Podcast Summary: Not All Hood (NAH)
Episode: Kim Fields, Pam Warner & the Cost of Fame – Designing a Life, Not Just a Career
Date: December 4, 2025
Hosts: Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Candace Kelley (with guest co-host Pam Warner)
Featured Guest: Kim Fields
Overview
This episode of Not All Hood brings together revered actress and director Kim Fields and guest co-host Pam Warner (Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s mother/manager), exploring the personal and generational journey of Black creatives—especially child stars—in the entertainment industry. The three dive into what it means to deliberately design a life and legacy, not just chase jobs; the challenges and transformations faced across decades of fame; parenting within entertainment; community and accountability; and the ongoing evolution required to stay relevant and rooted in the business and in one’s self.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Influence of Family & Early Foundations
- Impact of mothers: Kim reflects on the influence of her mother, Chip Fields, not just as an actress but as a grounding source—accompanying her and introducing her to the theater world as a child.
- (03:13) Kim Fields: “What I saw mom do when I first got introduced to all of this as a child ... that’s what let me know I want to do this and be a part of all of this.”
- Pam shares that successful long-term careers often start from strong foundations—faith, understanding, support systems—which many in the business lack.
- (04:17) Pam Warner: “You have a foundation rooted in ... and when you come and when you don’t have that, then you don’t have the faith, the understanding and the foresight.”
2. Longevity, Growth, and Designing a Career
- Beyond child stardom: Both Kim and Pam emphasize transitioning beyond just “booking gigs” into purposefully designing a career—and a life—that can evolve as fame ebbs and flows.
- (06:12) Podcast Host: “There’s a difference between designing a career and booking gigs.”
- Advice from mothers/managers:
- Kim’s mother: Have something to fall back on; fame is fleeting.
- Pam to Malcolm: Always look for what’s next, diversify interests and skills.
- (07:41) Kim Fields: “Mom’s thing was make sure you have something to fall back on. ...You might not always be the cute kid spitting out one liners.”
3. Community, Accountability, and Support Systems
- Industry “Brat Pack”: Kim, Malcolm, and Blair fostered a self-supporting circle in the early ‘90s when, despite their success, they felt left out of new creative “in” groups (like the Brat Pack/filmmaker circles).
- (09:41) Kim Fields: “We weren’t invited to the party...our faces were so recognizable.”
- To adapt, they began directing music videos and short films, learning new skills to remain engaged and relevant.
- Peer support as survival: Emotional and professional mutual uplift became the glue for staying sane and growing creative careers.
- (11:01) Kim Fields: “That sense of holding each other up, holding each other accountable...”
4. Authenticity, Ego, and the “Cost” of Fame
- New vs. old fame: The group note how modern fame (often driven by social media and branding) is different and sometimes less connected to artistry than in prior generations.
- (19:18) Podcast Host: “Modern time famous seems...more about social media and I need to be famous in order to get this money and branding. Not necessarily about the art and the work.”
- The dangers of ego and surface-level pursuits: Both Kim and Pam underscore that those who conflate self-worth with popularity suffer most when the calls stop.
- (14:27) Pam Warner: “They lose their minds because their egos are all tied into this. ...They’re not coming from the place of an artist. ...They want to ride in the limousine, which is just a taxi.”
- (15:49) Kim Fields: “It ain’t for the weak.”
5. Parenting and Managing Child Stars
- Parental roles must remain paramount—even if the child becomes the breadwinner. Both share vivid stories about setting boundaries and not letting money or fame reverse the parent/child dynamic.
- (25:03) Pam Warner: “I caught him in the hallway and picked him up...I don’t care whose money pays the rent. I am still your mother and this is still my house.”
- (28:02) Kim Fields recounts being told to clean her room despite TV stardom; her mother would threaten to pull her from the show if she didn’t respect house rules.
- Advice for parents of young talents: Only pursue the business if the impulse comes from the child; keep the child’s well-being above all.
- (21:30) Kim Fields: “The first part of that is raising a child. You can’t ever forget that. That’s the first order of business.”
6. Adapting to Industry Changes
- Technology and new platforms: Kim discusses the need to adapt to new spaces (YouTube, gaming, social media) and changing business models for maintaining relevance.
- (34:21) Kim Fields: “There’s so many ways now that kids…it’s not just being a Disney kid or Nickelodeon. ...There’s all these different ways that young people are finding their voices and being a part of something...”
- But some basics stay the same: Pam’s book (currently being updated) still stresses legal, financial, and safety fundamentals for child performers.
- (35:10) Pam Warner: “Regardless of the vehicle, the basics are still the same...It’s like a foundation. You can build upon what I’ve written and create an empire, but that foundation has to be there...”
7. Creativity, Representation, and New Ventures
- On Black visibility and genre breaking: Kim discusses the importance of Black representation in genres like Christmas movies and sci-fi, and how she’s inspired by her children’s creativity to pursue new forms of world-building and storytelling.
- (36:12–37:13) Kim Fields shares a humorous anecdote about putting her sons into her movies and learning from their creative interests.
- (39:02) Pam Warner: “They have an exhibit of Black women in sci-fi...it’s about Black women in sci-fi. So important, very important. Because we can think toward the future.”
- Industry’s risk aversion: Frustration that the business often lacks true creativity, favoring safe formulas.
- (40:17) Pam Warner: “There are no creatives any longer. ...The soulfulness comes from people like you, you know, but there’s, that’s why there’s that tunnel vision.”
8. Wellness, Reinvention, and Giving Back
- Retreats and self-care: Kim’s current focus is wellness retreats (“Refresh”), born from personal need and meant for everyone, not just women or Black creatives.
- (48:26) Kim Fields: “That came from me looking and I realized I had my own needs in certain spaces and went, oh, well...I wasn’t trying to start a wellness movement. I was trying to find some information for myself. But I shared it.”
- Balance and joy: Kim designs retreats to be genuinely refreshing, fun, and restorative—not obligatory chores.
- (49:45–53:05) She stresses the importance of “giving yourself permission” to pursue wellness, joy, and non-work-related passions.
9. Community, Pillars, and Legacy
- The “pillars” of support: Kim credits her mother, her brothers (including Malcolm and Blair), and her children as the five foundational pillars upholding her life and career.
- (59:14–59:55) Kim Fields: “There are specific pillars in my village...my mother knows. She’s obviously the pillar. Blair knows. Malcolm knew...My children then became two other pillars.”
- Grieving transition, celebrating continuity: Kim becomes emotional as she reflects on how her support circle has been transformed, not lost, with time and loss, emphasizing that her “village” is still intact.
- (60:07–61:16) Kim Fields: “Nothing fell apart. ...All the pillars are in place. Just one pillar got transformed.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On transitioning from "child star":
- “You might not always be the cute kid spitting out one liners.” – Kim Fields, (07:41)
- On authenticity versus ego:
- “They lose their minds because their egos are all tied into this. ...They want to ride in the limousine, which is just a taxi. It’s just a long taxi.” – Pam Warner, (14:27)
- On keeping children grounded:
- “I don’t care whose money pays the rent. I am still your mother and this is still my house.” – Pam Warner, (25:03)
- On the reality of old-school fame:
- “Those actors that have been around for a thousand years, their work started on the stage. They weren’t these microwave actors.” – Pam Warner, (19:05)
- On support systems:
- “That sense of holding each other up, holding each other accountable...that connection that is never ending.” – Kim Fields, (11:01)
- On wellness and permission:
- “Giving yourself permission to be well...It’s an acting concept...I just didn’t know to apply it to real life.” – Kim Fields, (53:05)
- On community and legacy:
- “All the pillars are in place. Just one pillar got transformed...but nothing fell apart.” – Kim Fields, (60:50)
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 02:13 | Kim’s career beginnings & maternal influence | | 04:30 | Importance of life beyond the camera | | 06:12 | Designing a career vs. booking gigs | | 07:41 | Parental guidance for child stars | | 09:41 | Lack of inclusion and self-made creative circle | | 11:01 | Mutual support among Kim, Malcolm, and Blair | | 14:27 | Ego and the “cost” of fame | | 21:30 | Parenting, boundaries & managing child fame | | 25:03 | Pam’s “showbiz mom” boundary-setting story | | 34:21 | Evolving teams/media for modern stardom | | 35:10 | Core fundamentals for child performers | | 36:12 | Kim on her sons’ relationship to showbiz | | 39:02 | Black representation in sci-fi | | 48:26 | Kim’s wellness retreats & “finding a need” | | 53:05 | “Giving yourself permission” & self-care | | 59:14 | The “pillars” of Kim’s support system | | 60:50 | Transformation and maintenance of community |
Tone & Final Reflections
The episode is rich with humor, heartfelt reminiscence, hard-won wisdom, and tender mutual respect. It combines showbiz anecdotes with deep parental insight and reflections on evolving as both artists and whole individuals. Above all, it’s a tribute to Black creative resilience and the essential role of community—inside and outside of the spotlight.
“All the pillars are in place. Just one pillar got transformed...but nothing fell apart.”
– Kim Fields (60:50)
The ongoing message: build on strong, soul-rooted foundations, keep your circle intentional and accountable, design your journey with purpose—and always, always remain true to what fuels you beyond fame.
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