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Speaker 1: Still living in manually taking notes. There is a better way to start the new year with auto dot ai automatically get meeting notes. Auto dot ai works for virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Sign up on the web for free or download in the app stores auto dot ai. That's O T T e r dot Ai. This podcast is sponsored by Better Help Online Therapy. I'm Michlene Maloof and I'm Nadiadesi, licensed therapists and hosts of Getting Better Stories of Mental Health. Join us for discussions with Megan Trainer, Chris Bosh, Rebel Wilson, and more, from discussing motherhood to immigrating to general mental health. Our guests are awe inspiring. We all struggle with the same things, so let's talk about it and de stigmatize them. Find our new podcast, Getting Better Stories of Mental Health on iHeart Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Sticky notes, email alerts a string around your finger. They're just not big enough. So here's a big reminder from the California Lottery. Tomorrow's Mega Millions jack potties over three million play now please. Players must be eighteen years older to purchase player fan That's right, Rashan McDonald and welcome the Money Making Conversations. Each Money Making Conversation talk shows about entrepreneurship and entertainment. I provide the consumer and business owner access to interviews with celebrities, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and industry decision makers. It is important to understand that everybody travels a different path to success. That's because your brand is different. The challenges you're facing your life are different. So stop reading other people's success stories and start writing your own. Now. You can be motivated by their success because their stories can offer direction and help you reach your goal through your planning and your committed effort. The Money Making Conversation interviews provide relatable information to the listener about career and financial planning, entrepreneurship, motivation, leadership, overcoming the arts, and how to live a balance life. My next guest was a former track star. Okay, it's really important to note she's an athlete because she's starting in a new episode new series that she's very athletic, was discovered on a on YouTube as a singer. Not that here here was a former track star now, but was discovered on YouTube as a singer. Now she's a model because she's very attractive, a rioting actress in Hollywood because you know, somebody patched her in. On the interview, she just called me director. Somebody patched her in, So she's big timing. You've seen her work on f on f X, Atlanta, bt S, American Soul, the movie super Fly, and Fox Musical Drama Star. She's on the show to talk about her career huh, which I really love, talking about the hashtag love and lightheart, love and Lightheart and soul scholarships, the ups and downs of Hollywood, and her new sci fi series which I am in love with, Vagrant Queen. Please welcome to Money Making Conversation. Adrian Ray. Hello, Hello, Hi, thank you for having me. First of all, thank you for coming on the show. Adrian, I'm happy to be here. Now. Where are you based there right now? And Angeles? Okay? Cool? Now? The TV show? Mm hmm, I love it. Are your character Elita is uh? First of all, I don't want to drop the gun because you know, when you see something you tend to overtalk the show a lot. Did just tell me about your character Elita? Well, Elita is a young queen. She was deemed queen at a very young age queen and denial though right when you say that, No, she's um. She's a young queen who at a young age her monarchy was overthrown, and because it was overthrown, she was you know, cast out, and she's been on the run for all these years of her life. And by the Republic's overthrowing her monarchy that she led to the death of her mother and her father. So um, she has resentment towards you know, the monarchy and and the crown in general. Okay. So so that means that you are a reluctant queen. Okay, cool knock. Now you have two sidekicks on the show. You have all I want to say. She's uh. First of all, Isaac. He's a person who you um uh stole his ship and he shot you. Okay. And then you have a maid and a main character. Is interesting because we know she's gay. But then it's always seems to be a moment that there may be something else between you and her, but somebody interrupts. It's kind of like a it does she like a maid? Is she trying to flirt with a maid? Because we know a maid which way she rolls? But we don't know which way Alita rolls, and so the first five episodes got your board, meaning Rashan McDonald going over here, Mmm, is that potential romance between Alita and a maid? Can you give me that to dot dot dot or do I need to keep looking at the various episodes to find out. Well, as you continue to watch, it will become more clear. I mean, it's it's the view that we've given to that. Um. In regards to the show, we literally gave it the seeing view as the character. So the audience see how this goes just like the characters do. UM. But I would say to you the key is to look at Alita in the may when they're not looking at each other or they don't like when amazed looking away, look at Alita and see, I'll be looking, I'm looking at I'm looking, I'm looking. So definitely definitely a little a little, a little sexual tension and things like that. Elina is a pan sexual. UM, so yeah, there's definitely some sexual tension in some googly hard eyes. And it's always that moment. Good writing, as they say, good writing because and you're a very good actress, by the way, I won't compliment you you know, when you found out your mother was alive, you know, a t are dropped immediately and I went and you know it wasn't one of those you know, I'm gonna tell you. So, I'm a type of person when I cry. You know, I can't talk and cry at the same time. So you know I do want to type crying and talking. Okay, and so and so I'm looking at you just dropping these tears and still maintaining vocal control. How do you do that? Adrian Um actually worked with a vocal coach, and you know that's skill, right, that's a skill you have to learn, right, well, not necessarily, but it does help to have diaphragm control, regardless of in your breast control. It's all control of the breathing. So you're saying I'm a loser, mis right, that's right there, Sam, a loser. I can't because because I can't cry and maintain vocal control. You know, I have these these these heavy breathing. You just got it. You just gotta control that diaph so tighten up the tightened up the gud. But see, I have not. I was not a track star. I didn't have that, you know, because one thing about a track star. You had that diet fram right that that six pack, when you turn that corner, the knees coming up near that chest, you're gonna be right now, So don't you do me on my own show. Now, this interview is going bad for me right now. She's already told me in other shape, I can't keep my breath. So let's talk about this series now. First of all, you know, um, when the when the opportunity came for me to interview you, you know, you know, we were in the meeting and I looked you up online and I just started. I know her from Atlanta, and I knew from American soul, and of course star. Now you are the star of this series, vagrant queen. That is an enormous responsibility. Talk walk us through the steps of auditioning and when you first was realized when it told you you was going to be the star to show and you've been cast as the lead. Talk us about that, because this is something I would commit. Tell them before you answer the response. I just want to tell you something, honestly, when I watch you, you're so talented. Secondly, I realized that there's a high level of innocence in you that you're doing what you love and and you're being blessed to deliver it in this show. And the fact that you're doing it at such a young age and on a show that's high profile, a high budget, and a lot of sets. It's really wonderful. Now you can respond, thank you. Um So, I got the audition from a manager and he sent over the side. I immediately tried to get into the world of Vague and Queen. So I read the comic, I read the side, and I read the pilot script, which really all of it helps because the writer, Jim um She's she's amazing and amazingly talented, and she really did a great job but taking that comic book because it's an adaptation, to taking that comic book world and really turning it into a TV adaptation, and you could really find the two worlds to be the same when you go from the comic to the television series. So I really found, you know, the comics to be very helpful. So I went and built my character and instantly fell in love with her, instantly resonated with her words. I was off book as in, um My, the words that they gave me to audition with were memorized very fast, and um. From doing that, I did my audition. You know, I just went out there and I had funds and I did what I thought. You know, it was funny and fun and you know what I wanted to do when I wanted to bring to the character. And luckily and amazingly well the whole career of team. They really liked my audition. So they called me in for a callback with some tweaks, and I sipped over another tape because at this point our show, Lennard was in South Africa and I located in Los Angeles, so he did it yourself to too self tapes. And then I get a phone call from my manager and he tells me. He says, can I speak to Alida? And I just start freaking out. I'm in Rows. I gotta get out there. I gotta get out the store, like the grocery store in Los Angeles. But they're just be staying like Ralphs everywhere. Raps aren't everywhere. Ralphs is a big It's like crowbars or publics. It's based in Los Angeles. Five. I've really lost fifty. It's really big. Okay, continue, I'm in the grocery store and I get out and I have to you know, have my whole moment and then tell me that I book it, and you know that that feeling was just amazing. And none of it actually hit me that I was the lead in a woman of color lead in the sci fi series l g pt Q plus representation. None of that really hit me in the moment. All of it was just like home, man, I booked a show, and that's just like where I was living in the moment. And as I got you know, to South Africa, as I got started in it's costum it all started like unraveling and like, oh I am I am the actual lead. I am the vagrant queen. I am a woman of color leading a sci fi series. And you know, but as much as it could seem, you know, scary to someone, um, it wasn't. It wasn't terrifying or scary to me because I didn't see it as like something that could possibly turn negative at all. So because of the way I embraced it, it really allowed me to, um just live in that space and embrace it and flourish within it. And I'm just super grateful and humble to be able to play such an impactful role, a powerful role that has so much representation on so many different levels. You know, you we're living in the era of the Black Panther. Okay, well we know that. You know, when you're given an opportunity, you have to shine because you know, we never know because everybody, you know, if a failure that at that high profile level can deter other opportunities at their level. And so Black Panther delivered over the of her and uh and also open doors. I'd like to believe for opportunities like this. And when I see what you're doing. You know, I saw the first episode and it's like, if you're a fan of Guardian of the Galaxy, this is a tone the character type tone because she's an anti hero. She she she's a reluctant hero and uh. And as each episode goes along, she starts gathering her her band, her group, her her teammates, her sidekicks, you know. And Isaac is a reluctant sidekick who is from Earth but watched serious who you can get his backstory. And then a May she picked him up, she picked her, picked her up. And a May is kind of like she's along for the ride, you know, she's been supposed to be a person that was supposed to be just dropped off. But hey, she she she sees some opportunities just to be creative. She's a she's a geek, She's a She's a guru in the in the mechanic room. She is the uh. She is the Scotty Scotty. We need more power. We need more power of Star Trek correct the glue that hold us together, for sure, but more importantly, you to glue we come back. I want to talk about, you know, the some how you got started as a YouTube singer. I want to talk about the training. I want to talk about the sets. I want to talk about your your give back program, your scholarships. You are an amazing person, Adrian Ray. I'm so happy you're doing money making conversations so I can tell the world about your talents. We'll be right back with more money making conversations. It's finally here, the season of celebration. 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You're listening to money making conversations on the phone. Is very talented. You know, she heard about her good news about the vagrant queen and Ralt's grocery store. Whoa, she threw the She threw the banalas and the legs into Demato's up an ass. She ran out and started uh krip walking in the parking lot. She was so happy. She's just doing her things. But right now when she's doing on this show is telling us about her new series, which is on sci Fi on Thursday nights at eleven Eastern that's when I watch it every Thursday night. I've seen the first five episodes of Vagrant Queen and the fifth episode. You know, each episode gets better. The fifth episode may be mad because it really you know, what's what's what's the villain's name? Last us? What's the villains? The villain's name Lazaro, Lazaro. You know he is an evil, evil guy. Now, I'm gonna tell you something. This series is. You know, they beat up people. There's some blood in the series now, and there's some campiness which which should be called humor. And there is uh teamwork. There's a lot of backstabbing, there's a lot of lying, there's a lot of I thought you said this, I thought you was This is a lot of unforeseen directions for the characters. And you think you're going into the direction their lives that are lost, their lives that are lost, that more lives that are lost, and then it windlers are all down to where you're at right now. You're you're out the episodes five, I'm believing, and you're ready to save the galaxy? Correct? I can't speak on that. Oh my goodness, I sent you off, Adrian, and you're just gonna leave me hanging out there. I don't think I'm telling the series. I think I'm just happen to five now, episode five, I would think that's the attitude you're gonna have moving forward. Crazy man, he got the the ORB that you you didn't have time to get the information on how to use it. And then I was saying he knew how to use it. Now he has ultimate power. I don't even know how you're gonna tackle him, because even though you are blood, you have the blood of the of the Kingdom, of the Queen or the king or whatever, you still on have the orb. He has it now. So now episode six, which I have to watch this Thursday night at eleven o'clock on Sci Fi Channel, I'm just I'm talking to Adrian Rage. She should starve frakon Queen a great, great series. Or people reacting to you like I'm reacting to you. Um, everyone reacts differently. Oh am I reacting? You know, I don't want to be like a little a little fan. I don't know what I'm talking about, am I am? I? Okay? Cool? Thank you, because you have a great series. Now, before we got to the great series already, nor Bio, you were discovered on YouTube as a singer. How does that happen? Uh, divine intervention, I suppose because I had like no YouTube subscribers or anything like that. I just suse house cooking on Instagram. No one followed, and uh, they went to the YouTube and checked out the song, and then they actually worked at um they worked at Radar, which is a subdivision of Epic Records, and they showed their boss and their bosses like Burner and let's let's have her sing for us and let's talk to her, and uh, yeah we were And it's from there. But that's that's literally how I started getting into the entertainment industry. And from there, you know, I I being w some sets and things like that. I found out about acting, and because I was in Atlanta, you know, that's black Hollywood. And I remember being on a video set and doing acting, like as like like lead acting, and they were like pretty good at this, and I was like, I don't know what I'm doing, and they're like, you know, you should really try because you're in Atlanta and should at least just you know, give it a try sense you're here. So I was like okay, and then I found my mentor Carl Payne, who yeah, and he took me under his wing and just taught me so so so very much and not forever grade of the Carl and uh he started me with you know, Stanislavsky, Sella Adler and those those techniques. So the first thing Carl did with me was trained. I know often people when they turn and they say, I want to be an actor, And that's that's fine if that's your passion. It's a beautiful thing that you found that. But the first thing is not needed to I need to get head shots and find the act, find the agent and go book a role. The first thing you need to do is train because um as I h as I read in a beautiful interview by Brittany who is one of the stars of Boomerang. She said, it is it is your talent. It's like an agent will get you in the room, yes, but your talent will keep you in the room. Your talent will get you booked. So that's that's the important thing that you really need to call today. Well, let's go back to the show now, bounce back and forth because a different points I went back. Now the sets, now, this is one that has impressed me about the show, because when you do a show like this, you know, one of the things that can destroy a show is to set uh, which was tied towards the acting, the the I guess, the fight sequences, the special effects, and your show does a phenomenal job. Talk about the sets that and where you guys are shooting the show. Well, the steps are absolutely phenomenal, like you said, and we shoot in kick Out, South Africa, which offers just a huge variety of terrain to work with. I mean from episode five you see the dunes in Atlantis and then all the way to the beautiful mountains that you see in episode three where I go meet Clive, all of these are actual mountains and dunes. They're not c g ied. I mean the most c g I is like extra moons added into the sky. So um, you know it looks of another galaxy, not yours. But yeah, we uh we we for sure, no, we for sure had a lot of fun filming in all these different places, and it was just beautiful that one place in the Motherland had so much to offer regarding not just the scenes and the sets, but also the talent. There's a lot of South African actors who are a part of our casting crew, are part of our castin. Yeah, and it was just it was just a beautiful, beautiful thing to experience. Well, you know, I'll be remiss if I don't talk about the makeup because the makeups phenomenal. The makeup design and all that is crafted very well. And that's what that's what excites me about this show. First, I'm a sci fi person and you're watching sci fi. But but to support you as a lead on an incredibly well produced, crafted series is important because of the fact that you're good. You're really, really good at what you do. Now, there's a lot of physical fight scenes, there's a lot of running, there's a lot of jumping. Talk to us about that training process. Well, luckily, like you say, stated, I've been an athlete all of my life. Um, I've been playing to hockey since I was five, running track, basketball, all these things. So I was able to have you know, that coordination, center of gravity, all of those things naturally within my being. But I had an amazing stunt like crew, and you know, they trained me. I had a personal trainer as well, who training with boxing and kinesthetic and dynamic training. The kickboxing and you know, as actors, it is our job to make sure that we stay in shape. But I didn't know I was going to get an action hero role. So you know, my my training had to shift from just going to the gym with dowing cardio to actually like punching and kicking and working out in a different way, more athletic building a way. So, um, that's what my training consisted of. Uh. We shot six days a week. I trained three the five times a week, and I had one day to myself everyday every week. Now, with that being said, did you get any bruises or did you get thrown off on any of the Uh? Any the acting the physical scenes are are because I'm watching, I'm trying to it's that her fighting is that? How making that kick? Is that making? How make that throw? Is she being thrown around? How did that work out for you physically? In all the action scenes? Um, I actually did ninety percent of my stunt. Okay, come on, my girl, So I did not need percent of my stunts, and I did injure myself. You know, there's there's small little injuries like cuts or things like that that happened. But I've never I've never really like genuinely hurt myself, like badly. I did, you know, some bumps and bruises, but all of which I'm just I didn't even tell anybody about it because I wanted to continue to do my stunt. I was like, no, I'm fine, just just just manned up there. Hey, don't worry about I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. Yeah, I'm good. Well, well, I'll just let you know that this is I'm just having fun talking to you because you know, I'm talking to the start of the series and you're answering inside questions, except you know what's going to happen after episode five. You know that's the only thing you see. You're not gonna which up. Cool. I respect that of it. We're gonna get a relationship going here. You know, ventual on future interviews. You know you're gonna let me in a little bit more secret. Let's talk about your scholarships. You know, the shift here because this is the side of you that I always like to talk with with by especially people in entertainment. I call it a balance life, you know, being able to you know you're focused on your career, but what are you doing for the community. What what what? What? What keeps your mind active when you're not acting or entertaining. It's called the hashtag love and light, heart and soul scholarship tell us about that. Yeah, so this scholarship, I must say, is so so so close to my heart. Um. As I previously stated, I am a certified laboratory scientists and I went to school and studied tradition assistant studies as well. So I have degrees, and I know what it's like to be a first generation college student. I know what it's like to go to college and your parents are like, that's amazing. I don't we don't know how we can pay for that, but that's amazing that you got in and you just try to figure out a way to make this work. I remember that anxiety that I had. I remember the stress that I had every Sylvester in the midst of finals, because that's when it's all winding down, worrying about if I'm going to have enough money to live on campus, if I'm gonna have enough money for books, cannot even pay my scholars to my tubition, will be able to come back. That's just the fear. I genuinely I didn't like it at all, And as someone who has been blessed to be able to live in my passion and have the financial stability to give back, I feel like it's my duty to actually help students. They don't have to go through these things, and if I can do something about it, I'm going to help. So the Love and Life Media, Heart and Soul Scholarship is my way of getting back to the community in that way. So the Heart Scholarship is for the heart of our country, and it is for students who are interested in things in the medical field, whether that's nursing, p a OT, occupation of therapy, um as a doctor, as a nurse practitioner, all of those things. And it's for people who you know, come from I the privileged areas. You have to have a certain criteria for you t p A. And then you had the Soul Scholarship, which I believes for the soul of our nation. It's just the art, the art speed your soul. So for those are those people who want to go into you know, cinematography, directing, they want to go into school for theater, that's a scholarship that's available for them, and we're working very hard to get that off the ground. Amiss this COVID nineteen pandemic, but we're really working on it to get it off the ground. My friend, I want to thank you for coming on my show. She's the star of the hit sci fi series sci Fis on sci Fi Network. I shouldn't say sci Fire serious. It's on the Sci Fi Network every Thursday in eleven Eastern. You can catch her uh the star of Vagrant Queen. Uh. Two sidekicks Isaac and Amy, and they're fantastic. I laugh. I enjoy um. First of all, your wonderful interview. By the way, I want to let you know your your job with gold Talk forever, but again we all have time limits, and I will support your show. I'll put banners. I'll talk to your PR company is send me banners so I can poach it on my social media. Almost got a million followers, and I also have a ninety thousand fan clove uh uh group that that's pretty loyal to me. That I'm gonna put your banner. And then know that you've got a young person over here that's supporting you and gonna keep winning with you. And then you know more bar call pain so that that's another extra extra blessing in this relationship, my friend, So you keep winning, Okay, no one to thank you for coming on money making Conversations like all right, thank you. If you want to hear more interviews about money making conversation, please go to money Making Conversation dot com. I'm Rashan McDonald. I'm your host. In this season of giving, Cools has gifts for all your loved ones. For those who like to keep it cozy, find fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, blankets and throws. Or support minority owned or founded brands by giving gifts from Human Nation and Shame Moisture. And in the spirit of giving, coals k is donating eight million dollars to local nonprofits nationwide. Give with all your heart this season with great gifts from Coals or Coals dot com. Still living in manually taking notes, There is a better way to start the new year with auto dot ai automatically get meeting notes. Auto dot ai works for virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Sign up on the web for free or download in the app stores. Auto dot ai that's O T T E R. Dot Ai. Sticky notes, email alerts a string around your finger. They're just not big enough. So here's a big reminder from the California Lottery Tomorrow's Megamillions jack potties, which three million play. Now, please play responsible. You must be eighteen years older to purchase player Pian
Speaker 1: Still living in manually taking notes. There is a better way to start the new year with auto dot ai automatically get meeting notes. Auto dot ai works for virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Sign up on the web for free or download in the app stores auto dot ai. That's O T T e r dot Ai. This podcast is sponsored by Better Help Online Therapy. I'm Michlene Maloof and I'm Nadiadesi, licensed therapists and hosts of Getting Better Stories of Mental Health. Join us for discussions with Megan Trainer, Chris Bosh, Rebel Wilson, and more, from discussing motherhood to immigrating to general mental health. Our guests are awe inspiring. We all struggle with the same things, so let's talk about it and de stigmatize them. Find our new podcast, Getting Better Stories of Mental Health on iHeart Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Sticky notes, email alerts a string around your finger. They're just not big enough. So here's a big reminder from the California Lottery. Tomorrow's Mega Millions jack potties over three million play now please. Players must be eighteen years older to purchase player fan That's right, Rashan McDonald and welcome the Money Making Conversations. Each Money Making Conversation talk shows about entrepreneurship and entertainment. I provide the consumer and business owner access to interviews with celebrities, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and industry decision makers. It is important to understand that everybody travels a different path to success. That's because your brand is different. The challenges you're facing your life are different. So stop reading other people's success stories and start writing your own. Now. You can be motivated by their success because their stories can offer direction and help you reach your goal through your planning and your committed effort. The Money Making Conversation interviews provide relatable information to the listener about career and financial planning, entrepreneurship, motivation, leadership, overcoming the arts, and how to live a balance life. My next guest was a former track star. Okay, it's really important to note she's an athlete because she's starting in a new episode new series that she's very athletic, was discovered on a on YouTube as a singer. Not that here here was a former track star now, but was discovered on YouTube as a singer. Now she's a model because she's very attractive, a rioting actress in Hollywood because you know, somebody patched her in. On the interview, she just called me director. Somebody patched her in, So she's big timing. You've seen her work on f on f X, Atlanta, bt S, American Soul, the movie super Fly, and Fox Musical Drama Star. She's on the show to talk about her career huh, which I really love, talking about the hashtag love and lightheart, love and Lightheart and soul scholarships, the ups and downs of Hollywood, and her new sci fi series which I am in love with, Vagrant Queen. Please welcome to Money Making Conversation. Adrian Ray. Hello, Hello, Hi, thank you for having me. First of all, thank you for coming on the show. Adrian, I'm happy to be here. Now. Where are you based there right now? And Angeles? Okay? Cool? Now? The TV show? Mm hmm, I love it. Are your character Elita is uh? First of all, I don't want to drop the gun because you know, when you see something you tend to overtalk the show a lot. Did just tell me about your character Elita? Well, Elita is a young queen. She was deemed queen at a very young age queen and denial though right when you say that, No, she's um. She's a young queen who at a young age her monarchy was overthrown, and because it was overthrown, she was you know, cast out, and she's been on the run for all these years of her life. And by the Republic's overthrowing her monarchy that she led to the death of her mother and her father. So um, she has resentment towards you know, the monarchy and and the crown in general. Okay. So so that means that you are a reluctant queen. Okay, cool knock. Now you have two sidekicks on the show. You have all I want to say. She's uh. First of all, Isaac. He's a person who you um uh stole his ship and he shot you. Okay. And then you have a maid and a main character. Is interesting because we know she's gay. But then it's always seems to be a moment that there may be something else between you and her, but somebody interrupts. It's kind of like a it does she like a maid? Is she trying to flirt with a maid? Because we know a maid which way she rolls? But we don't know which way Alita rolls, and so the first five episodes got your board, meaning Rashan McDonald going over here, Mmm, is that potential romance between Alita and a maid? Can you give me that to dot dot dot or do I need to keep looking at the various episodes to find out. Well, as you continue to watch, it will become more clear. I mean, it's it's the view that we've given to that. Um. In regards to the show, we literally gave it the seeing view as the character. So the audience see how this goes just like the characters do. UM. But I would say to you the key is to look at Alita in the may when they're not looking at each other or they don't like when amazed looking away, look at Alita and see, I'll be looking, I'm looking at I'm looking, I'm looking. So definitely definitely a little a little, a little sexual tension and things like that. Elina is a pan sexual. UM, so yeah, there's definitely some sexual tension in some googly hard eyes. And it's always that moment. Good writing, as they say, good writing because and you're a very good actress, by the way, I won't compliment you you know, when you found out your mother was alive, you know, a t are dropped immediately and I went and you know it wasn't one of those you know, I'm gonna tell you. So, I'm a type of person when I cry. You know, I can't talk and cry at the same time. So you know I do want to type crying and talking. Okay, and so and so I'm looking at you just dropping these tears and still maintaining vocal control. How do you do that? Adrian Um actually worked with a vocal coach, and you know that's skill, right, that's a skill you have to learn, right, well, not necessarily, but it does help to have diaphragm control, regardless of in your breast control. It's all control of the breathing. So you're saying I'm a loser, mis right, that's right there, Sam, a loser. I can't because because I can't cry and maintain vocal control. You know, I have these these these heavy breathing. You just got it. You just gotta control that diaph so tighten up the tightened up the gud. But see, I have not. I was not a track star. I didn't have that, you know, because one thing about a track star. You had that diet fram right that that six pack, when you turn that corner, the knees coming up near that chest, you're gonna be right now, So don't you do me on my own show. Now, this interview is going bad for me right now. She's already told me in other shape, I can't keep my breath. So let's talk about this series now. First of all, you know, um, when the when the opportunity came for me to interview you, you know, you know, we were in the meeting and I looked you up online and I just started. I know her from Atlanta, and I knew from American soul, and of course star. Now you are the star of this series, vagrant queen. That is an enormous responsibility. Talk walk us through the steps of auditioning and when you first was realized when it told you you was going to be the star to show and you've been cast as the lead. Talk us about that, because this is something I would commit. Tell them before you answer the response. I just want to tell you something, honestly, when I watch you, you're so talented. Secondly, I realized that there's a high level of innocence in you that you're doing what you love and and you're being blessed to deliver it in this show. And the fact that you're doing it at such a young age and on a show that's high profile, a high budget, and a lot of sets. It's really wonderful. Now you can respond, thank you. Um So, I got the audition from a manager and he sent over the side. I immediately tried to get into the world of Vague and Queen. So I read the comic, I read the side, and I read the pilot script, which really all of it helps because the writer, Jim um She's she's amazing and amazingly talented, and she really did a great job but taking that comic book because it's an adaptation, to taking that comic book world and really turning it into a TV adaptation, and you could really find the two worlds to be the same when you go from the comic to the television series. So I really found, you know, the comics to be very helpful. So I went and built my character and instantly fell in love with her, instantly resonated with her words. I was off book as in, um My, the words that they gave me to audition with were memorized very fast, and um. From doing that, I did my audition. You know, I just went out there and I had funds and I did what I thought. You know, it was funny and fun and you know what I wanted to do when I wanted to bring to the character. And luckily and amazingly well the whole career of team. They really liked my audition. So they called me in for a callback with some tweaks, and I sipped over another tape because at this point our show, Lennard was in South Africa and I located in Los Angeles, so he did it yourself to too self tapes. And then I get a phone call from my manager and he tells me. He says, can I speak to Alida? And I just start freaking out. I'm in Rows. I gotta get out there. I gotta get out the store, like the grocery store in Los Angeles. But they're just be staying like Ralphs everywhere. Raps aren't everywhere. Ralphs is a big It's like crowbars or publics. It's based in Los Angeles. Five. I've really lost fifty. It's really big. Okay, continue, I'm in the grocery store and I get out and I have to you know, have my whole moment and then tell me that I book it, and you know that that feeling was just amazing. And none of it actually hit me that I was the lead in a woman of color lead in the sci fi series l g pt Q plus representation. None of that really hit me in the moment. All of it was just like home, man, I booked a show, and that's just like where I was living in the moment. And as I got you know, to South Africa, as I got started in it's costum it all started like unraveling and like, oh I am I am the actual lead. I am the vagrant queen. I am a woman of color leading a sci fi series. And you know, but as much as it could seem, you know, scary to someone, um, it wasn't. It wasn't terrifying or scary to me because I didn't see it as like something that could possibly turn negative at all. So because of the way I embraced it, it really allowed me to, um just live in that space and embrace it and flourish within it. And I'm just super grateful and humble to be able to play such an impactful role, a powerful role that has so much representation on so many different levels. You know, you we're living in the era of the Black Panther. Okay, well we know that. You know, when you're given an opportunity, you have to shine because you know, we never know because everybody, you know, if a failure that at that high profile level can deter other opportunities at their level. And so Black Panther delivered over the of her and uh and also open doors. I'd like to believe for opportunities like this. And when I see what you're doing. You know, I saw the first episode and it's like, if you're a fan of Guardian of the Galaxy, this is a tone the character type tone because she's an anti hero. She she she's a reluctant hero and uh. And as each episode goes along, she starts gathering her her band, her group, her her teammates, her sidekicks, you know. And Isaac is a reluctant sidekick who is from Earth but watched serious who you can get his backstory. And then a May she picked him up, she picked her, picked her up. And a May is kind of like she's along for the ride, you know, she's been supposed to be a person that was supposed to be just dropped off. But hey, she she she sees some opportunities just to be creative. She's a she's a geek, She's a She's a guru in the in the mechanic room. She is the uh. She is the Scotty Scotty. We need more power. We need more power of Star Trek correct the glue that hold us together, for sure, but more importantly, you to glue we come back. I want to talk about, you know, the some how you got started as a YouTube singer. I want to talk about the training. I want to talk about the sets. I want to talk about your your give back program, your scholarships. You are an amazing person, Adrian Ray. I'm so happy you're doing money making conversations so I can tell the world about your talents. We'll be right back with more money making conversations. It's finally here, the season of celebration. 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With Hoppin, you can host a fully fledged digital meet up, complete with one on one meetings, hands on sessions, and expo booths. And because everything is hosted in a single, easy to use platform, it can be as big or small as you want, remain convenient for anyone who wants to attend, and give you access to data you never would have known otherwise. Visit hoppin dot com to learn more and get started. Still living in and man only taking notes start the new year with auto dot ai to generate automatic notes for meetings, interviews, or lectures. With auto dot ai, you can search the meeting notes, insert images, play back the audio, and share them with your friends or coworkers. You can capture action items, remember meeting details, and keep everyone informed. Auto dot ai works for in person or virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google meet. Sign up for free at auto dit ai or download the app for free auto dot ai. That's O T T E R dot Ai. Hi, this is Rushan McDonald. You're listening to money making conversations on the phone. Is very talented. You know, she heard about her good news about the vagrant queen and Ralt's grocery store. Whoa, she threw the She threw the banalas and the legs into Demato's up an ass. She ran out and started uh krip walking in the parking lot. She was so happy. She's just doing her things. But right now when she's doing on this show is telling us about her new series, which is on sci Fi on Thursday nights at eleven Eastern that's when I watch it every Thursday night. I've seen the first five episodes of Vagrant Queen and the fifth episode. You know, each episode gets better. The fifth episode may be mad because it really you know, what's what's what's the villain's name? Last us? What's the villains? The villain's name Lazaro, Lazaro. You know he is an evil, evil guy. Now, I'm gonna tell you something. This series is. You know, they beat up people. There's some blood in the series now, and there's some campiness which which should be called humor. And there is uh teamwork. There's a lot of backstabbing, there's a lot of lying, there's a lot of I thought you said this, I thought you was This is a lot of unforeseen directions for the characters. And you think you're going into the direction their lives that are lost, their lives that are lost, that more lives that are lost, and then it windlers are all down to where you're at right now. You're you're out the episodes five, I'm believing, and you're ready to save the galaxy? Correct? I can't speak on that. Oh my goodness, I sent you off, Adrian, and you're just gonna leave me hanging out there. I don't think I'm telling the series. I think I'm just happen to five now, episode five, I would think that's the attitude you're gonna have moving forward. Crazy man, he got the the ORB that you you didn't have time to get the information on how to use it. And then I was saying he knew how to use it. Now he has ultimate power. I don't even know how you're gonna tackle him, because even though you are blood, you have the blood of the of the Kingdom, of the Queen or the king or whatever, you still on have the orb. He has it now. So now episode six, which I have to watch this Thursday night at eleven o'clock on Sci Fi Channel, I'm just I'm talking to Adrian Rage. She should starve frakon Queen a great, great series. Or people reacting to you like I'm reacting to you. Um, everyone reacts differently. Oh am I reacting? You know, I don't want to be like a little a little fan. I don't know what I'm talking about, am I am? I? Okay? Cool? Thank you, because you have a great series. Now, before we got to the great series already, nor Bio, you were discovered on YouTube as a singer. How does that happen? Uh, divine intervention, I suppose because I had like no YouTube subscribers or anything like that. I just suse house cooking on Instagram. No one followed, and uh, they went to the YouTube and checked out the song, and then they actually worked at um they worked at Radar, which is a subdivision of Epic Records, and they showed their boss and their bosses like Burner and let's let's have her sing for us and let's talk to her, and uh, yeah we were And it's from there. But that's that's literally how I started getting into the entertainment industry. And from there, you know, I I being w some sets and things like that. I found out about acting, and because I was in Atlanta, you know, that's black Hollywood. And I remember being on a video set and doing acting, like as like like lead acting, and they were like pretty good at this, and I was like, I don't know what I'm doing, and they're like, you know, you should really try because you're in Atlanta and should at least just you know, give it a try sense you're here. So I was like okay, and then I found my mentor Carl Payne, who yeah, and he took me under his wing and just taught me so so so very much and not forever grade of the Carl and uh he started me with you know, Stanislavsky, Sella Adler and those those techniques. So the first thing Carl did with me was trained. I know often people when they turn and they say, I want to be an actor, And that's that's fine if that's your passion. It's a beautiful thing that you found that. But the first thing is not needed to I need to get head shots and find the act, find the agent and go book a role. The first thing you need to do is train because um as I h as I read in a beautiful interview by Brittany who is one of the stars of Boomerang. She said, it is it is your talent. It's like an agent will get you in the room, yes, but your talent will keep you in the room. Your talent will get you booked. So that's that's the important thing that you really need to call today. Well, let's go back to the show now, bounce back and forth because a different points I went back. Now the sets, now, this is one that has impressed me about the show, because when you do a show like this, you know, one of the things that can destroy a show is to set uh, which was tied towards the acting, the the I guess, the fight sequences, the special effects, and your show does a phenomenal job. Talk about the sets that and where you guys are shooting the show. Well, the steps are absolutely phenomenal, like you said, and we shoot in kick Out, South Africa, which offers just a huge variety of terrain to work with. I mean from episode five you see the dunes in Atlantis and then all the way to the beautiful mountains that you see in episode three where I go meet Clive, all of these are actual mountains and dunes. They're not c g ied. I mean the most c g I is like extra moons added into the sky. So um, you know it looks of another galaxy, not yours. But yeah, we uh we we for sure, no, we for sure had a lot of fun filming in all these different places, and it was just beautiful that one place in the Motherland had so much to offer regarding not just the scenes and the sets, but also the talent. There's a lot of South African actors who are a part of our casting crew, are part of our castin. Yeah, and it was just it was just a beautiful, beautiful thing to experience. Well, you know, I'll be remiss if I don't talk about the makeup because the makeups phenomenal. The makeup design and all that is crafted very well. And that's what that's what excites me about this show. First, I'm a sci fi person and you're watching sci fi. But but to support you as a lead on an incredibly well produced, crafted series is important because of the fact that you're good. You're really, really good at what you do. Now, there's a lot of physical fight scenes, there's a lot of running, there's a lot of jumping. Talk to us about that training process. Well, luckily, like you say, stated, I've been an athlete all of my life. Um, I've been playing to hockey since I was five, running track, basketball, all these things. So I was able to have you know, that coordination, center of gravity, all of those things naturally within my being. But I had an amazing stunt like crew, and you know, they trained me. I had a personal trainer as well, who training with boxing and kinesthetic and dynamic training. The kickboxing and you know, as actors, it is our job to make sure that we stay in shape. But I didn't know I was going to get an action hero role. So you know, my my training had to shift from just going to the gym with dowing cardio to actually like punching and kicking and working out in a different way, more athletic building a way. So, um, that's what my training consisted of. Uh. We shot six days a week. I trained three the five times a week, and I had one day to myself everyday every week. Now, with that being said, did you get any bruises or did you get thrown off on any of the Uh? Any the acting the physical scenes are are because I'm watching, I'm trying to it's that her fighting is that? How making that kick? Is that making? How make that throw? Is she being thrown around? How did that work out for you physically? In all the action scenes? Um, I actually did ninety percent of my stunt. Okay, come on, my girl, So I did not need percent of my stunts, and I did injure myself. You know, there's there's small little injuries like cuts or things like that that happened. But I've never I've never really like genuinely hurt myself, like badly. I did, you know, some bumps and bruises, but all of which I'm just I didn't even tell anybody about it because I wanted to continue to do my stunt. I was like, no, I'm fine, just just just manned up there. Hey, don't worry about I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. I'm good. Yeah, I'm good. Well, well, I'll just let you know that this is I'm just having fun talking to you because you know, I'm talking to the start of the series and you're answering inside questions, except you know what's going to happen after episode five. You know that's the only thing you see. You're not gonna which up. Cool. I respect that of it. We're gonna get a relationship going here. You know, ventual on future interviews. You know you're gonna let me in a little bit more secret. Let's talk about your scholarships. You know, the shift here because this is the side of you that I always like to talk with with by especially people in entertainment. I call it a balance life, you know, being able to you know you're focused on your career, but what are you doing for the community. What what what? What? What keeps your mind active when you're not acting or entertaining. It's called the hashtag love and light, heart and soul scholarship tell us about that. Yeah, so this scholarship, I must say, is so so so close to my heart. Um. As I previously stated, I am a certified laboratory scientists and I went to school and studied tradition assistant studies as well. So I have degrees, and I know what it's like to be a first generation college student. I know what it's like to go to college and your parents are like, that's amazing. I don't we don't know how we can pay for that, but that's amazing that you got in and you just try to figure out a way to make this work. I remember that anxiety that I had. I remember the stress that I had every Sylvester in the midst of finals, because that's when it's all winding down, worrying about if I'm going to have enough money to live on campus, if I'm gonna have enough money for books, cannot even pay my scholars to my tubition, will be able to come back. That's just the fear. I genuinely I didn't like it at all, And as someone who has been blessed to be able to live in my passion and have the financial stability to give back, I feel like it's my duty to actually help students. They don't have to go through these things, and if I can do something about it, I'm going to help. So the Love and Life Media, Heart and Soul Scholarship is my way of getting back to the community in that way. So the Heart Scholarship is for the heart of our country, and it is for students who are interested in things in the medical field, whether that's nursing, p a OT, occupation of therapy, um as a doctor, as a nurse practitioner, all of those things. And it's for people who you know, come from I the privileged areas. You have to have a certain criteria for you t p A. And then you had the Soul Scholarship, which I believes for the soul of our nation. It's just the art, the art speed your soul. So for those are those people who want to go into you know, cinematography, directing, they want to go into school for theater, that's a scholarship that's available for them, and we're working very hard to get that off the ground. Amiss this COVID nineteen pandemic, but we're really working on it to get it off the ground. My friend, I want to thank you for coming on my show. She's the star of the hit sci fi series sci Fis on sci Fi Network. I shouldn't say sci Fire serious. It's on the Sci Fi Network every Thursday in eleven Eastern. You can catch her uh the star of Vagrant Queen. Uh. Two sidekicks Isaac and Amy, and they're fantastic. I laugh. I enjoy um. First of all, your wonderful interview. By the way, I want to let you know your your job with gold Talk forever, but again we all have time limits, and I will support your show. I'll put banners. I'll talk to your PR company is send me banners so I can poach it on my social media. Almost got a million followers, and I also have a ninety thousand fan clove uh uh group that that's pretty loyal to me. That I'm gonna put your banner. And then know that you've got a young person over here that's supporting you and gonna keep winning with you. And then you know more bar call pain so that that's another extra extra blessing in this relationship, my friend, So you keep winning, Okay, no one to thank you for coming on money making Conversations like all right, thank you. If you want to hear more interviews about money making conversation, please go to money Making Conversation dot com. I'm Rashan McDonald. I'm your host. In this season of giving, Cools has gifts for all your loved ones. For those who like to keep it cozy, find fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, blankets and throws. Or support minority owned or founded brands by giving gifts from Human Nation and Shame Moisture. And in the spirit of giving, coals k is donating eight million dollars to local nonprofits nationwide. Give with all your heart this season with great gifts from Coals or Coals dot com. Still living in manually taking notes, There is a better way to start the new year with auto dot ai automatically get meeting notes. Auto dot ai works for virtual meetings like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Sign up on the web for free or download in the app stores. Auto dot ai that's O T T E R. Dot Ai. Sticky notes, email alerts a string around your finger. They're just not big enough. So here's a big reminder from the California Lottery Tomorrow's Megamillions jack potties, which three million play. Now, please play responsible. You must be eighteen years older to purchase player Pian
