Creative Control

We all first fell in love with Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones on Glee. But before her breakout role, she was actually rejected from American Idol, which almost made her quit singing altogether. With her mirrorball-winning run on Dancing with the Stars; her roles in TV, film, and Broadway; and her own original recorded music, it’s hard to imagine the entertainment industry without a powerhouse like Amber—but it really almost never was. In this episode, Amber explains how she pushed past that initial rejection and how she’s building a brand on more than just her raw talent.

Danielle Brooks got her big break as Taystee, the lovable leader in Netflix's Orange is the New Black. That character was only meant to appear in a few episodes but wound up becoming the anchor for one of the show’s most poignant story arcs. But it shouldn’t be a surprise that Danielle’s talents stretched a bit part into a featured role. She’s always had leading lady potential—and she’s proving just that with her starring role as gospel legend Mahalia Jackson in Lifetime's biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia. In this episode, Danielle explains how she proved her leading lady abilities both in front of and behind the camera, why she almost turned down Orange is the New Black; and why Hollywood fame was never her goal.

The celebrated film composer and musician has been trying to be a better collaborator—and 37 years later, he's finally there. In this episode, Danny explains his breakthrough in collaboration with his latest solo album Big Mess, the best advice he's ever gotten from none other than Helena Bonham Carter, and he revisits some of his most well-loved film scores of his career.

Quinta Brunson is the perfect example of a creator who was able to turn her 15 minutes of viral fame into a solid career. In 2014, she first gained internet fame with her Instagram skit about a girl who's never been on a nice date. That exposure led to an opportunity to producer content for BuzzFeed. And from there, Quinta has been building her career with even bigger opportunities including HBO's A Black Lady Sketch Show, the upcoming ABC comedy Abbott Elementary that she created and stars in, and her new collection of personal essays She Memes Well. In this episode, Quinta explains how writing her book taught her how to ask for help, why she's rejecting the idea of going viral, and the key to handling rejection.

David Oyelowo’s pedigree of being a classically trained stage actor has largely translated into his career in film with weighty roles in Selma, The Butler, Nightingale, and etc. So when the opportunity to make his directorial debut with the kid-centric fantasy The Water Man came about, his fear was double-fold: stepping behind the camera for his first major film and going left of what people have come to expect from him as a "serious" actor. In this episode, David explains how his extensive acting career was the best kind of film school and how the very personal touches he brought to The Water Man.

At 19, Julia Michaels entered the music industry as a songwriter for artists including Fifth Harmony, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and many others. But she didn't dare step into the booth herself until she wrote her 2017 hit "Issues," which she felt was too personal to give to anyone else. Three EPs later (and jumping over hurdles of self-doubt), Julia has finally dropped her debut studio album, Not In Chronological Order. And it seems fitting that Julia, now 27, released her first full-length album when she herself is feeling the most fulfilled. In our conversation, Julia explains how she fights imposter syndrome; how being in a functional relationship shaped her creative approach to this album; and how she pushes past writer's block.

The author of critically acclaimed novels including The Joy Luck Club and The Kitchen God's Wife is known for beautifully unpacking facets of the Chinese immigrant experience, the complexities of family dynamics, and the trauma that often fuels it. In this episode, Amy breaks down her relationship between trauma and creativity, what she learned from being in a rock band, and the challenges of making something personal universal.

Zach King has made a name for himself as a digital illusionist, using seamless editing to create mind-bending videos. He gained popularity on Vine and has translated his brand of "magic" to TikTok where he's one of the platform's most followed creators. It's easy to get caught up in the wow factor of Zach's tricks, but what's truly impressive is how he seems to never run out of new ideas, which, apparently is a fear he's been working on overcoming. In our conversation, Zach explains how he keeps his creative momentum going, why limitations are necessary, and why he started revealing some of his digital magic secrets.

No one is doing prank comedy quite like Eric Andre. He got his start in standup but rose to fame/notoriety with Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show, a psychedelic sendup of late night talk shows where celebrity guests and everyday people on the street are at the mercy of his frenetic whims. It’s hard to tell sometimes, but beneath all the chaos of Andre’s physical comedy and pranks, there’s a craft he’s honed for five seasons of his show and that he’s applied to his Netflix film Bad Trip. In this episode, Andre explains the creative challenges of making a narrative prank comedy film, why he thinks his show has finally hit its stride 5 seasons in, and how Chris Rock talked him off the ledge from the biggest bomb of his career.

Wayne Brady is arguably one of the hardest working performers in show business. From Broadway to TV and film and everything in between, Wayne has done it all—and often simultaneously. In this episode, Wayne explains how he gave himself permission to pursue all of his passions (and why he refuses to pick just one), how he actually does it all without crashing and burning, and the number one thing to remember in unlocking your creative potential.