Erika Alexander

Erika Alexander, an acclaimed actress known for her roles in 'Living Single' and 'Invasion,' joins the conversation. The hosts dive deep into the legal and cultural repercussions following a recent tragic event involving Charlie Kirk. They dissect the critical differences between empathy and sympathy, especially in political contexts. Erika shares insights about her work in media representation through her company, Color Farm Media, emphasizing the importance of authentic narratives and the evolution of Black culture in entertainment. A vibrant discussion on the power of storytelling follows!

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:   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.  Being the “other” – feeling like an outsider when she first had some success 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 Role of Therapy – how she dealt with depression, navigated lows and the importance of mental health 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