Acting Up

On this weeks episode of Acting Up, Cortney Wills dives into the haunting true story of “The Silent Twins” the new film from Focus Features starring Letitia Wright and Tamara Lawrence, who took on the roles of two sisters who were traumatized by relentless racism and created their own language and their own worlds to escape it. The actresses discuss their roles as June and Jennifer Gibbons and their roles as producers on the project directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska, who spoke candidly about her approach to telling this story about Black girls as a Polish woman.

On this week’s episode of Acting Up, Cortney Wills sits down with actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw to get the inside scoop on her latest project, the binge-worthy Apple TV+ series “Surface.” The ladies discuss Gugu’s journey through Hollywood and why this was the perfect project for her to star in and executive produce. Her co-star, Stephan James drops in to reveal why he lived playing the “colorless” role and how he perfected his brooding, mysterious  character in this sexy, psychological thriller.

On this week's episode of Acting Up, Cortney Wills welcomes Nicole Beharie back to the podcast to discuss her roles in two new films. The actress reveals what it took to play a pastor in the hilarious "Honk For Jesus Save Your Soul" alongside Sterling K. Brown and Regina Hall before diving into the drama/thriller "Breaking" where she stars as a real-life hero of sorts in the tragic true story of Brian Brown-Easley alongside John Boyega and the late, great Michael K. Williams.

On this week’s episode of Acting Up, Cortney Wills sits down with actress Nathalie Emmanuel to get all the details about her starring role in the thrilling horror flick “The Invitation” and what it means for Black women to break into the genre. The “Game of Thrones” alum also speaks on the impact her groundbreaking role of Missandei had on the show and the community and what she thinks about HBO’s newest “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “House of the Dragon.”

On this weeks episode of Acting Up, Charlamagne Tha God weighs in on the news that Angela Yee is leaving The Breakfast Club to launch her own show “Way Up with Angela Yee” and explains why women have the most powerful voices in media. He also takes us through his road to becoming a mental health advocate, how his father influenced that journey, and what we can expect from his late night show, “Comedy Central’s Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God.”

On this week's episode of Acting Up, Cortney Wills sits down with Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins. The actress, producer, and proud Howard alum reveals what led to her latest project as the host of her own podcast, Trials to Triumphs on OWN, and how her life has changed since tying the knot. She also reveals the ways that her role on 'Dear White People' helped carve out her path in Hollywood and how the end of the beloved series prompted a return to her roots as a content creator.  They'll also get into what the TV buff is watching right now and where she still sees room for improvement when it comes to representing Black women onscreen.

Cortney Wills continues her conversation with actress, comedian, and podcast host, Amanda Seales. The ladies discuss the ‘Insecure’ alum’s latest standup tour “Black Outside Tour” and share their fears and frustrations in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, coping with COVID, and how the current social climate has become particularly challenging for comedians, especially when you’re “Smart, Funny, and Black”

Cortney Wills is kicking off Season 2 of Acting Up with actress, comedian, and podcast host, Amanda Seales. The ladies discuss the ‘Insecure’ alum’s latest standup tour “Black Outside Tour” and share their fears and frustrations in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, coping with COVID, and how the current social climate has become particularly challenging for comedians, especially when you’re “Smart, Funny, and Black”

Cortney Wills sits down with Jeff and Nicole Friday, the couple who founded the African American Film Festival in 1996, creating a space for Black creators to build community, share their art, and foster new talent. Now in its 26th year, ABFF remains one of the most beloved film festivals of the year and has given rise to countless creators from Ryan Coogler to Issa Rae. The group will discuss what it was like to bring the event back to Miami after the COVID-19 pandemic and what we all have to look forward to from this year's star-studded lineup.

Cortney Wills sits down with NY Times best-selling author, speaker, and podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones to discuss her latest book “Rising Troublemaker,” an incredibly necessary fear-fighting manual for teens at a time when they need it most. The ladies will also discuss the importance of taking control of our mental health, why therapy should be free for all marginalized people, and how content on big and small screens can help shape the way young people see the world and themselves.