there in the chain and my heart is pounding, and I'm like, will do not freak right? And I'm sitting there and then it's like I got it. It's like I'm Will Smith with Pete both running around looking for Keen and my heart is still pounding and I'm still scared. Imagine what it was like for Peter to have that stuff on. Oh my gosh. I felt that anxiety and that claustrophobia anxiousness with him, even his piece when he said he felt embarrassed, I feel as though he felt embarrassed to maybe even react like you, because they want you to be subdued right in these chains and night have any emotion that's baffling to me. I hope that people really watch this episode of Red Table, because it's important for people to understand what goes into making a film like that and how deep you have to go to just to try to get close to authenticity, yes, and so yeah, just close to authenticity. When Ben Farster was talking and Will was talking about the fact that he never spoke to him, how could it be that they could work and do scenes like that to the level that they did it and then be laughing and joking at this word. It wouldn't work. It wouldn't have worked. I think that it made it even more effective and believable that Ben Foster took the approach he did because he stayed so deep into his character. And if that is the antithesis of who you really are, I imagine that you have to have some constant reminder of the brutality of the hatred that feeds that type of character as an antagonist. And so the wait what for me? When he talked about hen who played that antagonist and he was the antagonist of all antagonists and emancipation not knowing Will until the final shot was complete, that was powerful. I'm doing my you know thing, and the extras, Hey, thank you all very much, everybody, blah blah blah. In my mind, I was giving my best Will Smith, and Ben just walked past me and didn't say nothing. I was like, Oh, he must he must not have seen me, and then for six months, he didn't speak to me, he didn't make eye contact with me, he didn't say a word, he didn't acknowledge me for six months. Okay, even though it was for the film, seems like this added to how emotionally draining this production would have been for Will. I cannot imagine tapping out of the day, and like he said, he was reaching back trying to find himself and couldn't always make that connection. How does hearing some of those behind the scenes stories affect how you viewed the film as a whole gaming Oh, because there were times when they had to break from film because of weather and stuff like that. I knew what was going on, and I had those conversations with him during those break periods, and all I could do was just sit and listen. That's all I could do, was just sit and listen, because I just couldn't imagine. I just couldn't imagine putting myself in those circumstances and going back there. Like you said, the brutality and violence and dehumanization that was experienced during the times, it's just unimaginable. It's just like right now, just us thinking about what we saw what our own people experience because their stories that are like Peters throughout all of our family histories are lineage exactly. That's the hardest part about it. And you can forget about it if we want to, but it's still there. It's still there, critical race theory, teaching or not exactly. Listen, we're gonna take a quick break because it's just getting juicy, so listen. But when we get back, we're gonna ask him all the questions we've been saving up this season. So stay tuned. We're back, and let's just talk about what we all overall felt and what we thought of emancipation. Was there a scene or a moment of emancipation that really stood out to you guys? Oh my god, pick one, right, I can kick it off. I'm gonna kick it off. One of the things that stood out for me, of course, was just the overall color of the movie. The cinematography was amazing and eliminating. That color really helped me focused on the story more so. I was appreciative of that, because who knew I needed that. I have so many dudes, I have three that are my top three. Okay, do you know what, let me say this. I have felt like you have been my voice this entire season, because almost everything you've said this season, I'll be like, yeah, I agree, gam I gave Side I to the person forever Side I, just like damn gave you. So you forget it. So go ahead and say three game because I think we'll probably align with this too. Probably. So one of the ones was because I saw the film before it was totally complete, and then I went to the premier and saw it and this scene was not in there, and so it shocked me. And that when was when Dodienne put her hand into the cotton gin to maim herself. That through me the extent that black women have to go through and the suffering, like she maimed herself to save her family because she was gonna get sold away, right to stay. So it was that. The second one was when the little girl cried runner runner mm hmm, I said, who knew? This is when Karen's were born. That is taught, Hate is taught. And then Ben Foster's scene again proof that hate is taught, when they were at the campfire and he was talking about the woman that cared for him. But the important thing was his statement of if you give them a crumb, they'll take the world. There are people that still believe that to this day to day. The thing, that's the thing. Yeah, that's the scary part. We're on the same scene now, you know, I didn't know about the hand, but now the campfire scene was one of my favorites because it showed how Ben Foster's character was this loving and he knew he was being taken care of, he was being nurtured by this person. And he's like, it's something so simple as let's just share a meal together, and the dad was like, and then what no compassion at all? And then even though she's raising you, the lack of there's a detachment. It was just hard because at that moment, that was his breaking that was his breaking point, that was the turning point for him and the point of no return right at a younger and watched her die for three days three days, so that means you went to check. Like a part of him was like, well let me well, okay, that makes it worse. That makes it worse. And I can tell you that while at the campfire. Of course, now y'all know there's always gonna be one who's got the same scan but not can. That's another part in that whole same scene that made me sick because I was not looking at you. The other slave just said that you two were slaves together and now here you are helping him. Okay, that's a whole We can have a whole another weight conversation that too. But that was his means of survival. That was his means of survival, as ugly as it is and as as difficult, but he's just trying to get through. You had, Gammy that watching emancipation was emotional for you. Were you surprised at all by your reactions to it? No, No, you knew I lived through the Civil Rights and so no, I was not surprised at how I felt. I feel the same way whenever I see one, no matter whether it's well done or poorly done, I understand the intent. What do you think it means as a black woman in America? Well, I have to go back to that scene with Dodien. But I also think about the statement that Trevor Noah made recently, is that black women can't afford to sit around and find out right and that and that really resonated when Dodiene maimed herself but I also think about that Malcolm X quote from all those years ago, the black woman is the most disrespected, disrespect the most unprotected, the most neglected. So all of that kind of comes into my head when I'm watching the film. But once again, for me, the most important thing for us to remember is that this is part of our history, and I wanted to be used as a way to bring us together and not separate us. Now, how do you think that? How does that happen conversations like this? Yeah, I think it's conversations. I think it's education. I think we have to educate ourselves and try to regain some pride in who we are and what we bring to the table and who we can be. It starts at home, that part. It starts at home. That's big. And you even saw it through Peter, through Will's character, because there were several instances where he remained true to him through his kindness, and the movie opens up with him choosing to help someone working right alongside him, so he was able to stay himself Peter anyway throughout his character. We got to ask this because people are talking, what did you think of Will's accent? Did you get to hear him practice it beforehand, because you know he's immersed in these roles. I didn't. I did not get to hear him practice his accent, and mind you, I didn't know what he should sound like. I'm not familiar with that accent. But my father was from Barbados, my mother was from Jamaica, and I cannot do a West Indian accent if you pay me right. And my nephew speaks Patois to me all the time just to make me laugh because he knows I love to hear him speak that way, but I can't do it. Accents and dialects are difficult and challenging. So if he didn't get it exactly like, Okay, he tried and he did his best, that is a minor situation. It is you know what I mean that, Gammy. I'm gonna just back you up here, because for all of the films that I have watched and people have butchered the southern accent, I'm gonna give will a pass. Are very very difficult, Like come on, and here's the other part of it. If you don't know where he's supposed to be from, then you don't have any familiarity with what he's supposed to sound. There's that. I loved it. Listen. He couldn't do any wrong. The execution was there was so much more other things to focus on. Whether his accent was quite right? Please understood? Yeah, I want to hear somebody say, y'all executed. Listen. We do want to ask you if you red Table Talk questions that he building from the past five seasons Jesus from the past five seasons of Red Table Talk. So to start. This is a good one though, because this is one of my favorite episodes is the very first episode of Red Table Talk. It discusses all things motherhood. Okay, so from blended families to how your mother daughter relationships have evolved. You touched on a few of your own specific struggles and impactful moments with each other. Then it came full circle with the mother Hunger episode this season. That was an amazing, amazing episode. What have been the most impactful discoveries that you've made on this Red Table Talk journey of introspection. It's interesting because I had someone asked me this question recently of how is it that I can just gracefully sit and listen when Jada is talking about her journey and her childhood and how she felt neglected and uncared for and unprotected, and that I just I sit and listen to it and receive it. The only thing that I can say about that is that it is part of the healing process. To try to defend yourself against something like that is almost negating what the other person has experienced. That was her experience, and so me being able to listen to that, here that and accept it as her truth is important for me to understand the damage that I did, how I did it, so that I don't repeat the same mistakes. So it's part of our healing journey. And when I can sit and have compassion and grace for her, then I can have it for myself. Now, Jada would tell you that it's the other way around, that I have to have compassion for myself in order to have compassion for others. I just don't see it that way. I think that my ability to have compassion for other people than allow me to have compassion for myself, because I don't know if there's anyone who's harder on themselves than I am, and I still am to this day. I still carry people think that I am totally completely relieved of guilt from the damage that I've done. Absolutely not. I don't know that I ever will be, but I've learned to grow from it. Jada has taught me that all experiences, good and bad, help create and make you the person that you are. Absolutely but trust me, if I could have done it, I wish I could have done it differently. There is no parent on the face of the earth that doesn't say that, no matter what, they had to overcome me. I mean, that's a fact. So I appreciate you being in the position, though, to take those experiences and learn from them and grow a lot of that also is just how I was raised, was how I raised Jada. Even though my mother obviously did not suffer from any form of addiction, there was still a way that she had with us. How she cared for us and handled us was not the tender, loving way that Jada mothered her children. You give as much as you can give, and that circumstance, You know what I mean When you look back as a mother and not me, I'm a mother of a twenty year old boys, he taught me some things. When you look back and you just recognize I did do my best and then we just continue to evolve. That helps the process because, like you said again, we all absolutely beating ourselves up or wishing and shooting, and could we have done all of us When you welcome Olivia Ja Gia Nali to the table, you were very against it, and I was with you. Your parents are gonna go in and they're gonna do their sixty days and they're gonna pay their fine, and you guys will go on and you'll be okay and you will live your life. And there's so many of us that it is not going to be that situation. It just makes it very difficult right now for me to care. Less than a year later, Olivia got a spot on Dancing with the Stars proven your viral claim when you said, at the end of the day, I really feel like she's gonna be okay, you know, and she's going to recover whether her ass was sitting at this table or not, and you were right, okay, So now how do you feel about her and haven't had her at the table? What you think? I don't feel any differently. I knew then she was gonna be all right. She was gonna be all right, whether she got Dancing with the stars or not. That's the thing. That's the thing she and her family were gonna be okay, And that grace and that ability to move forward with almost a clean slate is not something that most African Americans are given. We're not giving the same forgiveness, the same grace when we make our mistakes, that some of those things we take to the grave and even from our own not just from you know, but even within the community. I was gonna say, even when your peers are at the top, you know, we can be very judgmental and unforgiving. Poking poke Chop didn't get the nickname Pokin polk Chop for no reason exactly. So I don't so at the end of the day, I don't feel any differently about Olivia. But that is the point of the red table, you know what I mean. If we all agree with everything, then what's the conversation. That's true. I was with your center. I was like, Okay, the last thing this girl needs is a dog on platform. But okay, and not a platform from black widow, Like really, listen, well, that's the thing. If she had it, we can only have our platform, but the other women as well, or any other women like I don't think because it's not wrong that she got a new start, Absolutely not right. She just don't have to do it. All good black women are tired of saving the world. Hell yeah, come on, it is all good. It's all good. She's not the only one that came on there that I didn't think should be on there. And don't be asked to who else, because I'm not doing that. I wasn't going there. I was not going there. You did tease it up, jazz. Nope, listeners, don't you know? Tune in next time for boring tea with dam and she ain't spelling it. Okay, listen. Give me about a year ago, I got to ask you what your favorite role of Jada's is. You know you're proud of Jada. Do you have a favorite role she played? Oh? God, go ahead, Yil. What I want to know now is is just still your answer? And secondly, what made you so confident that Jada would succeed in Hollywood? Okay? Yes, it is still Peaches, because I think that Jada just is such a great I love to see her in comedy. I'd love to see her in comedy, and I'm her biggest fan, so I love everything that she's done. Girls Trip, Jason's lyrics set it off your name. But I also have to say that I think one of the proudest things when it comes to her career is actually Red Table Talk because I know how important that was to her and to share her journey of healing and recovery with the world, and it was something that like it started out for just the three of us, for Jada, Willow and I and then expanded out in to the world and a community and everything. Just what just when it's taking to the world, Just being able to open up conversation like that, I think was really important work. So I am hugely proud to be a part of that. Someone came to me the other day and said, I just want you to know. I know you're connected to Red Table Talk, and I keep a notebook and the growth that I've had from watching those episodes has helped me. And I've been able to take what I've learned and shared with my sisters and we've gone through such tremendous helland so no, it matters as absolutely it definitely it's changed my life. If you haven't noticed, I love Red Table Talk always will It's just there was the first space building the community online where I had a voice when I didn't have a voice with my employer, where I was that only black person in the workplace, and I just was able to connect with my women, was able to It's important. It's helped me tremendously and I thank you, yeahing me, thank you. Yes, there's so much more we could talk about, because I mean, we have you here, like we want to keep you, but we know that we want you to come back. It's what we want to do, so we won't keep you this definitely, So we want to thank you, thank you for having me on. I was glad to be here, glad to have this conversation, particularly about Emancipation, which is such an important film, and I hope people can go and see it and be open minded. And it's about the message. It's about the message, and it's not a black film. It's a film about history and things that happened to black people, but it's not a black film. Everyone should see Emancipation. Yes, thank you, jam thank you so much for being with us and coming to our virtual red tape. Thank you and just reminding people that they can see Emancipation on Apple TV. That's right right. It's streaming now, and if you're smart, you'll go to Will's i G page and get a special promotion that's going along with Apple TV to get two months months. Can't beat that. Thank you so much, Gammy. All right, thank you guys. We want to know how you're feeling about this new season a Red Table Talk. We are open to talk about anything with you, so please send in your questions at Let's red Table that at red table talk dot com, or there's another option, leave us a voicemail at speak pipe dot com slash Let's red Table that. Yes, we want to hear your voice. Thank you so much for listening to us. We want you to make sure that you subscribe on I Heart Radio app and please rate this podcast on Apple Podcast. Y'all know we want to find We'll be back next week for another episode of Let's Red Table That Special. Thanks to executive producers j D. P. Pett Smith, Valan Jethro and Ellen Rakinton. Thank you to our producer Kyleague Candiru and our associate producer Yolanda Chow. And finally, thanks to our sound engineer Stephanie Aguilar. Let's read Table that. Let's read table that Hey