Amanda Seales On Being #TeamLawrence, Roots Picnic Memories + Caitlyn Jenner [Interview]

Photo Credit: Rome Shaw

Amanda Seales sits down with us to share her thoughts on Insecure, her viral takedown of Caitlyn Jenner + her love for Prodigy.

Amanda Seales has been in the entertainment industry since she was a pre-teen, but she’s yet to stop finding ways to challenge her creativity and prove her versatility. Previously known as Amanda Diva, we’ve all watched her grow from an actress to a comedian, writer, artist, filmographer, activist, and more.

Most recently, fans of hers can see her as a featured cast member on HBO’s breakout hit Insecure created by Issa Rae. Seales fills us in on what we can expect from Season Two, why she has always been #TeamLawrence, and what she really thinks each of Issa’s friends mean to her. She also gives us a glimpse into her newest projects, what happened with that whole Caitlyn Jenner debate after the cameras cut off, and spills literally some of the best advice you’ll ever receive from someone in the industry.

Dive in below.

Source: HBO

Okayplayer: Everyone is anticipating the Season Two premiere of Insecure. The first season was pretty much declared a breakout hit and for people like me who followed Awkward Black Girl, it was very refreshing show and similar enough for fans to stay on their toes. So on that same plane, without giving away any spoilers, what should fans be looking forward to for this new season?

Amanda Seales: I think Season Two just gives the audience a chance to delve deeper into this world that the writers have created and to see even more examples of different black lives that are not based on stereotypical tropes.

OKP: Season Two definitely ended on a very tense note for the fans. Issa has talked about how she still receives crazy messages from fans on social media about it. Do you have any advice for the fans or new viewers as well who may just be getting into Season One, for how they can ready themselves for this upcoming season?

AS: How can we ready them? I mean, Jesus! [laughs]. I guess I’d say fans should come into this season with an open mind because there will be the unexpected.

OKP: As previously stated, I think most people’s favorite moment was seeing Lawrence getting it in with ol’ girl from the bank. For me, my favorite moment was the girls trip because I just thought it was so relatable seeing how the relationships function. Do you have a favorite moment from Season One, either from on set or final production of the show?

AS: I really loved the scene where we’re watching the play and our different reactions to it. But honestly, any scene with my husband in the show, Wade Allain-Marcus, is my favorite scene. So, for me, seriously, I just love getting to perform alongside him and being an on-camera example of a couple that is working—whether you like them or not!

OKP: And for your character Tiffany, what can we expect from her role in Season Two? How does she play a role in what is to come?

AS: I think that all of the women in the show influence each other and their interactions with each other are very indicative of friends’ circles. They are written to almost be mirrors at different angles for Issa. I feel like Molly (Yvonne Orji) is a mirror to Issa’s insecurities. Whereas Kelli (Natasha Rothwell) is a mirror to Issa’s wild side, and Tiffany (Seales) is a mirror to Issa’s self-conscious. You know, to things that she knows to be true but ain’t trying to admit to. And so, I think they all influence how the story goes continuously.

OKP: Tiffany is a very relatable friend. And all of them are, really, to be honest. But how do you find yourself relating to this character in contrast to others you’ve played in the past. And what experience do you pull from in your own life, if at all?

AS: I mean, Tiffany and I are similar in that we both don’t have any patience for f*cksh*t, we’re pretty direct. She’s more bougie, of course, and she’s a lot more particular about things that I’m not particular about—but I am particular about the things that I am particular about. So those similarities are definitely there. But she’s a lot more girly and coyly about her man! She’s all about her man. I say that, though, and also I give praise to the fact that though she’s about her man, she’s about him because he is on her level.

And they meet each other at equity and I’m about that too. But I do feel like she’s a little less tactless than I am. Even though I say things a little out of candor, contrary to popular belief, I am thinking before I speak. And I really draw from Chante Moore’s song, “Chante’s Got A Man,” because that is the most annoying song of all time, but you’re feeling like, “Shut up!” and then on the low you’re like, “…But that is cool, though.” And just the extraness of that, that’s the extraness of Tiffany on the show. But this season, I feel that she gets to be a little bit more grounded, and I do appreciate that.

OKP: Of course, there was this #TeamIssa / #TeamLawrence thing going on. Which team were you on going in, and which team are you on now going out of Season Two? Claim your set!

AS: I mean, I am #TeamLawrence but we’ll have to see once the season is up, why that changes, if at all. I mean, I’ve always felt like—even if you’re not happy with someone and how they’re behaving—stepping out is not an option. I don’t think that’s a way to deal with the relationship. And so, I never was OK with that and I never saw a problem with Lawrence’s behavior, because at the end of the day, you stepped out, this n***a still came to the event, and Lawrence broke up with Issa before he smashed. So I’m just like, ah man, it’s just the way that this goes.

OKP: In relation to #OscarsSoWhite and everything else that’s been going on within the past few years, do you feel that shows like Insecure are breaking new boundaries of the gap in diversity on television and film?

Photo Credit: Justina Mintz for HBO

AS: Well, you know, one or two shows showcasing black people is obviously absolutely not going to fill in the void and chasm that is ever-present in our stories on television and film. So, I think that it’s definitely part of a movement in the right direction, but there is obviously a long way to go.

OKP: Yes. In other news, you had the privilege of hosting the 2017 Roots Picnic. So we were curious, how was that for you and did you have any major highlights?

AS: Well, I actually hosted several Roots Picnics prior to.

OKP: Oh, wow. OK!

AS: I haven’t participated in the last few years because I moved to Los Angeles, so it was nice to come back [to the East Coast] and be with the brothers again. I’m like an honorary Roots member at this point! But I would definitely say my highlight was getting to see Prodigy perform before he passed away. I’m a huge Mobb Deep fan and he has always been very kind and respectful to me throughout my years in the world of hip-hop and we definitely lost one of the greats.

OKP: Yes, definitely. And beyond hosting, you’ve also recently gone viral with your thoughts and opinions, particularly with your conversation about what it’s like being black in America, as you so eloquently schooled Caitlyn Jenner. You’ve always been pretty vocal but has this motivated you to do more?

AS: I mean, if anything, what it did was just further encourage—it let me know that i’m not off the meter. You know, when stuff goes viral like that, you just have to mind the response. You know, as artists, a lot of times we’re just throwing s**t out to the void and seeing what happens. So, this was a unique situation because I wasn’t presenting art, I was just being myself and it kind of multiplied exponentially, but my art is so attached to my point of view and myself that it was an indicator that OK, people are ready for the type of stuff that you’re doing and there is a bigger audience.

And that’s not necessarily as much of an inspirational thing for me, but what it does is it lets executives and publishers and these type of people know that your voice has worth beyond just what you see or what they see. And that’s why I always tell people who are fans and consumers to speak up and show your support for things in a way that’s visible and vocal because it matters. And it’s how things continue to grow and get made. This is a money-based, consumer-based society at the end of the day.

And movies like Girls Trip are going to foster more movies that show black women living their black lives if people go and see culture. So, when people continue sharing me having a candid conversation about race and privilege with Caitlyn Jenner, and they talk about how inspired it made them feel, it makes people who give people like myself money to continue to create, it makes them say, ‘OK, then we need to continue pushing that voice.’

OKP: Outside of Insecure, do you have any new upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?

AS: Well, you will be able to purchase merchandise related to that conversation [with Caitlyn Jenner], as well as other products that I’m working on, very shortly on my website. And My Funny and Black is my monthly live comedy game show about black popular culture that we do every first Tuesday here in Los Angeles and we’ll be taking that out to colleges and different cities shortly. And you can look out for a new book coming shortly. And you can watch my new YouTube show Gem Droppin, which should start actually by the time this posts—the first episode will already be up.

OKP: The Okayplayer team is very excited that you were a huge supporter since the very beginning. And I heard that you used to be on the message boards a lot. So, do you have any experiences or memories from the OKP message boards? And legendary moments you experienced?

AS: Oh, wow. I wish I did, but I don’t. You just reminded me that I used to be on the message boards. You know who still is on the message board, even though she’s not putting messages but is watching comments and stuff? My mother! Annette Field is a huge Okayplayer fan and for some reason, to this day, instead of calling it Okayplayer she calls it Pokonplayer. So, that is who is really holding it down.

OKP: So, that’s who we really need to speak with then!

AS: Yeah, I’ll give you her number. She’s definitely in the shit. My mother will send me stuff from Okayplayer like “Did you see this?!” But Okayplayer has been a big supporter of me from the jump as well and it’s just been dope to see how we’ve all grown and the brand has evolved. And you just never know how things are going to turn out which is why I say you got to keep going, never shit on people, you never know where they’re going to end up.

OKP: Any tips for incoming creatives in the entertainment industry who, similarly to you, are trying to maneuver their way through several different avenues in the field at once?

AS: You, as an artist, also has to remember that your value and worth - in terms of what you recognize - is always going to be different than what the world recognizes. And in the beginning, it can be very frustrating but it is very liberating to know and understand that you are going to know more about you than the world and you just have to take your time and get there. For a long time, I used to be really frustrated like, “Damn I know that I’m dope!” And it’s like, yeah, but you don’t have the credits show that to folks, so check your ego. Your ego can’t be bigger than your resume.

Jasmine "Jazzi" Johnson is a full-time freelance pop culture writer and editor. An over-opinionated music maven, cultural and political critic who also practices expression as a multimedia artist, you can follow her latest + greatest @JazziBeMoody on Twitter.