More Than a Rom-Com: Why You, Me & Tuscany Is Being Watched So Closely

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Latest with Loren LoRosa

Episode: More Than a Rom-Com: Why You, Me & Tuscany Is Being Watched So Closely

Date: April 13, 2026
Host: Loren LaRosa | The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In this episode of “The Latest with Loren LaRosa,” Loren dives deep into the cultural and industry significance of the new rom-com film “You, Me & Tuscany,” starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page. Coming off her own trip to Italy, Loren uses her personal experience as a springboard to discuss the film’s celebration of Black love, the cinematic representation of Italy, and most importantly, the key conversations happening in Hollywood about Black-led films—especially romantic comedies—and why the box office numbers for “You, Me & Tuscany” are being watched so closely by both the industry and the culture.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Loren’s Italian Getaway: Setting the Scene

• Personal Travel Notes ([03:44–15:32])
  • Shares details from her recent Italian trip spanning Naples, Capri, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast.
    • Contrasts urban Naples (“a lot of graffiti… very much a city”) with the romanticized imagery of Italy.
    • Capri is depicted as luxurious, with artisan shops and stunning coastal drives.
    • Rome stands out for its rich history, iconic architecture, and politically charged graffiti (“‘Harmed people deserve to harm people.’ Or I would see ‘Free Gaza,’ ‘Free Palestine.’”).
    • The Amalfi countryside offers a picturesque, serene counterpoint to city life, emphasizing local craftsmanship and homegrown produce.
  • Observes her experience as a Black woman abroad, noting feelings of positivity and curiosity about Black culture’s presence in Italy:

    “A lot of times we were the only Black people… but we weren’t treated that way. When I went to Paris, it was a completely different experience.” ([14:24])

About “You, Me & Tuscany”: Story & Cast

• Introduces the film, starring Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page ([15:58–18:32])

  • Highlights their challenges with diversity pushback in previous roles:

    “Halle went through it when it was announced she would be the new Little Mermaid… Regé went through it because he played a male lead in Bridgerton, and there was conversation around, you know, just him in that role—how historically that wasn’t a thing.” ([18:32])

  • Will Packer (producer) and team referenced as the creative force behind the film.

• Movie’s Essence & Visuals

  • Praises the film for capturing the aesthetics and energy of Italy (“It looks like something from out of a book… the film captured that.”) ([20:01])
  • Story centers on Halle’s character finding herself, family healing, love, and humor amid the Italian landscape.

    “You fell in love with Halle Bailey in her role. You fell in love with who she fell in love with…It was the essence of a rom-com.” ([21:40])

  • Themes: Warmth, family, grief, hope.

    “From the setting of Italy to the food to the cooking, family was a big element. Grief was a big element. And you still felt good throughout all of that. You felt hope.” ([22:28])

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The Industry Conversation: Why the Box Office Matters

• Spotlight from Variety ([18:32–25:49])

  • Studios, critics, and creators are closely watching this movie’s opening weekend:

    “Variety did an article… ‘Why the Box Office for You, Me & Tuscany Matters.’ Audiences have the power to dictate what gets made in Hollywood, says producer Will Packer…” ([18:32])

  • Black-led rom-coms have historically faced the burden of single-films setting precedent for future projects.

• The “One Shot” Dilemma

  • Director Nina Lee’s viral tweet: Studios are refusing to buy her completed rom-com (with Coco Jones, Country Wayne) until they see how “You, Me & Tuscany” performs.
    • She notes this wait-and-see approach is also blocking other romance scripts from Black creators.
    • The pressure and discouragement of having one film be the litmus test for an entire demographic.
  • Loren highlights the challenge:

    “It’s like the duality that we have to have as Black people, right?...Your art is good—some days…But not right now. Well, maybe tomorrow once we see how something similar to it does. Because, oh, all of you guys are the same. And if one movie and one storyline and one feel-good hug movie does well, all the rest of yous are going to be okay. Which is not realistic.” ([25:49])

• Data, Representation, and the Moving Goalpost ([32:59–38:00])

  • Recaps Dr. Ana-Christina Ramón’s 2025 Hollywood Diversity Report (UCLA):
    • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) make up the largest audience share for more than half of top-grossing films.
    • “If audiences are aware that a Black-led movie exists, they will go see it. Which presents the first hurdle for Black-led films to overcome.”
  • Explains that studio support and marketing are essential for visibility—streaming alone can’t provide that cultural moment or “event” status.
  • Despite consistently strong numbers, gatekeeping persists and the “goalpost keeps moving.”
    • Will Packer tells Variety:

      “I’m trying to do my part to be successful in a language that Hollywood understands, which is really not the language of social justice. It’s the language of economics, the numbers.” ([38:00])

• Industry Pattern Across Communities

  • Asian American director shares parallel gatekeeping: Studios told him to wait until they saw how “Crazy Rich Asians” performed; afterwards, success was dismissed as a “one-off.”
  • Similar patterns with Black directors (Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler) are outlined, pointing to an ongoing resistance in recognizing consistent value—not just flukes.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the impact of travel and film:

  “It was amazing that he was feeling [the culture] through a movie screen, because a lot of times movies don’t capture the real essence of the actual place and culture where they’re being shot.”
  — Loren LaRosa ([20:38])

• On industry frustration for Black storytellers:

  “If your needing to leave, you’re now stuck in this position where you’re headed to go speak to these students—you want to inspire them…But at the same time, the industry…is telling you: ‘Not right now.'”
  — Loren LaRosa ([28:32])

• On the necessity of showing up:

  “If I were a studio… I’m betting on everything Black. But again, even when the numbers make sense, the goalpost moves.”
  — Loren LaRosa ([38:00])

• On being the industry's barometer (audio clip):

  “I think it’s amazing to be a Black creator…It almost isn’t fair for us to have to, like, you know, ‘Oh, we’re going to watch how this one does and then we’ll greenlight you.’ Like, it shouldn’t be like that at all. But I do think that we are known for breaking barriers and not letting anything stop us as a community.”
  — Halle Bailey ([40:18])

• On cultural support:

  “Issa Rae said this years ago: I’m rooting for everybody Black.”
  — Loren LaRosa ([38:58])

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Noteworthy Timestamps

• 03:44 – 15:32: Loren’s Italian vacation recap—Naples, Capri, Rome, Amalfi coast; reflections on Black identity abroad.
• 18:32: Discussion on casting diversity, pushback for Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page.
• 20:00 – 22:50: Review of “You, Me & Tuscany”—themes, visuals, why it stands out as a rom-com.
• 25:49 – 32:59: The Nina Lee tweets, how gatekeeping affects Black creators, and the pressure placed on a single film.
• 32:59 – 38:58: Industry statistics, Hollywood’s moving goalpost, parallels to other minority communities in film, and Will Packer’s economic argument.
• 40:18–41:10: Halle Bailey’s thoughts on industry pressure and her message of perseverance.
• 41:10–end: Loren’s wrap-up, call to support the film, and encouragement for ongoing conversation.

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Conclusion

Loren LaRosa skillfully weaves her personal experiences in Italy with larger conversations surrounding Black-led films, highlighting both the individual joy and communal burden carried by projects like “You, Me & Tuscany.” She underscores the vital—but unfair—role this rom-com may play as a gatekeeper for other creators and makes a persuasive call to action for listeners to show up, celebrate Black storytelling, and push for industry change. Her insights, grounded in lived experience and industry reporting, deliver an episode that’s more than a film review—it’s a cultural critique and rallying cry.

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Further Engagement

Loren invites listeners to join the conversation on all platforms:

“Let me know how you guys feel about the film. I’m Loren LaRosa everywhere. I want to hear from you. Join the conversation, get out in the streets in the tweets.” ([41:12])

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For fans of pop culture, Black cinema, and honest conversations on representation, this episode delivers a timely, insightful, and inspiring perspective.

Transcript

[Lauren LaRosa]

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A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. They take matters into their own hands. I vowed I will be his last target.

[Amy Robach]

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[Wheezy]

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[Lauren LaRosa]

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On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or

[Lauren LaRosa]

wherever you get your podcasts. Hey y', all, it's Lauren Mirosa with the Latest with Lauren LaRosa on Black Effect. And I cannot wait to see you guys at the fourth annual Black Effect Podcast Festival. We are coming back to Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, April 25th at Pullman Yard and it's hosted by me alongside DJ Envy and Charlamagne Nagat. We got Drink Chants with Noriega and DJ EFN we got Keep it positive, sweetie, with my girl Crystal Renee Hayslett. We got reality with the King with my guide and my brother Carlos King. And y' all know he does reality commentary like nobody can. Now we also have don't call Me White Girl, the podcast I Love Mona, and Club520 podcast along with the Grits and Eggs podcast. So this lineup stacked, baby. You're also going to want to check out the panels that we have lined up too, featuring Kev on stage, Tika Sumpter and John Hope Bryant, just to name a few of them. Course, it's way bigger than podcast. We're bringing the black effect marketplace with black owned businesses, plus the food truck court to keep you fed while you visit us. Okay, listen, you don't want to miss this. Tap in and grab your ticket [e-mail] podcast festival. I'm the home girl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody know if you don't lie about that, right?

[Amy Robach]

Lauren came in hot.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, y'. All, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is Jeanelli Digg on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room, baby. So we are back fresh week. I've been in Italy for the last five to six days and. Okay, let's check in behind the scenes of the grind. Back on the grind because I am so excited to tell you guys just a little bit about my trip. If you're listening to this and you want to see my trip, I posted a vlog to my YouTube channel showing you guys everywhere I went, everything I ate. It was beautiful. We did the Amafi coast and we, we did the coast. So when I arrived to Italy, we arrived in Napoli or Naples, which is where the big airport is, which is like the city definitely looked a lot different than I expected it to look. Okay. It just wasn't like what you see like on Instagram and Tick Tock and, you know, YouTube of the Amafi coast and how pretty and vibrant it looks. Naples, Nepali is not really that at all. It is very much a city. A lot of graffiti. It's like the difference between New York or downtown Los Angeles and Napa Valley where you go for all the wine tasting. Like, just very different. A lot of places we went to in Naples because we stayed there for the first day or two of our trip. I went my boyfriend for his birthday. It was his birthday gift. And then we stayed there the last day of the Trip People were like, take your watches off, your jewelry, anything valuable, put it up if you want to be in Naples. And this is, like, not tourist people. Like, this is like. We went to a really famous pizza spot. I'm gonna get the name of the pizza spot. We went to a really famous pizza spot. The pizza spot was called Pizzeria de Michelle. So this pizza spot, like, people wait in line for hours to try their pizza. We were lucky. We got there kind of early, and we didn't wait for hours. We waited for about 20 minutes, and then we went in, tried the pizza. The pizza was amazing. But as we were leaving this pizza spot, there was, like, this street that was, like, playing music and, you know, all these things. Now, this is the Naples. This is our last day there, just to kind of give you an example of what I'm talking about. So we walk up the street. We're in, like, this small. It's like an. Like a. Like, side street, like a hill, but there's, like, a smaller restaurant, and they're seating outside, and, you know, there's a bunch of people outside out there. Everyone's doing the spritz, the April apparel spritz. That's like the signature drink there, of course. So we sit down, just have a drink, and just enjoyed the last night. We had been chilling like, that last, like, 24 to 48 hours, because we had done so much by that point. And when we went inside of the store to pay for our stuff before we left, just to go back to our hotel to just relax and get ready for a flight, literally everybody in the store, like, the owner of the store or the restaurant got up, close the door. It was like, three to four people. They were like. Like, they were telling my boyfriend, like, take your watch off. They were like. I'd had, like, a small bag or like, keep your bag on you, you know, anything in your pockets, take it out of your pockets. Our taxi drivers were also telling us that when we were in Naples in the train station. So Naples was just a lot different than what we expected, but we still had a great time there. Nothing that. Nothing bad happened to us, thank God. Had a great time. But we leave Naples the first day that we stayed there, like I said, and we ended up there the. The last couple nights. First day we stayed there, we leave. We head on over to Capri now. Capri, beautiful, but Capri is a bit like it. You know, there's a lot of the luxury shopping there, and there's, like, all these, like, boutiques, like, you know, I. Clothing is my thing. I love fashion, but I really love to see, like, handmade pieces. So there were a lot of, like, so small boutiques and local boutiques and local leather shops and, oh, my God, it was just amazing to see all of the, like, artistry through, like, you know, the different, like, muumus and jackets and, you know, just all of the different designs that we saw. And they were everywhere, everywhere you walked in. Capri was another beautiful shop. A ceramic shop, a jewelry shop, and of course, they had all of the luxury stores as well, too. We ate in Capri at another really popular restaurant. We had a travel guy. We had two travel guides. You know, one of my friends, her name on Instagram or her traveling Instagram name. Like, she travels all throughout various countries, the traveling Chucks. And she put together a lot of our itinerary. And then I also had a secondary itinerary done by, like, a luxury travel planner that I had met. So they hooked us up with a restaurant reservation in Capri and also helped set up, like, some of the shopping that we did. So that was the first day. It was beautiful. We also did, like, a taxi, like, you know, rooftop car ride, you know, throughout the coast of Capri, which was so beautiful. We got to see the water. The weather there was not as warm as you would think that it is. The weather was very much like New York. It's like springtime, like, but just getting into it, right? So it's, like, warm a bit during the day. You definitely need, like, a hoodie or something on your arms, cooler at night. But from what I was told, this is, like, the beginning of their season. Like, you know, as it gets warmer, people begin to travel, things open up. There's a lot more to do on the coast. We left Capri, and then we went to Rome. Rome was amazing in Rome. We got to see the Coliseum. We got to see. We were trying to make it over to what we did. We rode throughout the Vet. We rode throughout Vatican City. We did, like, a big bus tour. So we got to see a lot of, like, just various artifacts throughout Rome and just Rome itself. The city of Rome was also very beautiful. One of the things that I noticed the most about Rome was all of the, like, the graffiti there was, like, so political. Like, there were a lot of, like. Because, you know, there's, you know, there's places where, like, you know, the Pope, you know, various things went down with the Pope and just very religious grounds and. And cathedrals and different places that we would stop at. And every time I would look around, I would see these political messages on the walls, like, you know, harmed people, deserve to harm people. Or I would see free Gaza, I would see free Palestine. Every. Like, that was one of the things that stood out most to me about Rome, but also the architecture of the buildings and just, I don't know, like, everywhere we went, I was trying to get a feel for the people and just like, you know, like how they were different than people in other cities that we were experiencing. But all in all, Rome was beautiful as well. We actually decided last minute to spend a night in Rome and then woke back up, got back on the train and went back to Naples to then take a car ride up the coast of Amafi to Amafi. So on the Amafi coast, there is a small town called Amafi. We stayed there and we actually stayed on, like, a countryside. Like, we drove for about an hour into the mountains, which was so beautiful. And it was very different than any city we had been into because it wasn't a city. It was literally like countryside. So we are at this little, like, I would almost call it not a bed and breakfast, but I would call it that. But it was. It was like luxury. Like, it was very homey, small staff. The rooms were made literally, like, made up for you as they know that you were coming. Small balcony that overlooked the place. And this place where we stayed, they specialize in, like, ceramic making. So the floors, the ceilings, tile in the bathroom, everything was just so beautiful. Like, everywhere we went. I don't care if it was Naples, if it was Rome. Everywhere we went, there was so much attention to detail and all of the architecture and, you know, the way things were put together and the, The. The decorations and the flooring and the walls and the ceilings, even the shapes of the windows at the restaurants and the hotels that we were saying, like, oh, my God, it was just. It was like something out of, like a picture book. Like, everything just didn't look real. Everything looked like it does when you see, like, pictures of Rome on, like a computer or, you know, like in a history book or something like that, or Rome, Naples, Capri. It just didn't look real. It was so beautiful to experience. And so we spent an evening there, which was so relaxing, and it was just gorgeous. Very different than anything else we've ever experienced. But it was so fire because I think it was good to see the city life, the various entities of the city life, Rome, which, you know, there was so much history there that we got to learn and see in real life. And Then now we're on the countryside where, like, literally they grow everything themselves. So all of the food that we were eating, the vegetables, there was like a lemon farm, you know, right there. Like, when you walked out your balcony, there was a lemon farm as well, too. Everything was just fresh, and everything was amazing. And then we got up, headed back to Naples, where we ended our trip. One of the biggest feelings while in Italy is the feeling of love. Like, it was just so positive. And a lot of times we were the only black people. The majority of the places where we were going, and I was one. I was asking, I'm like, where is black culture here? Like, does that. Like, where. Where are we here in this atmosphere of, like, you know, all these different cities, especially when we were on the tour. And I'm like, I'm seeing all this beautiful architecture. I'm like, I know we come in a mix on here because this is what we do. But even though we were the only black people, it didn't. Not that it didn't feel like it, but we weren't treated that way. And when I went to Paris, it was a completely different experience. Just in general, just the way that we were received, you know, how nice people were or lack thereof and lack thereof more than how nice they were. It was just a completely different experience. But, yeah, the trip was amazing. And I was so excited while in Italy because I knew that I wanted to go see Yumi in Tuscany, which came out in theaters on April 10th. And I knew that the background of the movie was Italy. Even though it's Tuscany, a different part of Italy, I just knew that it was Italy. So I was excited to actually get to experience Italy and then go and watch this film. So we're going to get on into the latest because I want to have a conversation about the movie. You, me in Tuscany, a black led rom com featuring Halle Bailey and Reggae Jean Page. And you guys know. I mean, you know Holly Bailey because, I mean, she is an amazing singer. She also played the Little Mermaid and the Disney Recreation recently. You know, her and Chloe Bailey all over the place. And then Reggae Jean Page. You guys know him, Bridgerton

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[Liberty Mutual Bird Character]

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[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, no.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

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[Lauren LaRosa]

If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what today? Now, Obviously, it's like 100%. They believe everything, but at first it was just like, you gotta go get a real job.

[Wheezy]

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[Amy Robach]

Hey there folks. Amy Robach and T.J. holmes here and

[TJ Holmes]

we know there is a lot of news coming at you these days, from the war with Iran to the ongoing Epstein fallout, government shutdowns, high profile TR and what the hell is that Blake Lively thing about? Anyway?

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[Lauren LaRosa]

These two as actors are not without a little diversity pushback. You know, Haley went through It. When it was announced that she would be the new Little Mermaid, and there were tons of people who felt like the little merma shouldn't be black. And reggae Jean Page went through it because he played a male lead in Bridgerton, and there was conversation around, you know, just him in that role and how historically that wasn't a thing. But Shonda Rhimes, you know, she, Shonda Rhymes, is gonna make it do what it do for us. And she does a melting pot in all of her shows. But, you know, I wouldn't say that there is pushback when it comes to the movie. You, me and Tuscany and I did go and see it, but there is conversation that happened. And this conversation, to be honest with you guys, wasn't even on purpose, but it's one of those things that, like, even if the, you know, even if the conversation had not have happened, the way that it went down and we're going to talk about it, it was being had anyway. Like, it was. It was literally being had anyway. Are going to be had anyway. So Variety did an article, and the article is titled why the Box Office for you, me in Tuscany Matters. It says audiences have the power to dictate what gets made in Hollywood, says producer Will Packer. Will Packer, who was on Girls trip and a ton of other amazing movies, along with his team and Shayla Cohen and all of the brilliant minds over there at Will Power, Will Packer Productions, you know, are, Are. Are some of the driving forces behind this movie now. I went and saw the movie. The movie was amazing. You. You know, like I said, I actually was excited to experience the film because being fresh out of an Italy trip, you really understand the essence of the culture there a bit. You know, the feeling, the people, the food, a lot of the things you'll visually see, like the sunsets and sunrises in the countryside. It's said Italy is just. It's literally. It looks like something from out of a book. Like something. It doesn't even look real. And, and the film captured that. Even in the film, I went to go see it with a. A friend who had never been to Italy. And just some of the shots in the film and the way that it was colored, you know, his first question to me was, oh, my God, this looks like something out of a book. Is that how it is? And I'm like, yes, in real life. But it was amazing that he was feeling that through a movie screen, because a lot of times movies don't capture the real ess of the actual place and culture where they're being shot. So they did an amazing job at that. But the storyline is basically Holly Haley Belly's character goes through some hard times in life and family. I'm not going to give the. The movie away. Just a log line. And ends up squatting in this house in Italy after meeting this guy who is from Italy. And the love, the romance and the funny unfolds from there. And it was just that you fell in love with. With Halle Bailey in her role. You fell in love with who she fell in love with. You know, you went on the twists and turns of oh, my God, what's going to happen next? You. You went on the twists and turns of oh, my God, is this all about to be over for them? And then the feeling of, wow, I'm so happy. It is the essence of a rom com. It was such a warm storyline, but also too, it was just good to see her and Reggae John. Like to see them just glowing and happy in this film. Even through, like the ups and downs that they took you through. They were. It was like watching them experience life and experience the things that they. And it's so hard to talk about it without giving a film away. And the way that they do it, it's so jovial. It's so abundant beats.

[Wheezy]

It's just.

[Lauren LaRosa]

It's just a feelgood film. Like, it just makes you feel good to go see it. From the setting of Italy to the food to the cooking, you know, family was a big element. Grief was a big element. And you still felt good throughout all of that. You felt hope. The film did what it needed to do. Y' all need to go see.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

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[Liberty Mutual Bird Character]

Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, no.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

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Liberty. Liberty.

[Cino Show Guest]

I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him.

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Hi, dad.

[Cino Show Guest]

And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen and she says, I have some cookies and milk. This is badass, convict.

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Right?

[Cino Show Guest]

Just finished five years. I'm gonna have cookies and milk at mom.

[Cino Show Host]

On the Cino show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw un. Filtered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor cultural icon Danny Trail. Talk about addiction, transformation and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to binge, featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Adish, Johnny Knoxville, and more.

[Cino Show Guest]

I'm an alcoholic and without this program, I'm gonna die.

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Open your free iHeartRadio app, search the Cino show and listen. Now.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable until I really start making money.

[Eating While Broke Host]

It's Financial Literacy Month and the podcast Eating While Broke is bringing real conversations about money, growth and building your future. This month hear from top streamer Zoe Spencer and venture capitalist lakeisha Landrum Pierre as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up.

[Lauren LaRosa]

If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what today? Now, Obviously it's like 100%. They believe everything, but at first it was just like, you got to go get a real job.

[Wheezy]

There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail. And what I mean by fail is they don't have money to pay for for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes. Communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them.

[Eating While Broke Host]

Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Amy Robach]

Hey there folks. Amy Robach and T.J. holmes here and

[TJ Holmes]

we know there is a lot of news coming at you these days, from the war with Iran to the ongoing Epstein fallout, government shutdowns, high profile trials, and what the hell is that Blake Lively thing about anyway?

[Amy Robach]

We are on it every day, all day.

[TJ Holmes]

Follow us, Amy and TJ for news updates throughout the day.

[Amy Robach]

Listen to Amy and TJ on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Now, the conversation that that is, you know, has been sparked by this is how important this film is in the box office for other black creators. Now, there was a director, her name is Nina Lee. And there was a tweet that was posted by another person, Jazz Jasmine Sinclair. And she tweeted, the studios are going to watch us during the opening weekend of you, me and Tuscany. They want to see if an original screenplay does well. They want to see if a black rom com does well. I know we can show up and support this movie. This is the movie that we have been waiting for. So Nina Lee retweeted please go see this film on March 25, right? So last week, sometime a few weeks ago, she then tweeted and said, nina Lee, she says, number one, I met with the studio about my already shot rom com and they won't buy it until they see Yume and Tuscany. Now the rom com that she is referring to is a rom com that she had already shot, that she had already been pitching. And it features Coco Jones, music artist Coco Jones and comedian Country Wayne. And she says, you know, that it was already shot, that it was stuck in limbo of post production. And they told her that they won't buy it until they see you me in Tuscany and see how it does. Then she says, number two, she met with an exec about a romance script that she has. They won't buy until they see how you, me and Tuscany does. And number three, she reminds people to go see this film. Now the, the irony of this is that Nina, who is a filmmaker, was actually about to go and speak to a room full of high school students in, in Atlanta and she was going to be advising them on how to navigate Hollywood. And this is the, this is like the thing that gets it for me. It's like the duality that we have to have as black people, right? Because it's like we always have not careful how we speak about things because like, I feel like you should be honest, but it's like you don't wanna, you don't wanna speak to your people in a way that is gonna discourage someone from maybe becoming the next Spike Lee or becoming the next Nina Lee. Right? But at the same time, you are sitting in this world that is like, okay, your art is good some days, sometimes. But not right now. Well, maybe tomorrow once we see how something similar to it does. Because, oh, all of you guys are the same. And if one movie and one storyline and one feel good hug movie does well, all the rest of yous are going to be okay. Which is not realistic. Even when you, me and Tuscany does well, that movie, it doesn't speak for every black person and how every black person wants to be shown on a big screen. But if you're needing to leave, you're now stuck in this position where you're headed to go speak to these students. You want to inspire them. Because we, I mean, look, the world needs storytellers, good ones, you know, because we need plumbers, electricians and doctors and all that too. But good storytellers, the world does need them. Especially in times like this where a lot of us are being taken out of these positions. A lot of our black, you know, editors and chiefs or writers or arms of these big magazines that focus directly on black things are being taken out of here. So as the new era of creators arise and, you know, we are going to start seeing that happen without the majors, without the platforms and people doing it on their own, somebody gotta inspire the people. So you're headed out to go speak to these kids, but internally, you're in this limbo because the same industry that, that you've always wanted to be a part of, that you've had success in, because she has had success with other things. Right. Is telling you, not right now. I don't care about the bills you got to pay. I don't care about the fact that, you know, black people are in a mono. Are in a monolith. Just not right now.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty, even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Liberty Mutual Bird Character]

Hey, everyone, check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, no.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Liberty Mutual Bird Character]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.

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Anyways, only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty.

[Liberty Mutual Bird Character]

Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Cino Show Guest]

I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him.

[Cino Show Host]

Hi, dad.

[Cino Show Guest]

And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen and she says, I have some cookies and milk. This is badass, convict. Just finished five years. I'm gonna have cookies and milk at mom.

[Cino Show Host]

On the Cino show podcast. Each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor cultural icon Danny Trail to talk about his addiction transformation and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to binge, featuring powerful conversations with guests like Tiffany Adish, Johnny Knoxville and more.

[Cino Show Guest]

I'm an alcoholic and without this proof, I'm gonna die.

[Cino Show Host]

Open your free iHeartRadio app, search the Cino show and listen now.

[Amy Robach]

This is Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes from the Amy TJ podcast.

[TJ Holmes]

And there is so much news commentary coming at you all day and from all over the place.

[Amy Robach]

What's fact, what's fake, and sometimes what

[TJ Holmes]

the f. So let's cut the crap, okay? Follow The Amy TJ podcast, a one stop news and pop culture shop to get you caught up and on with

[Amy Robach]

your Day and listen to Amy and TJ on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable until I really started making money.

[Eating While Broke Host]

It's Financial Literacy Month, and the podcast Eating While Broke is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future. This month hear from top streamer Zoe Spencer and venture capitalist lakeisha Landrum Pierre as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up.

[Lauren LaRosa]

If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what today? Now, Obviously, it's like 100%. They believe everything. But at first it was just like, you gotta go get a real job.

[Wheezy]

There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail. And what I mean by fail is they don't have money to pay for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes. Communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them.

[Eating While Broke Host]

Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you you get your podcast.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Now, you, me and Tuscany is projected to do more than $10 million to start, which is a solid start for them because coming in with the $18 million budget according to Variety. But at the same time, I mean, if the conversation that happens, because this conversation happens every single time something black is headed to the theater, but especially romcom, because in recent years, studios have kind of like, got away from romcoms, right? But especially black LED ones. But there have been studies that have kind of pointed at the fact that, like, Hollywood is not really paying attention to their own information. So there was a study that was done that a lot of, you know, these articles that are having this discussion are pointing to. And I went and took a look at the study, and I'm like, it's so crazy, because basically what this study is saying is that the goalpost keeps moving, which we already know. But until you have numbers, nothing matters. Like even Will Packer, he was speaking to Variety. He had no issue with Nina Lee's tweets. He said, what they're going to do for you with you, me and Tuscany. And what they need to do is going to help creators like her, right? So Will Packer spoke to Variety about the tweet, and he says, and about the movie, you, Me in Tuscany. And he says, when it comes to you, me and Tuscany predicting the future for films like it if the dollars don't make sense. If the dollars make sense, then you'll see more of it. And if Hollywood and Hollywood would change and adjust. So I'm trying to do my part to be successful in a language that Hollywood understands, which is really not the language of social justice. It's the language of economics, the numbers. And that's why I'm like, it's crazy to me that, you know, Hollywood is such a numbers business. And I get it because it's all about give and take. It's all about the investment in the return. But there was a report done in 2025 by a university, but I'm sorry, by Dr. Anna Christina Ramon. She's one of the co authors of UCLA Hollywood's diversity report. Now, in this report from 2025, they point out the fact that it's not the issue of if black moviegoers will go support a black led movie, because numbers show that we do. And this has been proven time and time and time and time again, right? So according to her report, Bipik Men and unambiguously made up the largest audience share for 10 of these films. So they're looking at a list of 20 theatrical films from 2024. So 20 theatrical films from 2024 is the list of those 20 films. Ten of these films, right? So that's half of the list. Black indigenous or people of color? Us. Okay, us. Some of us men made up the largest audience share for 10 of those films. Right? And then Bipik women, black indigenous, people of color, women accounted for the largest audience shares for another six of the film. So that's 16. That's the majority of the list that we show up for. White women and white men each made up the largest audience share for just one of these top 20 films. According to the study, if audiences are aware that a black led movie exists, they will go see it. Which presents the first hurdle for black LED films to overcome. Which is why as much as people want to say, well, you could put things straight to streaming, or you could put things straight to Amazon, or, you know, I mean, Amazon is streaming, but you could put things straight to wherever, right? The, the reason why people like these, these filmmakers want to get studios behind them, because when you get studios behind them, you get budgets, you get dollars. In order for you to really see a return, people have to know to want to come out. Budgets and dollars go into production costs, marketing costs, distribution density, all of these things that help to push a movie. And the more that people know about it, the more that people will come out. Listen, we want to stay locked in to see how the numbers work with you, me, and Tuscany, to see the impact that it has. But if I were a studio, after seeing what Sinners just did with getting people back to the box office, I would. I'm betting on everything black if I'm a studio. But again, again, even when the numbers make sense, the goal post moves. I hope that you, me, and Tuscany does exactly what it's supposed to do. And it is a great film. I'm not just saying that because of this conversation. It is actually a great film. I suggest everyone goes out and see it. But when it does what it's supposed to do, what I hope we see is other people getting a shot. But we always hope this. Issa Rae said this years ago. I'm rooting for everybody black. And a lot of us have always been rooting for everybody black. Some of us are new, you know what I mean, to. To the. To coming on over here. And I huff and puff when I say that, because it's sad to have to say that, but all skin folk and kin folk, and we know that, but some of us are new over here. But when you see what movies like Sinners just did this last year, if I'm a studio, I am itching for not just the. The. The next black Sinners. And even that we're gonna see if that happens again. Because in this conversation, I saw there were some tweets from one of the. There was a director who had, you know, shot his shot for, like, an Asian, like, rom com type of movie, and he was responding to Nina because basically when Nina Lee, that director, tweeted that tweet and put her phone away and went and spoke to that class, she went so viral because, like, movie fan sites like Pop Crave and stuff picked it up. So people started having conversations about, you know, directors and producers about what they were experiencing. Fans, commentators, like, it went crazy viral, right? So there was a. A Asian director who basically said that he had shot his shot for film and was told kind of the same thing, but the Asian version, like, oh, well, you know, this was some years ago, like, oh, we want to see how crazy rich Asian does. And then we're a circle back. And then when it did, well, he went back to the studio and the studio was like, oh, well, that was basically an anomaly. Like, that won't happen again. And I feel like that's what they're going to try and do and say about Sinners as well, too. Like, the More we push because with Jordan Peele and a lot of the things that Jordan Peele was doing and how well you know, those movies were doing, no matter where you went and saw them, I feel like they still try to make it seem like it was like a one off and couldn't be done. And then, I mean, even with Ryan Coogler, like, I think what Ryan Coogler did with Black Panther, you would have thought that studios really understood where and how we should be positioned from that. And then, you know, he comes back and does what he does with sinners. And there are people still having conversations about how amazing this is. And it's like, D ain't new to this. Halle Bailey actually commented on Nina Lee's tweet as well and talked about how unfamiliar, unfair all of this pressure on black films in theaters is. Let's take a listen.

[Halle Bailey]

There was this writer director named Nina Lee who basically shared online that she had this rom com already shot and

[Lauren LaRosa]

went to go, like, pitch it in Hollywood to execs.

[Halle Bailey]

And they basically told her that they were going to wait on it until they saw the performance of Yumi and Tuscany. Did you see this news? I did see this.

[Lauren LaRosa]

How did that make you feel being

[Halle Bailey]

the star of this film? I think. I think it's amazing to be a black creator. And I think Nina is doing something so wonderful in the art that she's creating. And I feel like it almost isn't fair for us to have to, like, you know, oh, well, we're gonna watch how this one does, and then we'll greenlight you. Like, it shouldn't be like that at all. But I do think that we are known for breaking barriers and not letting anything stop us as a community. And I think that even when the goalposts maybe moved every single time, we still will persevere no matter what.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So we'll see what happens. I'll keep you guys posted for sure. I know that the talent from the movie have been out doing a bunch of interviews, so we'll stay abreast of that as well too. Please go see the film. Let me know how you guys feel about the film. I'm Lauren LaRosa everywhere. I want to hear from you. Join the conversation, get out in the streets in the tweets. That's L O R E n L O R O s. I'm Lauren LaRosa. This has been another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room, my low riders. I appreciate you guys every single time you're here to talk with me about all of the things. I'll see you in my next episode. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.