INTERVIEW: Taylor Polidore Williams Talks ‘Beauty in Black,' Relationship With Cast, Tyler Perry, Acting Career

Summary

The Breakfast Club Podcast Summary

Interview: Taylor Polidore Williams Talks ‘Beauty in Black,’ Relationship with Cast, Tyler Perry, Acting Career

Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Taylor Polidore Williams

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Overview

In this engaging episode, The Breakfast Club hosts sit down with actress and producer Taylor Polidore Williams to discuss her breakout role as Kimmy in the Tyler Perry Netflix drama “Beauty in Black,” her journey from Houston to Hollywood, her experiences working with Tyler Perry, the intensity and challenges of her dramatic roles, and the impact of portraying deeply traumatic subject matter on and off set. Taylor's reflections on fame, trauma, advocacy, and her evolving career offer insightful moments, peppered with laughs and memorable anecdotes about her cast, the Tyler Perry production process, and fan reactions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Success and Impact of “Beauty in Black”

• Feeling Grateful & Changed by Success

  • Taylor expresses her gratitude for the show’s continued success and the difference between seasons one and two.
  • She described the shift in her public visibility:

    “Nothing can really prepare you for that shift.” (02:17, Taylor)

  • The growth of the fanbase was surprising and exciting for her.

• Life Changes Post-Show

  • Taylor notes that fame has become more personal—people now address her as Kimmy, not just someone familiar.
  • Having to “move a little bit different” now that she’s more recognized.

2. Early Life, Getting into Acting, and Producing

• Roots in Houston, Texas & Early Start

  • Began acting at 13 after Hurricane Katrina brought film tax credits to Louisiana. First film set: “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.”
  • The experience of being on set solidified her career passion.

• Insider's Insight into Producing

  • Taylor discusses learning humility and the collaborative nature of producing.
    • “I cannot do them all by myself… Putting it all together is the fun part for me.” (03:52, Taylor)

3. Character Evolution & Working with Tyler Perry

• The Challenge of Playing Kimmy

  • Kimmy’s arc—from shy and traumatized to empowered—was a significant challenge.
    • “To not stand up for yourself is very different for me; that was actually a process.” (05:17, Taylor)
  • Tyler Perry challenged Taylor to play vulnerability, promising, “She’s gonna be a boss.” (05:19, Taylor quoting Tyler Perry)

• Script Surprises & Filming Process

  • Shooting schedule is famously fast:
    • “We shot season two of Beauty and Black, all 16 episodes in 12 days.” (08:26, Taylor)
    • Movies like “Divorce in Black” were shot in just six days.
  • Taylor shares the adaptability needed for Tyler’s productions and the expectation that cast is always fully prepared.

Memorable Quote

"If you just trust me with the story, it’s gonna go somewhere that no one is gonna expect." (05:19, Tyler Perry via Taylor)

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4. Navigating Difficult Subject Matter & Research

• Portraying Trauma

  • Her role required her to embody someone “beaten down” and a survivor of sex trafficking, often shooting “scene after scene” of difficult material while planning her real-life wedding.
  • Stressed the importance of maintaining mental health:
    • “I have a great therapist… I meditate daily… Just trying to control as much as I can…” (13:18, Taylor)

• Research and Real-World Impact

  • Taylor did research and spoke to real survivors for authenticity.
    • “I did speak to somebody that had been through a situation like that… it's a mindset shift that needed a lot of help, a lot of support, a lot of work to get out of that lifestyle.” (24:45, 25:24, Taylor)
  • Social media has connected her to women (especially after season one) going through similar situations, which can feel like a heavy responsibility.
    • “That is difficult, but I just pray for them.” (26:33, Taylor)

Notable Moment

“As an advocate, I just want to help everybody. I try to, like, connect people to resources…” (26:33, Taylor)

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5. Cast Dynamics & On-Set Stories

• Relationships & Levity

  • Taylor highlights the supportive and fun cast atmosphere—even as they film intense dramatic scenes.

    “As a cast, we all are people that really like each other. There’s very little levity and love in everything that we do.” (15:04, Taylor)

• Favorite Characters & Improvisation

  • She names Horace and Mallory as her favorite characters for their unique energy and humor.
  • Charles’s character is noted for doing a lot of improv, keeping things fresh.

• Working with Malik (Otis)

  • Described as very “New York” and respectful, creating a positive dynamic even in intense scenes.
  • Always checking if she’s okay after a take.

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6. Navigating Fame, Criticism & Social Media

• Handling Online Criticism

  • Taylor sets boundaries for her own peace:
    • “If I can't respond to every [positive] person, I don't need to respond to negativity…” (22:35, Taylor)
  • She prioritizes feedback from trusted people around her, not social media.

• Tyler Perry’s Wisdom

  • He encourages the cast to focus on the work and let others talk:

    “You do what God has intended for you to do, and that’s all you should worry about.” (31:52, Taylor quoting Tyler Perry)

  • Cast feels proud of their work, regardless of critics.

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7. Career Aspirations & Legacy of Kimmy

• Looking Ahead

  • Hopes Kimmy’s journey and her own versatility will open doors for different types of roles.
    • “I haven’t played a character that's like myself yet.” (28:22, Taylor)

• Collaboration & Opportunities

  • Tyler Perry is described as collaborative and open to cast recommendations for new talent.
  • Playful conversation with Angela Yee and Jess Hilarious about getting cast members’ friends on the show.

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Highlights & Memorable Quotes

| Time | Speaker | Quote/Highlight | |---------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:17 | Taylor | “Nothing can really prepare you for that shift.” | | 03:52 | Taylor | “I cannot do them all by myself… Putting it all together is the fun part for me.” | | 05:19 | Taylor (via Tyler Perry) | “If you just trust me with the story, it’s gonna go somewhere that no one is gonna expect.” | | 08:26 | Taylor | “We shot season two of Beauty and Black, all 16 episodes in 12 days.” | | 12:25 | Taylor | “I love music too, so I have playlists and songs… to help.” | | 13:18 | Taylor | “I have a great therapist… I meditate daily… Just trying to control as much as I can…” | | 15:04 | Taylor | “As a cast, we all are people that really like each other… There’s very little levity and love…” | | 22:35 | Taylor | “If I can't respond to every [positive] person, I don't need to respond to negativity…” | | 24:45 | Taylor | “[I] did speak to somebody that had been through a situation like that … it’s a mindset shift…” | | 31:52 | Taylor (via Tyler Perry) | “You do what God has intended for you to do, and that’s all you should worry about.” |

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Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Welcome & Intro | Taylor greeted, name corrected, “Beauty in Black” S2 launch | 01:27–01:45 | | Fame & Growth of the Show | Reflections on show’s growing success and fanbase | 01:54–02:56 | | Taylor’s Start & Inspiration | Early acting story, love for filmmaking | 03:00–03:42 | | Producing & Teamwork | Discusses producing, learning from others | 03:43–04:12 | | Working with Tyler Perry | Script process, rapid shooting, character challenge | 04:27–08:57 | | Acting Preparation & Mental Health | Rituals for intense scenes, therapy, meditation | 12:25–14:47 | | Cast Camaraderie & On-Set Stories | Fight scenes, improv, laughs, favorite characters | 15:25–16:25, 27:35–27:58 | | Responding to Criticism | Online feedback, Tyler Perry’s advice, focus on craft | 22:23–23:25, 31:47–32:38 | | Research & Real-life Stories | Discussing survivor input, authenticity, advocacy | 24:24–26:33 | | Legacy and Aspirations | Hopes for future roles, impact of Kimmy | 28:22–29:02 | | Advice for Friends Joining TP Productions | Angela’s playful pitching for friends/auditions | 29:02–30:54 | | Season 2 Part 2 Release Date | No confirmed release, fan enthusiasm | 35:03–35:22 |

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Tone & Style

The conversation is upbeat, candid, and often humorous, balancing the emotional weight of the subject matter with the hosts’ playful energy and Taylor’s grounded optimism. The rapport between Taylor and The Breakfast Club is warm, open, and frequently dotted with laughter about the quirks of Tyler Perry’s scripts, cast improv antics, as well as serious, heartfelt reflection on trauma and healing both on screen and off.

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Conclusion

Taylor Polidore Williams delivers an authentic, thoughtful, and inspiring interview, offering listeners a nuanced understanding of the demands and rewards of starring in a high-profile drama like “Beauty in Black.” Her perspective on working with Tyler Perry, maintaining mental health, helping survivors, handling fame, and seeking new career horizons is both insightful and relatable—making this an unmissable episode for fans of television and stories about resilience and artistry.

Transcript

[Host]

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[Hunter (Podcast Host)]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. Stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on 4th of July weekend 2016. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hold up. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club. Y' all finished or y' all done?

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy.

[Angela Yee]

Jess.

[DJ Envy]

Hilarious Charlamagne, the guy we are the Breakfast Club. We got a special guest in the building.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, indeed.

[DJ Envy]

Taylor Poldare Williams. Did I say your middle name right?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

No.

[Angela Yee]

Is it Polid?

[DJ Envy]

That's what she told me. Polidor Williams, welcome. How are you doing?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Thank you, I'm good.

[DJ Envy]

Beauty in Black, season two.

[Angela Yee]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

How you laughing like that?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

Yes.

[Angela Yee]

How does it feel like all of this look? Cause I've been watching since episode one. Okay. How does it feel to have it continue? Because, you know, a lot of shows live for one season, two season. How does it feel to have it continuing?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

You know, I feel very grateful. I think when you're able to have a second season, that's one thing, but then to have a second season and the fan base continue to grow and people are excited.

[Angela Yee]

Bigger.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah. It's crazy. I'm grateful, but I'm excited. It's been fun.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I'm just enjoying it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Has life changed? Because, you know, Beauty and Black is on Netflix. It's a big show. Like, have you felt the change?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, actually, I think season one, not that I was kind of in denial, but it's like, you know, this might be a moment, it passes. I've been acting since I was 13, so it's like, okay, enjoy it. But then this season, it does feel different. The visibility that I have is different. Places that I go. It's no longer like, oh, you're familiar. It's like Kimmy and they're hugging and it's like, whoa. I'm not used to that. Having to kind of move a little bit different. But I think I always thought it would happen, you know, if you keep acting and a show is popular, it would happen. But nothing can really prepare you for that shift.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That shift.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I want to go back, if you don't mind. So you're from Houston, Texas?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

And you got into acting at a young age. You said 13. What made you like the arts? What made you love the arts?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I think I've always been creative. As a kid, I liked playing pretend. Who doesn't? But it was my first movie that I was in. I was auditioning at the time. After Katrina, the tax credits came to Louisiana. So it brought a lot of films to the South. And Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins was being filmed there. I got a part and I loved acting. But when I got on the set and saw the soundstages and the crew and, like, what it takes to actually make a movie, I was like, oh, I just want to do this for the rest of my life. And I just.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, wow.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Kept going.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Because you produce too, right?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So what have you learned?

[Angela Yee]

Right, and.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right. So what have you learned about yourself as an artist, wearing all those different hats? Producing, acting, writing.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

The biggest thing is that I cannot do them all by myself. I know that there are people who are experts in what they do, who love writing, and I honor whatever people love the most. And I think that's why I like producing, because it's like I can pick and choose. Oh, you're fire at this. Let's all come together. And putting it all together is the fun part for me.

[Angela Yee]

Now, what I want to ask you about the show is right, because like I said, I've been watching since first episode. Do you ever look at the script, right, and be like, all right, this is far fetched. Like this. Come on, Ty. Come on, come on. Absolutely.

[DJ Envy]

She must look at it all the time like that.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I think when we were getting ready for season two and Tyler was like sending us the scripts at a full clip. Like, it's like we getting two episodes in a day. It's like, dang, what are you doing? And he's sending these scripts and I'm reading it genuinely, like, oh. Oh, my God. It's crazy. It keeps you on your toes. It's as Fun to film it. Probably more fun to film it than it is to watch it.

[Angela Yee]

And your character in the beginning, you start off shy, you not standing up for yourself. You was pissing me off. I was like, kimmy, get your shit together. Leave these people coming for you. And then you just turn into a Natural Born Kill Bill character. You just out here now, what is your ritual? To get ready for that? Because it seemed like it didn't really take much, I guess, to be shy. Is that your real demeanor? Like, are you shy? You don't really talk a lot?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

No.

[Angela Yee]

Okay, so you pass.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I wouldn't say that I'm just the most talkative person in the world. I'm more reserved, but it's not cause I'm shy. I'm just more observant. But to not stand up for yourself is very different. For me, that was actually a process. When we went in for the callbacks and. And I was having a conversation with Tyler, he was like, I know you could do strong because we worked together before. He was like, but can I see you do this? And I was like, I mean, yeah, of course I can try the vulnerability part. But I was like, but do I want to do that? Like, why can't you do this? He was like, if you just trust me with the story, it's gonna go somewhere that no one is gonna expect. She's gonna be a boss. And I was like, okay, okay. Well, I could do the victim thing. I could figure that out.

[Angela Yee]

So he challenged you?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, absolutely. Because I. I'm not a person that backs down from confrontation or if somebody's doing me wrong, you will know that you've done me wrong. So with Kimmy, I was frustrated too, but I think that propelled the story even more. So now in season two, it's warranted.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Host]

How did you get into, like, Tyler Perry's universe? Because you were in divorce and black, and now you're here with the. You know, with the beauty and black. Like, how did you. How did that happen for you?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

You know, it's funny. I went to school in Atlanta knowing that I wanted to act. I went to Clark Atlanta University, and I just knew I was gonna be in something. Tyler Perry in school, and that didn't happen. I went to school, came, went. Moved to la, and it was just an audition, a normal audition for a different film that he was doing. And I went into the callback, and typically at a callback, they'll tell you the director, the writer will be in the room. They didn't say that I Thought it was just gonna be Kim Coleman. So I walk in and Tyler Perry's right there. And he's like, hey, Taylor, come on in.

[Angela Yee]

Just.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

And I was like, what are you doing here, Tyler? But I didn't say that. I was very professional, and I did it. He was like, I only want to see the first scene. I already saw your second scene on the tape. Go. And I, like, took a breath and I did it. And he was like, where are you from? I was like, I'm from Texas. And he was like, let me see the second scene. And I was like, I don't know what just happened, but I got it. And I ended up getting divorced in the Black. It was a different movie. They were like, we want to keep you on hold for this one, but are you open to reading another film? And I was like, sure. And I thought that he was going to ask me to do an audition for that one. They said, if you want it, it's yours.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is it pressure when you see somebody like Tyler walking in the room? Do you have to gather yourself a little bit? Is it different?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yes, it is different. Because I respect him a lot. I'm very inspired by how he moves, just all that he's built. So you do have to take a minute and kind of breathe, I think, when it's somebody you admire, but you.

[Angela Yee]

Snap right into it. Or did you stutter? Did you mess up?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I didn't stutter.

[Angela Yee]

She said, no, I ain't doing that.

[DJ Envy]

I got that part. I ain't stutter nothing.

[Angela Yee]

I love that.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I didn't stutter, but I did after.

[Angela Yee]

I was like, what? Yeah, yeah, that's what's up. How long did it take y' all to film Divorcing the Black? I know that's the movie. That was my joint, too. But how long did it take y' all to film that?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

It took us six days.

[Angela Yee]

To film the whole movie?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

To film the whole movie.

[Angela Yee]

Cause, you know, it's always out there that Tyler Perry be having y' all here. He'll start at 9am and y' all.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Be done at 10pm we shot season two of Beauty and Black, all 16 episodes in 12 days.

[Angela Yee]

Jesus.

[DJ Envy]

Do you like filming like that? Like, fast, get it out the way? Or do you prefer a little time to breathe, a little time to rest, to reset? Or do you just knock it out?

[Angela Yee]

Well, she don't have time to think about it. Maybe done by the time she has an opinion.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Um, I'm adaptable. Working with different directors, working on different shows, different. Whatever is Kind of like coming into somebody else's house. If this how y' all do it. Cool. I'll assimilate.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How long are those days?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

12 hours. 12 hours.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay. Okay.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

We don't go over. No, it's not bad. And then you're done.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah. So he just pretty much just count on y' all knowing y' all lines. Cuz that's pretty much what, you know, all the retakes and cut and do it again. Y' all bait. Y' all don't have none of that.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

No, I mean, very sparingly. If he said, can I please get one more? He'll be like, yes, depending on who you are.

[DJ Envy]

So you told people before? No. Like, can I get him online? No.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, sometimes. Or even with some of us, with the wonderful, wonderful cast. Everybody, can I get one more? He's like, I got it. No, I got it. You just gotta trust what role or.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Project has challenged you the most and why.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Definitely Beauty and Black.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

The sheer speed at which we're filming it. And then also, particularly in the first season, being somebody who is playing somebody who is sex trafficked, somebody who is so beaten down the things. At the time I was planning my wedding, so it was like, I don't have this life experience, but I have to go there every day, Scene after scene, scene after scene. It was like for a whole week, I'm just crying in every scene, getting beat up. It was a lot. But it stretched me as an artist knowing that I can do that. If somebody says cry right now, I can do that. If you need me to do that, I can go there and jump back into what I have to do in my normal life and stay sane.

[DJ Envy]

How did your now husband deal with it? Cause you were in a role, and I'm sure you were in a character. I'm sure it wasn't. You're planning a wedding. It's supposed to be happy, joyous. But now you're diving into this character. So how did he handle that?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Oh, like a champ. He is a surgery resident right now, which is a very grueling schedule as well. So I think it was a lot of mutual respect. If I got home before him or if he got home before me, he'd make dinner. If I got home, I'd bring him dinner from set. It's just like, we're in the trenches together. So he actually loved the. How rigorous the schedule is. Because sometimes on other shows, you know, I might. A couple scenes, it's, you know, we're. We're not doing surgery we're not dealing with life or death. Even on a difficult day, it's still a blessing to be there.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I thought he was a surgical resident.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

He is. I'm saying what I do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, yeah. So how he got time to cook?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

He's a good man.

[Host]

I know that.

[DJ Envy]

I don't know what Taylor said. Taylor said she cooks. She said I take some. Some extra. She said I get no doggy bag. I ain't cooking.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I'm tired.

[Angela Yee]

Past the crafty.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I learned how to cook a few years ago.

[DJ Envy]

You from Texas?

[Angela Yee]

I didn't know how to cook.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You ever bring anything home from work, like lunch?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

We'll bring you a snack. He talk about, we'll bring you snacks, drinks and stuff.

[Angela Yee]

Candy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah, absolutely. Well, congratulations. You got married.

[DJ Envy]

Congrats.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Thank you.

[Angela Yee]

As a person. No, I was asking you. Going back to my question.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How do you get married? I need organs, y'.

[Angela Yee]

All.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I just want y'. All.

[DJ Envy]

Excuse me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Telling Anthony with no hesitation.

[DJ Envy]

She's like, yes all the time.

[Angela Yee]

Snacks.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I don't like seeing anything from his job.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, so he do be bringing stuff on.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

He'll come in with blood all over.

[DJ Envy]

Him like an eyeball. He ain't gonna come up with an eyeball any day. Look at this diagnosis.

[Angela Yee]

So no organs are brought into the home now. You said you gotta cry. You have to cry a lot on set and everything like that. How do you get into that? I know it's nothing other than you being a great actress, right? But, like, how do you get ready for that? Like, what's your ritual to go into that role when things start going crazy for you on the show, when they get crazier for you?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, definitely. The preparation before filming, I think it's a treat because we shoot so fast. Tyler gives us all of the scripts for the season, and that's typically not. We typically don't have that on a different type of TV show. So I'm able to kind of prepare for it like a movie. I know exactly where I am. A lot of notes on my personal script, so I know where to dive in because we're shooting out of order. And also the wonderful team at tps, the crew is phenomenal, from wardrobe to the script supervisors. We have readers. People will help us kind of get on track to know where we are. But the work that I do before can get me into the mode. And then I love music too, so I have playlists and songs and different things to help.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You said something earlier, too. You said, you know, it helps you to Stay sane. What do you do to stay?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I have a great therapist. Yes. Very important, number one. And I think I'm overall a pretty even person. So just continuing to stay grounded and on my feet. If I know I'm getting overwhelmed, I'll take a second to breathe. I meditate daily. I'll meditate on set if I have a break. Every morning I have the same routine. I listen to jazz. I get my green tea. Like just trying to control as much as I can in sometimes a chaotic environment. And then coming out of that, when we rap, I'm done with Kimmy, I'm done with whatever character I'm playing. And I have my own playlist of my own music that's like, brings me back.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I wish I could have talked to people who were like on Days of Our Lives and Guiding Light and all those shows back in the day. Because I wonder if the process was the same for them as it is for y'.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

All.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Cause those shows used to come on daily, so I'm sure they used to tape a lot. And I know that y' all think Tyler got a lot of traumatic. Them shows had some wild ass story lines, yo. Like people was getting buried alive. He was getting possessed by demons.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I just wonder if they had to, if they ever could even decompress. At least y' all get the opportunity. I wonder if they ever did.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I mean, I think it's somewhat similar to us. They're shooting a lot of scenes in one day. Shout out to Debbie Morgan. Because she came, came from that world. I mean, she's been on everything, but it was just the job. I think they probably handle it the way that we do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Cause y' all know, y' all the new stories. I tell people that all the time. Tyler Perry stuff. That's the new stories. Like how our grandparents. Like, I'm going to watch my story. That's new stories.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

People are invested.

[DJ Envy]

Do you laugh at some of the fight scenes? Sometimes, because those are the things I feel like they go all over the Internet.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

The back and forth, the one liners, the actual fighting. Those might be the most difficult to stay in character because you gotta laugh. Yes. Like, as a cast, we all are people that really like each other. We enjoy being at work. We enjoy and have a great time together. And there's very little levity and love in everything that we do.

[DJ Envy]

I don't know how y' all take it serious. I don't know what show it was. That one scene when the two dudes get in the fight and one dude hit and he spin like three times.

[Angela Yee]

He spin all the way around.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, he spin all the way around. I said it wasn't that one. But it was a Tyler Perry one. Yes, but his fight scenes are always classic, hilarious. Which one is that? He just be spinning.

[Angela Yee]

I don't know. I don't know. You know they got sisters. Maybe that was brothers. But look, the funniest scene was when. Well, first of all, no, who laughed? When Varney kept saying I'm your bitch. I mean, who laughed? Who laughed? So you know, I would get fired that day. I'm not gonna lie.

[DJ Envy]

That one. And not the fruitcake line. Did I heard a fruitcake?

[Angela Yee]

I'm like, jes. Fruitcake.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, I read all of the scripts.

[Angela Yee]

Yes.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

But then I just focus on what I have to do because it's, it's, it's a lot. So I forgot that that was even a thing until I was watching it. And so I'm watching it like everybody else does and I'm like, what is going on? And I think they actually got a little heated. Yeah, like they had to take a stick.

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[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Step back after Roy and Varney. Yeah, I think I, I saw Julian or, or Terrell talk about that.

[Angela Yee]

I'm sorry. Yeah, that is their real names. I'm talking about Roy and Varney.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

Okay. So they had to take a beat. Yeah. Damn. Yeah, it's very, it's very intense. Some, A lot of them, A lot of the scenes are very intense, I would say.

[Host]

I know you talk about how different your real life is from Kimmy's. But what did you learn about surviving versus living, like, actually living from Kimmy's character?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That's a good question. I think I've always known or been informed about trauma responses, being in therapy and also being a advocate for youth in foster care. Certain training that I have to go through, like, I had to go through. I understand how people react and respond to certain things, but I think what Kimmy taught me is just a little bit more empathy for the decisions that people make, because that's the work of an actor, is justifying what somebody is doing and making it real. I have to make it real to me to play it. So I was asking myself, like, why would she. Why would she not just leave? Why would she not do this?

[Angela Yee]

Right?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

And she's trying to survive. That's exactly it. So the stakes that people go through to simply try to survive on top of the things that they've already been through. And I think it made me very appreciative and very empathetic for the things that. The decisions that people make, it doesn't necessarily make them right. But it's like, if we know everybody's story, you can probably rationalize it a little bit.

[DJ Envy]

When you got the script, was there ever a moment you were like, oh, hell no. When you read something like, nah, this is. Nah, this is not it. Where you be like, let me call Tyler, see if we could change this.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You ain't got to answer that. Don't let him fuck up your mind. You gonna let this Tyler Perry villain, this Red Tyler Perry villain.

[DJ Envy]

I'm just asking, was there ever, you know, reading a script? It was like, whoa.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

No, actually, there were things that I was like, oh, my gosh, this is horrible. Especially in season one. Some of the things with Kimmy and Roy, Kimmy and Jules, that dynamic. But it was more so questions. I need to understand why? Why? And he's always very open to talk to me about why in the show.

[Angela Yee]

Right. Why do you. Why do you feel like Kimmi is having a hard time not trusting her now husband?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That is actually a very big difference between me and Kimmi. I'm probably a little too trusting. Like, that was a question that happened on set. Tyler was like, if somebody were to just give you $5,000, wouldn't you be like, what's the catch? I was like, not me. Like, thank you. And he was like, you're so innocent. I was like, maybe. But learning, again, the trauma, informed responses that Kimmy has, why would she trust him? He just met her.

[Angela Yee]

I Know, but he also did a bunch of things for her.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

True.

[Angela Yee]

To help her.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

But what is the catch?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You ever take any of that home, though? You ever be like, you sure you still at this. The. The residence.

[Angela Yee]

With the organs? Are you with the.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Never. Never with him. Never with him. Maybe if somebody randomly gave me $5,000, I might be like, why? But not with him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, you Organs, you know, they sell for high prices.

[Angela Yee]

She ain't gonna come back up here. God. Fell organs. No. But in the beginning, I did feel like that. I felt like, ah, nah, I don't trust him. Cause I feel like that too. But then when you look from a viewer standpoint, when you look and you see all the bullshit that's going on on that side of it, and he can't even trust his family. They don't trust each other. It's so much going on and he bout to die. You know what I'm saying? Who can he trust? He find this girl and he's like, who is Kimmy? She feel like she can't trust him, but he's showing and proving that he can be trusted at least, you know, for the greater good of what's happening, the grand scheme of things, right? You want your sister back, you know, well, Kimmy wants her sister back. She wants out of this whole game. And it's things that he don't know either. He ain't even know about the nightclub situation or whatever until, you know, you made certain things relevant to him. Now he know, he like, okay, he is using you, but he still needs you and he still wants you to trust him. Why does it take so long for you to trust this nigga?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I mean, you're right, you're right, you're right.

[Angela Yee]

I'm sorry.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

But still, keep in mind, from episode one of season two to episode 16, I think it's only been two to three days. It is, yes.

[Angela Yee]

Well, damn Tyler, he gotta stretch it out.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

To your point. To your point. She is. I think she's warming up to him. Yeah, I think she's warming up. And I would hope that in part two or beyond that, maybe she'll give him a chance. I don't want to ruin anything.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, how do you handle criticism? Right? Because you see how passionate she is. And I'm sure people come up to you passionate all day long. Right. How do you handle the criticism online? People might not liking a character this day. Yeah. How do you handle that?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That has been a new adjustment, like, to the question you asked me earlier. And honestly, I made a decision before the project even came out, that if I can look at one negative comment and it ruined my day, or I feel like I need to justify something or defend, then I need to respond to every single person showing love, everybody saying that they love the show or whatever. And if I can't respond to all of them, I don't need to respond to negativity, because I'm not that type of person anyway. I would say I'm a pretty optimistic person. I'm a realistic person. But, like, I don't have a lot of drama and, like, stuff in my life, so I. I can't even worry about that.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Like, I can't. There are people that I trust to give me real feedback, like, what is the real assessment? And then we. We keep it going.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You said it was kind of hard. I'm saying the word victim, but you said it was kind of hard to play a, I guess, a victim like, role. So as the character.

[DJ Envy]

Human trafficking victim.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Was the character. As the character evolved, was it easier for you to go from victim to vindicated?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, but I think one, it is just easier to play somebody not in that situation. I have more life experience as a person who is more empowered, but I think in wanting to protect her, that's why I was having such a difficult time. Like, oh, my gosh, why is this happening to her? Being able to have that vindication and play that out so soon into a second season is a real treat. As an actor, I feel like with a lot of characters that begin one way and then they grow into this bond, we might see that over, like, three, four, five seasons. But with her, it happened kind of quick. So it is fun to be able to do that.

[Angela Yee]

I do like that. I do like that quick turnaround of character development. That's cool.

[DJ Envy]

I was gonna ask. You spoke about it earlier, you having help on set and people talking to you, guiding through the script. But I always wondered, is it easy to talk to a human trafficking victim before, to get their feeling, to get their mindset of why and how and when? Cause I'm sure from your side, you don't understand because you've never been in that situation. So it's easy to, you know, find that out. Is that something that you've done when it came to these roles?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, because I was having a difficult time understanding why not just leave. I would rather be dead than deal with that. I would. But that's not Kimmy. So I did speak to somebody that had been through a situation like that, and a lot of Times. People trafficking, I think, is a very formal word to describe what can happen to people, and they don't even know until they're trying to get out of it. So doing research online, YouTube is a great resource just trying to understand the mindset not only of how you got in the situation, why you stayed in it, but what did it take to get out, and that's the real resiliency. Obviously, Kimmi is in a fictional world, and the sugar daddy with no sugar came and took her out, which is fun. But for a lot of people, that is a mindset shift that needed a lot of help, a lot of support, a lot of work to get out of that lifestyle.

[DJ Envy]

Did you understand it more after having those conversations and doing that research?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How was it. How was it received by the person, though? Because that's a person's real life and you're talking to them, you know, trying to get, I guess, game for a role. How did they receive you even asking them questions?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Oh, I already knew her.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, gotcha, Gotcha.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I already knew her. And she was open because she's past that now. But I mean, it is a. With that situation. It was like a pimp situation. Not necessarily human trafficking, when you're thinking somebody's being kidnapped and whatever. But she was open, I think, to get out of that. Most survivors not would be open to be exploited, but to share that story.

[Angela Yee]

Especially if they made it out.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah.

[Host]

Have you had other women that are currently going through that or that have recently gotten out of those situations reach out to you and, like, is that a heavy weight?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yes. On social media, they have particularly more so in first season than this season. And again, as an advocate, I just want to help everybody. I try to, like, connect people to resources or if you can't text or you can't do something and I could text for you and then people, I wouldn't hear from them or whatever. So that. That is difficult, but I just pray for him.

[Angela Yee]

How is it working with the legendary Otis? Otis is still looking good, man. I only know that man, real name, his name been Otis ever since I watched.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

How is it working with you, Malik? Yes, is wonderful. Like, he walks in, he's just so New York. Like, good morning. Good morning, queen. Good morning, queen. He's just great, and he's so grounded and he's really, really fun to work with back and forth. But, like, every scene that we had together is always so int and horrible. And he's always like, it's okay.

[Angela Yee]

Okay.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

You okay. And I'm like, I'm fine, I'm fine. But it was good working with him.

[Angela Yee]

I love that favorite character on the show. Can't say yourself.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I love. I honestly love Horace.

[Angela Yee]

I do too.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

It's something about him. Even in that hospital bed, I have faith that he's going to get out. I love Horace, but I love Mallory's one liners. There's different reasons why I love all of them.

[Angela Yee]

That girl be. Listen, she is. I love Mallory though. Nasty. Yeah. It's like love, hate. But I do. I love her. I love her on the show. But no, Horace is my favorite too, and he fine too. And I'm all right. See, but he's father fine, you know, so I'm gonna stay here.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Rico takes very good care of himself.

[Angela Yee]

Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How do you see the role of Kimmy shaping like the next phase of your career?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I would hope that the. The dynamic shift that Kimmi takes in the journey of beauty and black would open up doors for me to play roles that I haven't played before. It's interesting that a lot of the roles that I played before, always, I mean, I played an assassin, stripper, I've played a mean girl. I played things like that. And it's like there's so many more layers to me and things that I'm actually not like any of those. I haven't played a character that's like myself yet. So I would hope that she can keep exploring the dynamics of her and from that maybe Hollywood will take note and be like, yeah, I could see her as this too.

[Angela Yee]

Right now. If you knew somebody, right, that wanted to be on the show, like one of your friends and being as though you be around Tyler and I know he always looking for new actors and stuff. How would you pitch to him? Hey, I got this girl who want to be on the show. Is that something that you would do?

[DJ Envy]

Where the girl from? Where she from?

[Angela Yee]

She probably. I don't know. You got friends all over the place. You Baltimore. Baltimore, for example, say he is looking for somebody else, you know, to be a stripper. Really good at that. How would you say, yo, Tyler, I got this girl. Does he allow for conversations like that?

[DJ Envy]

She speaks well. Very outspoken, funny.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, he's very collaborative. I might be looking at the scripts, maybe a new season or something. Like, wow, there's a character. I know somebody that would be great and I'm.

[Angela Yee]

And I would make a great traffic.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

No promises person.

[Angela Yee]

Like, I would be.

[DJ Envy]

I would be a great traffic person. Sounds crazy.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Just let me know.

[Angela Yee]

Just let me Know, like, you know, go ahead, you know, slide the Lord. You know, Jess has been auditioning. Oh, wow. And you never got back to her. So just, you know, hit him.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That was a great pitch period.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You audition for some of these shows?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

For real?

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Which ones?

[Angela Yee]

A few. I'll send them, you know, Sisters and the.

[DJ Envy]

Which one?

[Host]

Oval.

[Angela Yee]

The one. The Oval. Yes. And then it's another one. It was like something like a war situation happening. It was one of those Netflix.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

AAA 6 AAA.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah. No, but I did one for that, too. But it was another one. Damn. It was another show. It was crazy. It was wild.

[DJ Envy]

Tyler watches all the time.

[Angela Yee]

I got, like, 80 shows. Like. I know, but I'm saying I've auditioned for all of them without people even knowing, but special role for them.

[DJ Envy]

There's something special for you. We got something. Special guests.

[Angela Yee]

Okay, cool. I just. Just tell him.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Yeah, tell us.

[DJ Envy]

Like, don't put that on me.

[Host]

Watch this interview.

[Angela Yee]

That's great.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Oh, he'll get you.

[Angela Yee]

Okay. Thank you, Kevin. Thank you so much.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

What is.

[Host]

This is my last.

[DJ Envy]

She said she was optimistic. For real?

[Angela Yee]

Yo, shut up. For real.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

She's gonna do it.

[Angela Yee]

I'm serious. Thank you, Taylor.

[Host]

I forget what I was gonna.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Oh. Oh.

[Host]

So. So you talked a bit about, like, when people come up to you on the street and they have criticisms.

[Angela Yee]

Right.

[Host]

When you guys. So on the other side, like, we see people criticize Tyler Perry's movies for different things. I know when Divorce and Black came out, people had so much to say. And then the Amazon number dropped. Numbers dropped. And y' all drove up the Amazon prime subscriptions bigger than any other MGM movie.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Right.

[Host]

So it's kind of like a checkmate. How does the cast feel when you're watching all that play out, but you can't really say anything? And, like, what is Tyler Perry telling y'?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

All?

[Host]

Like, yo, get off the Internet. Like, how is he responding to that in real time?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

He doesn't tell us anything. I think getting to know him and working with him and being on set, he instills in us. You focus on doing what you do, there are people who are going to talk, people are going to love it, hate it, whatever. You do, what God has intended for you to do, and that's all you should worry about. So for me, even with Divorce in the Black, that was probably when I changed my dynamic with looking at comments and, like, looking at Twitter and hashtags and things like that, because, you know, I'm proud of what I do. And then you look and it's like, oh, you see negative things and it's like, I'm not even gonna let that consume me. I already did my job. So if that's how you feel about it, that's how you feel about it. But you wise period about your wig. No, my wig was good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, the whole time.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

The hair department was great.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Gotcha. I don't know if people complain about the wigs on Tyler Perry productions anyway.

[Angela Yee]

You kill the role. You. I love Beauty and Black. I'm. I'm invested in the show. I'm not just saying it so you can go ahead and tell Tyler. Give me wrong. I really do love Beauty and Black. I'll be in here telling them about. About it all the time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Never heard you talk about it.

[Angela Yee]

This is lying, Sarah. He is lying.

[Host]

The one scene, the scene with the gate, the. The gay guys. Remember it was something about a butt. Remember you kept.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, I remember you.

[Angela Yee]

You know, that's my favorite. That's one of my other favorites as well. The brother. Oh, my God, he's so funny.

[Host]

That scene.

[DJ Envy]

That was a fruitcake one right when he took.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When he dropped his pants and said, I know.

[Angela Yee]

Yes, I know. You're gonna miss his ass when you talking to Barney. Y in black.

[Host]

I love Charlie for about three months.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That's.

[Host]

That's what got.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

To be out there too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That is the.

[DJ Envy]

That's the point.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I wasn't Beauty and Black.

[DJ Envy]

Y.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That was definitely Beauty and Black.

[Host]

Yeah. That's how I found out about the show was cuz you kept telling me about the.

[Angela Yee]

If you watched it, you would know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I did watch the first season of Beauty and Black.

[Angela Yee]

So. So, so what happened with Charles? They thought he was. I know that first. The first. First season they got his car, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hold on.

[Angela Yee]

Now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's Beauty and black is when somebody gets killed. And then it's the old gay man in the club.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Oh, yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Watching the script. But he wanted. But he wanted the man.

[Host]

Club at one point.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, he was the. He was in the script club with.

[Host]

But then she got.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah, that's her.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Not. You just realized the whole time, 20 minutes in, you got to talk.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Be honest with you.

[Angela Yee]

I love Tyler.

[Host]

Came in here, talk about the gay scenes. First he would have been.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I watch a lot of Tyler per st, but it's just all a blur. I'm like, damn, that was last year. I ain't watched it in a year.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

You gotta watch the new season.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah, Kimmy, whatever. He. He. He a clown.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I do.

[Angela Yee]

Listen, I. Does Charles is. Does Charles do Improv at all with. Yes. Yes. I knew it. I love writing here.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I should have mentioned that he's one of my favorite characters too, because he is funny.

[Angela Yee]

Funny for real. I knew all of that wasn't written down. I'm like, yo, Charles ass is just improvin' all day. He's funny, though.

[Host]

Is there a date for the second part of the second season?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Not that I know of yet. It's coming though.

[Host]

Okay.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

That's for sure. I feel like last time it was a couple months, so maybe at the top of next year.

[Host]

The people, they wanna know.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I've seen so many fake posters with dates. We don't have a date yet. Oh, damn.

[Angela Yee]

Okay. Okay. Well, I'll be waiting.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

There you go.

[DJ Envy]

Well, thank you for joining us this morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Thank you, Taylor.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Thanks for having me.

[DJ Envy]

I want to say. I want to say. Yeah, what's the middle name? One more time. Palador Taylor Paula Del Williams.

[Angela Yee]

Thank you so much.

[DJ Envy]

I'm sorry.

[Angela Yee]

And say it. Pilot door.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The way your career is going, it's going to be at a time where he's never going to forget your name.

[DJ Envy]

That's what. Palador. That's right.

[Host]

And you make sure you forget his.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She don't even know it now.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

I won't. Yes, I do.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you. What school did she go to? What? Hbcu. It doesn't even matter. Nobody went to that school.

[Host]

Delaware State University. Because she went to one and she's.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Aka And I know you did.

[Host]

Where he go?

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

Howard Hampton. There you go. I remember that.

[Angela Yee]

That's what's up.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you again.

[Angela Yee]

Don't look over here. I ain't going to college. K, don't look over here.

[Taylor Poldare Williams]

K was looking like.

[Angela Yee]

Nah, there's nothing to know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You gonna stop downplaying? Brooklyn Community College.

[Angela Yee]

Baltimore.

[DJ Envy]

She got her associates.

[Angela Yee]

Leave her alone.

[DJ Envy]

It's the Breakfast Club. Come on. I'm sorry, Taylor.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Finished or y' all done?

[Hunter (Podcast Host)]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. Stories like Erica Hunt, a young mother vanished without a trace after a family gathering on 4th of July weekend, 2016. No goodbyes, no clues, just gone. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host]

This is an I heart podcast.