Oprah's Super Soul Special: Oprah at the Apollo, Part 1

Guests: Jordan Peele, Salma Hayek Pinault, Trevor Noah
Date: November 5, 2025
Host: Oprah Winfrey
Venue: Apollo Theater, Harlem, NYC

Episode Overview

From Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater, Oprah gathers three influential creators—filmmaker Jordan Peele, actress/activist Salma Hayek Pinault, and comedian/writer Trevor Noah—for candid, moving conversations about courage, identity, creative responsibility, justice, and the individual journeys toward authenticity that shape their work in the world.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Jordan Peele: Vision, Identity, “Get Out,” and Being an Outsider

Timestamps: 00:59 – 13:58

• On the Courage to Create "Get Out"

  • Oprah opens with praise for Peele’s vision and bravery, highlighting his Oscar nominations.
    • “That was a bodacious thing you wrote and directed… it takes courage to follow through.” — Oprah (01:14)
  • Peele describes the years of development as “designing my favorite movie I’d never seen before.” (03:11)
    • “I was the first audience for this film.” — Jordan Peele (03:40)

• On Representation and the Outsider Identity

  • Peele reflects on his life as a mixed-race person:
    • “Part of the mixed experience, especially early on, is kind of confusing… the world is trying to put you in a box.” (05:01-05:29)
    • “I began to identify as African American, which was comforting to me… I’m a black man. And, yeah.” (05:27)

• The Cinematic Portrayal of Black Vulnerability

  • Peele talks about the power in showing a black man’s vulnerability on screen, inspired by earlier films:
    • “There’s a lack of images in pop culture where black men are allowed to be vulnerable, where we’re allowed to be afraid.” (07:17)
    • He links movie moments—“Denzel Washington with this defiant tear”—to Daniel Kaluuya’s iconic performance. (06:59)

• Making Audiences Identify with a Black Protagonist

  • Oprah notes the cultural shift in rooting for the black character, especially in horror:
    • “What you did with this film was allow audiences to experience rooting for the black guy—even when, under other circumstances, they might not.” (07:49)
  • Peele on microaggressions as horror:
    • “There are horror movies that explore every real-world horror—except this one.” (09:35)
    • “The power of story is that the audience becomes the protagonist… It was a way for a lot of white people to experience the world through the black perspective.” (10:35)

• On Pressure and Success

  • Oprah asks if he feels pressure after “Get Out’s” phenomenon:
    • “I will continue to make the movies I want to see. If I want to see it, I have to trust that other people will.” — Jordan Peele (11:49)
    • “Don’t believe your own jump shot… means you’re already there.” — Oprah’s advice for staying grounded (13:24)

2. Salma Hayek Pinault: Activism, MeToo, and Personal Conviction

Timestamps: 16:06 – 27:54

• On Fighting for Women, Pre- and Post-MeToo

  • Oprah acknowledges Salma’s decades-long advocacy for women and mothers:
    • “You’ve been fighting for women long before #MeToo, doing it in your own way.” (16:12)
  • Salma traces her passion to observing global inequality and the struggles of mothers, then focusing on domestic violence:
    • “This cycle of violence in the world starts at home.” (16:43-17:25)

• The Tipping Point of the Weinstein Scandal

  • Salma reflects on why change caught fire:
    • “It’s not only because the women spoke out, but because everybody listened… Humans are slow to change.” (17:59-18:37)
  • On her own reaction to the Weinstein news and being asked to go public:
    • “I ended up not doing it. Then I felt ashamed that I was a coward… But by now, Harvey—he had a lot of respect for me. I earned it with blood.” (19:13-20:13)

• Speaking Truth to Power, and The Cycles of Shame

  • Details of Weinstein’s threats and harassment:
    • “He told me, ‘I’m going to kill you’… ‘I am going to break the kneecaps of that [C-word].’” (20:34-20:54)
    • “I care about my knees!” — Salma, with humor amid darkness (21:53)
    • Oprah reads Salma’s essay, outlining her repeated refusals of Weinstein’s advances. (22:35)

• Complexities of Beauty, Power, and Vulnerability

  • On being attractive and underestimated as a victim:
    • “Attractive women are never the underdog because they’re attractive. But we are really, really good subjects for rape and violation and attack.” (23:39)
    • “We’re told you have to be the Virgin Mary, but you also have to do what I say… Who am I supposed to be?” (24:26)

• On Conviction and Self-Relationship

  • “Conviction is very, very important because you are alone, in reality… If you need the others to feel comfortable, you will always suffer from anxiety.” (26:47)
  • “The mystery of life to me is the relationship with you and you.” (26:47)

3. Trevor Noah: Apartheid, Comedy, Motherhood, and Finding True North

Timestamps: 30:26 – 43:07

• Being Born A Crime

  • Oprah lauds Trevor’s “humor, depth, and sincerity” in his memoir, Born a Crime.
    • “I’ve never heard of a comedian who grew up in apartheid South Africa... You were literally born a crime.” (30:33-31:09)
  • Trevor details South Africa’s meticulous racial divisions:
    • “In South Africa, they were meticulous—the system was designed to make sure every group was small and oppressed in a different way.” (31:27)
  • Hidden childhood:
    • “Imagine… they just tell me sometimes to go and hide under the bed. I had the coolest parents in the world.” (32:08)
    • “I was evidence of my parents’ crime.” (32:41)

• The Power and Legacy of His Mother

  • “Most people would have a sign to protest government oppression. My mother had me.” (33:36)
  • “I realized I was my mother’s punk ass sidekick.” (33:52)
  • Oprah reads:
    • “The highest rung of what’s possible is far beyond the world you can see. My mother showed me what was possible… she did it on her own.” (34:32)

• Explaining the Black Tax and Structural Inequality

  • Oprah and Trevor break down generational disadvantage:
    • “There is also one underlying issue, and that is the devastation that impacted your generational family… Even if you say, ‘well, my grandfather wasn’t rich,’… you got opportunity. Many black families were robbed of.” (35:29)
  • His mother’s words:
    • “‘I may not be able to give you one cent in this world, but I promise you I will not give you the black tax.’” (36:55)

• Journey to The Daily Show

  • Trevor tells the story of Jon Stewart’s unexpected call:
    • “Hi, this is Jon Stewart”
      “Yes.”
      “I host The Daily Show in America, you may have heard of.” (37:16-38:11)
    • Initially declined offer to appear because of obligations to his fans—a theme of integrity and gratitude. (38:23-38:59)
  • On being surprised to take over:
    • “I was surprised because in my world, I had no chance. But every chance I’ve taken is the one that’s impossible… why do the possible thing? It’s boring.” (39:17)
    • “If I don’t get the Daily Show, I was never meant to get the Daily Show. But if I get it, this is something I would have never dreamed of.” (39:31)

• Intentions for The Show & America Today

  • “The purpose is to engage in the news in a manner that is critical… give it the respect it deserves, whilst not giving it the power to completely control your emotional state.” (40:09)
  • On America’s polarization and Trump:
    • “It feels like [America] is extremely divided… conversations have shifted to a point where human beings no longer see a human being on the other side… If your character shifts depending on who's in power, then was it your character to begin with?” (40:38-41:42)

• Staying Flexible and Authentic

  • Trevor on adapting as a host:
    • “I wish for the show to be like water. It should be moving with the same force as it moves through ideas and conversations.” (42:20)
    • “I’m sailing in a direction aiming for true north, but it’s shifting with the tide.” (42:44)
  • Oprah: “You have to let it guide you because it’s bigger than you. And you are there to be used by it, and so you allow it to take you where it needs to go.” (42:52)

Memorable Quotes

• Jordan Peele:

  • “I think there is a sort of deficit or a lack of images in pop culture where black men are allowed to be vulnerable, where we’re allowed to be afraid.” (07:17)
  • “I will continue to make the movies I want to see… The biggest reward… is the fact that I get to make another movie.” (11:41)

• Salma Hayek Pinault:

  • “Shame—it’s a cycle of shame… I was pretending everything was okay.” (19:29)
  • “We are told you have to be the Virgin Mary but you have to do what I say when I say… Who the hell am I supposed to be?” (24:26)
  • “The mystery of life to me is the relationship with you and you… as long as you need the others to feel comfortable, you will always suffer from anxiety. And conviction is that place where, even if you make a mistake, you are at peace.” (26:47)

• Trevor Noah:

  • “Most people would have a sign to protest government oppression. My mother had me.” (33:36)
  • “Why do the possible thing? It’s boring. If you succeed… do the impossible thing.” (39:17)
  • “I wish for the show to be like water… Finding an authentic way to express a point of view.” (42:20)

Notable Segment Timestamps

• Jordan Peele on being an outsider and the genesis of Get Out: 02:41 – 05:27
• Peele on black vulnerability and the Denzel tear: 06:59 – 07:17
• Microaggressions and horror — making white people see through black perspective: 09:35 – 11:07
• Oprah on rooting for the black character: 07:49
• Salma Hayek's candid MeToo testimony: 19:13 – 24:17
• Hayek on the contradictions and pressures placed on women: 24:26 – 25:52
• Salma on conviction and self-relationship: 26:47
• Trevor Noah on being “Born a Crime”: 31:03 – 32:41
• Noah’s story about Jon Stewart’s call: 37:16 – 39:06
• Noah’s guiding philosophy for The Daily Show: 40:09 – 42:19

Tone and Style

Conversations are candid, warm, and often humorous—even when discussing trauma or injustice. Oprah’s nurturing but forthright manner keeps guests at ease while drawing out substantive reflection and personal truth.

Summary Takeaway

Oprah’s Super Soul at the Apollo is a testament to the transformative power of story, identity, and creative bravery. Whether confronting the deep racial anxieties underlying horror, the cycles of shame and resilience facing women, or the complexities of humor and truth in an unjust world, each guest illuminates the path to authentic selfhood by refusing to stay silent, challenging norms, and trusting their purpose—ultimately inspiring listeners to do the same.