Erika Alexander, Get Out + Cosby Show Actress // Reinvention, Representation In Film + The Future Of Hollywood

Erika Alexander is an actress, writer & co-founder of Color Farm Media. She’s well known for her role as the iconic character Maxine Shaw, Attorney-at-Law in the 90s sitcom Living Single. She was a regular as Cousin Pam in The Cosby Show & appeared in the Oscar-winning film Get Out (2017).

Full show notes & timestamps: https://www.creatorlab.fm/erika-alexander-actress-get-out-cosby-show/

   Here are five things to listen out for:  

1. Childhood – her candid experience growing up as a child actor from the age of 14, her relationship with her parents & how this impacted her throughout her life.
2.  Being the “other” – feeling like an outsider when she first had some success
3. Importance of Diversity in Film & Media – how she’s approaching this challenge with Color Farm Media, why it’s important to hire the best people regardless, but find a balance to tell diverse stories
4. Role of Therapy – how she dealt with depression, navigated lows and the importance of mental health
5. The Future – hip-hop in Bollywood, collaborations of color, the projects she’s working on with Lionsgate & the importance of long-form conversations

Time Stamps:

• 2:32 – Introduction of Erika
• 4:45 – Her role on Living Single
• 8:38 – Erika’s childhood
• 12:15 – Was Erika always outgoing?
• 15:36 – The “look at me” gene
• 18:26 – First time acting
• 23:12 – Erika’s mom’s influence
• 25:46 – Becoming famous and losing her family
• 27:31 – Religion and belief when growing up
• 30:40 – Early pain struggle & depression
• 32:40 – Being the “other” in the family
• 36:45 – Ways to cope with parent pain
• 41:05 – Therapy and mental health
• 50:41 – Race and misrepresentation in work
• 51:52 – Race is an illusion
• 54:13 – Color Farm Media & it’s mission
• 57:06 – Ben Arnon help & info
• 61:17 – Current work
• 66:25 – Black Lightning
• 71:53 – Making diversity authentic
• 77:02 – Importance of diverse writers
• 82:25 – How to change in industry
• 85:33 – “I’m a badass at acting”
• 93:00 – Collaborations of color
• 95:50 – Hire the best writer, but include all
• 98:14 – The impact of long-form conversation
• 101:56 – Looking to the future