INTERVIEW: DeVon Franklin, Serayah & Tyler Lepley Talk Preserving Biblical Stories In "Ruth & Boaz" Film

Summary

The Breakfast Club Interview: DeVon Franklin, Serayah & Tyler Lepley on Preserving Biblical Stories in "Ruth & Boaz"

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode: DeVon Franklin, Serayah & Tyler Lepley Talk Preserving Biblical Stories In "Ruth & Boaz"
Date: September 29, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guests: DeVon Franklin (Producer), Serayah (Star, "Ruth"), Tyler Lepley (Star, "Boaz")

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Episode Overview

This engaging episode centers on the new Netflix film "Ruth & Boaz," a modern reimagining of the classic biblical story. Hosts Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious welcome producer DeVon Franklin and stars Serayah and Tyler Lepley. The conversation dives into the process of preserving and modernizing a biblical narrative, personal faith journeys, the challenges and joys of working in faith-based storytelling, and the cultural significance of telling this story through a Black lens. The team discusses working with Tyler Perry Studios, the importance of authentic representation in faith content, musical aspects of the film (including work with Babyface), and the balance of secular ambitions with spiritual callings.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Preserving and Modernizing the Ruth & Boaz Story

• Adherence to the Scripture:
  • DeVon Franklin explains their commitment:

    "Everything that we did in the film was basically rooted in the word... anything you see in that film, you can go back to a verse and say, this is where we got it from." (03:02)

• Modern Adaptation:
  • They imagined Moab as the Atlanta music scene, and Bethlehem as rural Tennessee, making creative choices to bring contemporary relevance while staying true to the original story.

    "Well, what would Moab look like? Maybe that's like the Atlanta music scene. What would Bethlehem look like? Maybe that's Pegram, Tennessee." (03:32)

2. The Genesis of the Tyler Perry Partnership

• Hollywood Realities and Divine Timing:

  • DeVon Franklin recounts how Tyler Perry called him out of the blue to propose working together after hearing about Franklin’s Netflix pitch, resulting in a historic three-picture deal.

    "You've never seen two black men of faith coming together to make content of Faith, you know, with the biggest streamer in the world." (04:13)

• First-Time Experiences:

  • DeVon describes the fulfillment of seeing his and Tyler Perry’s production logos onscreen:

    "As a kid, I always had the dream... to see that on screen... it’s like, wow, dreams do come true. And faith works." (05:34)

3. Personal Connections to the Story and Roles

• Familiarity with Ruth & Boaz:

  • Serayah knew the story in broad strokes from church but dove deeper for the role.
  • Tyler Lepley admits he didn’t grow up in church but researched the story for the part.

    Tyler: “Not to sound like a heathen... when it was time to dive in... I read up on it a little bit.” (06:24)

• Finding Resonance with Characters:

  • Serayah relates to Ruth’s faith and willingness to “reroute” her life, paralleling her own career journey.

    "I resonate with her... stepping out on faith on things that I’m not necessarily sure is gonna work out." (06:50)

• Navigating Life Changes:

  • Serayah reveals she was in a new relationship and discovered her pregnancy during filming, deepening her connection to the material. (09:36)

4. Faith-Based Storytelling: Challenge or Opportunity?

• Charlamagne asks if faith elements ever made the actors hesitant:
  • Serayah, who'd previously worked with DeVon on other faith projects, says,

    "God has always been... a part of my life... If anything deterred me, it was the music element." (08:23)

  • She hesitated due to the musical aspect, not the faith-based theme.

5. Craft and Chemistry: Bringing Real Life into Performance

• Tyler emphasizes pouring into relationships and “being of service” on and off screen, mirroring Boaz’s intentionality.

  "Just the idea of pouring into my relationship as opposed to... let’s pour into it and be of service." (11:47)

• Serayah discusses the reality of being “guarded” due to past heartbreaks, a trait she shares with Ruth.

  "It wasn't that she was trying to be difficult. I think she just was tired of being let down." (12:23)

6. Working with Icon Felicia Rashad

• The cast shares stories about Felicia Rashad’s humility, wisdom, and on-set anecdotes.
• DeVon Franklin recalls Rashad pulling him aside:

  "She says, you’re working really hard. This is your movie, but you got to breathe. You got to take all this in... That’s a moment that speaks to who she is." (14:16)

7. Worthiness, Acceptance, and Portrayal of Masculinity

• DeVon wanted Boaz to model a giving, sacrificial kind of love:

  "He’s not looking to get from Ruth. He’s looking to give to Ruth... that’s where love is." (16:25)

• The casting process was serendipitous—Serayah was “Ruth” from her first audition; Tyler’s tape came in at the last moment but proved perfect.

8. Navigating Secular Ambitions and Spiritual Calling

• Tyler Lepley shares his move to LA was spiritually driven:

  "Nothing made sense for me to go out to LA... but something was calling me... God was pushing me in that direction." (22:01)

• Serayah discusses trusting her intuition, avoiding certain industry situations, and choosing self-alignment over peer pressure.

  "Thank God I did because I didn’t really know why... but I just decided not to be out." (23:00)

• DeVon Franklin explains how sticking to his values from his first internship opened doors without compromising his beliefs:

  "You can be in a secular environment and still maintain your spirituality, because I don't believe that God would ordain success for any of us that requires us to compromise who we are." (28:00)

9. The Musical Journey: Country, Gospel, and Black Musical Renaissance

• Serayah had initial reservations about more music roles but was won over, especially after working with Babyface:

  "I got to work with Babyface, so that was... amazing." (30:04)

• Her discovery of singing in the country genre was unexpectedly rewarding:

  "I've never recorded a country record... but once I did it, I really loved it on my voice." (30:43)

• DeVon Franklin and the team saw country music’s resurgence (e.g., Cowboy Carter) as a way to root the film in Black musical tradition.
• Babyface produced an original love song for the film and performed "The Goodness of God."

10. Telling Bible Stories Through a Black Lens

• DeVon Franklin expresses the importance of Black artists owning and telling faith-based stories:

  "Faith based content... tends to be white evangelical content. There have rarely been movies of faith that feature diversity, that are made by producers, directors, writers of color." (34:43)

• He notes "Ruth & Boaz" is the first modern retelling of the story featuring people of color.

11. Extraordinary from the Ordinary: Spiritual Takeaways

• DeVon Franklin frames the Bible as stories of regular people serving an extraordinary God:

  "The book is not about extraordinary people. It's about ordinary people serving an extraordinary God." (38:21)

12. Navigating Public and Private Lives

• Tyler and Serayah both address balancing demanding careers, public scrutiny, and relationships through communication and prioritizing mental health.

  Tyler: “Either I'm gonna be that... or I'm gonna be in a box. There is no in between for me. So... you gotta really lock in and be focused.” (39:23)
  Serayah: "I've always had this work ethic... the people around me know and accept... Communication is so important." (41:03)

13. Compassion in Ministry and Relationships

• DeVon Franklin on helping people face their own struggles:

  "It's very hard for all of us to look in the mirror... So in those situations... it's to be compassionate... I can give you a point of view, but if you’re relying on me to do your work, then you want me to provide a subsidy to the work you're not willing to do." (44:33–47:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Modernizing Scripture:

  "There’s no rule book on how to modernize a Bible story... you have to take those creative licenses." – DeVon Franklin (03:32)

• On “God’s Timing” and Opportunity:

  "What God has for you is for you." – DeVon Franklin (20:32)

• On Sacrificial Love:

  "Love comes out of sacrifice... I'm not trying to get from you... All [Ruth] provided [Boaz] was a safe space to be able to talk... He expressed his love through giving." – DeVon Franklin (16:25)

• On the Black Faith Experience:

  "People of color are people of faith... and we want great content too... This film lets people know: we’re here." – DeVon Franklin (35:16)

• On Faith and Authenticity in Career:

  "You can be in a secular environment and still maintain your spirituality... I don’t believe God would ordain success for us that requires us to compromise..." – DeVon Franklin (28:00)

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Highlight Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Film’s Biblical Roots: 02:16 – 04:10
• Tyler Perry Partnership Beginnings: 04:10 – 05:34
• Serayah & Tyler on their Faith Backgrounds: 06:06 – 06:44
• Serayah on Navigating Motherhood, Work, and Faith: 07:24 – 08:23
• On Faith-Based Filmmaking Stereotypes: 08:08 – 09:09
• Felicia Rashad’s Wisdom: 13:07 – 14:16
• Masculinity, Love, and Casting: 16:16 – 18:32
• Secular Ambition vs. Spiritual Calling: 21:22 – 24:09
• Music Choices & Working with Babyface: 30:43 – 32:16
• Black Representation in Faith Stories: 34:43 – 35:42
• Extraordinary from the Ordinary (Faith Lesson): 37:25 – 38:59
• Private/Public Life, Work–Life Balance: 38:59 – 43:54
• Empathy in Ministry and Helping Others: 44:33 – 47:49

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Conclusion

This episode is a heartfelt and dynamic exploration of what it means to bring ancient scripture to modern audiences—specifically, through the experiences of Black artists, both in front of and behind the camera. Rich anecdotes and spiritual insights illuminate the film’s creation process, the personal connections of the cast and crew, and the broader cultural impact of reframing biblical stories for today. The interview remains grounded, personable, and often humorous, with each participant offering meaningful reflections on faith, purpose, and representation.

Check out "Ruth & Boaz" now streaming on Netflix.

Transcript

[Saraya]

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[Paola Ramos]

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[Tyler Lepley]

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[Devon Franklin]

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[Jorge Ramos]

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[Saraya]

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[Jorge Ramos]

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[Devon Franklin]

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[Jorge Ramos]

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[Devon Franklin]

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[Saraya]

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lashay Dungey. But she never knocked on that door, she never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Tyler Lepley]

Hold up.

[Jorge Ramos]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

[Saraya]

Y' all finished or y' all done?

[Devon Franklin]

Morning everybody.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's DJ Envy. Jess. Hilarious Charlamagne. The guy we are the Breakfast Club. We got some special guests in the building this morning.

[Jorge Ramos]

Yes indeed.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Devon Franklin Sariah and Tyler Lepley. Welcome.

[Paola Ramos]

He hey, if you call her Soraya.

[Jorge Ramos]

I'm sorry. Sarah needs something. Sound like something I gotta go to CVS for. I gotta get something for the sari on my arm. If you just read it. All right. You want to talk to me about reading? Don't play with me, cuz.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I got a lot better. Don't do that.

[Jorge Ramos]

Thank you.

[Saraya]

This is a D film.

[Tyler Lepley]

Good morning.

[Jorge Ramos]

Good morning to the family. Good morning. They have a movie on Netflix called Rude Ruth and Boaz. Right? And, you know, if you know anything about Ruth and Boaz, it's a biblical story. So what elements of the original biblical story of Ruth and Boaz did y' all preserve for this film?

[Devon Franklin]

Man, we preserved the. A lot of the elements. I mean, when you go and you read the Book of Ruth and then you look at the movie, you know, everything that we did in the film was basically rooted in the word, you know, her journey, you know, with Naomi, how she finds Boaz. And we really wanted to say, okay, this is what the scripture says, but then how do we make it modern? And so everything you see in the film, I think we did a pretty good job, you know, of making sure that anything that you see in that film, you can go back to a verse and say, this is where we got it from.

[Paola Ramos]

Was it difficult modernizing the story, though?

[Devon Franklin]

I mean, there's no rule book on how to modernize a Bible story, so it was challenging. But then there were certain things that were pretty easy because the story itself lays out like a movie, you know, and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to produce it, this is why I wanted to make it, is because when you see how Ruth and Boaz come together, they're not looking for love. They're actually looking to be of service. And as part of that commitment, they find each other. And so when you see it, it was like, okay, you know, well, what would Moab look like? Well, maybe that's like the Atlanta music scene. And what would, you know, Bethlehem look like? Okay, well, maybe that's like Pegram, Tennessee. So it was difficult, but ultimately, we just had to kind of take those creative licenses, and hopefully the audience will enjoy it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now you have a deal with Tyler Perry. How did that come about, man?

[Devon Franklin]

So listen, so about a couple years ago, after I did my film Flamin Hotel, sitting at home, and I didn't have a production deal. So if you know anything about Hollywood, in order to have a production company, you have to have a production deal with the studio, because that's how you have employees, and that's how you make your films. So even though Flamin Hot did very well, I did not have a deal. And so I was sitting at home, and I was like, okay, God, what? What. What do you want me to do? And out of the blue, my phone rings, and it's Tyler Perry.

[Jorge Ramos]

Wow.

[Devon Franklin]

And he said, hey, man, I hear you're making a deal with Netflix. Now, I had A meeting at Netflix a few months before, but I didn't know there wasn't really a whole lot of follow ups. I wasn't sure what was going on, but he called me and said, yo, I hear you. You're. You're making a deal with Netflix. Let's partner up and do it together. And I was like, yes, let's do it. And so we negotiated a three picture deal with Netflix. This is the first of its kind. You've never seen, you know, two black men of faith coming together to make content of Faith, you know, with the biggest streamer in the world. And that to me, like, when you look at Tyler, like, I don't know why God put that on his mind, but. But here I am trying to figure it out and boom, and there was the answer. And to be able to make Ruth and Boaz, I mean, to be able to make it the way we wanted to make it, to have the creative autonomy and the authority and to be able to put it together with such an incredible cast, it all came from the partnership. Dope.

[Saraya]

How did it feel? Because when the screen opens for the movie, it's your name and then it's Tyler Perry Studios. And I was like, that is so cool. How did it feel for you the first time you saw that on screen?

[Devon Franklin]

Listen, this is what Faith works. That's how it felt. It felt gratifying. As a kid, I always had the dream of making my own films. That's why I came to Hollywood. I wanted to have my own production company and to see that on screen. Devon Franklin Entertainment, Tyler Perry Studios, and Ruth and Boaz, it's like, wow, dreams do come true. And faith works. So it felt good.

[Jorge Ramos]

So Saraya and Tyler, did y' all know the story of Roofing Boy?

[Devon Franklin]

I'm sorry.

[Jorge Ramos]

It's him. I knew that too, my dumb ass.

[Tyler Lepley]

I'm sorry.

[Jorge Ramos]

Saraya and Tyler, did y' all know the story of Ruth and Boaz?

[Saraya]

I did. Like, roughly. You know, just growing up in church, you hear of Ruth and Boaz, but I had never really explicitly read the Book of Ruth. And until doing this story, getting more information on it.

[Tyler Lepley]

Yeah, I mean, not to sound like a heathen, but I didn't grow up in the church or nothing like that. But I have heard about, you know, I have heard about the story of Ruth and Boaz a little bit. So when it was time to actually dive into it, once I, you know, once I had booked it, you know, I read up on it a little bit to, to, you know, just at Least have to have some type of foundation in terms of, you know, finding the truth and how we gonna figure it out.

[Devon Franklin]

Yeah.

[Jorge Ramos]

So after you register, how much of Ruth's story could you relate to personally?

[Saraya]

I mean she went through so much. She has a lot of, a lot of baggage and trauma there. Deep, deep traumas. But I do resonate with her on having like an instinct to reroute and change things in my life and maybe stepping out on faith on things that I'm not necessarily sure is gonna work out. But hey, I want to be an actress. That sounds pretty far fetched to a lot of the world. So I can, I can get where her, her fire and her passion is coming from. She uses. Oh, go ahead.

[Paola Ramos]

How are you?

[Saraya]

Huh?

[Paola Ramos]

How are you? I just had a baby. Mommy. Hair looks good on you.

[Saraya]

Well, thank you, thank you. You as well.

[Paola Ramos]

Thank you. As your mental. Everything is good. I mean you had that baby, you working out, you know, you're mommy but now you're, you're still actress, singer, mommy. How does that all fit?

[Saraya]

It's actually one day at a time.

[Paola Ramos]

Yeah.

[Saraya]

You know, and just having that grace for myself that I don't have to have it all together.

[Paola Ramos]

No.

[Saraya]

Has been the biggest, I guess lesson for me throughout all of this. But it's been great. Thank God. I mean, you know, after that first month where I was like, you know, now it's just like I could use some sleep, but that's about it. I'm good, I'm good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I want to ask, you know, when doing a faith based movie, right. Growing up as a kid, when you hear anything faith based, you thinking it's gonna be nothing but Christian singing, it's gonna be that type of thing. Did you ever think about, well, maybe I don't wanna do it cause it's faith based or did you just dive right in?

[Saraya]

You have any thoughts personally? No. I mean I feel like God has always been a very much a part of my life and I, I do, I do think that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why you laughing? Something made you laugh.

[Saraya]

Yeah. Because Devon actually we worked on Kingdom business together, BT plus which was also, also faith, faith based. And I really feel like sometimes God is funny in the way of presenting me with characters that I kind of like in life are a little bit mirroring as far as like their relationship with God. So it's kind of funny for me to, to have played and Kingdom business and now Ruth and Ruth and Boaz. Right. So that's why I left. But no, it really did not deter me at all. If anything deterred me, it was the music element.

[Devon Franklin]

Right?

[Saraya]

Cuz I, I played so many music characters so that that was the part.

[Devon Franklin]

That took a little convincing. I was like, come on Sere, come on.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She said, know it first.

[Devon Franklin]

Well, she didn't want to come in to audition because it was a little music driven. So I had to hit her up. I was like, yo, trust me, you're going to want to do this, come on in. And so thankfully she did.

[Saraya]

Thank you.

[Jorge Ramos]

So what was it mirroring in your life, Saraya? Because you know this, this is like this story is about God's timing and divine orchestration. So what was, what was going on in your life when you got the call for this?

[Saraya]

Oh my goodness, so much. But I could say that love was also on the brink for me. Like I was in a new relationship with this role. I found out I was pregnant like during, while filming. There was a lot of things kind of with Ruth that I was in the script and some of the things she says kind of just rang true for me.

[Paola Ramos]

What about you heathen? What you did?

[Saraya]

You dive right in?

[Tyler Lepley]

Yeah, I think for me, you know, when I got the call, I was just in the space last year, I mean even before last year, you know, like I said, I never grew up in the church but it was something that I was always seeking, you know what I'm saying? It was sought after for me and you know, it started spiritually but then I, you know, then I kind of wanted to go to church more and you know, just show up in the place of worship, not just to kind of feel it on the inside. So I think for me, outside of the artistry, me wanting to be able to tackle a role like this, I've never done a, you know, a love story before. You know, the aspect of it being a faith based film is actually something that was kind of right on time for me. You know, I had just, I just proposed to my, at the time, you know, my girlfriend. We were obviously my fiance now.

[Devon Franklin]

So even just congratulations.

[Tyler Lepley]

Thank you, I appreciate that. But, but even entertaining miracle, but even, you know, make making a choice to go ahead and honor our union under God and you know, making that choice and walking forward in it or you know, I've just, I've had, I've had some issues in life where, you know, choosing to handle it with, with, with grace is something that's continuing to be on the forefront of my mind and whatnot. So it was just a, it was just perfect timing. So I actually, actually love diving into the, to the faith based aspect of it.

[Saraya]

Love that in the movie, both of you guys spent it. Saraya and Tyler, y' all spent a lot of time learning to trust each other's love so that you guys can depend on each other. What from your real aspects of your relationship did you bring into that to be able to, like, show it on screen?

[Tyler Lepley]

I think for me, just, you know, without, without getting, you know, too specific in terms of what's going on day to day. I think just. I think just the idea of pouring into my relationship as opposed to, you know, showing up the table, figuring out what I'm going to eat, you know, let's, let's, let's pour into it and be of service. And I feel like that's the best way to, you know, to, to bear the fruits of any. Of any.

[Paola Ramos]

That's right.

[Tyler Lepley]

Flower, you know, so that's, that's probably what I, you know, what I connected with in terms of me and Boaz being intentional. Yeah. Being intentional with what it is that we're doing here. We're not just, you know, we're not just walking down this path aimlessly.

[Saraya]

I love it. I definitely resonated with her having a guard up. I was in a past relationship, public relationship. I have gone through different things in my life that just presented me to like. Well, it resulted me to being a little more guarded. So I really understood her being guarded because it wasn't that she wasn't trying to accept or excuse me, she was trying to be difficult. I think she just was tired of being let down. So her guard is like, let me just keep everyone out there so that I don't have to be hurt over here anymore.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was working with the icon, the.

[Devon Franklin]

Legend, Ms. Felicia Rashad.

[Saraya]

Talk about it. She said something really cool. I mean, it was amazing for me. I think we all have really cool stories about her. She brings this aura and this presence and this groundedness. And she's also very humble, like to be the icon and the person we're speaking about. She's like, oh, thank you. You know, let's talk about you now. And I think that's really cool aspect to her. We many times in our cast chairs, we're just talking about, like, relationships and just different things. Like, she's, she's a really, really dope human being.

[Jorge Ramos]

Y' all did use a stunt double when she got pushed down.

[Devon Franklin]

The thing about her is she was cool with being on the ground. She was, yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The thing about her is she was.

[Devon Franklin]

Like, y', all, stop, stop. It, like, I got it. So she did do. She didn't get the hit part, but she definitely fell on the ground.

[Saraya]

She wanted to.

[Devon Franklin]

She wanted to. And that's. I'm telling you. Yeah. When I saw she fell, you know, far enough to make.

[Saraya]

It was enough. My heart. I was like, oh, my God. Why would y' all do that?

[Devon Franklin]

Yeah.

[Saraya]

Cause it's like this, Phylicia Rashad. Like, you cannot just put her on.

[Paola Ramos]

The ground like that.

[Devon Franklin]

The reason why she is that way is because she takes her craft seriously. And not only that, I mean, to what Saraya was saying, you know, every day that she was on set, her aura, you know, she brought, you know, excellence. She brought grace. She brought a sense of calm and peace. And I'll never forget, you know, one day we were shooting at the location for her house, and it overlooks a lake. And so in between setups, you know, I hear this voice saying, you know, devon, come here. And I turn around, and it's Ms. Felicia. She's sitting on a bench. She says, come here. And she pats on the bench. She says, sit down. And I said, yeah. She said, you know, you're working really hard. This is your movie, but you got to breathe. You got to take all this in. Wow. Don't just, you know, rush through the fruits of your labor. Take it in. And I said, wow. I took a moment to breathe, and then we started talking about, you know, our histories and, you know, sharing stories. And I said, wow, this is what it's like to have an elder in your presence. They see the potential, and they see it, but they also want you to know, hey, life is a. Is a marathon, not a sprint. Relax, enjoy. And so that's a moment that just speaks to who she is.

[Jorge Ramos]

Do you ever get imposter syndrome in those moments, like, when you're doing a film and you ever think to yourself, like, oh, man, I'm doing a film for Netflix. I got Felicia Rashad. I got Tyler. Lovely. I'm with Tyler Perry.

[Devon Franklin]

Like, no, I don't. I don't get imposter syndrome. I mean, because, you know, I've been working in entertainment since I was 18 years old, and I've been working specifically, you know, in film ever since then. And so when I'm making a movie, you know, I'm making a movie, like, from a place of experience and expertise, and nobody knows how to make a movie. A faith that's commercial better than me.

[Paola Ramos]

Yeah.

[Devon Franklin]

And so I. And that's not based upon arrogance. That's just based upon confidence and experience and having done it time and time and time again. And so when I'm on set, you know, if anything, I'm like, okay, what am I not thinking about? You know, is there? And then also, you know, wanting to make sure that they're good. You know, at the end of the day, I can do all things I can do, but at the end of the day, if the talent doesn't feel, if I'm saying, hey, I want to make movies of inspiration and faith and the experience behind the scene isn't inspirational or positive, then I think it kind of undermines what I'm trying to do, and I make sure that they're good.

[Jorge Ramos]

Now, I'm glad you said that, because the film portrays these ideas of worthiness and acceptance, especially in regards Boaz's, like, evolution and transformation.

[Devon Franklin]

It was important. That was really important because I really wanted, you know, you know, any man watching this movie, any woman as well, but, you know, specifically, you know, any man watching this movie to see themselves in Boaz. And I think one of the things that's so, you know, noble and powerful, and also the way that Tyler plays Boaz is, you know, with the care and the tenderness, and he's not looking to get from Ruth. He's looking to give to Ruth, you know, and I think that that is. That is. That's a different dynamic. And I really wanted to make sure that that was articulated and portrayed, because that, to me, is where love is.

[Tyler Lepley]

Yeah.

[Devon Franklin]

You know, love comes out of sacrifice. Like, and I'm not trying to get from you. He didn't need anything from her. All he really. I mean, what was cool about Ruth, all she provided him was a safe space to be able to talk, to be able to communicate, to be heard. And that is how she expressed her love. And he expressed his love through giving to make sure she knew she was okay. So that was important to me as.

[Paola Ramos]

Far as casting went.

[Saraya]

Right.

[Paola Ramos]

Like, did you say. Cause I feel like every role that Tyler plays and every role that Saraya plays, it seems like it's specifically for them. They just do a great job with it. Did you know who you had in mind when you were. When you said, okay, I want to do Ruth and Boaz Story?

[Devon Franklin]

When I started the process, I didn't. I just was working on getting the script right. Mike Elliott and Corey Tynan wrote the script, and our amazing director, Lana Brown, you know, directed the movie. And so once we got into the casting process, that's when I said, oh, this is Saraya. And so I kept hitting up her team, like, hey, when she coming in? When she coming in?

[Jorge Ramos]

Audition.

[Devon Franklin]

And then that's when I finally, you know, ultimately called her and said, hey, come in. And then when she auditioned, it was like, oh, well, there's Ruth.

[Jorge Ramos]

Yeah.

[Devon Franklin]

But with Boaz, I didn't know that Tyler Lepley was going to come in. I knew, like, I wanted a guy who, you know, had the gravitas, who had the sex appeal, but also had the heart. But I didn't know that he was. You know, I didn't. I didn't even. It wasn't even a thought, right? And then we had a couple guys. We were chemistry reading with Saraya, and at the 11th hour, Tyler Lepley sends in a self tape. And I watched the self tape, and I'm like, well, there's Boaz. Y. I mean, without any direction, he just dropped into the essence of the character. And we were like, okay, we did it. And we brought him in, did a chemistry read, and it was evident that they were the ones destined to play these parts.

[Paola Ramos]

Tyler, how do you know this was for you?

[Devon Franklin]

That's right.

[Paola Ramos]

I had to finish real quick. You never know God's plan because Tyler said that it was right on time for him because he was already talking to the Lord.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was gonna say, how did you know this one was for you? Because you sent in that tape immediately. So how did you know that, like, this. This part's for me?

[Tyler Lepley]

I think. I think it really dawned on me after I. After I had sent the tape in, we did the chemistry read, which was funny too, because we were actually on a different set shooting something else together. So, you know, that was. That was a unique experience. But after I had. Right after I had booked it, we had a scheduling conflict with. With this and P. Valley. We're shooting at the same time. And, you know, there was a period of time where, you know, per the line producers, these are the ones who deal with the schedule. This. This wasn't gonna work. So there was a few days, like, even me and Devon were, you know, kind of chatting back and forth on the text. And like, you know, the. The energy was kind of like, all right, well, you know, I'll see. I'll see you. You know, I'll catch you next time.

[Jorge Ramos]

Damn.

[Tyler Lepley]

And it was like, damn. That's what I.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's kind of what he hit you with, a hide.

[Tyler Lepley]

I said, man, I said, there was something about this that just. It just felt special because kind of what I was talking about earlier, you know, trying to get in touch with the Lord. And then, you know, it just. It just felt like this was going to be special. And. And I was like, man, I ain't going down without a fight. You know, I played baseball for one year, and I was always. I was always striking out, but I was always going down looking. My mom told me, like, man, you got to. At least if you're going down, you got to swing. So I was like, all right, well, let me pick the phone up. Let me call. Let me call Devon and let me call Katori, because, you know, everybody. Yeah, everybody at the studio is saying they can't. Can't figure this out. And, you know, really, really, it was. It was because of you and Katori the reason that I was. I was blessed enough to be able to step into this role. You know, I'm saying. So as I look back on it, you know, Hindsight is always 2020. When I look at how, you know, God orchestrated it. It was like, man, it was. I was. I was right on point. This is something that I felt like I was destined to do. So I. Man, I appreciate you.

[Devon Franklin]

No, absolutely. I would just interject on that, you know, what God has for you is for you. And so, you know, Katori and I, you know, got on the phone and went through that schedule and said, okay, he. You need him here, I need him here. Okay, I can't give you that date, but can you give me that date? And then we went to the. The Line producers and then the studios and say, this is what it is. And a lot of times they're like, well, you got to have insurance. I said, nah. Me and Katori, a brother and a sister, we worked it out as he needs to be able to do both.

[Paola Ramos]

Love that.

[Devon Franklin]

So whatever is for you, just stay in it and keep fighting for it. Yeah, because if. When it's meant to be, it'll be.

[Tyler Lepley]

We fought for that thing.

[Saraya]

That's why it's so important to be working with people that understand you and look like you, too. Because y' all advocated. That's so big, having a person that.

[Devon Franklin]

Will advocate for you 1,000%.

[Jorge Ramos]

Yeah, it's critical, you know, the secular ambitions that that Roof has.

[Tyler Lepley]

Right.

[Jorge Ramos]

But the spiritual calling she's dealing with, too. Have any of y' all ever had to deal with that in the industry? And if so, how did you resolve it?

[Tyler Lepley]

I'm sorry, what was it again?

[Jorge Ramos]

The secular ambitions that Roof has, but also the spiritual calling she's dealing with. Have you any. Have y' all ever had that Battle with y'. All personal experiences in, in the industry.

[Tyler Lepley]

It's been a long week. Break it down. Secular in layman's terms. What's that?

[Devon Franklin]

Secular is worldly, not non religious.

[Jorge Ramos]

I don't know.

[Devon Franklin]

That's a perfect example.

[Jorge Ramos]

You should be successful like money, cars, jewelry. But God is saying, no, I don't. I want you to be over here.

[Tyler Lepley]

Yeah, yeah, for sure. I would say, I would say for me, when I was coming out of now, I'm from right outside of Philly and I was, you know, on my own level, I was, you know, I was making a little bit of money. I was, I was kind of doing my thing, you know, at least, so I thought. But nothing made sense for me to go out to la, you know, but something was, something was calling me. I felt like God was, you know, God was pushing me in that direction and it was, you know, it was a battle to. To leave everything that I've ever known, you know, to chase something that I've never seen, you know, But I feel it.

[Saraya]

Yeah.

[Tyler Lepley]

And I. So, so I do feel like I can connect with Ruth on that because I forget what the actual line is, but man, like, it's. It's one of those lines, one of those memorable lines where she talks about, you know, God is leading me somewhere else and it's nothing that anybody else around me can. May really be able to understand, but it's something that I feel and it's something that I'm going to honor, you know, so I really connect with, with Ruth on, On that aspect for sure.

[Jorge Ramos]

What about you, Sara?

[Paola Ramos]

Oof.

[Saraya]

I don't know if I've ever felt like I was being pulled away from what God wanted from. For me or what I felt like innately inside of me. But I could say that it is hard to navigate when you do have that voice inside of you because there is a lot to. There's a lot to be involved with when it comes to our industry. So when thinking about it from that aspect, I can say I said no to a lot of hangouts and dealings with people and, and thank God I did because I didn't really know why I was saying no, but I just knew I didn't feel necessarily comfortable or I felt like a weird vibe. So I just decided not to be out and about and doing different things. And now looking back on that, I am, I am grateful that I kind of followed that voice because there are a lot of situations. I realized that, oh yeah, that person was definitely up to no good asking me to do A, B and C. You know what I mean? So I think that there's, there's definitely a lot of that while navigating this industry.

[Devon Franklin]

For sure.

[Jorge Ramos]

What about you, Devon? Because you have answered your calling. Spiritual calling. Yeah, but you still have. You still want to be successful in this business.

[Devon Franklin]

Sure.

[Tyler Lepley]

Sure.

[Paola Ramos]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

There's something special about folks who come through without being asked. Like your coworker surprising you with your favorite coffee just because. Or your friend handing you the aux cord the moment you get into the car. No debate, no fight, just positive vibes. That kind of love. It just hits different. And that's exactly the energy AT&T is on with their new guarantee. If there's ever a network interruption, AT&T will proactively credit you for a full day of service. No calls, no emails, no jumping through hoops. It's just handled. It's like the universe saying I got you. Except this time it's not the stars aligning, it's your network. And let's be real, that connection is everything. Whether you're holding down the group chat, checking in on your parents scrolling TikTok, your network's gotta come through. And if there's a problem, AT&T is on the case. No stress, no drama, just real backup when it counts. Credit for fiber downtime lasting 20 minutes or more, or wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers. Restrictions and exclusions apply. See att.com guaranty for full details. AT&T connecting changes everything. Stop settling for weak sound.

[Paola Ramos]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Jorge Ramos]

I'm Jorge Ramos.

[Saraya]

And I'm Paula Ramos.

[Jorge Ramos]

Together we're launching the Moment, a new podcast about what it means to live through a time as uncertain as this one.

[Devon Franklin]

We sit down with politicians. I would be the first immigrant mayor.

[Tyler Lepley]

In generations, but 40% of New York.

[Devon Franklin]

Were born outside of his country. Artists and activists. I mean, do you ever feel demoralized?

[Tyler Lepley]

I might personally lose hope.

[Devon Franklin]

This individual might lose the faith, but there's an institution that doesn't lose faith.

[Jorge Ramos]

And that's what I believed in.

[Paola Ramos]

To bring you depth and analysis from.

[Devon Franklin]

A unique Latino perspective, There's not a.

[Jorge Ramos]

Single day that Paula and I don't call or text each other sharing news and thoughts about what's happening in the country. This new podcast will be a way to make that ongoing intergenerational conversation public.

[Devon Franklin]

Listen to the Moment with Jorge Ramos.

[Tyler Lepley]

And Paula Ramos as part of the.

[Devon Franklin]

My Cultura Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It was like the ambition always has been to go to a secular environment, right? When you look at Hollywood, you know, some may argue it's one of the most secular environments on the planet. But for me, you know, when I first started, I didn't know I was gonna be making content that would be inspirational or faith based at all. But I did have a sense of, I don't want to compromise my soul to open the door of this business. So, like, at 18 years old, you know, first internship interview, they asked me, you know, this was when it was for the company that managed Will Smith. And they said, is there anything else you want us to know? And I said, well, you know, I observed Sabbath, so if taking this internship would require me to work on the Sabbath, I won't take it. So at that point in time, I wasn't really doing it consciously. I was just saying, this is my conviction, you know, like, I don't want to compromise who I am and my identity for this business. And then what happened was they said, sure, no problem. And I got the internship, and every job that I've ever had goes back to that internship. And so what that showed me is that you can be in a secular environment and still maintain your spirituality, because I don't believe that God would ordain success for any of us. That requires us to compromise who we are. Because if it's like, wait, if it's God, no honor who you. He's created you to be. And if that door opens, walk through it. But if it doesn't, do not conform yourself to get that, because what's on the other side of that door is you're going to need the faith that you left and the identity you left outside the door to be successful.

[Saraya]

That's the scariest part.

[Devon Franklin]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So for me, it was. It was just about incorporating the essence of who I am and the identity and the spirituality and being a Christian and allowing God to navigate my path in this, you know, secular environment.

[Saraya]

Earlier, Serayah, when you guys were talking about you almost not answering the call to do the role, did you say it was because music was involved? So you don't. That was something you didn't want to do anymore? Well, yes and no. I think that there are, like. I think because of the last few roles that I have done or been a part of, had that female who was, you know, navigating, but also had a music element, and I am also, like, putting out music. And so I wanted to just be mindful of just where that was placing me. But honestly, like Devon said, this. This film is. Is a lot more than the music. It's not just the music.

[Jorge Ramos]

It's.

[Saraya]

And I hadn't. I didn't know it at the time, but I got to work with Babyface, so that was. So. That was amazing. So. But, yeah, that was kind of like, my reasoning behind. Behind it just wanting to, you know, play different characters. That's. That's really all it is in expanding my creativity and things like that. There's such a connection in the film between. You mentioned Atlanta and Tennessee. But, like, I feel like the way that we watch you go from being in the group that you were in to then getting into country music to then go into gospel, it tells a story about, like, how all the music genres are intertwined. Can y' all talk about, like, you know, displaying that but also putting that in the film and why that was important. Was it always country music?

[Devon Franklin]

Yeah.

[Saraya]

Oh, it was okay.

[Devon Franklin]

Yeah.

[Saraya]

I wasn't sure. Well, because when I got the records to sing and in, you know, here are the records, a file of records I'm listening to. I'm like, okay. They are, like, very country, and I've never sang country, although I love country. I've just never recorded a country record. So when I. When I started to record them, and then when I got in with Babyface, I was like, wow, I really love this on my voice, because you're able to really, like, show a certain level of emotion in those records that I really enjoyed.

[Devon Franklin]

Yeah, I mean, it was our writer, Mike Elliot, who was inspired by Cowboy Carter and, you know, the renaissance, you know, of black music and. And country. And he was the one that said, you know, let's put her on a journey where even though she's going back to Tennessee, what she's discovering is her voice and this kind of, you know, country music, you know, really becomes the vehicle. So that was his idea. And I was like, oh, that's brilliant. And then when you see, you know, Saraya sing these different records in the film, it feels very authentic. And then when you talk about Babyface, you know, coming in and not only playing himself, but he actually produced the song at the piano. His version of it, the Goodness of God. And then the song that Ruth sings to express her love to Boaz is an original Baby Face song that he wrote and produced for the film, which is pretty amazing.

[Jorge Ramos]

Wow.

[Paola Ramos]

Y' all had somebody crying, and they wanted us producers. Sim, she was crying. You were singing one of the songs. It was like, one of it always makes her cry, but she was like, her voice is so beautiful. So she was actually crying. She was watching a movie. She was crying when you were singing it.

[Jorge Ramos]

Wow.

[Devon Franklin]

I wonder if that was the Goodness of God song.

[Paola Ramos]

I, I, I'm not sure, but she and I come in there talking about something about Sexy Red, and she turned around crying.

[Jorge Ramos]

I'm like, what happened?

[Paola Ramos]

She said it was the goodness of God. I was like, oh, wow. In I didn't know it's secular men either.

[Jorge Ramos]

How y' all go to church and don't know what secular mean? You never heard of old church? That's secular music. Turn that secular.

[Paola Ramos]

He didn't grow up in the church.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I did.

[Paola Ramos]

And ain't none of my old folks ever say the secular stuff. No, they didn't.

[Tyler Lepley]

I got to get up on something.

[Paola Ramos]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jorge Ramos]

What does it mean for you to retell a Bible story? Because I know the church folks. If you get it wrong, it'll be on your head.

[Devon Franklin]

I know, I know. And they might, you know, but, you know, for me, it's like when I think about, you know, Tyler and I, Tyler Perry and I having this deal, you know, the genesis of this story was very organic. I had been doing a sermon series on, you know, what it means to be what it meant to be single. As I was navigating, you know, my single, my season of singleness. And, and in the sermon series, I started studying the book of Ruth. And in the book of Ruth, you know, as we were talking about earlier, it's very interesting, you know, neither of them are looking for love at all. You know, as a matter of fact, when Ruth makes the commitment to go serve Naomi, Naomi says, go back. You're not gonna find love where I'm going. And Ruth says, it ain't about love, it's about you. And where you go, I go. And that idea of committing to something greater than ourselves, our purpose, our calling, and then as a reward of that, as part of the journey, then we receive love. That really spoke to me. So, you know, I was like, I think we need to make this a movie. I said, this has never been done before. And then I did my research and there had never been a modern version of this story that had ever been told. And definitely not a modern version, you know, with people of color. So I think this is the first Bible, you know, inspired movie that has ever been done this way. And so what it meant to me was like being able to start our deal rooted in the Word was really strong and very significant. And again, there is no rule book on how to do it. So everything that we did in this film and the creative license that we took to interpret scripture for modern time, other filmmakers would do something different, but everything. I feel very confident when people see this film and they read the Word, they'll say, oh, okay, this is cool. And then there will be some be like, well, you left this part out. Well, you're right, we had to make a 90 minute film.

[Jorge Ramos]

So expound on what does it mean to tell the story through a black lens then.

[Devon Franklin]

Oh my goodness, it's everything. Because I feel like, especially when you look at faith based content, faith based content, the majority of it tends to be white evangelical content. And there have rarely been movies of faith that feature diversity, that are made by producers, directors, writers of color. This is almost like a brand new thing. I mean, the last movie that I was involved with that did that was Jumping the Broom. And that was when I was an executive at Sony and oversaw that film. And that was, you know, what, 2011.

[Paola Ramos]

Yeah.

[Devon Franklin]

So, you know, it's very significant to, to show that, you know, people of color are people of faith and, and, and not just that we want great content too, you know, and that this segment, you know, of the faith based audience and the general market who you Know want content that is diverse and that does celebrate that this is the type of movie to let people know, like, we're here.

[Paola Ramos]

Yeah.

[Devon Franklin]

And we want more. And so that was very, very important for me to make sure that that was represented.

[Paola Ramos]

Now the. The is the three picture deal, right? Three picture deal. So the other two are going to be rooted in the word as well. You're going to do other biblical stories.

[Devon Franklin]

No, you know, well, I don't know what the third one's going to be, but the second one is actually going to be a true story. I can't speak about it yet because they go. If I speak about it, they go, get me. But it. But you're going to hear about it very soon. It's a true story. It's an amazing, uplifting story. We have one of Hollywood's biggest stars that's going to star in the film. And I'm really excited about it.

[Jorge Ramos]

So.

[Devon Franklin]

So for me, like, I'm excited to see what stories come together, you know, and what stories. So I don't go into it saying, okay, I want 1, 2 and 3 to be this. Yeah, you know, I pray I stay open to God. And he just, you know, aligns me with the right stories to tell at the right time.

[Paola Ramos]

And, you know, the craziest thing is, right, because I've been dealing with a lot. So I wasn't even going to come in to work today, but God had told me, like, you know what? Devon might got a role for you, so just go. So I was like, you know, I'm just coming here.

[Jorge Ramos]

I'm so glad. I was like, I got you.

[Devon Franklin]

I got you. You know, if you down to audition, I do got you, actually. Okay. I'm for real. In the new movie, there is a very significant part that you would be like. You're like the prototype.

[Paola Ramos]

Thank you.

[Saraya]

Look at that.

[Paola Ramos]

And I grew up in the church, so, you know, it be easier for me.

[Jorge Ramos]

We gotta work out schedules now. It might be everything type of thing. You know, maybe figure that out. Exactly.

[Paola Ramos]

Take me away, Take me away.

[Jorge Ramos]

Just like, I got a very specific role.

[Paola Ramos]

Ain't no crack.

[Jorge Ramos]

It ain't none of that.

[Paola Ramos]

Shut up.

[Jorge Ramos]

But, you know, one of the themes.

[Tyler Lepley]

Oh, I love it.

[Jorge Ramos]

One of the themes about Roof and Boaz is faith and providence.

[Devon Franklin]

Right.

[Jorge Ramos]

Y' all know what providence means? Okay, what? But. But it talks about how God works through ordinary people to shape history. And I wanted to ask you, as a minister, we always hear about the Bible. In the Bible, it talks about God working through ordinary people. What's considered an extraordinary person?

[Devon Franklin]

You know, I think that when you think of extraordinary, you think of someone you. You don't feel you can become, right? You know, so you look at the greatest of the greats and you say, oh, well, I could never be that. And when you look at the word God's like, no, look at David, look at Joseph. You know, these were people that. That nobody thought would be anything, but I use them. So I think that's what it means. I think when people think like, oh, someone who's extraordinary is someone that I can't touch.

[Jorge Ramos]

Well, so who's the examples of that in the Bible? In the Bible, it's all. It's all full of. Just. All of us are just ordinary people. John Legend said, well, this is true. This is very true.

[Devon Franklin]

No, I agree with that. I mean, when you look at the Bible, the Bible is. And I think people highlight that as a way to make sure that anyone reading the Bible reads it from a lens of relatability. Because sometimes, you know, when you're looking at these biblical stories and the amazing things that happen, you can say, well, God, I don't see you doing that in my life. So I think it's more about relatability to understand that, you know, the book is not about extraordinary people. It's about ordinary people serving an extraordinary God. And if you can then relate to that, then you can believe that that extraordinary God can do something extraordinary in what you may perceive as your ordinary life.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You always want to know, with all three of you guys, your relationships are all public, right? How do you turn it off to say, you know, what f. What's going on on social media? I gotta dive into a character. I gotta make sure I'm present every time. I gotta make sure that I'm the best me. So Tyler's the best. Tyler and that, you know, how do y' all do that?

[Jorge Ramos]

Or do you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Maybe you don't.

[Tyler Lepley]

I mean, yeah, mine's. You know, I gotta. I got a unique way of thinking about it. I. I feel like it's a bit. It's a bit harsh, but it just. You know, it's just my reality. It just is what it is. And I've been like this since before I was in a relationship, before I had kids. You know, it's kind of just who I am. You know, I feel like I came from a life of, excuse me, of, like, mediocrity. I feel like I've done that. I feel like I've settled, you know, is what made me kind of leave being from right outside of Philly. And I think for me, the way I look at it is like, either. Either I'm gonna. Either I'm gonna be that. What I see when I close my eyes and I think about, like, everything that I'm. I'm trying to be, I'm gonna be on the top of that mountain or. Or I'm gonna be, you know, in a box. So there is no in between, really, for me. So if I'm really gonna go ahead and take that shot, you know, what is it that you have to. To do in order to get that? You're gonna have to really lock in and be focused and really have, like, you know, an unwavering sense of it. So when it comes down to that, and I gotta. You know, my fiance may be calling me about this, and my parents may be calling me about that, and, you know, we're all humans outside of our professional life. And when that feels like it's really starting to weigh on me, that's when I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Even though it's tough, and it kind of sounds like it's a little harsh to think about it like that, you know, you, you, you. You know, no one. No one that leaves a storm. The one that leaves the storm isn't the one that walks into it. That's what the storm is really about. No one likes to get rained on. But, you know, when you're in those things, when you're in those storms, you got to understand that God is really just sharpening your swords that you. So that you can get to the top of that mountain.

[Jorge Ramos]

I like that perspective, man.

[Tyler Lepley]

I love what you said when.

[Jorge Ramos]

You said. When you feel it weighing on you.

[Tyler Lepley]

Yeah.

[Jorge Ramos]

You know, you.

[Tyler Lepley]

I feel like that's. That's the fight now. We're in it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right.

[Saraya]

Yeah, I can. I can definitely relate to that. I feel like for me, yeah, I just. I've always had this kind of, like, work ethic that kind of just. It's just. It's in every fiber of me. I. I think that that's something that the people around me know and they accept and they appreciate and respect even my best friends. Like, I've had to miss so many things over the past 10 years. You would know, with my best friends, with my family, and just different things. So I think that also choosing the partner that I have. Understand. He understands. Right. Because he has a similar life.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's in the industry.

[Saraya]

Right, Right. Also, it helps a lot, but when, like, you said when things do get overwhelming, I think that for me, it became very important this, in this past year to advocate for myself and to express that, hey, this is. Excuse me, this is what's going on for me. And today looks like this for me. And can we talk about this, you know, later? Because sometimes everyone makes their emergency like their emergency, like your urgency. Do you know what I mean? And I'm such a person that wants to satisfy everyone that I love so much where it can be to a fault sometimes. So I've really had to learn how to just communicate what it is I actually need and that. And it tends to work because. Oh, you're right. My. My bad. I forgot you may be at. Been at work since 4:30 this morning. You know, just different things. Sometimes you just have to kind of like, throw that out there so that they can be like, all right, cool, we're gonna talk about this later, whatever the case may be. Did you learn that? Did you learn that from new motherhood or preparing for motherhood? Or did you. I know you said you took a lot away from leaving the last relationship and having to transition into your happy place. Now, what did you learn that from? Yeah, you know what? To be honest, I give credit to my partner, to Joey. He's a great. He's an amazing communicator.

[Jorge Ramos]

Salute to Joey.

[Saraya]

Yeah.

[Jorge Ramos]

And he also does the work on himself, though.

[Saraya]

He does. And he really does. I'm there every day. He really does. He's really reading all the books. He's doing it all. So I really have learned how to communicate better just from him, kind of like just showing that. Because sometimes I would feel before that some people can make you feel like communication is too much. So you kind of learn how to hold back what you need to express so that you make them comfortable. And I feel like in this relationship, I've really learned to open up that communication and be like, hey, I'm feeling like this today. Just so you know. You know, it's a lot. I'm tired. Right. And then we can go from there because everyone's not. It's not always gonna be 100. Sometimes you.

[Paola Ramos]

You.

[Saraya]

You only have 30%, you know, but let me tell you, today is my 30%. That. So that you could have empathy and understand where I'm coming from. And I think that that's just how I navigate now. And I can't. I. I have to express that for myself.

[Jorge Ramos]

And when you have that level of communication and you're able to express those feelings, you enable each Other to not take things personal.

[Saraya]

Correct. Correct. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Guys, they have to go, oh, I.

[Paola Ramos]

Could talk to y' all for so much longer.

[Jorge Ramos]

Damn. That's one more question just for. I want to ask.

[Devon Franklin]

I want to be here.

[Jorge Ramos]

The minister's here. You ever tried to help a person and then you realize they're the reason they have problems? Nothing external. It's them. How do you convey that?

[Devon Franklin]

Well, it's funny. Charlemagne is hilarious.

[Jorge Ramos]

I'm just saying, you ever tried to help a person and then you realize they are the reason they have problems? Ain't nothing external. Yes, it's you.

[Devon Franklin]

Yes. Yes, I have been in that situation. And the thing is to be compassionate, you know, compassion. Because a lot of times it's very easy to. Well, let me put it this way. It's very hard for all of us to look in the mirror and actually hold and look at what we see, because we don't like to look at the parts of ourselves that we want to change that we're not happy with. And so in those situations, it's like, okay, before I was, like, trying to call the person out or anything. I say, okay, let's just have compassion, you know, and like, hey, the problem you're trying to solve, it may be because of the perspective that you have. Okay, well, why do you have that perspective? Let's talk about it. Because I think just creating an environment where there's no judgment and there's acceptance and that there can be communication. Because trying to unpack something, whether it's trauma or tragedy or disappointments or things that you may have gone through years ago, trying to unpack, that takes time. And I think sometimes we get so mad at people for not being where we want them to. To be. And we're all on a journey in this thing called life, and we're at different stages. So I just try to approach it with compassion and still clarity. You know, if someone comes to me for help and they're asking my opinion, then I will give it. I will say, hey, you know, I think the reason why, you know, you may have been going through different relationships is because, you know, you keep bringing that mentality to each relationship. Instead of being the love you want to receive, you're looking for this person to provide you with what you're not doing for yourself.

[Jorge Ramos]

So.

[Devon Franklin]

So, you know, I'm still going to be honest, but I'm going to do it hopefully, in a compassionate and loving way, so that then that they can actually take it in. Because if I come with the sledgehammer, you know, and I come with, why aren't you doing this? Then? The help that I could have provided them, I missed the opportunity.

[Paola Ramos]

Exactly.

[Devon Franklin]

Because I'm trying to impose. Impose my process on them. Instead of being compassionate, loving, hey, here's some things you could look at. And then everyone then has to make a committee of one to make the decision. You know what? Okay, I'm gonna make some changes, and I'm gonna do the work because I want the reflection of my life to change.

[Paola Ramos]

So be compassionate, Boli.

[Jorge Ramos]

But at what point do you. You say, you know what? You gotta figure this out on your own, though?

[Devon Franklin]

Well, you know, again, I think every situation is. Is different. I mean, I think everyone always has to figure out on their own. So I. You know, it's never that. But if someone is coming to me, like, specifically wanting me to fix their problem, you know, at a certain point, I would be like, hey, you know, it's not my responsibility to fix the problem. But I can give you information. I can give you strategy. I can give you a point of view that if you use it, given my experience, I believe it'll work. But ultimately, if you're relying on me to do your work, then you want me to provide a subsidy to the work that you're not willing to do. And if I do that for you, it's not going to help you, and it's certainly not going to help me. Yeah, so it really. It's. It's a process, you know, but it's not. I try not to, like, cut people off, you know, Even if they want me to do something, say, okay, I get that, but that's not my responsibility. My responsibility is to be a support system, and it's your responsibility to take on the charge to do the work.

[Saraya]

Do baptisms, actually.

[Jorge Ramos]

Why you shaking your head, man? Cutting people off.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He said, show empathy.

[Jorge Ramos]

Don't cut them off. I know you ain't talking. You know me. I say me. I said you. I said you. You know me. I'm like, all right, well, we appreciate.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You guys for joining us.

[Devon Franklin]

Thank you so much.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Make sure you check it out. It's on Netflix now.

[Jorge Ramos]

Three on the way, period.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Devon Franklin, Sera, and Tyler Lepley, thank you so much. I got your name right. I made sure I was in my head. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Devon Franklin]

Thank you.

[Tyler Lepley]

Hold up.

[Jorge Ramos]

Every day I wake up, Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

[Saraya]

Finish or y' all done.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Stop settling for weak sound.

[Paola Ramos]

It's time to level up your game.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And bring the boom hit the town with the ultra durable LG X Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG XBoom and for a limited time save [e-mail] with with code fall25 bring the boom XBoom.

[Jorge Ramos]

I'm Jorge Ramos.

[Saraya]

And I'm Paula Ramos.

[Jorge Ramos]

Together we're launching the Moment, a new podcast about what it means to live through a time as uncertain as this one.

[Devon Franklin]

We sit down with politicians, artists and activists to bring you death and analysis from a unique Latino perspective.

[Jorge Ramos]

The Moment is a space for the conversations we've been having as father and mother daughter for years.

[Devon Franklin]

Listen to the Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paula ramos on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Saraya]

Short on time, but big on true crime. On a recent episode of the podcast Hunting for Answers, I highlighted the story of 19 year old Lashay Dungey. But she never knocked on that door. She never made it inside. And that text message would be the last time anyone would ever hear from her. Listen to Hunting for Answers from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Devon Franklin]

I'm Marcus Grant.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I'm Michael F. Florio and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast.

[Tyler Lepley]

Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips and winning strategies.

[Tyler Lepley]

Whether you're a rookie manager or a.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

[Tyler Lepley]

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast.

[Devon Franklin]

On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit toyota.com NFL now to learn more.

[Saraya]

This is an iHeart podcast.