Wunmi Mosaku Was a Math Genius, Now She’s an Oscar Nominee

Summary

The Run-Through with Vogue Episode: Wunmi Mosaku Was a Math Genius, Now She’s an Oscar Nominee
Date: March 3, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features a warm, revealing conversation between Vogue’s Chioma Nnadi and acclaimed actress Wunmi Mosaku, who’s recently received an Oscar nomination for her role as Annie in Ryan Coogler’s film Sinners. The conversation covers Mosaku’s journey from aspiring math genius to award-winning actress, the cultural weight of Sinners, the realities of award season during pregnancy, her Yoruba heritage and reconnection with language, and her new maternity clothing line. Wunmi shares personal and professional insights with candor and humor, offering a rich, inspiring portrait of an artist and mother at a pivotal moment.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Experience and Impact of "Sinners"

• Sinners as a Generational Film ([01:08])
  • Chioma describes the film as “a generation-defining moment” and recounts the buzz and excitement around its IMAX release, noting its collective cultural impact.
• Ryan Coogler’s Vision ([01:55], [02:39])
  • Wunmi praises the “special piece of theatre cinema” Coogler has created and his genius as a director.
  • Predicts Sinners will be studied for decades:

    "I do feel like it's something that film students will be studying in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years maybe. I don't know. It just feels different, you know... He should always win best director." – Wunmi Mosaku [01:55]

The Oscar Journey and Its Surprises

• On Receiving the Nomination ([04:03], [07:30])
  • Wunmi reflects on the unexpected camaraderie formed with cast and crew, calling them “like family.”
  • Describes the transformative creative environment on set and how it raised her standards for future projects.
  • Wunmi recounts the moment she heard about her Oscar nomination:

    “He was like, baby, you just got nominated for an Oscar. I was like, huh?...I just didn't—I wasn't—I was like, no, that's 8:30. He said no, 8:30 Eastern...They all got nominated. Whoa. It was mind blowing.” – Wunmi Mosaku [07:52]

• Navigating Awards Season ([07:05])
  • “I've never done awards season. My gosh, it's a beast.” – Wunmi Mosaku

Path from Math Prodigy to Acting

• Academic Roots ([09:12], [10:13])
  • Wunmi excelled in math, further math, economics, and chemistry, trying to please her academically accomplished Nigerian family.
  • She opens up about dropping chemistry for drama—partly due to a crush, partly due to her sense of not truly excelling in mathematics.
  • On choosing acting:

    “I can see that, how their brains work...But I wasn't like that with maths. So I was like, I just feel like a sheep, and I'm not actually gonna ever be brilliant at this...So I said I wanted to be an actor.” – Wunmi Mosaku [11:48]

• Discovering Acting ([09:12], [09:40])
  • The encouragement from a visiting author after a school play at age 12 convinced her she had a gift.

On Representation and Family Support

• Visibility and Encouragement ([08:32], [08:49])
  • Acting was not encouraged by her Nigerian father; her mother, however, said, “I’ll give it a go.”
• Family of High Achievers and Her Own Path ([10:56])
  • Her siblings’ impressive careers (biochemistry, neuroscience, engineering, politics) framed her struggle to find individuality.

The Sinners Audition and the Depth of the Script

• Audition Process and Meeting Ryan Coogler ([13:48], [13:56])
  • Wunmi was stunned Ryan Coogler knew who she was.
  • Her audition scene—between Annie and Smoke—stood out for its rich characterization and subtlety:

    “It’s the most perfectly written scene I’ve ever read...You know so much about those two people just from that little everything: their faith, what they put their hopes and dreams into, where they differ...” – Wunmi Mosaku [14:10]

• Talking About Good Teachers ([16:04])
  • Shares gratitude for mentors, highlighting the profound influence teachers can have.

Spirituality, Heritage, and Yoruba Language

• Learning Yoruba ([17:56], [18:06])
  • Wunmi began Yoruba lessons in 2020, inspired by the desire to connect with her late grandmother and her culture after feeling the loss of language:

    “I had never actually had a conversation with my grandma...And we lost her the year before.” – Wunmi Mosaku [18:50]

• Complexity and Poetry of Yoruba ([21:03])
  • She reflects on the challenge and poetry of the language, describing tonal differences and beautifully figurative expressions:

    “We would never say it like that. We would say we want her to come and see me at the mouth of work. And I thought, wow.” – Wunmi Mosaku [21:54]

Navigating Pregnancy During Awards Season

• Second Pregnancy Challenges ([22:41], [22:55])
  • Wunmi compares her two pregnancies and the realities of commuting, caring for a toddler, and her body's shifting needs.
  • On doing the press tour pregnant:

    “It’s like running a marathon in heels...” [36:18]

• Red Carpet and Cultural Traditions ([25:22])
  • Discusses the intentionality behind her public pregnancy reveal, the cultural reticence in Yoruba tradition to share such news, and the need to be present.

    “I want to be present and like if I'm divorcing my head and my body and I'm not really welcoming the baby into this too, and it feels like you're kind of taking them for granted.” [26:33]

Launching a Maternity Clothing Line: Iyade

• The Origin ([29:51], [30:02])
  • Inspired by her own experiences of feeling “forgotten about” as a mom, Wunmi launched a maternity and nursing line, Iyade ("mother has arrived").
  • Frustration with available maternity wear and experiences on the set of Sinners fueled her innovation:

    “I have not—I have looked like a slob for 19 months. That’s how I felt...I wanna wear the clothes that look like me instead of all these nursing T shirts. And they're so ugly, it's offensive.” [31:44]

  • Notable that her bra design was so unique it required patenting.
• Design Philosophy
  • Uses color and pattern as camo for messiness of parenting, emphasizing comfort, confidence, and cultural aesthetics.

Upcoming Projects and Looking Forward

• “Mango” (Executive Producer, Short Film on Fibroids) ([37:11])
  • A body horror addressing the medical system’s failures regarding Black women’s pain.
• “This Is How It Goes” (Idris Elba Project) ([38:05])
  • Offers insights on how portraying challenging characters can serve as personal therapy.
• “Social Network” ([38:46])
  • Another upcoming role.

Memorable Quotes

• “My expectations and my bar is now set very, very high for that—like, the work environment.” – Wunmi Mosaku [04:22]
• “It's not just a congratulations. There was every—everyone also said congratulations and prayers for a safe delivery and recovery. And that was like...that’s the thing people miss out a lot of the time.” – Wunmi Mosaku [29:14]
• “Women are incredible. We really are—the capacity we can hold. It's quite extraordinary.” – Wunmi Mosaku [39:03]
• “They're like healers. [Teachers] can pull you in the right direction...” – Chioma Nnadi [17:38]

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Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [01:08] – Chioma describes seeing “Sinners” and its cultural impact.
• [04:22] – Wunmi describes the film’s gift: family-like cast, spiritual and professional growth.
• [07:52] – Recounts hearing news of her Oscar nomination from her husband.
• [09:40] – Wunmi gets formative encouragement in drama at age 12.
• [14:10] – Discussion of the pivotal Annie/Smoke scene and its depth.
• [17:56], [18:06] – Describes learning Yoruba and heritage reconnection.
• [21:54] – Realization about the poetry and figurative nature of Yoruba expressions.
• [22:41] – Adjusting to award season while pregnant.
• [25:22] – Intentionality of pregnancy reveal given cultural context.
• [29:51] – Explains rationale behind her maternity line, Iyade.
• [31:44] – On the inspiration for her fashion design after frustrations on set.
• [37:11] – Announcement of executive producing “Mango.”
• [38:05], [38:46] – Discusses range and challenge of new roles.
• [39:03] – Reflection on women’s capacity and juggling professional/personal milestones.

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Tone and Style

The conversation is candid, warm, and rich with personal anecdotes. Wunmi Mosaku mixes humor with vulnerability, offering genuine insights into her artistry, motherhood, heritage, and activism. The dialogue celebrates both her cultural identity and the universal struggles of balancing family, ambition, and public life.

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For listeners seeking themes of creative resilience, cultural inheritance, and womanhood—in the voice of one of contemporary cinema’s brightest talents—this episode captures Wunmi Mosaku at a remarkable crossroads.

Transcript

[A]

Hi, I'm Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue's beauty editor at large. My husband and I talk a lot of ebay strategy together because it is something that we have bonded over since the beginning of our relationship. We've known each other for 20 years and we've been using ebay for even longer than that, both of us. He's very proud of his five star review, which I have the same. We're pretty popular. We have a really good reputation on ebay.

[B]

This is the run through. I'm Cho Mano. And so today I'm joined by the fabulous Wumi Masaku, who stars in Ryan Coogler's Oscar nominated film Sinners, which is absolutely one of my faves. She's received critical acclaim for her role as Annie, a spiritual healer who practices hoodoo and is in many ways the heart of the film. I was so excited to speak to her about Sinners, the buzz about it, and how she's navigating her second pregnancy through award season. Honestly, she is superwoman and launching her maternity clothing line. Well, welcome Wummy. It's such a pleasure to have you. Thank you.

[C]

Such a pleasure to be here.

[B]

Honestly, like, I remember going to see Sinners with my partner and it was like the biggest event of the year. We lined up, there were lines outside the block. We went to see it in imax. It was so immersive. It was incredible. I had goosebumps and actually I had to be kind of drag kicking and screaming. Cause I don't like horror. But I was like, I was like for this. When I saw the trailer, I was like this. Ryan Coogler, this cast, this has got to be something. This feels like it's gonna be like a generation defining moment. And it really was. It's so rare that you get those experiences that feel like everybody's watching it at the same time or feeling at the time or talking about it at the same time. But this just felt like we're gonna be talking about these scenes for years to come.

[C]

Yeah, I hope so. I feel like especially Ryan's work as a director and the cinematography in it, it's such a special piece of theatre cinema. And I feel like as a social, cultural piece as well, so much to be studied and felt within it. I do feel like it's something that film students will be studying in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years maybe. I don't know. It just feels different, you know. Doesn't feel typical in any way. And for that I think he should always win best director. Oh my God.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, for sure. And, like, I just think he's a. I think he's a genius.

[B]

Before we get into this, I have to say, you look incredibly amazing. You're gorgeous. I love your hair. I love what you're wearing.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

I hope people can see. I know we're doing a podcast, but let me just tell you, it's incredible. Tell me about your outfit. Tell me about, like, you don't want to.

[C]

I can't remember. I just took my tag out. Oh, it's funky shop. It's really cool. Cranky shop.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, I just took the tag out right now. My stylist, Shamila, she. She does. She throws it all together for me.

[B]

My.

[C]

My whole, like, ethos right now is comfort.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Well, you're wearing it well.

[C]

Thank you. I'm like, I just need to be comfortable. I don't want any space. I really don't want any heels. I mean, that one we still fight about, because it's so hard.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

But, you know, being pregnant, I'm just like, everything aches.

[B]

No, I can't imagine wearing heels and being pregnant.

[C]

Yeah. Everything aches and everything shifts. Like, in the second time round, my hips are moving way earlier than before.

[B]

Right. Because everything gets into place much more quickly.

[C]

Quickly. And so I'm not. It's not comfortable. So I'm just like, comfort, comfort, comfort.

[B]

I can only imagine. And we should absolutely talk more about this movie, which has been like, it's got 16 Oscar noms, which is crazy.

[C]

I know.

[B]

And you've been nominated for Best Supporting Actress, which is incredible. What do you think have been the sort of biggest surprises for you as far as that have happened as a result of this film? Because I can only imagine what it's been like since the beginning when you were cast in this movie. But since then, what has come out of it so far?

[C]

I mean, the biggest. The biggest gift has been the cast and crew, that we've become like family and a real, like, genuine love for each other. Also, I think the revelations within myself from playing Annie and being a part of being a part of Sinners, you know, first of all, like, on a technical, like, just, like, professional standpoint, the quality of our. The camaraderie, the sensitivity, the creative, safe space, the sacred space we created on that set. Professionally, I can't go back to any set that isn't healthy. Like, I just know how good it can be and how the work can really, like, bloom and blossom because of the space we've created. And I really like I credit that to. To Ryan Number one and Michael Zinzi. They're all like, they. They. That's really important to them that we have this safe, creative space. So that my expectations and. And. And my. My bar is now set very, very high for that. Like the work environment. And then personally, I just feel like I have just grown as a person and as an artist. I feel like I've grown spiritually. I have felt more connected to my ancestry, my. My purpose, and really my. My. My position and role today. How that, you know, I really think about very much. Like the film kind of paints out as, you know, the blues comes from. It comes from us, but it comes from our ancestors and it also has fed the music we listen to today. So, like, thinking about my place in that as an actor, as a mother, as a person in society, like my role here today, on this day, it matters. Like it matters for the future. And I think that is applicable to absolutely every single person on this planet. And so, like, I feel like I've learned so much. It's gifted me so many things, like physically and spiritually, emotionally, actually, like. And then. Yeah. And then obviously with these awards and.

[B]

Yeah, I mean. I mean, not really unexpected opportunities.

[C]

Yeah. But deserved. You know, you don't think about awards when you're auditioning for a job. When you get a job, you think, can I do this? Can I do this justice? I want to do my best. You're not thinking about this part? I've never thought about this part. This part is incredibly new to me. I've never done awards season. My gosh, it's a beast.

[B]

Wow. Where were you when you heard about the Oscar?

[C]

I was in bed.

[B]

In London?

[C]

No, in la. Okay. Yeah. I live in LA now. My husband's born and raised at Los Angeles. An Angelino.

[B]

Oh my God. You're an Angelino lad.

[C]

That's a big difference. Angelina.

[B]

I'm not Angelina.

[C]

He's an Angelina. I. I got the timing wrong. I thought it was 8:30 PST, but it was EST.

[B]

Oh, okay.

[C]

So I was asleep, and then I heard my husband on the phone outside on speaker. And I was like, why are you up? It's 5:34. Why are you on the. On speakerphone of all things? He was like, baby, you just got nominated for an Oscar. I was like, huh? I was like, oh, my gosh. I just didn't. I wasn't. I was like, no, that's 8:30. He said no, 8:30 Eastern. I was like. And I was like, what about Delroy? What About Michael. They all got nominated. Whoa. It was mind blowing.

[B]

I was really surprised to hear that you questioned the idea of going into acting.

[C]

I mean, I didn't, I didn't really know how. Right. I didn't know how. I didn't see. I didn't see myself anywhere on tv.

[B]

I mean, I also feel like personally, with my Nigerian father, acting was not something that we were encouraged to do.

[C]

No, no, no. My dad was not encouraging of it, but my mom, you know, she, we, you know, my dad ended up going back to Nigeria and so I was. It was my mom and she was like, I'll give it a go. Oh, I love it. Give it a try.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I don't know if you really

[B]

understand, at what age did you feel like, okay, I need to explore this or this is a talent that I'm feeling.

[C]

You know, I did a play called Junk when I was 12 and it was based on a book of these teenagers who go off to do drugs. Wow. And they're like 12 and so age inappropriate. And I played a social worker called Vonni and it was at my little local acting class in this church down the road from me. So we did this play and the guy who wrote the book came to see the play.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

So I don't know how he knew we were doing it, but he came and he said that I was a very convincing vonnie for a 12 year old to play a 40 year old social worker. He said, I do think you should take this seriously. And so that was the first inkling of it. And then at school I did drama in and out and like, you know, after school and all that stuff. Never got cast in anything like, never got like a lead role or anything like that. Then went to college and did maths further maths, economics and chemistry. Oh, God.

[A]

Very nice.

[B]

Gosh, you were like giving your parents tick, tick, tick.

[C]

I was trying. I was trying. Did it all sciences for a second and then I dropped chemistry. I dropped chemistry because.

[B]

So you were basically a maths, like, genius.

[C]

I was. I'm not. Oh, my God, I'm so bad now.

[B]

Do people know this?

[C]

I'm so embarrassingly bad at maths now. Like, that muscle has completely.

[B]

You could warm it up.

[C]

I hope so because it's embarrassing actually how bad I am at maths now. So I dropped chemistry and picked up drama because there was a boy that I fancied.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[C]

And I was like, if I can't do that, if I cut that class, I can get into his drama class.

[B]

Thank Him.

[C]

Yeah, we thank him. Thank him.

[B]

We salute him.

[C]

Thank you for giving us away. So then I picked up drama. And then, you know, I really struggled with. I'm not great. I've got dyslexia. You know, I found out, like, I found out a couple years ago, I have adhd. And. And I just was like. I really. I got started getting accepted to university for maths and economics, and I started getting panic attacks and really bad insomnia. And I was like, I just don't feel like this is right for me. Like, my family are very academic, but they also have. I can see the artistry in what they do. They think outside. What do your family? My dad's a professor in architect. Wasn't professor in architecture. My mom in chemistry. That's why I picked chemistry. I thought it was gonna be an easy path.

[B]

Okay. You came from a family of offense.

[C]

Yeah, my sisters did, like, biochemistry and neuroscience and engineering and politics. And I was like, I can see that, how their brains work. And that there is. They are, like, not just good at it, not just good at following rules and regulations. They actually take it upon themselves to kind of go further, push it further. And I wasn't like that with maths. So I was like, I just feel like a sheep, and I'm not actually gonna ever be brilliant at this. Cause it was very obvious to me that it wasn't really for me, it was just following instructions. And so I said I wanted to be an actor. And me and my sister Googled everyone from the cast of Annie, which is my favorite film. And then Sir Albert Finney went to rada. That's how I heard about RADA in the movie. I was like, it's 30 pounds. Don't mess it up. But also, if you do, you buy it.

[B]

For our American listeners, RADA is one of the best drama school. It's basically the best drama school in the country.

[C]

I'm very lucky that I got in. Cause it's not usual to get in first round first time.

[B]

Well, you're extremely talented. Maybe you need to own that too.

[C]

I mean, but it's also just like. It's one of those things that if you want to go to drama school, most people know that you. You might not get in first time, but you might get in the second. But I really thought it was my only chance. And if I didn't get in, I had to go. I promised my mum I'd go and do maths and economics.

[B]

Pain of snow I can't do this. I can't do this.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And obviously, you know, I can't imagine what it was like to audition for the role with Ryan. And I know you were cast right away, but tell us how you found out about the movie or what made you want to. I mean, no brainer. Obviously you wanted to be in this film, but tell us what you were thinking when you were.

[C]

I mean, first of all, I didn't even. My team said, ryan Coogler wants to meet you for his next project. And I was like, ryan Coogler knows who I am.

[B]

I love the. That's pretty darn cool. That is very cool.

[C]

So I got seven pages. The scene between Annie and Smoke in her shop.

[B]

And one of my favorite scenes in the whole thing.

[C]

The most beautifully written scene ever.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, just such a perfectly written scene. Like, you know so much about those two people just from that little everything, you know, their faith, you know, what they put their hopes and dreams into. You know, where they differ, where they. And what they love and they love.

[B]

And the mutual admiration and respect for each other, which I loved.

[C]

Do you know? I mean, you even get the feeling about her brother, his brother. How she feels about his brother. And. And you get, like, you learn about her grandma, you learn about her place in society. Like her with the two little girls, you know, that she doesn't value money and that he only sees money and power as the only currency that's worth having. But then he still has her mojo bag. Cause he truly believes in her, you know? So I had that scene, and I basically said that to him. I was like, it's the most perfectly written scene I've ever read. Like, it was perfect. And I don't know how you did it. It doesn't feel like exposition. It doesn't feel like anything. Their loss of their baby.

[B]

Oh, that part.

[C]

Just so simple. Like the simplest dialogue. Like, well, why didn't it work on her? I don't know, but it worked on you. That's it. And to me, that felt like Annie poured all she had into Smoke's mojo bag when they first met. That's how much she loved him. She poured everything into that mojo bag that he's carried until the day he dies. So then we, you know, we spoke about teachers, good teachers and bad teachers, really. The teachers that helped us bloom and the teachers that almost made us shrivel away from our purpose.

[B]

And who are those people in your life?

[C]

I'm only going to talk about the good ones. Let's talk about the good ones. Only the bad ones. Do not get lucky Right. I would say like Tom Wells at my. At my high school at Trinity. Wynn Moran and Rob Falk.

[B]

So Tom Wells is a.

[C]

My drama teacher. Win and Win Moran and Rob Faulkner at Severian. Melvin Burgess, the guy who came to see the play. You know, Bill Gaskell, one of my tutors at RADA who gave me my first job outside of rada. But yeah, we talked about that.

[B]

How did that come up in the conversation? Like in the audition. It's quite an unusual. I guess every audition is different and some directors that's. They want to get to know who you are.

[C]

That's exactly what makes me. Ryan. Wants to get to know who you are, how you got here, why you're here. I don't think sometimes I don't think teachers really appreciate how important they are. Maybe because society doesn't tell them or the government doesn't let them know how important they are.

[B]

Definitely undervalued.

[C]

Are completely undervalued. They should be the highest paid because without them we don't have. We don't have the doctors, we don't have the lawyers. We don't have the. We don't have the politicians. We don't have anything without the teachers, actually. So I feel like, you know. But sometimes I think they underestimate those small. The small comments here and there. They can really change someone's life or they can really divert them from off the path that they think they're meant to be on.

[B]

Powerful people.

[C]

Powerful.

[B]

They're like healers. They can pull you in the right direction and pull you in the right direction 100%.

[C]

100%. So we talked about that. We talked about our kids. We talked about our family. We talked about hoodoo and African spiritualities, something I knew nothing about about and like was kind of scared of.

[B]

And what's your relation to it now that you've. I know that you're also. You're speaking of teachers. You're. You're currently taking Yoruba lessons.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I feel less guilty for not knowing my. My dad's language.

[C]

You can't teach yourself any. You can't teach yourself from nowhere. So who's teaching you?

[B]

And has that felt like a spiritual

[C]

kind of journey in a way like.

[B]

Or does as it unraveled things about. Because I just think the way language works does tell you a lot about a culture.

[C]

Like I. Oh, yeah. Yeah. What have you.

[B]

I mean, I'm sure I don't know if you had much time to learn much so far. But I'm sort of curious who's teaching

[C]

nearly six years now. I've learned a lot about my culture through the. My lessons with. With my teacher, Professor Oliwale.

[B]

What made you decide to.

[C]

To learn 2020, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, I had a real heartbreaking, like, awakening during the uprising and the racial reckoning we were facing that I had never actually had a conversation with my grandma, and we lost her the year before. And just like. Like three weeks before we got to Nigeria, me and my husband, and she was. We were meant to go get her blessing. And, you know, we were close. Like, I. I felt like I understood her spirit. I felt like I understood, and she understood my spirit, but I had never had an actual conversation with her.

[B]

Me neither. Me and my grandmother. My grandmother didn't speak English.

[C]

No, my grandma didn't. So I had to rely on interpreters, and that depends on how bothered they can be to interpret word for word, the nuances of the language. The nuance of the language. But also, like, her spirit, like, I could tell she's a funny woman. She loves telling stories. She loves doing impressions. I can tell those things about her. But, you know, sometimes, like, you know, my mom's tired of interpreting, and, like, she's like, oh, she said this. She said this happened to da da, da da. Now, I'm so glad. I took a lot of records, recordings of my gran. So now I listen to them, and I'm like, oh, I can hear the. The nuance of what you did. That. Yeah, of what she was saying. I mean, Yoruba is a very. To me, it's very complicated. It's tonal, first of all. So, like, there's three tones. You say one thing, one way, and it, abe, abe, obey. It's three different words, like. And I still can't tell. I can't tell the difference. And that's why my Yoruba's not great, because I'll be like, I want to drink my soup with a knife. Because I'll say, soup and knife are the same thing, you know, like. And so I. They're spelt the same, but they have a different tone. So I'm not good at that. But if I write it, if I read it, I can decipher it. But when I speak it, people really struggle to decipher what I'm saying because their brains are so. So intelligent. It's like, if you get the tone wrong, they're like you're talking gobbledygook.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, So I realized how poetic Yorubas are in the way they describe things. And that felt like a real, like a feature of myself that I'm now unlocking. Like the poetry within language. Poetry. Cause it's there. It doesn't have to be, you know, it doesn't have to be so linear. When I said to my teacher, I said, I want my daughter to come to work. I want her to see me working. I said that literally, verbatim, like word for word, like that. And he said, we would never say it like that. We would say we want her to come and see me at the mouth of work. And I thought, wow, I just never. I would never have known that.

[B]

The run through will be back in a moment.

[A]

Whenever I'm looking for things with ebay, authenticity guarantee, it often ends up being sneakers. I'm not necessarily sneakerhood, but there are specific sneakers that I may have, like, fallen in love with and have been discontinued. And it's really nice to find them on ebay. And so it'll be just like a pair of platform Converse loafers. It will be a pair of vans, white slippers with, like a very specific low toe. And so it's great with ebay to just be like, this is a real thing. It's in the size that you want, it's in the style that you want, and it's real.

[B]

So how. How has your pregnancy been different this time than from your first? Because I think you know what to expect. Obviously you've said your body gets into position a lot quick, more quickly.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But, like, also your life is looking different now. You have a child.

[C]

Right. Trying to do this with a toddler, it's very different. First of all, my first pregnancy was very difficult. Like, I was very, very sick.

[B]

Like, I'm so sorry.

[C]

I was sick until the day she arrived. And, yeah, that was very difficult for me. But I was also filming and I was on my feet all day, every day.

[B]

What were you filming? When?

[C]

With your first passenger? Itv.

[B]

Okay, cool.

[C]

This one is like, I'm on flights. Like, I just got. I just got in from L. A yesterday and I go to New York tomorrow, then back to L. A On Saturday. Wow. So that's exhausting. Time zones, you know, My daughter, like, dealing with my daughter, like, being exhausted. Poor girl. She. I keep hearing her saying, my body hurts because I'm like. Because I keep saying my body hurts. And she's like, mommy, body hurt. My body hurt.

[B]

She's like, I'm feeling left out. I'm not the only pregnant lady in town.

[C]

Like, my feet swell at, like one o'. Clock. In the afternoon, whereas that wasn't happening before. And like my hips are like shifting so quickly. Just everything is different.

[B]

Well, you're glowing, so that's.

[C]

Thank you. One plus, I haven't been as sick. The only day I was sick was the day after the nominations. Okay.

[B]

Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?

[C]

I do, but. Yeah. So I just feel like, I just. Everything is. This feels easier in one respect. Cause I don't have to worry about. Am I gonna throw up like in this 40 minute thing. That was really tough. The throwing up was really hard. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I love that you and your co star Hailee Seinfeld revealed your baby bumps at the same time.

[C]

Well, she had done it on Instagram before, but that was her first time, like out.

[B]

When did you both. Did you both know you were pregnant roughly at the same time or like.

[C]

Yes. So I. Yes. We told each other like, wait, maybe. Wait, November. Okay. Yeah, November. Yeah. It was really nice.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

We were all together. It was very sweet. Yeah, it's really lovely.

[B]

Yeah, it's. I mean you wrote this wonderful post for Vogue, you know, about the anti pregnancy announcement. What was it like doing that on the red carpet? I mean, it must have been. So you had to be very intentional, obviously. You had this amazing dress and it was Yoruba inspired and.

[C]

Yeah, I just didn't want to be. I didn't want to. I wanted to acknowledge the moment of like, this isn't what I would normally do. Like no one knew I was. No one knew I had a baby until my baby was 1 years old.

[A]

Right.

[C]

I didn't, I didn't talk about it on the press tour, you know, of passenger and like Nigerians, I don't know about. I think, I think Nigeria is on a whole. But definitely Yoruba. Don't talk about that stuff.

[B]

No.

[C]

And I understand why. Just protection and like being, you know, keeping it sacred and safe and making sure you don't invite unwanted attention, you know, so it's different. I still struggle with it, but I just know that I couldn't hide it anymore. And also made it harder for me to really appreciate the moment that I'm in for myself and my career in this moment. Oscars, Golden Globes, baftas. I wanna be present and like if I'm divorcing my head and my body and I'm not really welcoming the baby into this too, and it feels like you're kind of taking them for granted.

[B]

They're with you.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. So felt important to Just be honest, but also really like, vulnerable. Being, like, honest and in the public eye about it, you know, it's such

[B]

a personal thing to share with the world, Right?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But I felt like it was such a. It was one of the kind of, like, most heartwarming moments at the Globes. And you did it with such intention and having the dress have such meaning.

[C]

I think you did it in such

[B]

a lovely way to welcome the. Welcoming the baby.

[C]

Yeah. It felt. It felt important to do it like that. And I felt like it was important to write the piece. Cause I didn't wanna just be like, I'm pregnant and everything's easy breezy, you know, Like. Cause it's not. Like, it's not. Pregnancy is really difficult. I find pregnancy very difficult. And also, like, the journey of pregnancy is not easy. And that's not something I'm. You know, especially with Annie. Like, people wanna talk about child loss and I'm like, that's not conversa. I don't even feel like that's a conversation that we can really have, like, just like in a five minute, you know, or, you know, so it's like, I don't really wanna. I just wanna acknowledge that it's much bigger than an interview piece or a pregnancy announcement or, like, it's. You know, people really are going through it, like. And people are scared, especially black women, silly now. Yeah. You know, and so I just wanted to kind of really acknowledge it in its entirety. The beauty and the sacredness, but also, like, the reality of, like, medical racism and the vulnerability and how uneasy getting pregnant. Being pregnant, having a baby, like. And it's not the end. Like the baby being delivered is. It's not the end either, you know? Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I think you did it in such a beautiful way. And I can only imagine how. Yeah. How much courage it sort of took to be like, okay, I'm going to really sort of sync my private world and my public Persona together in this one moment. Having been someone who'd never done that before, how has that made you feel now? How does it make you think about moments? Are you more excited now to sort of embrace it fully? Like, I know that you've also got. We can talk about your new project that you've got going on that I think kind of threads the needle of all this thing, these things.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, it feels, you know, the love and the prayers. That's what felt really good was like, it's not just a congratulations.

[B]

It was.

[C]

There was every. Everyone also said congratulations and prayers for A safe delivery and recovery. And that was like. That's the thing that, like, people miss out a lot of the time is a safe delivery and full and whole recovery. And so that was really. That was really beautiful. And I really felt. I felt that love and that comfort around me. And so in regards to ER day, the maternity and nursing line that I've been designing, it was, you know, it felt like, you know.

[B]

Tell me about the name first. I think it's such a beautiful name first.

[C]

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Iyade means mother has arrived. Okay.

[B]

Because I knew there had to be meaning. I love that all kind of Yoruba names have such beautiful meanings.

[C]

Yeah. It means mother has arrived. And I really, I just felt really forgotten about as a mom. I felt like my clothes, like the. I mean, in la, it's nearly impossible to find a restaurant that has a baby changing station.

[B]

They're not very baby friendly.

[C]

Are they not? And you. I think it's like they want you to kind of bounce back.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And again, the baby to the nanny or daycare or whatever and then go. And then go live your life like you used to. And it's all very compartmentalized. And I'm like, that's not. That's not the reality. I don't want it to be my reality. I want my baby with me where I can. Like, I want to carry my baby on my back to a restaurant, be able to feed comfortably and then change them comfortably. Like, I'm not doing it on the floor of a bathroom, you know, so it was very much like about including my baby in my life. And so I actually all started with sinners, to be honest. I showed up to the read through in what I had been wearing as like my best dress. Oh, my God. Nursing clothes. And, you know, Ms. Ruth was like, hey, Tamara, do you think you could wear like, you know, like a bra with support? Do you think you could, like, wear like. And I was like, my goodness, I have not. I have looked like a slob for 19 months. That's how I felt. Like, I was like, oh, I've really felt.

[B]

When you say Miss Ruth, you mean Ruth Carter.

[C]

Miss Ruth Carter, yeah. Like, I was like, wow, I haven't worn underwire. I haven't. You know, even that, like, that's something that they just don't really have in America is underwire nursing bras. So I had to get mine imported from the uk. Are you kidding me? No, I'm not joking. That's how we had to rig nursing bras that we Got from the UK in order for me to pump and nurse on set and have support. Everything's all this stretchy. So.

[B]

Wait, you were nursing on set?

[C]

Oh, yeah. Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

On the set of Sinners.

[C]

Seven months. Oh, God.

[B]

Okay, so this is, like, full. This is full circle in a way.

[C]

Yeah, this is full circle. So this was like. And the first, you know, finally, like, wearing, like, I was like. When I put. When I put on a proper bra again, I was like, I wanna wear my clothes. I wanna wear the clothes that look like me instead of all these nursing T shirts. And they're so ugly. And they're so ugly, it's offensive. And then, like, if the baby spits up on you or you leak a little bit, you look like an idiot for the rest of the day. Oh, God. And I thought, I don't want this. Anyway, my mom had bought me some stuff from Nigeria, and I got. I got them kind of tailored in so that I could, like. I made a few of them crop tops instead of just regular tops so I could pull them up to feed. And my daughter threw up all over me at story time, and no one could tell. And I thought, why do we wear all these plain, ugly, stretchy clothes that just cling to our bodies in such ugly ways? And then actually, pattern and color is the perfect camouflage for a messy baby. Yes, it is. It's perfect. So then I ended up basically living in three outfits that I was like, I look cute in, and she can throw up on me, and it's great. So then I started designing. I was like, to Heidi, Ms. Ruth's, like, number one seamstress said, I have this idea of how this could work. Do you think this would. Do you think this would work? And she. I described her these openings, and she was like, I've never seen that done, and you need to go get that patented. So I did. So I designed it.

[B]

So it all came out of a ne. It all came out of. It also came out of sinners. Really?

[C]

Yeah, it really did. It really did.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

And I. So the dresses I wore for Comic Con 2024, those were both my first designs. And it was a perfect, like, experiment. So I, you know, I had this idea. I tried it. It worked, but I was like, if I just did something, if I put a seam right here, it'd be perfect. And that's. And, you know, I've had my designs patented and they work. And now I'm testing out the maternity stuff as I go.

[B]

The run through will be back in A moment.

[A]

Sometimes people ask me which search terms I use. Whenever I'm on ebay, though, I search a lot of dead stock. That's a term that I throw in there a lot. Dead stock means that no one's ever worn it before, but it is, like, an archival piece or it's a vintage piece. And so that's a great thing to find on ebay. There's a ton of dead stock, vintage. And it's just kind of, like, comforting to know that, like, you're the first person taking this, like, piece on its maiden voyage, even if it's 50 years old. Ebay offers this departure from the everyday that ends up feeling totally you.

[B]

Do you know what you're gonna wear to the Oscars yet? You don't have to reveal, but you can give us a hint. Are you watching the shows? Are you? What's your inspiration? Like, what are you thinking?

[C]

Oh, I see. I'm so bad at this. Like, Shamila's like, send me some inspiration. I was like, from where? What shows are you talking about? Not seriously watching couture shows. Oh, no, I haven't. It's okay. I haven't been watching.

[B]

You've been busy. You've got a warsie. It's okay.

[C]

Literally, every time I have a break, my eyes are shut and my feet are up. That's it. But, yes, maybe I need to do that.

[B]

You are literally superwoman.

[C]

I can't believe you're doing this.

[B]

Is it.

[C]

It is a lot.

[A]

It is.

[B]

Yeah, it's a lot. But I feel like that's how life is. Right? It just kind of all happens.

[C]

Yeah. And then my team is like, you know when doing award season while pregnant is like running a marathon in heels, And I can't. I can't tell you how true that is because these leg cramps I've been getting have been wild, and they're just purely because I'm pregnant and then always on a flight. So, yeah, I don't know what I'm wearing. The conversation starts this. I mean, I know who I'm wearing, but I don't know what I'm wearing yet. Clues to that. Not sure if I'm allowed to. Okay, cool.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

A big designer or kind of like independent?

[C]

A big designer. Oh, okay.

[B]

Okay. Can't wait. I cannot wait. I cannot, cannot, cannot wait. But before we go, because I know. I feel like we could talk for another hour. I have to talk to you about your next project. So tell us about your next project, because I know you have a. Is it Mango?

[A]

The next.

[C]

Oh, yeah, Mango. So I signed on to exec produce this short film called Mango and it's about fibroids. And so my, my friend Joaniola has written this beautiful script that's really eye opening and powerful. And so I just said I would join and support in any way I could. Yeah, yeah. And it's really well written, really well shot. It's a kind of body horror, but again, just kind of a completely different context. Yeah. But it really doesn't kind of of highlight the horrors of a medical system that doesn't truly understand or listen to women, black women's pain. So, yeah, I'm really, really proud to be a part of that. And then I've got Idris Elba's movie. This is how it goes.

[B]

Amazing.

[C]

Again, like another. That one was a very eye opening one for me because after playing Annie, I felt like really grounded and I was like, it's amazing.

[B]

I want to be Annie and be Annie.

[C]

You know what I mean? And then I played this and then I get this other character and I'm like, oh, I have all this judgment. And I was like, wow, I have a lot of judgment. And again, it feels like therapy whenever you're kind of challenged with a character that makes you look at yourself and how you look at the world and how you judge people. So that was interesting again, because she was kind. This character's a little opposite from Annie. Wow.

[B]

Oh, my God, I can't wait.

[C]

Yeah. And then there's a social network, which I don't know when that's coming out either. That's coming. How did you do all this? And pregnant.

[B]

I don't know. On the second baby, guys. On the second baby, I don't know

[C]

how I feel like. Women are incredible.

[B]

Yeah, they're really.

[C]

We really are the capacity. We can, we can hold. It's quite, it's quite extraordinary.

[B]

I'm sure you surprise yourself every day with it because I don't. I mean, did you plan it like this or did this.

[C]

No, no, no, no, no, no.

[B]

I was like, probably not.

[C]

No, no, no, no. It's like, you know, last year was quiet. Last year was very quiet.

[B]

A good year to do it.

[C]

Do you know what I mean? And then everything comes right at the end. You're like, wow. I had January through, through September. But yeah, it's been a welcome challenge though, because I've really enjoyed the sets I've been on and oh, I can't

[B]

wait for Social Network. It's going to be huge.

[C]

Yeah, it's been. It was great. It was really fun. And so, yeah, yeah, it's good. There's a lot going on now, so

[B]

I'm just so happy to have had you on the show. It's, like, such a joy. We've been talking about this for. Well, and very, very. Yeah. Excited to meet you and everything. Thank you. It's really great.

[C]

So nice meeting you, too. Yay.

[B]

That's it for the show. See you later.

[C]

The run through is produced by chelsea daniel, alex depalma. Alex, john burns, and kathryn millsop. It's engineered by pran bandy. It is mixed by mike kutchman.

[A]

My first job in New York City was as a trend forecaster. I do trend forecasting still, and ebay is a part of that because I'll search for things that I'm seeing around, and it will end up directing me in places that I could have never anticipated. And one of the trends that I'm seeing these days is crafting things that are made by hand. And so playing with clothes and accessories to create something kind of distinctive for your wardrobe is a great way of doing it. And getting supplies, Supplies off of ebay is my favorite thing for it. I'll get, like, maybe a pair of slippers that I'm wearing right now and then cut them in a specific way, and then they're totally my own. And I feel like it's a great resource to create your own trends because then you can both feel like you're bringing something back to life. You're already, like, pulling it out of the ebay archives, and then you're also adjusting it so that it really expresses your own style, which is something that, you know, people really want right now. Whenever they are feeling, like, so algorithmic about the style that's being pushed to them, that doesn't have to be perfect. Things can have rough edges, and that sometimes makes them feel more special.

[C]

From prx.