The Breakfast Club — "Best Of" Interview: Phylicia Rashad

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: January 1, 2026
Guests: Phylicia Rashad
Hosts: Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious, Lauren LaRosa (filling in for DJ Envy), Dr. Elizabeth Poynter (guest hosting)
Episode Summary: An in-depth, engaging conversation with the legendary actress and director Phylicia Rashad. Rashad discusses her upbringing, the importance of community and freedom, her new directorial work on Broadway, lessons from her family and career, and her memories of icons such as Chadwick Boseman. The episode is filled with wisdom about art, identity, legacy, and the ongoing need for collective uplift.

Main Theme

A celebration of Phylicia Rashad’s legacy, her directorial debut on Broadway, and her philosophy on respect, community, and the transformative power of the arts. The conversation connects her personal journey to broad issues: Black excellence, parenting, education, identity, the state of culture, and mentorship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growing Up in a Household of Excellence and Freedom

• Rashad details her upbringing in Houston, Texas, with her poet mother and dentist father, and the ways her parents instilled ambition and confidence in her and her sister, Debbie Allen.
  • “We grew up with a poet. We grew up with a visionary. And it was about freedom. It was about realizing your full potential as a human being.” (06:18)
• Her mother used aphorisms like “The universe bears no ill to me. I bear no ill to it” and emphasized being true, beautiful, and free.
• Her mother's approach shielded Rashad and her siblings from the trauma of legal segregation by focusing on self-worth and creative potential.

2. Community, Safety, and Education

• Rashad explains how community provided a sense of safety and confidence, despite the challenges of segregation, noting free music education and the caring environment.
• Remarkable family stories, such as her mother fearlessly confronting a would-be intruder: “We grew up to be fearless, but not to be stupid.” (11:31)
• “If you see a rattlesnake in front of you, come on... Don’t be stupid.” — On balancing fearlessness with common sense (11:34)

3. Instilling Values in the Next Generation

• Parenting advice from her father: “Never let anybody run over you.” (21:16)
• On love and support as the core of parenting: “When you love them, that’s all.” (21:14)
• The importance of expanding the ‘village’ to support all children, regardless of background: “We can expand it because we need all the people.” (43:56)

4. Making Her Broadway Directorial Debut

• On directing "Purpose" on Broadway (written by Brandon Jacobs Jenkins), Rashad describes ensemble work as “collective intention.” (05:37)
• The storyline centers on family drama and shared human experiences, with a cast including Harry Lennix and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.
  • “It’s the most incredible ensemble I’ve ever witnessed. Each one is a master.” (22:52)
• Audiences of all backgrounds relate to the play, confirming its universal themes.

5. Iconic Roles and Acting Philosophy

• Discussing Claire Huxtable: Rashad says she never felt pressured to maintain an image. “Light is not heavy. Carry light. Share light.” (24:48)
• Emphasizes the craft and discipline behind her performances, particularly the rhythm and intention in delivering lines.
• Her approach to roles, including villains: “Everybody’s a human being…You’ve got to be sick to mistreat another person...A sane person won’t do that.” (37:17)

6. Mentorship and Legacy at HBCUs

• Reflections on her time at Howard University, as both student and Dean, and the enduring impact of Black educators who shaped her.
• Vivid memories of culturally formative moments: “Dr. King was assassinated in my sophomore year...I remember when Muhammad Ali came and spoke on the steps...” (41:07)
• The responsibility and joy of mentorship: “They [teachers at HBCUs] poured into you in a different way.” (42:17)
• Her continued connection to Howard through dramatic readings, including Chadwick Boseman’s "Deep Azure." Rashad mentored Boseman and watched him grow from student to star. “Chadwick was an actor. Yes. Chadwick was a writer, director, scholar. He was brilliant.” (53:54)

7. On Black Representation and Cultural Evolution

• On the shift in how young women present themselves in popular culture: Rashad expresses concern about revealing clothing, framing it as an issue of respect and self-worth, not critique.
  • “You’re young queens, beautiful and smart and brilliant and bright...I’m taken aback when I see, on a college campus, young women dressed in strips of clothing...” (55:16)
• Highlights the historic dignity and grace of women she admired, and the impact of modern trends.

8. Art, Identity, and Personal Worth

• Rashad shares a deeply personal lesson learned later in life: “The lesson that I learned later in life was that I’m enough...You go through a period where you feel like you’re not enough because you’re looking outside yourself...It’s only when we look inside ourselves that we see what beauty really is.” (58:41)
• Encourages teaching young people to look inward for validation and empowerment.

9. The Legacy of Chadwick Boseman

• Rashad describes Boseman's multifaceted brilliance—actor, writer, scholar, and a person “profoundly respectful” and engaged in service. “He combined all of that with...African cosmology...He was brilliant. There was nobody else to play Black Panther but Chadwick.” (53:47)

10. Closing Wisdom

• Rashad ends with a guiding principle for life and uplift: “Make yourself great by making others greater.” (62:05)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Instilling Inner Freedom (06:18):
  “You have to look inside and you have to teach young people to look inside. There’s nothing but freedom there.” — Phylicia Rashad

• On Parental Wisdom (21:16):
  “Never let anybody run over you. And...always know the balance of your bank account and keep your own money.” — Advice from Rashad’s father

• On Playing Claire Huxtable (24:48):
  “Light is not heavy. Carry light. Share light. Light is not heavy.” — Phylicia Rashad

• On Acting and Performance (35:58):
  “Language and how you use it...there’s rhythm and there’s pace, and so much is conveyed in that way. If you said it another way, it wouldn’t be as effective.” — Phylicia Rashad

• On Choosing Complex Roles (28:45): “People get all caught up in funny stuff. What was that woman doing? She was rescuing people...She was living with the deepest hurt that a mother can have, that she lost her child because she was not paying attention.” — Rashad, on choosing a challenging character

• On Legacy and Empowerment (62:05):
  “Make yourself great by making others greater.” — Phylicia Rashad

Important Timestamps

• 03:45: Phylicia Rashad introduced as royalty, a pillar in representing Black women with dignity.
• 06:18: Rashad describes her visionary parents, foundational family wisdom, and growing up amid legal segregation.
• 11:31: On “fearless but not stupid”—family stories about courage and practical sense.
• 21:14: Parental tips and the importance of love and boundaries.
• 22:05: Discussion about her Broadway directorial debut, "Purpose".
• 24:48: On how she approaches her iconic roles without feeling image pressure.
• 28:45: Navigating dramatic roles different from public perception.
• 35:38: Acting technique—the importance of rhythm, pace, and language.
• 41:07: Reflections on revolutionary moments and teachers at Howard University.
• 45:01: Chadwick Boseman’s legacy, "Deep Azure," and Rashad’s pride in her former students.
• 53:54: Boseman’s intellectual and artistic rigor.
• 55:16: Thoughts on popular culture and self-presentation.
• 58:41: The personal lesson of self-worth she learned in her 30s.
• 62:05: Rashad’s maxim: “Make yourself great by making others greater.”

Flow & Tone

The conversation is warm, respectful, and filled with a deep sense of nostalgia and reverence. Rashad speaks with wisdom, humor, and grace, nurturing the hosts’ curiosity and offering memorable lessons. The hosts maintain a tone of admiration and excitement, often reflecting on their own upbringings through the lens of Rashad's insights.

Useful for Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

• This episode is perfect for those interested in Black culture, art, legacy, and positive social influence.
• It provides both personal anecdotes and societal commentary, serving as a masterclass in dignity, artistry, and purpose.
• Rashad’s reflections bridge the past and present, offering practical insights for parents, artists, students, and anyone seeking a sense of belonging, empowerment, or creative fulfillment.