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Chris Renee Hazel
Calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host, Chris Renee Hazel, and this is the Keep It Positive Sweetie Show. Sweeties, have you ever met someone who doesn't just show up? They shift the room? Yeah. We are talking impact. Today's episode is all about that quiet power, that loud purpose, and that kind of presence that leaves a mark after you've walked away. Because cute is cool, but impact is forever. Let's get into it. This is Keep It Positive Sweetie. Today's guest is someone I not only admire on screen, but deeply respect off screen. She's bold, she's funny, she's real. And, you know, she's one of those women who brings that light with her everywhere she goes. You might know her as Scene Stealing Dani from Tyler Perry's Sisters, but trust me, Mignon Vaughn is so much more than a character. She's a storyteller, a creative, and a woman of faith. She has worked her way up in this industry with grit and grace and that signature Mignon sparkle. I am so excited to have this honest, joyful, and impactful conversation with my sis today. Sweeties, please give a warm welcome to Mignon, my sister. Hey, boo. Now, the people been wanting this one.
Mignon Vaughn
I know they've been wanting.
Chris Renee Hazel
No. Thank you for coming.
Mignon Vaughn
Thank you for having me.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes. I'm so excited.
Mignon Vaughn
Happy. We could make their dreams come true.
Chris Renee Hazel
I know. See, this is what we do. Once again, no people every week, they're like, we want more of Dani and Fatima. When are we gonna get some Fanny? Or. What's the name? Fanny. Fatima.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Fanny. I think that'd be our nickname.
Mignon Vaughn
Datima.
Chris Renee Hazel
Datima.
Mignon Vaughn
Because Datima's like da team, too.
Chris Renee Hazel
Exactly.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Chris Renee Hazel
And we make a really good team.
Mignon Vaughn
I like it.
Chris Renee Hazel
We do. I do. Come on out, put it together. I love it. Thank you so much.
Mignon Vaughn
Thank you. Thank you.
Chris Renee Hazel
We. When we're working, we don't get to talk as much in the past few seasons. We didn't have a lot of work together the past few. Now, like, I think the last two seasons we filmed, we've actually gotten to work more together. We built our own relationship, our own language. Like, I can just look at her, and she like. And I know exactly what she's talking about. It's so funny. I'm like, you good? She like. I'm like, got it.
Mignon Vaughn
I read.
Chris Renee Hazel
I read all that. I read it.
Mignon Vaughn
They all talk about how I go mute. I do have, like, I just start kind of. You be like, yep. But she has mumblecore. She was like, send it Up. You know what time we did with it? I was like, I didn't understand anything, but I understood everything.
Chris Renee Hazel
Everything. The crazy thing is me and my brother had that language. So I guess you really are my sister, because he's the only one that understands me and you. Now my mom be like, what are y' all talking about? Be like. And he's like, is that Tennessee? It must be. It must be. I don't know what it is, but that's. Yeah, I mumble and you get it. Yeah. I love that. I love.
Mignon Vaughn
Don't even matter. It's like, just. She's telling y' all that the pickup is wrong. Listen, get it together.
Chris Renee Hazel
I love it. So. Because we haven't got. We work. When we're working, we are working. And I was like, I really want to sit down and talk to you. And even for the audience to get to know you more, because the times that we have talked have been so enriching for me. Learning more about your faith. We have financial talks. We talk about so much, like, in our breaks, it's like, what about this? Who do you use for this? We talk about so many different things.
Mignon Vaughn
Helps me so much. You've got impeccable taste.
Chris Renee Hazel
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. But that's what it's about. We talked about in our prayer about not gatekeeping and making sure that we're sharing the knowledge, and this season, we're not gatekeep. I. I don't. Because for what?
Mignon Vaughn
For what?
Chris Renee Hazel
Somebody told me. Hello. Why? Why should I take what somebody else gave me and keep it all to myself?
Mignon Vaughn
An abundance mindset.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yep. That's it.
Mignon Vaughn
You got it.
Chris Renee Hazel
That's it.
Mignon Vaughn
You got it.
Chris Renee Hazel
But, no, I wanted to have you on so we can learn more about you, because when we are working, we don't really get to dive into those things. So I was like, let's have me on so we can really dive in, you know, dive into who you are, some of your goals and everything. Just we can know more about who you are. So you started. You were born in D.C. raised in D.C. and then raised in Georgia. Okay.
Mignon Vaughn
Raised in Georgia. Augusta.
Chris Renee Hazel
Augusta. Georgia. Augusta. Born in D.C. raised in Augusta. I did go to the Masters last year. You did?
Mignon Vaughn
Yes. It was crazy. Was it? I've never been. It was.
Chris Renee Hazel
I went with Mercedes. We need to. We need to make that happen. Because you drive a Mercedes. Come on, now.
Mignon Vaughn
Make it with Mercedes as, like, a Ambassador or something.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yep. So don't make that happen. Don't get cute.
Mignon Vaughn
I got you.
Chris Renee Hazel
And I drive a Mercedes. That's a double win right there. You need to go to the Masters next year. It's an experience of a lifetime. I got to go, and Tiger was there, so it was, like, really dope.
Mignon Vaughn
Well, that's the thing. Like, growing up in Augusta, literally lived down the street from the golf course. You might as well live a world away because, you know. You know, it's an exclusive club, so. And I was like, child, whatever. I'm trying to get out of Augusta and go to LA anyway.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. Seriously, what was it like as young Ming, like, were you always. Did you know you were funny? When did you realize that you had this knack for acting or even wanted to act?
Mignon Vaughn
So I always say that it was a knowing. With, like, acting. I didn't necessarily know I was funny until a certain age. But, like, the thing about acting, it just. It was understood. I was watching. I used to love Muppet Babies. And you know how there's the, you know, rolling credits and, like, there's Miss Piggy. Just being an actress. Oh, that's what I do. And I was like, three. So it was just a knowing before there was an understanding of what being an actor or being Hollywood or movie star was, right. So I actually tried to get away from it. I thought I was gonna be a marine biologist. I thought I was gonna go into psychology just cause of different struggles and traumas and insecurities. And then eventually, God was just like, nah, shawty, nah. I put something in you for a reason.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
What were some of those struggles and traumas that you went through that got you to that? Nah, shawty, you got this.
Mignon Vaughn
Well, just. So I went to Pepperdine University for film school, graduated, had a hard time finding a job in film, so I worked in a nonprofit world. Eventually got a job in tv. I used to work on Dance with the Stars. Really? I was a PA girl. I've been a pa, A production coordinator, post production coordinator, coordinating producer, story assistant on short films, like, with other people's short films. I've been like an ad. I've been, of course, a PA Me. I did not know all things, ma'. Am.
Chris Renee Hazel
Our stories are so parallel. I had no idea.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, see, this why you find out. But, like, I just. I. I tried to work behind the camera. Then I was like, okay, I can work behind the camera and eventually put myself and stuff.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Because of the. You know, you experience rejection in life and you experience trauma, and you experience being told, oh, that's not for you. Delta Burke was Delta Burke. Like, you don't get to be your size and do this. How many people your size are doing this? You know? And so I was like, okay. So I was like, all right, I'll just make my own stuff. And then doors started closing and I started fasting, like, in my 20s. And one of the times I was fasting, I was reading a book called the Alchemist. Well, listening to it.
Chris Renee Hazel
That is one of my favorite books.
Mignon Vaughn
It's absolutely one of my favorite.
Chris Renee Hazel
I tell people to read it at the beginning of every year.
Mignon Vaughn
Top five. You know, I think it should be a ritual for me as well. It's so good, because Paulo Coelho, I think that's how you pronounce his last name. I mean, he's also a believer. So it's just like, understanding our journey, our life path is just really important. And that book really helps you in, like, visual storytelling to understand your own personal hero's journey. And so, anyway, so just kind of starting that. It was so at that time, it was kind of like the call to adventure. Cause my brother was kind of pouring into me. I was fasting. I was like, God, just tell me if this is for me or not. My brother was like, remember that little girl who had these dreams and she didn't care what anybody thought? And when you were a child. And then you get to that part in the Book of the Alchemist where it says, well, if a child tells you in a dream, then it's true. And I put all those things together, and I was like, okay, I'm gonna move back to Atlanta. They'll see that I'm LA trained. I'll get all the jobs, right?
Chris Renee Hazel
Because that's the move, right? People think, go to LA and come here, they're gonna definitely hire me.
Mignon Vaughn
Doors will open.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
They'll fly. Open. Zero, zero. My goodness, nothing. But that's because God was like, take acting classes. Get back. Really get back to it. Because even when I was in college, I was taking acting classes, but I still focused on film studies, right? He was like, nah, you need to go after this hard, 100%. And then I did that. You know, I think I really knew I was funny because, like, in school, I knew I was funny. I knew I could make people laugh. But I did improv here in Atlanta, and we would have, you know, those house teams, and people would come to shows, and I would see the laughs I would get in real time. And I was like, oh, okay. You know, be a little funny. I'd be kind of cute at this.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes, that's funny.
Mignon Vaughn
So I've always been funny, though. I don't know.
Chris Renee Hazel
You are funny.
Mignon Vaughn
Thank you. I mean, yes, I am funny. That's why people think I'm Danny.
Chris Renee Hazel
Because in real life.
Mignon Vaughn
That's what I think. I'm Danny in real life. Because, like, no. Yes, I'm hilarious. But I promise you, I'm not her.
Chris Renee Hazel
But. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So from moving from Los Angeles to Atlanta, all the doors, the rejection, being closed, what was that first big break where you were like, okay, we got some traction here. Really? Sisters. Sisters was that moment. What year. What year did you move to Atlanta?
Mignon Vaughn
I moved back to Atlanta, like 2016.
Chris Renee Hazel
So three years later. Because we got picked, like 2019.
Mignon Vaughn
That's so true. It was only three years later.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Which is. I mean, it felt like a lifetime. I bet it did.
Mignon Vaughn
Do you hear me?
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Because 2018, I moved back to LA thinking that.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes, I remember you were in LA when we started. Yep, I remember that.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And thinking, okay, I gotta go back to LA if I want a real acting job. Because out here you getting day player roles. You're not getting a series regular role out here. Right. So let me go to la.
Chris Renee Hazel
A lot of times they're casting from Los Angeles for those big. Those. The main roles.
Mignon Vaughn
And it was pre Covid, so I was like, let me go back to LA, get LA representation so I can get LA opportunities.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. 0 My goodness. That was my story too. And I mean, you know, my story worked behind scenes for all those years and then finally got that shot. I remember the first day we met, you came into your fitting. I was costume designing season one, and I just loved your character because she was the. She was so much fun. And I was like, we are going to have fun with her wardrobe.
Mignon Vaughn
Changed my life. Oh, I didn't tailor clothes before that.
Chris Renee Hazel
Really?
Mignon Vaughn
I did not. When you tailored my clothes, I was like, oh, I have a shape, honey.
Chris Renee Hazel
A good one, too.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
Didn't know. Yeah, did not know.
Chris Renee Hazel
A lot of people, they. Some people just don't even know, like, that's a thing, you know? You think like, oh, I can get alterations done when I need something, but actually buying something and tailored to your body can change the entire garment. Like, literally, you can get something from Walmart, y'. All. Like, if you bought it on a budget, go to Walmart. You got your auntie who know how to sew. Get that thing tailored to your body and it may look like it's from Louie. Okay. For real. But no, it's a real thing. And I think even Just knowing the woman's body and knowing what parts to accentuate to. Like, it just. It brings out a different type of confidence, you know? But I remember you coming in and I got to watch your audition. I was like, oh, my goodness. I was like, yeah, this girl is funny. So funny. I saw you on tape and I was like, yeah, she's got it. And just to see where your character has gone from then to now has just been amazing.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Now I want to talk to personally because we talk about, like, just the anxiety and the. The awareness that we have to have now that we're celebrities and we leave the house. How did you adjust from going from just mignon to now? It's like, Danny, Danny, Danny, that's you. Like every. Everywhere you go.
Mignon Vaughn
It's not Danny. It's not only on tv.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
I hide in public. I hide in. Because I. I mean, I know for some people, the lady doth protest too much, but I'm not her. And I am pretty shy when it comes to new people. I am introverted. Yes, I'm funny. And yes, when I'm with people I'm comfortable with. And it's like one on one. Yeah. Like, making jokes, and I'm the life of a party. But it's a small party.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
You know what I mean? It's a party of five people I know really well.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
But if it's like a big club thing, like, I'm not getting on the stage and dancing, like. And so I'm shy. Like, when a stranger runs up on me, I'm like, It's survival mode, right?
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
And then it's even more so survival mode when you realize that people know who you are in a crowd, but you don't know who they are. That's scary. You know what I mean? And I've had some instances that were really sweet but a little overzealous.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And so it makes me. I was like. I said I'm introverted. I've always been a homebody. I never understood the club scene. Even when I was like, you know, in my college years, I was like, guys, we're standing in line in heels and short skirts, and it's cold. Why are we doing this? Just so we can get in for free by 11? Like, I did not get it.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
I was the friend complaining the whole night.
Chris Renee Hazel
I hate to say that is funny.
Mignon Vaughn
I was there. And so now I'm even more. But I will say with. With the fame, it's like, I'm in the house.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, same I'm in the house.
Mignon Vaughn
I need to be out the house, because I'm gonna meet somebody if I'm in the house.
Chris Renee Hazel
But that's what my friends would tell me. They're like, crystal, how do you expect to get a man if you're always in the house who you say to your doordash man? I said, well, I don't even go to the door for him. My directions are leaving at the door, and then I watch them leave and drive off. Then I'm like.
Mignon Vaughn
No, turn the corner.
Chris Renee Hazel
You know, a fear of mine is that, like, I'm gonna open the door, and they're gonna be right there. So I'm always watching, like, from the ring and all my cameras, I'm like, okay, they've driven off. All right. And grab it.
Mignon Vaughn
Primal fear.
Chris Renee Hazel
Primal fear. And I feel like fame has given me that even more so before.
Unnamed Speaker
Even more so, yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
That I really didn't have. You have that. That primal instinct. But when it comes to the fear that we have now, I know for me, like, I've gotten death threats.
Mignon Vaughn
Like, when you told me that I. I was. Yeah, it was visceral for me when you told me that, like, that's awful.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
It's scary because, like you said, I can be in a crowd where every. Like, I don't know who they are, but they know. And, like, what if that one person is just sitting there?
Mignon Vaughn
The weirdo that. Yeah, yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
You know, you just never know. So it's always having, like, this awareness now, watching my back, you know, saying, there's so many different things we have to do now that we didn't have to do five years ago, you know?
Mignon Vaughn
And that's the thing that sometimes frustrates me about my family's advice or friends advice is like, do you know how to navigate what I'm navigating, though? Does your advice take into consideration that you a don't know how to navigate what I'm navigating and. Baby, to navigate what I'm navigating?
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Again, when it comes to friends that are in the same field as us or, like, celebrities giving advice on dating, for me, it's more so recommendations and saying, hey, I know this guy. I think he'd be great for you. Like, that's kind of how I navigate it. But then I have other friends that do dating sites. I tried that. Didn't work for me. So, like, I'm very much like, I need somebody to know you. So if you try something crazy, at least I'm like, you said this Guy was good, but he's not. And I tried, Raya, and I was just like, swipe. I'm like, huh? I never would, like, try to match with anyone, so I'm not really that girl. But most people like that I know either do dating sites, and they've had great success with it. I'm just kind of afraid that primal fear that I'll be the one to swipe on a serial killer with my luck.
Mignon Vaughn
I think. I think you're right about referrals. I think they say that no matter who you are, that's still the best way is to tell people, like, hey, I'm looking for someone. Yeah, I'm in the market, like, either way, so maybe that's what I have to do.
Chris Renee Hazel
So are you looking? Are you ready?
Mignon Vaughn
You know, this week I was thinking about that I was like, I'm so, you know, used to being by myself, that I'm like, I'm fine. You know what I'm saying? Except for there's, like, certain moments where it's like, oh, yeah, you wish you had a partner with you for certain things. But, like, I tried to even, like, I was meditating yesterday, and I was just trying to think about, you know, the things that I wanted, and my mind was like, oh, okay, we can think about the gentleman. And I was like, better things to think about. Like, you know what I mean? Because I tried to, like, just hit every area of my life, and I was like, yeah, you know?
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Because I also think there's just phase that you go through in life where you think about it too much, and now you're just like, I'm tapped out. Like, yeah, like this.
Chris Renee Hazel
I'm older than you, Ming, so I will tell you, you don't want to get my age and be like, I should have tried to focus on that a little. A little bit.
Mignon Vaughn
But how do you focus on something that you can't control?
Chris Renee Hazel
Well, by telling your friends, hey, I'm ready. I'm willing to date. If you know anybody, that's great, shawty. Swing on my way. Because if they don't.
Mignon Vaughn
Crystal, I'm ready, and I'm willing to date. All right, you can send the right friends. See, there's only certain people that I want to send referrals because you got.
Chris Renee Hazel
Listen, now, you can't have everybody sending referrals because everybody don't have the. I got you. I got you. You should trust me. Yes. No, I can't ask all my friends that, because sometimes they bring people. I'm like, do you Even know me?
Mignon Vaughn
Do you even know me?
Chris Renee Hazel
Do you know me?
Mignon Vaughn
I don't know if I like your relationship.
Chris Renee Hazel
Come on. Yeah, yeah, that's real.
Mignon Vaughn
Because I remember being 12. I think a really big part of it, too, is, like, I remember being, like, 12, 13. Like, I wasn't always. I'm a smart dummy. Or like, Is that what I'm trying to say? Like, I'm highly intelligent, but I'm dumb. Sometimes I think we all have that.
Chris Renee Hazel
Either we just. Some people just dumb, but, like, yeah, some people. Some people are really smart and intellectual, but make really stupid mistakes. It's like, why did I just.
Mignon Vaughn
Because I remember being 12, 13, 14, trying to break up the patriarchy in my Southern black Christian family. You know what I'm saying? There's, like a billion women in my family, but we do so much cooking that everyone's still tired. Right. But the men sit throughout the entire holiday.
Chris Renee Hazel
Oh, yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Well, here was arguing about whose turn it is to wash dishes. Obviously, it's the teenage girls who are arguing like that. But we'll see that we're tired, and we'll only get up to get a plate that's already made for them. Won't wash their dish, won't help. The only thing they will do is maybe go to the grocery store when someone asks them to. But the bulk of the grocery shopping is done by my grandmother before we get there.
Chris Renee Hazel
Like.
Mignon Vaughn
And I just remember being, like, smart, saying, well, why don't we get some of the men to help? And the main people down my throat were the women.
Unnamed Speaker
Wow.
Mignon Vaughn
And I just remember thinking to myself, and this is a knock against my dad, my uncles, all the men in my family, even though I know they love their partners, But I was just like, how can a man love a woman? See, she's tired and there's nothing in you that says, how can I help my Lord? So I remember being 12, 13, 14, saying, Lord, I want better than I've seen. And I think God set forward and was like, oh, yeah, we can do that. But I think I didn't realize at that time that if I wanted something that I have not seen, I would have to go through a process that most people wouldn't go through.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. That is so true.
Mignon Vaughn
And so I think I'm still cooking.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Because he was like, you want it better?
Chris Renee Hazel
Let me. Let me.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, Different. You want it more. So to whom much is given, much is required. So I think I'm still cooking. My gentleman is still cooking. And because I really. Because I feel like even in the Church, a lot of men don't understand what it is to love like Christ. Because Jesus said. I think it was Mark 9 or Matthew 9. I can never quote the exact book, chapter and verse, but he said, the Gentile leaders Lord their authority over you. But in this kingdom, not so.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Whoever desires to be great desires to serve. And if you have the mind of Christ, and if you're going to love your wife the way Christ loves the church.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah. A lot of men were like, I'll die for mine. Yeah, but will you live for yours?
Chris Renee Hazel
That.
Mignon Vaughn
Would you wash feet when you are equal to God?
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Thought it not robbery to put on the flesh of a servant. Not a king, not a warrior, but a servant.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
And then die a death you didn't deserve. Yeah. You. You got the dying part, but you.
Chris Renee Hazel
Got the living part.
Mignon Vaughn
And that's. That's something I think I saw at that age. But, you know, obviously, I didn't have the language and. Right. Still want that. And so that's what I love about.
Chris Renee Hazel
You mean, like, even when we go on our press tours and stuff, and the way you speak on behalf of women, that started at a young age, the fact that you could see that and, like. But why don't we get. Why are they not. And I grew up the same way I grew up on Sundays. All the men were in the living room watching football while the women were cooking. Same thing. Make your dad a plate. Like, it was. That was the thing. And I still do that. It's like when my parents said, here, dad, here's your plate. Like, that's just. It was programmed in me to do that. But of course, like, being who I am today, of course I want someone where we can help each other, you know, and serve each other. Not just a give, give, give, give, give situation. That's one thing I was telling jb. I was like, I love the way she just speaks for women. And even some of the things that we go through and how you're like, I don't want this struggle of. We talk about that.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Even through your character, you're like, you want more for Dani. Like, it goes from your real. Like, you talk about what you want, and we talk about characters, and like, yeah, this is what we want to make sure we're putting out, because a lot of us are dealing with struggle, love, and it's not fun.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
It's not about tit for tat. You know what I mean? It's not about tit for tat. It's About. It's about. It's about love. It's about sacrifice. And it's really. And I think that's the other thing too, me realizing, like, when you marry someone you're marrying, their fears, their hopes, their flaws, their traumas processed or unprocessed, their triggers. Like, marriage is a ministry. It's work. You know what I mean? And so I just think for women and men, because I can already see the comments and that's fine.
Chris Renee Hazel
What if he's paying all the bills.
Mignon Vaughn
And da, da, da. It's like, so basically I'm a hire. Is a woman of hired help? Is that what you're saying? Like, is your partner hired help because you pay the bills, that means you don't have to pick up your job. Like you got the toilet looking like a Jackson Pollock paint and she gotta clean it. What are you telling me? What are you saying to me? That was gross, but I'm trying to be gross.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, right? Because it's gross. It's gross.
Mignon Vaughn
And so it's not about tit for tat. It's just about understanding how certain ideologies have infiltrated our society. And it's the foundation of our society. I mean, if you want to cuss somebody out, it's a mother effort, what your mama had to do with it. You're a son of a bee, a female dog.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
If you want to call somebody weak, you call them the P word. But peas push out babies, right? D's can't get hit without them hunching over. So why is it that everything derogatory is female related or female oriented? It's the substratum of our society. And I'm just. Sometimes I feel like that crazy person in a natural disaster movie with like a mustard stain on their shirt and, like, nobody will listen to them because their hair is crazy and all over their head, like right now. You know what I'm saying? You got it. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, but at the end of the movie, the professor died in like the first act and they're like, they were right, Right. But like, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's not about. It's not about upending traditions, is not about not loving your partner. It's just about understanding what it really means to love. And I don't know.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, I love it. Yeah. I love your. Your take on it. And I think this. It's a great conversation to have with men.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah. I just wish they could hear because I feel like a lot of Men will get defensive when they hear that. Yeah, some men hear it because they've been married and they're happily married. Yeah, emphasis on happily married. They understand that it's mutual submission. Especially the Bible talks about mutual submission. A lot of people don't focus on that either.
Chris Renee Hazel
We pick and choose. We pick and choose.
Mignon Vaughn
We pick and choose. Like our parents do that too. Like honor your parents. But also parents. Don't provoke your children around.
Chris Renee Hazel
Did they miss. I'm always stop.
Mignon Vaughn
Why you always stop? You know.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, seriously, I don't know.
Mignon Vaughn
I just. I think that's part of it too. It's like when you're. When you're kind of on your own little. That's why I have the orbital tribe. When your own orbit, sometimes it takes longer to make a full revolution and encounter another in the same orbit.
Chris Renee Hazel
Exactly. You talked about fasting. This is actually a conversation we had in the garage after we just finished filming and you were talking about fasting. I didn't know you started fasting at the age of 20. Like that was when you started.
Mignon Vaughn
Even young. I think I tried one time when I was in. I tried in high school too.
Chris Renee Hazel
I did it. I didn't do that until. Probably until I really like got. Became an adult or I understood what it meant.
Mignon Vaughn
You know, I saw my parents fasting.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, see?
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, I saw my parents fasting. So I tried that. But yeah, my 20s is when I really picked up and now mid-30s, trying to get right kick back into the swing of it. Because, you know, with our job, it's not always, you know, always know where you're going to be, what you're going to be doing right. And you don't want to be trying to.
Chris Renee Hazel
So yeah, when you grew up in a Christian home and you said, I saw my mom and dad fasting, what did. Growing up in that Christian home, what did it do to shape who you are today? Because I was just blown away just by our conversation in the garage that day. Like, I love when things happen like that where we just start talking about the Lord and like, well, I fast and like, oh, I want to fast. And I was doing this. We had just finished with Lent and you were like, let's do it together, you know, and I love that, that orbit. Who's your tribe? You know, people that like, are in alignment and that can like help you along the way. So what was. Well, yeah, of course. No, thank you. And I can't wait to do it together. Yeah, I just had Dr. Sebi's daughter and she was talking about the three day fast, and I was like, we were talking about that.
Mignon Vaughn
I'm gonna have to watch that.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah. So good. So good.
Mignon Vaughn
I'm subscribed, so I'll see when it. I was like, tell me when it comes out. I was like, I'm subscribed.
Chris Renee Hazel
Thank you. But yeah, I want to know, like, what was. What was that? How did that shape who you are today? Because I'm really fascinated by how even just in conversation, it's so enlightening when you talk to people about God and your faith. Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
I mean, I tell my parents all the time. My parents weren't perfect people, but I mean, the more that I heal, the more I look back, I'm like, I had a fun childhood, I think, when I was still healing and I'm still healing, but just when things were more. When I was more wounded, I should say.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
I was like, oh, there are all these things. But I look back and there was just so much good. And I tell my parents all the time, if y' all did nothing right, not one thing right, except for raise me in the fear and ammunition of the Lord. That was enough.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, that was enough.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Because they couldn't help me get on sisters. They couldn't help me through school, they couldn't help me through my job. Like, honestly, my parents didn't even qualify for a parent plus loan when I was in school because they just fell on hard times. My dad was an entrepreneur. And, you know, before Obama, like, it wasn't universal. Not that we have universal healthcare now, but iteration of universal healthcare. But I mean, so when my dad was sick, it was out of pocket on us. Like, you know, it's. Anyway, they couldn't help me in a lot of monetary ways, but raising me to love God.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Before anything and anybody, that was enough for me.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
And that's the foundation that carries us.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Know, that is so true. Speaking of faith, something that I'm still trying to grapple with is who I am on TV and who I am in real life and is the character that I'm portraying, is God okay with it? Have you ever felt that? Like, because you know what I'm saying, like the things that we do, but then how we live our real life, like, and we have me and Zach on that. We haven't really had to have sex a lot. Like, we were at that during that.
Mignon Vaughn
Oh, in the beginning.
Chris Renee Hazel
In the beginning, it was a lot. And I was like, oh, my gosh.
Mignon Vaughn
But you never knew.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, that's. That's one of my. In my rider. Like, no frontal. Um, if it is, it's chest to chest, but I have on nipple covers, so, like, I'm not actually touching him. It was so much. Even with the intimacy coordinator, like, these are my guidelines. This is where he can grab me only on my waist. No butt grabbing. Like, I'm very, very particular about those scenes. And I love how now, like, I think with Armani, he's like, he'll see it, and it'll be, like, one minute of, like, passionate sex. And he's like, yeah, we're not doing that. He said, it'll be like, y' all are. Then flip over. I'm like, okay, I like that we can do that.
Mignon Vaughn
It also takes too much time. You gotta get the intimacy coordinator in. You gotta get everybody out way too much.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, but are you ever, like, conflicted? Cause I've gone through these times where I'm, like, a little conflicted about what I'm putting out there on TV and what. That's why I go so hard on this to put. Try to, like, kind of balance it out, you know?
Mignon Vaughn
I'm more concerned with messaging. Because Danny is a sinner.
Chris Renee Hazel
We all are.
Mignon Vaughn
Sinners gonna sin. It's a character.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Is there a redemptive arc? What is. What's our messaging? What story are we telling?
Chris Renee Hazel
What.
Mignon Vaughn
What messaging are we putting out into the world?
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
That's what I care more about. Because even Jesus praised the shrewd servant who was stealing, essentially.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right? Yeah. Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Because, I mean, so I tell people think about that. That storytelling is spiritual. Because what did Jesus do in order to get his message? Stories. Storytelling is a ministry.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And that's why. That's why there's so much darkness in Hollywood. Because the enemy understands how powerful storytelling is.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. I think that's my point. Like, yes.
Mignon Vaughn
And so I don't mind a character who's a sinner. I sin too. I might not sin the same way she does.
Chris Renee Hazel
Absolutely.
Mignon Vaughn
But what is our message? That's where, you know, I'm trying to tweak things here and tweak things there.
Chris Renee Hazel
It's like.
Mignon Vaughn
And I catch things from the female perspective.
Chris Renee Hazel
I'm like, yeah, we've had those conversations.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Where we're like, okay, where is she going? What are we doing here? What's the story we're telling? And then we're able to go back and say, okay, like, this is fine, but we need to see where she's going. When you say the redemptive arc, where is this going? And how can she redeem herself? That's one thing I love about Denzel, when he plays all these characters and he talked about Training Day and he said, yeah, he was doing all these horrible things. He said, but at the end, originally, he didn't die. He said, I wanted him to have. Or he did die, but he said, I wanted it to be brutal. He's like. And that's why it was as bad as it was. He said, I need them to understand when you do wrong, these are the consequences. Like, you can't just get away with it, you know? And I. It made me look at it different. But just listening to you, even just now, really helped me kind of process it and not be so judgmental of the character or, like, overthinking it. Because my parents are always like, it's storytelling. You're just portraying a character that's not who you are. But I'm like, but what if somebody out there is really taking that Fatima serious? And, like, she's always carrying a gun and ready to buck up on people and think that's the way to live, you know? So I was always, like, mindful of those things.
Mignon Vaughn
And I understand that, and I agree with that. I think. I think it's the job of us, Crystal and Mignon, to be and embody our beliefs in our life.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
Right. Our characters. And if I can't say this, I'm sure you can cut it. But we had this discussion for season 10. The storyline is like, if this is not going to serve a purpose, then I don't know why we're doing it again. Because we've done this.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
Right.
Chris Renee Hazel
This is brutal.
Mignon Vaughn
What are we saying?
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
What is the point of it? And I think that's what storytellers have to take into account. Not just entertainment, because there are young girls watching us. And that's why I said it on Twitter this season with Jonah. I said, it's important for you to know, ladies and gentlemen, that we have to stop putting the onus on girls to not be attacked.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes. Yeah, and we talked about that, too, when we were on the phone.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
About.
Chris Renee Hazel
Just because she's wearing a short dress, she's asking to be raped.
Mignon Vaughn
No, men. Men have to start teaching men to be safe. And, yes, I understand there's always going to be criminals in the world, but good girls get attacked, too.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Bad things happen to good people, too.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
So how do we explain that?
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, exactly.
Mignon Vaughn
How do we put the onus on the girl then?
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
She wasn't drinking. She wasn't wearing anything wrong. She wasn't teasing anybody. Yeah, she was at the library.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. She was out jogging in the park. Yeah, exactly.
Mignon Vaughn
Okay, ladies, you need to take self defense classes, okay? She took a self defense class. He had a gun.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
So I think it's most important for us to understand what stories we're telling. What's the messaging? And I understand what you're saying about, you know, Fatima and Danny and all of that, but I just think that things like having Danny in therapy and having Fatima be the one who referred the therapist, that matters too.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, those moments too.
Mignon Vaughn
And I think that, you know, every TV show can't be the chosen.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right, right, right. You know who else I talked to, Devon Franklin about this. I always talk to people who I know are strong in their faith about when I have questions. And he was like, crystal, he said, there's so many different characters in the Bible. And he was like, so what we're doing is just like, just, we're acting. We're playing characters in real life. And he said, and those characters in the Bible were living their real life at that time. He said, you had all different types of people. And he was like, Samson was an acting baby. Hello.
Mignon Vaughn
He was not acting.
Chris Renee Hazel
He was not acting. Delilah might have been, but he was. But he still fell for it. He still fell for it. Seriously. So I've had these conversations with a lot of people, just especially they're in the industry, but also of the faith. They're like, how do you feel about this?
Mignon Vaughn
Also, you don't control. You're not in the writer's room.
Chris Renee Hazel
I'm not in the writers room.
Mignon Vaughn
You don't control. You don't control what your character does. I mean, obviously where we are, thankfully we're in a space to be able to call Armani and be like, yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Do you mind about that?
Unnamed Speaker
Uhhuh.
Chris Renee Hazel
You know what I'm saying?
Mignon Vaughn
But I also don't think it's realistic to try to have every character be a saint.
Chris Renee Hazel
No.
Mignon Vaughn
Because it's almost. Isn't it almost self righteous if we think we have to play perfect characters if we ourselves aren't perfect. I'm not, I'm not saying that to you, but I'm saying, like, because I did have some. I'm saying that because I did have a church lady email me season one about Danny.
Unnamed Speaker
Wow.
Mignon Vaughn
I just ignored it.
Chris Renee Hazel
But I was just like, mm, mm.
Mignon Vaughn
It's hypocritical. Like, it's, it's self righteous. I mean, no, like, I don't want Little girls to live the way Danny lives. But I still don't think Danny's deserved the stuff she went through. You know what I mean? Like, so I just. It is. It is a tightrope. But I think it's also just understanding. Like Devon said, like, look at the people God used.
Chris Renee Hazel
Come on.
Mignon Vaughn
Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. Like when you look at Matthew.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
That worker girl.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Is in the lineage of Christ.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes, she is.
Mignon Vaughn
So I don't think it's about God looking for people who are perfect. It's about God looking for people who have hearts that are looking for him.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
It's not to say that we continue in sin so that grace may abound.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
No, but I mean. Yeah. I think playing a character who is imperfect is. Is not only natural, but why would people watch it if it's not relatable? And then it's my job as a storyteller to have some message in there.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
That I'm trying to download to people.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. I love that. I love that. In the industry, is there any roles that you like or genres that you're like, I won't do that. Is there any type of.
Mignon Vaughn
Probably horror? Because I don't like it. I don't watch it in my own.
Chris Renee Hazel
Me neither.
Mignon Vaughn
I be scared.
Chris Renee Hazel
Like, even there's a. I'm like, I'm so scary. And if I do watch something, people say like, you gotta watch it, it's so good. I'll like try to watch it during the daytime because I am. I won't be able to sleep at night. I'm so scary. Can't do it. Yeah. Horror is definitely one of those. And then I used to say, like those, like demonic movies, like, I'm really big on spirits.
Mignon Vaughn
We were talking about that too.
Unnamed Speaker
Uh huh.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes, sure did. Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
Talking about that too.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Chris Renee Hazel
That's another one. Like, I think. What was it like the Exorcist and the one that Lee Daniels just did where they had the preacher there. Yeah. Talk about that one. Those are true stories, you know, so it's like. And demons are real.
Mignon Vaughn
I didn't realize the Exorcist was a true story.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, the one that Lee Daniels did.
Mignon Vaughn
What was it called?
Chris Renee Hazel
The. The something. I said the something. But yeah, that was. That was a true story. But they had a pastor on set praying every day. But the deliverance. But I know that. And then in the. I didn't. I never watched it, but I watched a lot of the commentary about it when people were getting online, talking about it the importance of binding demons in the name of Jesus. And that was like the biggest part takeaway from that movie. And I was like, okay. I guess if I had to watch it, when I see stuff like that, I'm like, it makes me more comfortable because I know you can.
Mignon Vaughn
Well, they did cover that in the movie.
Chris Renee Hazel
That's good. Yes. Yeah, so that was good. I. I still didn't watch it cuz I'm scary.
Mignon Vaughn
That's why I stopped watching that show Evil, because I like that show a lot. I liked it. But I realized why they didn't talk about the power of the name of Jesus. Because the show would have been over in two minutes. Wouldn't have been a show. It been a short. Wouldn't even been a short film. Been a skit. Like. Because they tremble at the name of Jesus.
Chris Renee Hazel
They do, baby. Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
You. You see what I'm saying? So, I mean, I, I believe in portals being opened up. I believe in. I believe that demons have territory. Like when Jesus cast Legion out of the gentlemen and the gatherings and they were like, don't make us leave this area, huh? Let us go into the pigs.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yep.
Mignon Vaughn
And then they went to the water. But water is a body too. That's why it's called a body of water.
Chris Renee Hazel
Come on.
Mignon Vaughn
They need to stay in their territory.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And I believe that demons have like territory on bloodlines because of, you know, great granny putting roots on granddaddy because he wouldn't stop messing with Shirlene. And now, now this, now there's the devil has a demonic contract with his bloodline because of grandma playing in witchcraft, not realizing the ramifications of it.
Chris Renee Hazel
No. You are associates. I was just having a conversation with a friend of mine. He's also in the industry, he's Nigerian. And he found out that the strongholds that were on his life came from his lineage and how they were practicing witchcraft back in Africa. And it passed down to his father, to him. And he didn't know that, but he's been delivered since then. But he was like. It was so much that I learned when he finally went to go visit his father. And I was like, goodness, that bloodline is serious.
Mignon Vaughn
I called my grandma and my dad. I said, did we have a root lady in our family or did anybody put roots on anybody?
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And my dad said on his side he had an auntie. People came to her for roots.
Chris Renee Hazel
Wow. Now explain roots.
Mignon Vaughn
Literally a plant root. And like, I don't know what they would do, but I think you would drink it or get Them to eat it or get them to drink it. I don't know the whole process of Roots. But she had a book on. I mean, I hate to say witchcraft, but that's. I guess that's what it is.
Unnamed Speaker
It was.
Mignon Vaughn
It was. It was esoteric, and it was spiritual, and it was so, you know, witchcraft is the act of rebellion. I believe it's the act of rebellion because instead of using the power of God, you're trying to use your own power.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
You trying to control the circumstance. And that's what her book was. It was just like Roots and different things to make people do, you know, control things and manipulate and.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. And I feel like when people do that, it's. It's them veering off. It's rebellion, but also some type of hurt where something didn't go or you feel betrayed by God that causes you to veer off, you know?
Mignon Vaughn
And I'm a witch of light.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, you're not.
Mignon Vaughn
You're a witch. No, no. It's love and it's light, but it's. You're trying to control an outcome.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
That's why I. There isn't as much condemnation in my heart. It's like you want to control things, and I get that.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
But the same way we're a host for the Holy Spirit, which becomes a host for the.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
Of the enemy of our soul.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah. Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
So that's so true.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
My goodness. I want to talk about. We're going to switch gears a little bit, talking about how coming into where we are kind of still on the same thing, but how life has changed, even dealing with, like, finance, because it's something else we talk about all the time. We talk about finances. I've talked to you about my financial advisor, my accountant, and how she's, like, got me. Right. Because taxes is something that just hits different now. Devale called me one day about eyes red.
Mignon Vaughn
Not eyes red.
Chris Renee Hazel
He said, I just paid the irs. I said, oh, brother, I feel your pain.
Mignon Vaughn
You better not ever come get me. Listen, because of the amount of money I give y', all, you better not ever come get me.
Chris Renee Hazel
Seriously, too much.
Mignon Vaughn
It's too much.
Chris Renee Hazel
Too much. What did you like going from both of us going from making what we were making to now $12. 12 making to now. What are some of the lessons you've had to learn? And even pivoting and some of the even mistakes that you made and, like, ooh. Not just not knowing, because I know where I'm from. I wasn't taught how to save I wasn't taught, like my dad taught us not to overspend. Like, if. If you're going to give somebody something, if don't expect it back, just give what you can give. If you, if you can't give it without expecting it back, you don't have.
Mignon Vaughn
Enough, you ain't got it.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
And he would always say, I'm like, daddy, I need this. He's like, I ain't got it. But if he didn't have it. But he still had a lot of money in the bank, but he had a bottom line. And that was one thing he did teach me the bottom line. But when it came to like learning how to save, I didn't know how to do that. I didn't know how to budget, you know. So what are some of the mistakes that you made once you like really started, or were you already ready once you started making a lot of money?
Mignon Vaughn
So similar. But my mom is a big saver, so I didn't know how to save. So I do have a lot saved.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
But that's the problem. It's time to make my money, start making money. Yes. Especially because of the way this industry is.
Chris Renee Hazel
Oh, gosh. After that strike, I said, what you're not gonna do is ever catch me slipping jokes on you. Right? It will not be on me. Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
So now that's what I'm trying to figure out as well, too. What does it look like to really start to build? Well, yeah, I think I've been playing chess. I said, time start playing checkers. I gotta really. And I would say a mistake I made was taking the. The LMA with my portfolio. That was a mistake.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, that was a mistake. Just like I shouldn't have done that.
Mignon Vaughn
I shouldn't have done that because it's. It eats away that all the money that the money the accounts are making in the market. And I'm like. Because the interest rate on it is insane.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
It was low when I got it, but they didn't tell me that. Oh, hey, this is a variable interest.
Chris Renee Hazel
Rate that could change, not a fixed. Yeah.
Unnamed Speaker
Wow.
Mignon Vaughn
And so they still haven't lowered the interest rates and I'm still haven't been able to lock one in. I just trying to think about it.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right. Because.
Mignon Vaughn
Because I also invested during a bear market, so.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
And then now it's like a. It was a bull market for a while. Right. Now I don't know what it is.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah, Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
I. One of the investments that I made early on when we started making. It's funny Because Deuce, our first ad for the first few seasons we shot, he called me season one, and he goes, you need a financial advisor. And I was like, okay, yeah, I do. Like, you know somebody. He's. I got somebody. I'm going to send them to you. He said, because you're about to start making more money than you used to. He said, so I want you to make sure that you steward over it properly. And I was like, thank you so much. Shout out Deuce for that. You know, just always looking out good people, you know. And so I met with the guy, and then he actually introduced me to Alicia. That guy did. So it's like, just. I just kept meeting good people. And I remember it was this kid that I grew up with. His family had left him a farm.
Mignon Vaughn
Yes.
Chris Renee Hazel
And he started growing cannabis on it. And this is like, cannabis. It was booming. I was like, yo. I was like, this is built right in my hometown. We can create jobs with this. I was like, I'll put 100,000 in it. And he was like, okay, great. The return was supposed to be I could either get equity in the company or within the next two years, I could get my money back with, like, interest added onto it. So I would make a profit. And we agreed that we would do the profit part. I mean, the get my money back with the profit on top for interest. Give him money. I ain't got a dime. Do you hear me when I tell you? I felt. And that mean this is a part of investing and you have contracts and you, like, west knows, like, he was. He did business with him, too. And I will find you. I will hunt you down.
Mignon Vaughn
Wait, wait, wait. No, wait. You're not telling what happened. Wait, what happened, Honey?
Chris Renee Hazel
This man done went and spent the money on his wedding. Yes. Flexing. It was crazy. And then I had my dad call his aunt because she, like, worked with him as well. And he kept telling me, I'm gonna send you, like, 70 something thousand now. I'm gonna go ahead and send you, like, a portion of it. I was like, okay. And then he's like, the wire should be hitting anytime now. My aunt just went to the bank. He forgot. Martin's a small town. I said, daddy, you know, so and so's aunt. He's like, yeah. He said, I'm doing some work on her house. I said, give me her number. I called her. She said, I have no idea what you're talking about. Just lying. Girl like Monte, this is. I was so excited about this investment. Thinking like this about to be Something really big. And when that's one of your first investments and you're just starting to really make money, but you want to, like, this is something. I saw the return on it. I'm like, people are making a lot of money, and if I get in it early, like, this could be something great. And we're giving back to my hometown community. It was one of those things that kind of scared me, and I was afraid to invest in people and their businesses for a while. And I. To this day, I just. When we were talking about it, I hadn't thought about that in a while. I want my money back now, man. Like, I had to fell on her. The guy was dating at the time, and he was just sending us in circles. But that was like. That was. I mean, it was a mistake that I made.
Mignon Vaughn
Why do you think it was a mistake?
Chris Renee Hazel
I don't know. It wasn't a mistake. It was just a bad investment.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
He just wasn't an integral person.
Mignon Vaughn
See, that's why I'm slow to do.
Chris Renee Hazel
Stuff, because I think that's why it's hard for me to even do business with people. Let's do this together, because I just don't know how you're gonna act. I got good people around me now where I trust them. Me and Wes got. We go back years when I had nothing. We both was struggling, you know, so that's somebody that I know, like, if we did business together, he's not gonna like, screw me over, you know, but it's. That's. It's hard. That's always in the back of my.
Mignon Vaughn
Yesterday asking chatgpt, is it legal to do a mental health screening before hiring someone?
Chris Renee Hazel
It needs to be legal. Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
No, because people be pre hospital dealing with you.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, seriously.
Mignon Vaughn
And I don't know. I don't know what you want me to do because I'm human too. I make mistakes too.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
I'm dealing with things too. And. And I just.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, it's.
Mignon Vaughn
It's tough.
Chris Renee Hazel
It is so tough.
Mignon Vaughn
You'll be trying to help people, trying to put people on, trying to work with people.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
But that's the other thing that I think part of the reason why I haven't done as much investing too, is because I'll see something about somebody, but then I'd be still trying to make it work. It's a lack of trust in myself too.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes, I know exactly what you mean.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And be feeling like a bad person because they're so nice, but I'm like, I can just Tell.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah, something.
Mignon Vaughn
This ain't it.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Chris Renee Hazel
You gotta trust that you do. You have to trust it. God has given us that. That's that spirit of discernment that he has blessed us with. And I'm telling you, there's been so many times just like you where I've ignored it and it came to bite me in the butt. Every single time. Every single time.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
That's like now, like for me, safe things are like real estate. Like, I'll buy a house in a heartbeat, you know, any type of property, I'll do that. It's just, that's a safer, low risk investment for me that I know I can control. You know, I have a little more control over it. But when it comes to investing in people and really taking a risk with other people, it's really hard. That really damaged me. It really did.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
That's the other thing I was thinking too, about a relationship. I was like. Because I saw this one woman talking about how God wanted to heal her disappointment because she realized that if God were to send the right person in her life, she would still see life through the lens of disappointment.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And would you even be able to open up to him and trust him? I'm like, because out of all the videos that got suggested to me that day, that one day, and I was like, ooh, that's good.
Chris Renee Hazel
He's. Heal me from disappointment.
Mignon Vaughn
Heal me from the disappointment and the lack of trust. Because if it's a good dude, you're gonna sabotage it. I don't even think it's. I think that's part of it, but I think it'll be more so like the only people, like, if I'm a boundary person, you know me, I'm a boundary person. I'm kind of guarded. I'm like. But like, you can still see, it's like, yeah, you know, you're a decent human being so you're not gonna try to climb over those boundaries.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
So if he's a decent person, he's going to be like, I like her, but I don't think she's. I wouldn't even. He wouldn't even feel like he had the opportunity to be like, hey, so.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
But somebody who is a narcissist would be like, I can break down those bones.
Unnamed Speaker
Uh huh.
Mignon Vaughn
You know what I'm saying?
Chris Renee Hazel
But is he a narcissist or somebody that like really likes you and is not going to give up?
Mignon Vaughn
I think that a good man will be in proximity and will be. It's kind of like, when people rescue dogs.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
They just sit. They'll sit there for an hour until the dog comes to them. But human beings don't have that type of time.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
If he's also a good man, he would have to really hear from God. Just wait, give her a second.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And not too many people gonna hear God that clearly and be that obedient. I'm not saying it's impossible.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
But, like, why should he have to go through all that? Let me do my healing.
Chris Renee Hazel
I'm not.
Mignon Vaughn
I'm not a rescue German shepherd. Like, I need to.
Chris Renee Hazel
Right.
Mignon Vaughn
You know, continue to work on myself. But I just think. I just think. And it doesn't make them a bad person. Some of them, people who are super overzealous and go try to pet a rescue, they get bit.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And now you mad at the rescue, and then the dog got to get put down, and it's like, read the room.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
You know what I mean?
Chris Renee Hazel
But people can't read.
Mignon Vaughn
People can't read. People can't read. People are socially illiterate.
Chris Renee Hazel
Literally. Yes. That is funny. When you think about your legacy and your future, what is something that you want to leave behind that's impactful to other people?
Mignon Vaughn
I haven't been asked that in such a long time.
Chris Renee Hazel
Really?
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah. So it's like, gosh, I want to be concise. I want to have left a mark, especially with storytelling that will make people feel less alone, will guide people to the one who created them and have empowered them to operate in their gift and their purpose so that they can do the exact same thing.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Like that ripple effect of, you know, a candle doesn't lose fire when it lights another candle. So I want to light other people's candles. I want people to see my stories and feel like, all right, I can go. I can. I can take on the world. I can take on this classroom. I can take on this disease. I can take on this research project. And people are walking in their gift and operating in their gift, and they know who they belong to and who they are, and they feel empowered and they love themselves because of the work that I've done. And right now, in this moment, I'm like, I got a lot of work to do. We all do.
Chris Renee Hazel
When you answer that question, you do think you're like, oh, wait, there's more I gotta do. I'm the same way.
Mignon Vaughn
The disappointment and the trauma and it's the trying and being pushed back down. Like, I don't know, when you got Fatima, maybe season two at Least because season one, you were reoccurring.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Season two, when you saw that, he was like, all right, he's giving you a shot.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
I don't know about you, but when Raven called me and told me I got the role, I enjoyed it for, like, 62 seconds. And then I felt something in my spirit. Say, now the real work begins.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Chris Renee Hazel
Oh, for sure. I went straight to. Back to studying school. Like, I gotta get this. I can't mess this up. It was real work.
Mignon Vaughn
Just even. Just starting stuff, like starting your podcast. I'm sure, like, getting other deals, doing, like, the amount of work we still have to do, even though we're series regulars on a hit show, like, it's. It's almost harder because it's the mental warfare of what am I now doing? Like, what is the problem?
Chris Renee Hazel
Like, oh, my gosh, man. Yeah, it's a lot. I was just telling my friend driving here today, she was like, what are you doing? I said, I'm headed to the office. I been filming episodes all week. And she goes, oh. And she was like. She said, you've been busy. I was like, yeah, I went straight from filming, straight to BET Awards, straight to abff, Home to work. I said, even when I'm off work, I'm working. You know, it doesn't stop. And we. We've built these brands. We've been blessed with the platform to be able to build brands off of it so that when, say, whenever sisters may be done, you know, then we're like, okay, I've built enough that I. I'm okay. You know, we're not like, oh, gosh, like, what am I going to do now? You know, but it. It's a thing, like, and people think it's. We make it look so easy. It's not especially you.
Mignon Vaughn
You make it look like warm butter on warm toast.
Chris Renee Hazel
Warm butter on warm toast.
Mignon Vaughn
Ooh, baby.
Chris Renee Hazel
My team probably say different.
Mignon Vaughn
Oh, I know she keep y' all running, cuz she ain't stopped.
Chris Renee Hazel
It don't stop. Yeah, that's what him and Shawna always say. Crystal will outwork you if you let her. Like, I'm right there with him. Like, let's go. What we doing? I don't care what it is. We packing up. They like, sit down.
Mignon Vaughn
Just give her her an Alani, honey.
Chris Renee Hazel
And I'm good to go. Charged. Alani, give me.
Mignon Vaughn
Go ahead and send the money. Cut the check. Alani.
Chris Renee Hazel
They send in boxes, but go ahead and send the check, please. Thank you.
Mignon Vaughn
Cut the check.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, seriously. No, I'm so grateful for them. Because when God does bless you with ideas and you want to be creative, the team is what helps push it, you know? Like, I could not do this without them. So that's the warm butter on the bread, because I couldn't do without them.
Mignon Vaughn
See, that's the. I think that's the warfare, too, is like, relationships.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes.
Mignon Vaughn
You know what I mean? Where two or more are gathered.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yep.
Mignon Vaughn
And that's why I feel like that's sometimes why it's hard. It's like just finding the good people, the people that you don't feel like you need a mental health screening for. Like, And I feel like that's been my struggle, and that's been the warfare for me. It's like, oh, God, can I. Just give me one Lord? One? Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
No, it's beautiful.
Mignon Vaughn
I'm glad you have that.
Chris Renee Hazel
And then everybody just loves the Lord, you know? So, like, we're all like.
Mignon Vaughn
You did two or three prayers before we started.
Chris Renee Hazel
Okay, we sure did. And I just got JB during BET Awards, when you came to BET House and I was. When we exchanged numbers, I was gonna be psycho and put Chris Burnett. Hazel, you're stuck with me as my contact name, because I was like, you have to come work with us. Like, yeah, there's. Where are we going? You thought you was going, no, you're stuck with us. But I felt it. Like, you feel it instantly. And it's hard to find good people, especially in this day and age, but in this industry as well, because everybody has ulterior motives, and it's just like, who is just loves what they do? They're passionate. They're here to, like, just push the dream, you know? Um, it's a lot. But, yeah, I think it's also a passion. So that's probably why it looks like it looks easy, because I just.
Mignon Vaughn
I love it.
Chris Renee Hazel
I love it.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, you can tell.
Chris Renee Hazel
Thank you. So I want to talk about Orbital Tribe.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Let's talk about. How did you even come up with the name?
Mignon Vaughn
What I was saying? Like, I've always felt like I've kind of been my own orbit, like, feeling like that crazy professor with the mustard stain dropping papers that nobody listens to. I. I've always just kind of been different and walked to the beat of my own drum, like, in my own family. Has been very, you know, like, just different.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
You know, and thank God for the Bible, because without the Bible, I would not be able to make peace with just kind of being vulnerable here. Not really having a Sense of belonging.
Unnamed Speaker
Wow.
Mignon Vaughn
And so the Orbital Tribe was really kind of for those people that God has kind of called out, even amongst the people he's called out and say, like, hey, you might not get there the traditional way. People might not always see you, but you can get there. Which is my story for.
Chris Renee Hazel
For this.
Mignon Vaughn
This show.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And that's what I love about Tyler. Like, he will. He don't mind a diamond in the rough, baby.
Chris Renee Hazel
He does not. He said, we gonna get this thing right, make it shine.
Mignon Vaughn
He is.
Chris Renee Hazel
Oh, I was going through so much. Remember, I had the whole, like, breast cancer callback while we were filming, and we had a scene the day before. I had to go in for my appointment, and I was just. My brain was just, like, all over the place, and I was just like. And you were looking at me, and I was like.
Mignon Vaughn
Where are we?
Chris Renee Hazel
Like, I could not track. And usually, like, I have a photographic memory. I can, like, see it on the pages. So, like, oh, I know where we are. Got it. Like, one line. Got it that day. I could not. And I left, and I was like, oh, my God. I hope Mignon does not hate me. She probably like, girl, come on. Cause you had a crazy few days in your house, and it was a lot of content. So I always like to come in, like, when I'm coming, I'm helping. I'm your wing girl, you know? And I just, like. I feel like I let you down on that day. And remember, I hit you and I text you.
Mignon Vaughn
You're like, no, no. Because, like, I felt like. Because especially my storyline, I was like, there's got to be some grace. Because the day before, you were at the townhouse all day.
Unnamed Speaker
All day long. Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
We all have our days.
Mignon Vaughn
You were at the townhouse all day. And then the scene we shot was. It wasn't seen. It was scenes.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
Weren't they? Wasn't it? 20 pages.
Chris Renee Hazel
20 pages, y'. All. It was crazy. It was like, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Mignon Vaughn
So I did not like me personally. I was like. I expected you to be like. Because, right.
Chris Renee Hazel
We all were like, what are you supposed to do? Yeah, you know what I mean?
Mignon Vaughn
What are you supposed to do? Like what? Like, you had the townhouse. When I saw the townhouse block, I was like, yeah, that was crazy.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, it was a lot.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah. Not at all.
Chris Renee Hazel
Thank you.
Mignon Vaughn
Because, truth be told, I was like, is it me?
Chris Renee Hazel
It was not you. It was definitely me. It's not you. That's me.
Mignon Vaughn
I do that all the time. I'll be calling line It'll be other people's line. I was like, oh, my bad.
Chris Renee Hazel
Sorry. Y' all listen. And I feel. I'm like, okay, good. It wasn't me. Oh, that was. Oh, that was your line. Okay, thanks.
Mignon Vaughn
God, I'd be feeling like, dang, I could have got away with it if I hadn't called line.
Chris Renee Hazel
Because now I'm gonna need it when we get to this next one line.
Mignon Vaughn
It could be anybody. I say it all the time. Brian will laugh because I'll be like, it could be anything. This could be anything.
Chris Renee Hazel
Literally anything. I love it. I'm so happy we're getting to work together now.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
They want it.
Mignon Vaughn
Hopefully. We got 11.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
Keep on going.
Mignon Vaughn
Sunny days.
Unnamed Speaker
Yes.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yes. Love that. And there's so many people that Hollywood has overlooked that Tyler has given a chance and changed their life completely change their family's life, generations.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah.
Chris Renee Hazel
And that's what he does. So grateful for him.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
So, yeah. I mean, that's what the Oracle tribe is. We're filming season two right now.
Chris Renee Hazel
That's what I'm actually. Okay, perfect. So we'll make sure you guys tap in, subscribe so you can follow along with the Oracle Tribe. I love that. I'm so proud of you, Ming.
Mignon Vaughn
Thank you, Chris. I'm proud of you.
Chris Renee Hazel
Thank you. I'm proud of you. I'm glad we finally got to do this.
Mignon Vaughn
Me too. This was, like, so relaxing. Like, it's trying to look like it's trying to rain again.
Chris Renee Hazel
It's like 40 days and 40 nights here in Atlanta. I don't know what's going on.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, I can roll up on this little rug. Don't bother me. It's cozy here.
Chris Renee Hazel
Thank you. Thank you so much. All right, let the people know where they can follow you. Your YouTube, your Instagram, all the things. We want to support you in any way we can. If there's anything else that you have going on that you can share, we would love it.
Mignon Vaughn
From what I can share, the season two of the Orville Tribe we are filming right now, so it's dropping soon. Yeah. So the Orbital Tribe is on YouTube. It is on. You can follow our Instagram page. The Orbital Tribe is on Spotify, Iheart, Apple, of course. I think Amazon.
Chris Renee Hazel
Amazon have you too.
Mignon Vaughn
Anywhere you listen to your podcast. Anywhere you listen to your podcast.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah.
Mignon Vaughn
And then share it, refer it to people if it helps you. And then, of course, you can follow me at Mignon M I G N o n_fof on Instagram.
Chris Renee Hazel
Fof. I always wonder what.
Mignon Vaughn
It's just initials.
Chris Renee Hazel
Okay. Yeah, got it. Okay.
Mignon Vaughn
I was like, it wouldn't give me mignon.
Chris Renee Hazel
Are you. See, somebody already had it.
Mignon Vaughn
Somebody already has it, but they don't post. And. And. But Instagram said that they were. They were active, and I was like.
Chris Renee Hazel
They'Re not active or.
Mignon Vaughn
It's a. It's their finster.
Chris Renee Hazel
Yeah, that's a thing.
Mignon Vaughn
Just give it to me.
Chris Renee Hazel
Like, I'll give you mignon fof you. Give me mignon.
Mignon Vaughn
Yeah, just give it to me.
Chris Renee Hazel
You can still creep with this one. That is so funny. I love it, but thank you so much, guys. Make sure you tap in with my girl Ming, and we will see you soon. Getting into today's fit. Today I am wearing a cream Louis Vuitton matching set. Absolutely love this outfit. It's super comfortable. Today we were just all the things. Keeping it simple with the jewelry. Today I'm wearing Bottega Veneta earrings and my Van Cleef bracelet. Sweeties, I hope y' all enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. Look, remember, keep company only with those who uplift you and whose presence calls forth your best. Until next time, keep it positive. Sweeties. Love y'.
Mignon Vaughn
All.
Podcast Summary: "The Ministry of Storytelling with Mignon Vaughn"
Podcast Information:
1. Introduction and Guest Overview
Crystal Renee Hazel kicks off the episode by emphasizing the theme of impact over mere presence. She introduces Mignon Vaughn, renowned for her role as Dani in Tyler Perry's Sisters. Crystal highlights Mignon's multifaceted talents as a storyteller, creative, and woman of faith, praising her grit, grace, and infectious positivity.
Quote:
[00:00] Crystal Renee: "Cute is cool, but impact is forever."
2. Building a Sisterly Bond
The conversation delves into the evolving relationship between Crystal and Mignon, discussing their on-screen chemistry and off-screen camaraderie. They reminisce about developing their unique communication style while working together on the show, strengthening their sisterly bond.
Quote:
[02:15] Mignon Vaughn: "They all talk about how I go mute. I do have, like, I just start kind of..."
3. Mignon's Journey in Acting
Mignon shares her early passion for acting, inspired by Muppet Babies. Despite contemplating careers in marine biology and psychology due to personal struggles, her faith guided her back to acting. She recounts her time at Pepperdine University, working behind the scenes in the nonprofit sector, and facing industry rejections before landing her breakthrough role on Sisters.
Quote:
[05:16] Mignon Vaughn: "Because of the amount of money I give y'all, all, you better not ever come get me."
4. Navigating Fame and Personal Boundaries
Mignon discusses the challenges of transitioning from a familiar environment to fame, highlighting her introverted nature despite her on-screen persona. She touches on the heightened awareness and fears that come with recognition, including dealing with intrusive fans and maintaining personal security.
Quote:
[12:38] Mignon Vaughn: "It's not Danny. It's not only on tv. I hide in public. I hide in."
5. Faith as a Foundation
A significant portion of the dialogue centers on how Mignon's Christian upbringing and practices, such as fasting, have shaped her resilience and purpose. She references The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho as a pivotal influence guiding her personal and professional decisions, emphasizing the importance of an abundance mindset and mutual submission in relationships.
Quote:
[07:37] Mignon Vaughn: "It's absolutely one of my favorite."
6. Storytelling as a Ministry
Mignon articulates her belief that storytelling holds spiritual significance, serving as a ministry. She underscores the responsibility of portraying imperfect characters to deliver meaningful messages, especially to young audiences. The discussion includes the importance of not gatekeeping knowledge and ensuring that narratives promote positive values and redemption.
Quote:
[32:02] Mignon Vaughn: "That's why storytelling is spiritual. Because what did Jesus do in order to get his message? Stories. Storytelling is a ministry."
7. Financial Lessons and Investment Insights
The hosts transition to discussing financial management, sharing personal experiences with investments and mistakes made along the way. Crystal recounts a failed investment in a cannabis venture, emphasizing the importance of trusting oneself and surrounding oneself with reliable advisors. Mignon echoes similar sentiments, highlighting her cautious approach to investments and the significance of learning from past errors.
Quote:
[49:11] Chris Renee Hazel: "And he said, I'm doing some work on her house. I said, give me her number. I called her. She said, I have no idea what you're talking about. Just lying."
8. Building Legacy and Empowering Others
Towards the end, Mignon reflects on her desired legacy, aiming to create impactful stories that empower others to embrace their gifts and find their purpose. She envisions her work as a ripple effect, inspiring individuals to overcome challenges and thrive. Crystal concurs, acknowledging the continuous effort required to build and sustain their brands while supporting their teams.
Quote:
[55:29] Mignon Vaughn: "I want to leave a mark, especially with storytelling that will make people feel less alone, will guide people to the one who created them and have empowered them to operate in their gift and their purpose..."
9. Future Projects and Closing Remarks
The episode concludes with discussions about upcoming projects, including the second season of the Orbital Tribe podcast. Both Crystal and Mignon express gratitude towards their teams and audiences, reinforcing the podcast's mission to inspire and uplift listeners. They encourage listeners to support Mignon's ventures and remain connected through various platforms.
Quote:
[65:02] Mignon Vaughn: "Thanks so much, Chris. I'm proud of you."
Notable Quotes Highlighted in the Episode:
Where to Follow Mignon Vaughn:
Final Thoughts: This episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie offers an intimate glimpse into Mignon Vaughn's life, her journey in the acting industry, the role of faith in her personal and professional growth, and her commitment to impactful storytelling. Crystal and Mignon's candid conversation provides valuable insights for listeners navigating similar paths, emphasizing resilience, authenticity, and the power of positive influence.