Opening Act

Jordan Calloway on 'Fire Country,' Playing Superheros and Real-Life Heroes Oct 11, 2022

After starring in The CW's 'Black Lightning,' Jordan Calloway's next project is 'Fire Country' on CBS. He talks about the CBS drama, what he hopes to do in this next stage of his career and much more.

Amirah Vann Talks 'A Jazzman's Blues' and Reflects on 'Underground' and 'HTGAWM' Sep 22, 2022

Amirah Vann takes revisits her roles in OWN's 'Queen Sugar,' ABC's 'How to Get Away with Murder,' WGN's 'Underground' and more, while also discussing her character in Netflix's 'A Jazzman's Blues' and what it meant to join the project.

Syreeta Singleton on Working With Issa Rae and What's Next For Their Hit Show 'Rap Sh!t' Sep 10, 2022

HBO Max's 'Rap Sh!t' showrunner Syreeta Singleton joins us to talk about some of season 1's biggest moments, what could happen in a potential second season, working alongside Issa Rae and much more.

MeKai Curtis On 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan' Season 2, Fan Theories And Going From Disney to Starz Aug 02, 2022

Ahead of the season 2 premiere of 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan,' MeKai Curtis teases what to expect, breaks down some of the biggest season 1 moments, discusses his transition from Disney XD star to more mature material and discusses what he really thinks of some of the fan theories that pop up online.

Kadeem Hardison Talks New Series 'Moonhaven,' Reflects on 'A Different World' Almost 30 Years After Last Episode Jul 14, 2022

Kadeem Hardison stops by to chat about this new series Moonhaven, which recently debuted on AMC+. He also reflects a bit on his career, and of course, the iconic A Different World, which will see its final episode turn 30 next year.

Emmy Raver-Lampman Talks New Film 'Gatlopp' and 'The Umbrella Academy' Season 3 Jun 30, 2022

Emmy Raver-Lampman talks about her new film, 'Gatlopp,' which she filmed during the pandemic and was recently released digital and demand. She also talks about doing more TV and film work in recent years after spending years on stage, and of course, speaks on 'The Umbrella Academy' season 3, which recently returned on Netflix.

Simone Missick on 'All Rise' Being Rescued by OWN and Revitalizing the Legal Drama Jun 16, 2022

On the heels of 'All Rise' season 3's premiere on OWN, Simone Missick chats about the show being revived by the cable network after its CBS cancellation, what its like being on the legal drama after two fast-paced action series and what her perception is of playing a character in the justice system during these times.

Sasha Lane on 'Conversations With Friends' and Going From Indie to the MCU's 'Loki' Jun 02, 2022

On the heels of the 'Conversations With Friends' season finale, Sasha Lane drops by to talk about the show, appearing in Marvel Studios' 'Loki,' how the pandemic and racial reckoning changed her perception, the projects she wants to take on next and more.

Ron Cephas Talks About the Legacy of 'This Is Us' and His Recent Tony Nomination May 20, 2022

Ahead of the series finale of 'This Is Us,' Ron Cephas Jones drops by to chat about the series, the finale, playing William, how the show became a television anomaly and so much more. He also talks about his recent Tony Award nomination for Clyde's.

Javicia Leslie On Playing a Superhero and What She's Looking Forward to Next May 06, 2022

Javicia Leslie stops by 'Openinig Act' to talk about the most recent season of Batwoman on The CW, the community of Black actors in Hollywood and what else she's working on that she's very excited about.

Brian Tyree Henry Breaks Down The White Fashion' Episode of 'Atlanta' and Cultural Theft Apr 22, 2022

On a special episode, this week we are joined by the always booked and busy Brian Tyree Henry, who breaks down the most recent episode of FX's 'Atlanta' which takes a shocking look at cultural appropriation, theft and influencer social justice. He also talks about the show returning for so long and how that has impacted him as an actor.

Jabari Banks Talks 'Bel-Air' Season 1, Season 2 Hopes and His Journey So Far Apr 07, 2022

Bel-Air' star Jabari Banks, one of the biggest breakout stars of 2022, joins us to talk about his start in Hollywood and making his major TV/film debut with the role. He also breaks down some of the biggest moments from season 1 of the show, teases some things he hopes happens in season 2 and much more.

Ludacris On 'Karma's World' and If He Thought His Career Would Always Look Like This Mar 24, 2022

Ludacris stops by 'Opening Act' to chat about the new season of his Netflix series, 'Karma's World,' which recently dropped new episodes. We also talk to him about getting move involved with television and film behind the scenes as a producer, and if 2000s-era Ludacris would have ever predicted what 2020s Chris Bridges would do.

Sheryl Lee Ralph On ‘Abbott Elementary’ Changing TV, Broadway’s new Era and The ‘Moesha’ Legacy Mar 10, 2022

The iconic always booked and busy Sheryl Lee Ralph is now one of the stars of Quinta Brunson ‘Abbott Elementary,’ on ABC one of the biggest and most promising broadcast network sitcoms in ages. She talks about the new series, playing an educator and the importance of the education field amid the pandemic. She also talked about her own Broadway legacy and how the pandemic has impacted Black artists on Broadway, as well as the legacy of, of course…’Moesha’!

Corbin Bleu On Winning 'The Real Dirty Dancing,' Returning to 'High School Musical' and More Feb 24, 2022

This week, Corbin Bleu became the inaugural winner of Fox's 'The Real Dirty Dancing.' He spoke to us about the competition, what he learned about dancing and himself, representation in film/television, his upcoming return to 'High School Musical,' reuniting with Monique Coleman and continuing a partnership with her and much more.

Brandy Talks Career Longevity and Her 'Queens' Touring Hopes Feb 17, 2022

With decades in the game, iconic roles in projects like 'Moesha' and stellar music and acting careers — Brandy is a modern industry gem. She sits down with us this week to talk about the season finale of ABC's 'Queens,' what she hopes happens if the show gets a season 2 and more. She also gives advice to aspiring Black creatives and walks us through some of her early career thoughts.

Nicole Ari Parker Talks 'And Just Like That...' and the Evolution of Black Stories Dec 30, 2021

Nicole Ari Parker makes a splash on 'The Sex and the City' revival seres, 'And Just Like That...,' which is on HBO Max. She talks about being in the new series, her recent 'Chicago P.D.' role, if she'd be in a remake of any of her past projects and much more. The actress also talks about working with husband Boris Kodjoe on his directorial debut and the evolution of telling Black stories in Hollywood over time.

Tyler Lepley On 'Harlem,' 'P-Valley' and Mirroring Real-Life Experiences In His Work Dec 16, 2021

Since starring in Tyler Perry's 'The Haves and the Have Nots,' Tyler Lepley has gone on to star in Starz's 'P-Valley,' and most recently, the male lead in Amazon Prime Video's 'Harlem.' Lepley talks to us about being in the Black women-centric series, how his real-life experiences have informed both of hs portrayals in 'P-Valley' and 'Harlem,' what he's learned from his early roles, what's next and much more.

Wesley Snipes On 'True Story,' The 'Blade-Killer' Project He's Working On and More Dec 02, 2021

With a career spanning decades, Wesley Snipes is one of the most revered actors in Black Hollywood. The actor took on his biggest TV role to date opposite Kevin Hart in Netflix's 'True Story.' He talks about the twists in that show, the legacy of 'Blade,' the upcoming project he has that he refers to as the "'Blade'-killer,' what he hopes the next phase in his career looks like and so much more.

Paula Patton Talks 'Sacrifice,' Playing Legal Eagles And Why She Loves Multiple Genres Nov 18, 2021

Though she's most known for her roles in cult classic Black rom-coms and films such as 'Precious' and 'Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,' Paula Patton is making one of her biggest moves into television to-date with the BET+ original series 'Sacrifice.' She spoke to us about this new role, the would-be 'Law & Order: SVU' role that almost made her a TV mainstay years ago, why she doesn't like to be tied to one genre and more.

Jay Ellis On The Legacy Of ‘Insecure’ and Making TV That Sticks With You Nov 11, 2021

As ‘Insecure’ wraps ups its fifth and final season at HBO, Jay Ellis chats with us about what initially intrigued him about the role of Lawrence, what it’s been like to see the show become a pop culture phenomenon, and ultimately what he hopes the show is remembered for. With him set to make a huge splash in film soon, including his role in ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ we take a walk down memory lane.

William Jackson Harper On 'Love Life' and Showing All Facets Of Blackness On-Screen Oct 21, 2021

Theatre-bred Emmy nominee William Jackson Harper has one of the most diverse resumes as they come, with critically-acclaimed turns in 'The Good Place' and 'The Underground Railroad' ahead of him leading season 2 of HBO Max's rom-com anthology series, 'Love Life.' He talks to us about the upcoming season, how he selects his roles and what he hopes comes out of these turbulent times.

Brett Gray On Manifesting 'On My Block' And Why It's All About The Journey Oct 07, 2021

As 'On My Block' wraps its run on Netflix, Brett Gray chats with us about all the steps in his journey that led to the series and how he and his castmates broke ground for diverse representation in YA. He also looks ahead to what's next for him in this phase, including if he plans to bring his music and acting careers together.

Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins On The Final Season Of 'Dear White People' And Her Next Chapter Sep 23, 2021

Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins is one of the breakout stars of 'Dear White People' and is set to conclude her arc as fan-favorite Joelle in this fourth and final season She spoke to us about the show, its legacy, how her early roles have impacted her career and what's to come next in her career as the show wraps its run.

Mack Wilds Revisits Early Projects and Talks About Being A Part of Broadway History Sep 09, 2021

Mack Wilds is known for a plethora of roles, including his roles as a younger actor in projects such as 'The Wire' and '90210.' With a bevy of projects coming soon including Apple TV+'s 'Swagger,' 'Thoughts of a Colored Man' on Broadway and his own short film premiering at Urbanworld, he chats with us about his career moments both past and present.

Michael Evans Behling On 'All American,' Career Goals And 5AM Aug 26, 2021

Michael Evans Behling has taken the world by storm as one of the stars of The CW's hit drama series, 'All American.' He spoke to us about the series, his start in Hollywood, career goals, what he hopes to explore in the time to come as Jordan Baker and much more.

Erika Alexander On Black Women-Led Comedies, Investing in Black Creatives and Being Our Own Superheroes Aug 06, 2021

The iconic Erika Alexander is always booked and busy. Recently seen in 'Wu Tang: An American Saga,' 'Run The World' and more, she's also busy producing behind the scenes under her Color Farm Media banner. Through this, she's produced projects such as 'John Lewis: Good Trouble.' She spoke to us about activist art, NFTs, the key to longevity, what 'Living Single' may look like if it comes back and more.

Daveed Diggs On The Second Wave of ‘Hamilton’ and Bringing ‘Blindspotting’ to TV Jul 22, 2021

Fresh off of his Emmy nomination of the Disney+ TV film version of ‘Hamilton,’ David Diggs is also one of the minds behind the ‘Blindspotting’ television series, which is a sequel of sorts to his critically-acclaimed film of the same name. Diggs talked to us about those two projects, early moments from his career that have stuck with him, playing Frederick Douglass in ‘The Good Lord Bird’ and much more.

Luke James Talks Balancing Music and Acting, Powerful ‘The Chi’ Storylines and More Jul 08, 2021

Primarily known solely as a singer and a performer earlier in his career, Luke James has since made a huge move into television and film from ‘The New Edition Story’ to ‘Star' and much more. Currently seen on 'The Chi' and making his debut on Broadway in the fall, the triple threat talks about why he decided to get into acting, working through the pandemic, the importance of his romance storyline on 'The Chi' and much more.

Keith Powers On 'The Tomorrow War,' His First Job and Comedy Series Ambitions Jun 24, 2021

Keith Powers has indisputably been one of Hollywood’s rising actors — from ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ to ‘The New Edition Story,’ to ‘Famous in Love’ and much more. As he takes on Amazon’s summer blockbuster ‘The Tomorrow War,’ Powers revisits his very first on-screen gig and he takes us through some of his biggest roles so far and previews Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Find’ with Gabrielle Union. He also dishes on how he deals with fame, career ambitions, why he wants to do a comedy series next and more.

Tiffany Haddish On Creating Opportunities Across the Industry Jun 10, 2021

Tiffany Haddish became a household name after her scene-stealing role in 'Girls Trip' and has been booked and busy ever since. Leading up to her role opposite Oscar Issac in potential awards contender 'The Card Counter,' Haddish talks about one gig that continues to pop up for her — host. We dive in with the actress-comedian to chat about 'Friday Night Vibes' on TBS her 'Star Search' dream and making room at the table for others.

How Janet Mock Became a Hollywood Force and Game-Changer May 27, 2021

After becoming a writer, director and producer on FX's 'Pose,' Janet Mock has gone on to do the same thing for several other shows and even signed a groundbreaking Netflix deal. With 'Pose' in its final season, the history-maker talked about moving from journalism to working in television and film, gatekeeping, the future of accurate representation, her upcoming projects and more.

Angel Bismark Curiel On Liberty City, 'Pose' And Full-Circle Moments May 13, 2021

Over the past couple of years, Angel Bismark Curiel has established himself as one of the breakout stars of FX's groundbreaking ballroom drama series, 'Pose.' He talked to us about how his high school experience shaped his decision to pursue acting, representation for Afro-Latinx actors, reconnecting with his father and learning how he's in the industry, how he manifested a greater role on 'Pose' and much more.

Kelvin Harrison Jr.'s Hot Streak Is Never-Ending Apr 29, 2021

Kelvin Harrison Jr. has been one of the most in-demand actors of the past several years, starring in buzzy indie hits like 'Luce' and 'Waves.' He's now in the Netflix film 'Monster' and will be starring in the second season of 'Euphoria' on HBO. The actor talks about his always being booked and busy, taking on deep and dark material and his expiration date on playing teens.

Jill Marie Jones Loves Complex Characters and ‘Diving In The Deep End’ Apr 15, 2021

Jill Marie Jones is known for her iconic role of Toni Childs on the equally-as-iconic and classic Black comedy series, 'Girlfriends.' She talks about the show's impact, the representation she provided for young Black girls of darker complexions, what she's learned on her journey in Hollywood and more. She also talks about what drew her to her current role in OWN's 'Delilah.'

Trevor Jackson’s Gems on Being Self-Fulfilled as a Creative in Hollywood Apr 01, 2021

Trevor Jackson takes us through his career, from getting his start on Broadway in ‘The Lion King’ to his current starring role in ‘grown-ish.’ Not only does the actor and singer revisit ‘American Crime,’ ‘Superfly,’ and more with us, but he talked about dealing with rejection and gives advice for those seeking validation as a creative.

Amber Riley Is Changing The Game in More Ways Than One Mar 18, 2021

Amber Riley captivated audiences for years as Mercedes Jones on 'Glee.' She talks about that long-running series, her work on stage, her 'RILEY' EP and much more. She also dishes on producing and the series that she has in development.

Jermaine Fowler May Be 'Coming 2 America,' But He's Been Here Mar 04, 2021

In 2017, actor and comedian Jermaine Fowler made history as the first Black lead for a CBS sitcom in a decade. He's gone on to star in films like 'Sorry to Bother You' and nabbed a key role in 'Coming 2 America,' playing Eddie Murphy's son. He walks us through his first jobs, a TRL gig that almost happened, his 'RuPaul's Drag Race' appearance and why he dares to not give AF.

Kyla Pratt Is Still Making Us 'Proud' Feb 25, 2021

Kyla Pratt is a legend for '90s and '00s babies, appearing in so many films and television series, including her starring roles in 'The Proud Family' and 'One on One.' Pratt reflects on those roles and much more with Shadow and Act's Trey Mangum. She also talks about her new show, Fox's 'Call Me Kat,' as well as the upcoming 'The Proud Family' revival series at Disney+.

Tyler James Williams' First Job on America's Most Popular Street Feb 11, 2021

Tyler James Williams is perhaps best known for playing the titular role in the iconic, Black 2000s sitcom, 'Everybody Hates Chris.' Now starring in Hulu's 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday,' Williams chats with Shadow and Act's Trey Mangum about his career ― from his first on-screen credit in 'Sesame Street,' to coming-of-age in 'Dear White People,' to those deathly NDAs on 'The Walking Dead' and more.

Trailer: Opening Act, The Untold Stories of Black Hollywood Jan 27, 2021

Opening Act is a podcast hosted by Shadow & Act’s Deputy Editor, Trey Mangum. Each week, Trey sits down with some of Hollywood’s biggest talents to discuss their introduction into film and television. On Opening Act, actors recount stories from their very first gig, whether big or small, and share how that single opportunity made them who they are today.

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