Not All Hood (NAH) Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Not All Hood (NAH) with Malcolm-Jamal Warner & Candace Kelley
Episode: Old Keys Don’t Open New Doors: Dani Peebles on Grief, Growth & Reinvention
Date: October 16, 2025
Guest: Dani Peebles (Makeup Artist, Beauty Industry Veteran)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the lived experiences of Dani Peebles, an accomplished Black makeup artist who has worked across TV and film, including on “The Resident.” Hosts Candace Kelley and (in loving memory) Malcolm-Jamal Warner are joined by regular contributor Troy and, through honest conversation, explore grief, professional reinvention, identity, and pivoting in the face of a changing entertainment industry. Dani discusses her path from corporate America to Hollywood sets, her personal evolution post-divorce, and how community and self-awareness act as anchors during turbulent times.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Working with Malcolm-Jamal Warner & Life on Set

• First Impressions & Working Relationship

  • Dani recalls her initial meeting with Malcolm on The Resident (S5), stepping in as a new makeup artist.
  • Malcolm was initially reserved and exacting about his needs, leading Dani to assert her professional expertise. This exchange was the foundation of a lasting friendship:
    • Quote—Dani: “I would appreciate, uh. Oh, if you know, you would allow me to do my job, you know, allow me to service you in the way that, you know, my profession allows me.” (01:42)
  • Malcolm championed diversity, ensuring Black crew had opportunities and felt welcome.
    • “He created, like, opportunity. He very much...made sure that people had fair opportunity…making sure that, you know, everyone had the same, you know, level playing field. If he was able to assist you, he absolutely could and would.” (03:49)

• Underrepresentation in the Industry

  • Black professionals were a small minority on big set crews—about 10-15 out of 300+.
  • For Black artists, competence is expected across all skin tones/textures, but that standard isn’t applied to white artists.
  • “We are faceted… we have to know how to do white skin, brown skin, Asian skin… But it's not the same standard expectation.” (05:40)

2. Breaking in & Advancing in Makeup Artistry

• Entry & Advancement

  • Dani emphasizes the importance of a corporate/administrative skillset, not just artistry—script breakdowns, admin work, and reputation.
    • “You have to make sure… my corporate background means that I'm very strong in admin… administrative things that we have to do. Read a script, break down a script.” (06:46)
  • Reputation and professionalism set artists apart: be punctual, have a great personality, be adaptable.
    • “So what does that look like? That looks like professionalism… showing up. That means being on time, punctuality.” (07:26)

• Union and Opportunity

  • Details the IATSE 798 union for hair/makeup in Atlanta; not all work requires union membership due to Georgia’s “right to work” laws.

• Intrinsic Qualities

  • Candace pushes Dani to name what sets her apart: Dani mentions being attractive, personable, and easy to work with, but says it’s really about using whatever is intrinsic to you to propel opportunities.
    • “If you're attractive and professional, if you lead with the things that… are strong… you can use that to propel your opportunity.” (09:38)
    • “It's about client experience… not just doing makeup. It is basically, you have to adapt to how they feel.” (10:35)

3. Pandemic, Strikes & Navigating Industry Upheaval

• Impact of SAG-AFTRA Strikes & COVID

  • Candace and Dani discuss the devastation to gig workers during the industry shutdowns: “The industry doesn't have loyalty to anyone.” (14:00)
  • Dani survived by identifying her “anchor”—the thing holding her back (for her, comfort)—and channeling her energy into seminars, education, therapy, and action.
    • “Identifying that anchor allowed me to say, OK, this is what would be comfortable for me… so the anchor is comfort.” (13:23)

• Adapting During Uncertainty

  • Emphasizes adaptability and a proactive mindset: “Identifying it and then being able to come up with an action plan to overcome it.” (14:46)
  • She also notes the importance of not making your career your sole identity, which can aid in flexibility:
    • “They made the industry their identity. That is the problem… that's kind of what makes transition a little easier for me.” (33:56)

4. Grief, Growth, & Reinvention (Personal Transitions)

• Divorce as Personal Transition

  • Dani discusses her divorce during COVID—how vulnerability, support from Malcolm and therapy allowed her to grieve, self-reflect, and move forward.
    • “Malcolm taught me vulnerability. It's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to grieve a divorce. But what's your mentality? Are you going to carry what you lost, or… use that as inspiration?” (16:56)

• Grieving Both Profession and Relationships

  • She likens divorce to mourning a living person and stresses the importance of accountability and self-interrogation:
    • “In the grieving process… accountability, vulnerability, and making sure that you check your anchors. Why do I feel this way?” (19:35)
    • “Just cause you've had a bad experience… that shouldn't define how you feel about men as a whole… the culture does that.” (20:59)

• Learning from Experience and Setting Boundaries

  • On dating after divorce, Dani shares lessons on self-respect and communication, giving a candid example about mismatched communication styles and knowing when to move on:
    • “My preferred style of communication is I would prefer that you either send me a voice note or we can schedule a time to, you know, talk on the phone. He continued to text… That was the ex.” (39:54)

5. The Evolving Entertainment Industry — A.I. & Labor

• Technological & Economic Threats

  • Breaks down the challenge from AI and outsourcing:
    • AI enables digital manipulation (add makeup, adjust looks, crowd scenes), undercutting jobs for makeup, hair, wardrobe, and other crew.
    • “If everything can be digitally remastered or created at the touch of a button, then… no use for us at all.” (27:15)
  • Studios scale back on crew, background actors, and day players.
    • “This production allowed two [makeup/hair artists to cover 350 background actors] …it’s virtually impossible because… they're going to scan the audience or scan the background and make it look like a bigger crowd.” (30:11)

• Advising Others to Pivot

  • Dani’s prescription for surviving a vanishing industry:
    • Be realistic, check your anchors, focus on what you can control.
    • “Being realistic with yourself… Do you have a personal anchor that is making it hard for you to transition to the next level?” (31:17)
    • “People made the industry their identity… I think that's what makes transition a little easier for me because I never made. It was something that I did, something that I loved…” (33:56)

• Practical Steps for Pivoting

  • Re-budgeting, evaluating skills, going back to corporate work if possible, or seeking new opportunities outside the industry.
    • “I just took it back to the basics… I recently took a corporate… I went back to corporate. Some people don't have that advantage. So I'm blessed.” (32:24)

6. On Beauty, Reinvention & Self-Image

• Physical Reinvention after Trauma

  • Candace and Dani discuss the “glow up” that typically follows divorce—changing looks, embracing beauty for personal growth.
    • “Wanting to look better and do better for you. That's the important piece. Doing better and looking better for you, for no one else but you.” (44:16)

• Balance vs. Trends in the Beauty Industry

  • Both caution against extreme plastic surgery and fleeting influencer trends:
    • “Not everybody should be doing what's…on IG, you know, it's all about balance and moderation.” (44:48)
  • Dani notes that cosmetic procedures were originally meant for subtlety and on-camera refinement, but social media has amplified excess.
    • “Fillers and Botox was really made for projection… supposed to be very conservative. But… people do what they want.” (47:04)

7. Honoring Malcolm-Jamal Warner & the Power of Community

• Navigating Grief as a Group
  • The hosts and Dani reminisce about their shared loss of Malcolm, the disbelief, and the eventual acceptance. Malcolm’s legacy is remembered as one of wisdom, nurturing, and emotional support.
    • “If you knew who he was, which we all did, he wouldn't want people grieving over him… just remembering and honoring the beautiful person that he is.” (48:54)
  • They recall moments of confusion and hope—wanting the news to be a misunderstanding with another actor—and how ultimately, grief brought the community closer.
    • “Grief really does bring people together in a very weird and strange way. Powerful way sometimes.” (51:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Difference-Making in the Workplace
  • Dani: “He [Malcolm] was very pro culture… making people feel welcome, making sure that, you know, everyone had the same… level playing field.” (03:49)
• On Anchors & Transition
  • Dani: “So for me, how to transition… is identifying what your anchor is. Most times when people have issues or troubles transitioning, there's an anchor…” (12:28)
• On Reinvention and Growth After Divorce
  • Dani: “Vulnerability taught me… it's OK to feel your feelings… But you can't stay here.” (18:07)
• On Working in Hollywood as a Black Makeup Artist:
  • Dani: “We are faceted… we have to know how to do white skin, brown skin, Asian skin… But it's not the same standard expectation [for non-Black artists].” (05:40)
• On Pivoting and Letting Go:
  • Dani: “People refuse to [change] because they have this pseudo mentality or pseudo hope of the industry turning around… But what about today?… You have to do something to propel forward. You have to take a chance on yourself.” (55:41)
• On Letting Social Media & Others Define Your Healing:
  • Dani: “I've had time to heal the right way, not the social media way. Like, oh, I went to a couple therapy sessions. No. Like being able to take inventory on you as a person.” (38:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Malcolm-Jamal Warner: First Encounters and Impact (01:42–04:52)
• On Diversity, Professionalism, and Breaking Into Makeup Artistry (03:17–10:35)
• Reinvention after Pandemic and Strikes (12:06–15:09)
• Navigating Divorce, Grief, and Vulnerability (15:14–19:35)
• The Evolving Entertainment Industry: AI and Outsourcing (25:00–32:24)
• Advice on Pivoting Careers (33:56–36:12, 53:03–57:09)
• Post-Divorce Growth and Dating (36:59–43:43)
• Beauty Trends, Self-Image, and Moderation (44:16–47:04)
• Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Community Grief (47:17–53:03)

Closing Reflections

This episode of “Not All Hood” offers a vibrant, unvarnished look at life’s transitions—personal, professional, and cultural. Through humor, candor, and vulnerability, Dani and the hosts urge listeners to drop what no longer serves them (“old keys don’t open new doors”), be brave in self-assessment, and to pivot where necessary. Malcolm’s spirit runs through the conversation—a reminder that legacy is built on kindness, inclusion, and the courage to both grieve and grow.