Actor Danielle Brooks has blessings to count

Well, we have plenty of money, pitch the planet money, board game.

“I'm trying not to think how much of a big deal it is and how much work has gone into it.”

It's really big. Is it helpful if I remind you how big it is? It's sort of the whole thing. We go inside the minds of the people who decide what goes on store shelves. Listen to planet money on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is Fresh Air, I'm Terry Gross. When Danielle Brooks started appearing in the Netflix series, Orange is the new black as the character tasty. She was astonished to find she was recognized wherever she went. Orange was about women in prison, and Brooks played one of those women.

“When the series premiered in 2013, Brooks was a recent graduate of Juleard,”

and Netflix was relatively new to producing original content. Two years later, while still filming Orange, she learned she'd gotten a role in the Broadway revival of the color purple, Estophia, the character that Oprah Winfrey played in the 1985 film. Rather than giving up one of those roles, she continued to shoot Orange while also performing on Broadway. The color purple had special significance for Danielle Brooks, the original production of the musical was the first Broadway show she'd ever seen.

It convinced her she wanted to act and that there might be a place for a black woman like her. She was nominated for a Tony for her performance in the revival, and was nominated for an Oscar when she played Sofia again in the 2023 movie adaptation of the Broadway musical. While preparing for this interview, I learned she played the beloved gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson in a 2021 biopic, for the lifetime channel that's now streaming on several platforms.

She gets to do a lot of singing in that, and as you'll hear later, it really shows off how emotionally and physically powerful her voice is.

Brooks started singing and acting, in church, her mother is a minister, her father is a recently retired deacon. Brooks was also recently in a Minecraft movie and in the series Peace Maker. Now she's in a new indie film called "If I Go Will They Miss Me." It's about how one family's life has changed when the husband and father is released from prison and returns home, emotionally distant from his wife and two children. Brooks plays the wife and mother who has a steady job and is holding the family together with no help from her husband.

Brooks and John Batiste are two of the executive producers. The credit music is John Batiste singing this bitter earth. Daniel Brooks, welcome to Fresh Air. It's such a pleasure to be able to talk with you. Oh, it's Harry. It is so lovely to speak with you too. Thank you for having me. Thank you for your pleasure. So, you know, in Orange is the new black you play a prisoner.

And, and now in this new movie you're playing the wife of somebody who's been in and out of prison. Yeah. And, and one, oh, and in Climancy, the father of your child is on death row. So, this is like the third that I'm aware of, the third movie related to prison that you've been in. And I wonder if you see that as related to mass incarceration, like a reflection of mass incarceration.

When you put it like that, I'm like, man, I need to do this. I don't know, royal queen or something like that. Will you come close and mail ya? Hey, I love that. Yeah, for sure. I mean, yeah, this is the world we live in, you know.

And for me, I'm always searching, reaching for honesty and truthfulness in what is in this world.

You know, I feel like I've been able to do a lot in my career, but yet we do find ourselves back in places like this. You know, when you mention like playing one woman that's incarcerated, when it comes to oranges and new black and playing tasty, this inmate, there was just so much complexity to who she was. You know, and to be honest, Terry, I didn't want to play tasty in the beginning. You know, because she was anmate, and because I was nervous coming out of Julia, 21 years old, like, oh my gosh, I'm about to play it.

“It made in what is that, you know, saying about black women, you know, what viewpoint am I putting out about black women?”

But then I remember my audition in the casting director saying, you know, I know what's on the page, but she's very lighthearted. She has a lot of heart to who she is, joy to who she is. And I was so excited because I was like, that's the direction I was already planning on going with her.

And you see me singing, you know, in the shower, you know, in the beginning as the first scene is me singing, tell me something good.

You know, she started a riot, you know, it was just a lot to the person, you know, and I find that to be true with intimacy.

And if I go, will they miss me, especially? So John Bethesda's one of the executive producers of the film and he's things the credit music, the bitter earth, which then Washington had a popular recording of.

“And wondering, I know he went to juliar. Did you know each other in juliar?”

We did. And you recorded together all the time. Yes, we did. John Bethesda and I were at juliar at the same time and we also graduated the same year. I remember watching him in the halls. And he was a hoot. I mean, this man would be running around with that small miniature piano that he plays in his hand, blowing it, you know,

as if he was on a line in New Orleans, you know, with his friends behind him jamming in the cafeteria. And I was like, "Oh, the heck is this man?" You know, he was just so such an artistic, you know what I mean? Like, artsy, fartsy kid from New Orleans. Did you introduce yourself to him? I think we just knew each other because we were black kids at juliar.

It's not, but so many of us, you know what I mean? So I actually remember we would do these like crossovers. So it's where like the drama division would hang out with the musician. So he was in the jazz department and we would jam. And I remember like John would play something and they asked one of the actors to sing with him.

And I remember that was the thing. So it was like a call and repeat type thing where he would play like a doodle, doodle, doodle, doodle. And I would repeat it with my voice, you know. So I just feel like we bonded from that and then, you know, we had like the Martin Luther King days where all the black people would get together and others too.

And put on a show in reverence of MLK. So we just found each other. You know what I mean? We built that community. And then from there on like I did a EP of my own music called for and I asked John once we graduated if he would be on that and he did. And then he asked me to do a Christmas song with him for Spotify and I did.

And then we did color purple together. And I felt like there was just so many like full circle, beautiful moments that we've been able to share. So I want to talk about your singing. I want to play Hell No from from the movie version of the color purple.

“But first, what was your audition for the Broadway revival when you first got to plays the whole?”

Oh my gosh, Terry. So I mean, it's it's layered, okay, because I had seen the color purple on Broadway 15. My dad had taken me and you know, go to jewelry art. There was a big deal because you were from Greensville, South Carolina. And so you were doing an internship in New York and you got to see the color purple.

Yes, your first Broadway show.

Yes, took me to the Broadway show. The color purple because to be honest at the time, and that's all another conversation, but that was the only black show outside. We're considered the only black show outside of the Lion King, which is actually about animals played by black actors. That was on Broadway at the time. And so yeah, my dad took me, I was in awe.

My job was on the floor, tears falling down my face. I was like, this is what I want to do. So what was your audition song? Oh, hell no. Oh, wow, that's it.

I auditioned with hell no. And I remember like, they said your choice or their choice. No, that's their choice.

“They want to make sure that's what we were singing.”

Yeah, for sure. But I remember like they had a table with the director and producers. And I went straight up to that table and I tapped that table. And I was like, oh, my life, I've had to fight. And I just remembered them being like, whoa.

And I could feel them being like, yeah, this is our selfie because, of course, so few would have enough co-huners to come up to the table and get right in our face. You know. That's great. So let's hear the real thing.

So this is Sophia, basically saying to Seely, if a man raises his hand to you,

he'll know, fight back. Don't take it. Oh, my life, I've had to fight.

I had to fight my brothers. My cousins, my uncles too.

But I never, never, never, never, never thought I'd have to fight in my own house.

I feel sorry for you to tell you to true my own. You remind me of my mama, but to yours and so. No, if you were to yours and what? What do you say, go? I mean, I love that.

“You sound so good in that, one of the hardest things in the musical I think is to get from the dialogue into the song.”

And I'm wondering what that was like for you. Like what? How you try to make that transition? From dialogue to song. Well, I think, you know, we're taught when it's time to sing.

It's the most heightened moment of the section, you know, whatever part. Right.

It's too big to express just the exact spoken word.

Exactly. And so I think that just helps, you know, you as an actor to know the movement of the piece. You know, and that was exciting to, to get to do that. And so I'm not a theater girl like people, musical theater girl, like people think, Terry. You know, that was, I had done only one other musical before that and that was rent.

You know, and I didn't grow up. I was the soloist, the five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred me. The main, the main soloist in season is a love who hits the high note. Oh, no, this was in Ithaca, New York. At a theater, a regional theater.

Yeah. And I didn't grow up, you know, listening to all the musical theater. So I was a church girl. Maybe you sang in church, right? Yes, I sang in church from four, three, four years old.

I was singing in church. And wasn't much of a soloist to say I was definitely a part of the choir. And there's video of me singing in church when I did have soloes. And you can see I'm so shy. Like I literally had the lyrics, like the words, you know, written on a piece of paper.

And I'm looking at them because I'm so scared. I'm going to forget them. I'm super shy back then.

“How did you get from super shy to singing a song like Hell No?”

God. Truly like. I feel like, you know what? This is what I'll say. For me, when I am playing a character, I get to escape.

And that is my favorite place to be because I get to not be Danielle. Then someone would ask me to sing his Danielle. It would terrify me. But ask me to sing his Sofia. Ask me to sing his Mahalia.

I got you. Because it was my way of like hiding behind the character. So let's talk more about singing and church. So you grew up singing and church mostly in the choir. But starting when you were like three or four.

Yeah. What were some of your favorite gospel songs? Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. That is such a good question. Oh man, there was this song.

It goes, I have some good days. I've had some hills to climb. I've had some weary days. And some sleepless nights. But when I look around.

And I think things over. All of my good days. How'd we my bad days? And I won't complain. That was one of my favorite songs.

What made it winter favorite? Well, when I was six, that was, or six or seven, I don't remember.

It was my first church solo.

“Now, what does a six, seven year old know about complaining in good days and bad days?”

I don't know. But that was my song. And then when I became an adult, I understood with that song meant.

Because we do have good days. And we have bad days. We have good days. But it's also a perspective at times. It's like, how are you choosing to see those days?

And I choose to do at least amount of complaining as I can.

“And that's what that song is really saying.”

It's like, how can you just see the good when you look around and think things over and gratitude should always lead the way?

We were talking earlier about being in jewelry art. And you got there with the help of $20,000 that your godmother left for you and her will. And I think she died not long before you got accepted to jewelry art. Who is your godmother? Who is so generous? Her name was Annie Edge. She was so spectacular to me.

She was an older woman, probably in her 60s. And we just bonded. I asked her to be my godmother at five. And I met her at church. And some of my mom said, yeah, we were stuck at the hip. I mean, I would spend the night over her house.

You know, she taught me what an English muffin was. You know, I taught her to forget people that were behind her when she's driving. And they were asking her to drive faster by honking. I was like, don't worry about them.

“We were tight. And she unfortunately passed away from cancer when I was 15.”

And that hit hard for me. That was one of my first losses.

I had an experienced death in a personal way outside of losing my mother's mother. So this was a heavy one for me. I was tight with her. And I had no idea that she had left $20,000 in her will. For my college education. And we needed that money, Terry.

You know, I was the first born. And my parents were lower middle class at the time. And, you know, they worked really hard. But wasn't able at the time to save money for my college. You know, and had expectations at the time for me to, you know,

not study. They didn't know that their kid was going to want to go to Julia. You know, they were thinking maybe a state in state school. You know, where you can get funds from the state, you know, make it cheaper. But yeah, their baby girl had big dreams. And, you know, luckily Miss Edge saw something in me.

And, and made that generous donation to my education. And I have something called the Annie Ed Scholarship, which the Annie Ed Scholarship I started over five years ago. And it's, you know, you have to apply. And it was only for my, you know, the kids at the church.

You were getting ready for college, you know. And so, um, yeah, I just am so thankful for Miss Edge. And that's my way of honoring her. Didn't Miss Edge have children? She did not.

I was her child. No, she did not have any kids. Wasn't married. Yeah, it was just her. How did your mother feel about that?

Do you think she was at all jealous?

“No, I think my mother knew that it takes a village.”

And I think she was so grateful that I had somebody like Miss Edge. And I'm grateful that my mom, you know, functions like that. Because there are parents who do get jealous that their kid doesn't run to them first for whatever. But my mom took it as like, oh, thank God. She has somebody that I can trust that I know that is instilling good things in her that she can lean on.

And I treat my daughter the same way.

I can always be there because of the line of work that I do.

I always make sure that my presence is known that mommy is here. But I can always physically be there. And so I, because of how my mother treated me with Miss Edge, I do the same thing. And I am very encouraging of, you know, free,

connecting with other positive women. Yeah, free, you know. If you're just joining us, my guest is Daniel Brooks. In the Netflix series, Orange is the new black, she played Tasty. And the Broadway revival of the musical, the color purple.

And in the 2023 film adaptation of the musical, she played Sofia. She also appeared in a Minecraft movie and won a Critics Choice Award for her role in the series Peace Maker.

We'll be back after her short break.

I'm Terry Gross and this is fresh air. I haven't seen my son since 2012. This is Deborah Tice. The disappearance of her son, Austin, is one of the biggest missing person cases in the world.

“What do you want from me? What should solve the mystery?”

I know that my son is somewhere alive. Listen to where is Austin Tice, from MPR's embedded and BBC Radio 4 on the MPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi there, I'm Brittany Loose and not a Brad, but I host a really fabulous podcast.

It's called It's been a Minute.

I love making it and I think you'll love listening to it. Over the last year, hundreds of thousands of listeners have been tuning in. And I gotta say, if you haven't yet, you're missing out. Listen to the It's been a Minute podcast from MPR today. If you're a super fan of fresh air with Terry Gross,

we have exciting news. W. H. Y. has launched a fresh air society. A leadership group dedicated to ensuring fresh air's legacy. For over 50 years, this program has brought you fascinating interviews with favorite authors, artists, actors, and more.

As a member of the Fresh Air Society, you'll receive special benefits on recognition.

Learn more at WHYY.org/Fresh Air Society.

This is Fresh Air, I'm Terry Gross. Let's get back to my interview with Daniel Brooks. She co-stars on the new film "If I Go Will They Miss Me." In the Netflix series, Orange is the new Black. She played Tasty. In the Broadway revival of the musical "The Color Purple"

and in the 2023 film adaptation of the musical, She played Sophia. She's also known for her roles in a Minecraft movie and for the series 'Peacemaker' for which she won a Critics Choice Award. She played gospel singer Mahelia Jackson in a biopic for the Lifetime Channel that's now streaming on several platforms.

Brooks' father is a retired deacon. Her mother is a minister.

“Did you hear a lot of Mahelia Jackson when you were growing up?”

I did. I did. Yeah, she definitely was in our home for sure. My mother's a singer as well, so. Oh, okay. So when you got the part as Mahelia Jackson in a movie

that's officially called Robin Roberts presents Mahelia. And your parents must have been so excited because your mother is a minister and your father was a deacon. Yes, the church was so excited. And the movie actually dropped during the pandemic.

And so in the 2021, yeah. So what we did was we did a private screening for the church that I grew up in in Simpsonville, South Carolina, Bethlehem Baptist Church, and everybody stayed in their cars. And we got a huge projector out in the parking lot.

And everyone listened from a radio station and watched it. Like old school, you know, movies. They watched it in their cars. And that was so cool. You know, like, this place that I really do think helped me

to love the theater, believe it or not.

“Like the church is where I think my love for theater came”

to be able to share something with them that I knew is going to be meaningful. So I want to play you as Mahelia Jackson. The soundtrack of the movie and what I want to play is my God is real. Oh wow. You sound great on this. So let's hear it.

This is my guest Daniel Brooks. There are some things I may not know. There are some places I may not know. There are some places I may not know. But I am sure of this one thing that God is real.

For I can feel him in my soul. So that is a beautiful song and your sing it so well. What did you have to do with your singing to sound like you were Mahelia Jackson

There we worked on music for probably two weeks because I did sing all of that.

And the hardest part was getting rid of the things that I was taught at Julia to be honest, which is one of the things that they taught us in our toolbox is knowing when to throw the baby out

“of the water, one might say letting go of the technique when it's time and that's what I had to do.”

So for example, when she says, "Cheering." I would be singing children and I had to stop myself and why am I saying children? She would say "Cheering."

Or just not over articulating things.

I don't want to meet Abraham and Isaac normally. I'm going to meet Abraham and articulating all of the consonants and stuff. I had to really break it down and kind of like a Shakespearean way. I would with Shakespeare and you have I am a pentameter and things like that. You just have to, it's like a code. You've got to create a code for yourself to understand how this woman speaks and where she speaks from and how she uses language.

And that's the thing. I tell you things all the way down in her feet. When I would do this, I would be barefoot when I was in the studio because you really do need to be that is that low. To be honest, she sings from another place too, but I'm trying to be respectful. But that core space is where she's saying from. So you grew up very church.

But your mother-in-law and your father are deacon.

“And was it, did you got what the feeling that your parents had a special connection to God?”

Oh for sure. I mean, my mother was a praying and still is a very prayed-up woman. She would be the one at 6 a.m. you would hear her downstairs in the living room, speaking in tongues, praying, talking to God. You know, it was, yeah, she woke you up in prayer. And at the time, you know, we had two floors and she would turn up the music. Like you had speakers in each room. Even though we was not rich, even though that sounds very rich.

We had these speakers in our house and she would play gospel music on Saturdays at probably eight in the morning to wake me and my brother up to clean the house. Which sounds so old school now that I'm saying it back to you because nobody really asked me questions like that. And my dad was, too, you know, he wasn't as fourth showing if that's the right word to say. Like he wasn't as showy with his relationship with God. Like he went to church all the time and obviously was a deacon, but like my mother was the one you saw in worship all the time.

And still is. Did you speak in town? No, no, not at all. Like, no, definitely did not. I would say I do feel that I have a wonderful connection to God, you know, in the spirit and still practice Christianity and go to church on Sundays with my family.

You know, and I am an, I listen to gospel music like no other genre because it just suits my soul and I feel like gospel music has always been there for me.

My, my help mate in life. So feeling that your parents were kind of had a special relationship with God and were like God's representative or close to God. Did it make you like an awe of your parents, did you feel like you couldn't misbehaved because that would be misbehaving in front of God and way that people's regular parents who weren't leaders of the church wouldn't feel. Yeah, for sure. There was a lot of pressure as a kid to be perfect.

“And I think that's like probably one of those things in my adulthood, I'm still going there before.”

You know, it's like this sense of perfection. Not getting anything wrong and you know, the Bible says honor that father and mothers that your days may be long on this earth.

There was no way around it, you know, and if you had slip ups, you just, it just the guilt that weighed on you, you know, was heavy for me.

And I don't know if it stemmed for me doing pageants at church, you know, and they taught you how to hold your feet and how to stand and I don't know, it's just this perfection that was built in me pretty early.

“And maybe it's being the first child, you know, and the responsibilities of being a good example to my brother, you know, and I say I ever specifically say this, you know, but I think my mom really cared a lot about what other stop.”

And I say, respectfully, my, if you hear this, but, you know, I think that had a lot to do with it is what do people see in how are they perceiving you. And I maybe this is a southern thing, you know, maybe it's not just a my mom thing, but I don't like it just do your mom thing. Yeah, a lot of people, right? Yeah, I think so. Yeah.

What did they want you to do that you didn't want to do? Oh, that's a deep question.

Well, one thing, you know, was there was a fear of me going to jewelry art.

My mother was really scared for me and my dad said to me, he's like, I want you to follow your heart. And so I did, you know, I went to jewelry art and she was a scared of like, you know, being in New York. And then her child leaving at 17 and then she was nervous about me doing horned is a new black. And then my father again was like, follow your heart and I did and that changed my life. You know, but then there was that fear of like what is she being exposed to, you know, there's a lot, the subject matter of lesbians and gays was all up and in between oranges and black.

That's a fear, you know, of what I was being taught. Oh, I would file language. I mean, we had drugs come on. I get to go and yeah. So yeah, my mother was shook it.

But she can't over it. She really started to see the beauty of the show as time went on. You know, for a scene in Orange is the new black, where, you know, the person who's story we start with is in prison and then everybody gets their stories. But, you know, it's based on the character whose memoir, the series is based on. But anyways, so she gets in the shower, your character comes by and makes comments about her body and gets into the shower naked.

And when I know when you read that, you thought, oh, I can't, I can't do naked. And I'm very, I think you already know. I was like, I can't do naked. Right. And you're probably thinking about what your parents would think. But you're not really naked. I mean, we don't see your body.

I know that you're in the shower naked. So did you tell the director, I want the role, I can't be naked. You can't see my naked body. I waited until I got there. And I was terrified because I knew it was on this page.

You know, it was like, she takes her clothes off and gets in the shower.

“And I think they, I think, low key, if I would have done it, they would have kept it.”

Like, if I would have said, all right, here's, you know, what I'm doing it, they would have kept it. But I remember our director's name was Michael and I talked to him about it. And we found a solution. And do you know how I felt like this weight lifted off of my shoulder when we came up with that solution? Where we did not have to be topless?

I was like, wow, like, because when you're coming into this industry, you hear all of these stories, you know, and all of these sacrifices people make to get the job. You know, and so I was scared. It was like, I don't want to enter this, and this is the start for me.

He's like, my first scene.

Now, I'm just going to be known as the girl takes a clothes off. Like, I was in my, what am I doing? But it was the best decision ever that I could have ever made from my career. If you're just joining us, my guest is Daniel Brooks.

“She co-stars in the new film, if I go, will they miss me?”

You may also know her from Orange is the new black, the color purple, a Minecraft movie, and the series Peace Maker. Will be right back. This is fresh air. Hey, what's your problem? No, seriously, are your grocery bills too high?

Are you spending too much time on your phone? Maybe you're searching for a new job. Or you're trying to figure out how to set boundaries with your family.

on health, money, mental health, and so much more.

Listen to the life kit podcast in the NPR app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's me, Peter Segal, host of Wingway Don't Tell Me. It's leaf peeping seasons.

“So why not peep our weekly news quiz while you're at it?”

We got comedians, celebrities, and games to help laugh about the week's news, and you can listen while you're spicing your pumpkins, whatever people do. Listen every week to wait, wait, don't tell me, in the NPR app, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is fresh air. Let's get back to my interview with Daniel Brooks. She co-stars on the new film, if I go, will they miss me?

She's known for playing tasty in the Netflix series Orange is the new black, and Sophia in the Broadway revival of the musical "The Color Purple"

in the 2023 film adaptation of the musical.

Brooks grew up in the Baptist Church, her mother is a minister, and her father is a retired deacon. She sang in the church choir. In 2021, she portrayed gospel singer Mahelia Jackson, and a biopic that is now streaming on several platforms.

One of the things I love about gospel songs and hymns

“is that so many of them are about death,”

about the fear of death, about the release of death, being reunited with loved ones. Some of the songs are from the perspective of being frightened and others are reassuring. I wonder if you have a favorite gospel song about death.

I do miss called "Precious Lord" and it goes "Precious Lord". Take my hand. Leave me alone. And let me stand. I am tired.

I am weak. I am one through the storm. Through the night. Leave me alone. Through the night.

So won't you take my hand. Precious Lord. And leave me alone. Yeah, that's one about death. It is so beautiful.

You sing that in the Mahelia Jackson movie. I do. And Mahelia Jackson sang it at Martin Luther King's funeral. Yes, yes, yes. Such times.

And do you know that from church? I do. And it is definitely a song that I heard all the time in church. When it was time to leave church and we sang it at people's funerals. I didn't even think I sang it at my grandmother's funeral.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I did. But yeah, that song I heard all the time. Back in when you were 25 and you're about to be 37. So that was about a little more than 10 years ago. It was an article in Glamour magazine that had your byline.

It was headline how I learned to love my body. And it's all about body image being plus sized, your hair. And you said or you wrote by the standard definition of beauty that I had absorbed from the world around me. I had three strikes against me. I was too dark, too curly, and too fat.

“And you asked a question in the essay that I think is a really important one.”

You write if art is supposed to reflect life. Why don't the people on red carpets and in magazines reflect reality? It doesn't. It doesn't. I think about all the time.

I don't know. I just remember being in rooms like Golden Globes. And I would say to myself, Terry, I would say, is there anybody in here? I could change a dress with. And if you think about it, there are 67% of women that wear a size 14 or more.

And that is not reflect what we see on television.

But now it's starting to change and shift, you know, we're having amazing actresses out now

that are reflective, you know, but in Hollywood, we're talking about A-Listers, Big Dogs, the ones that are on Vogue and Cosmopolitan and Evinity Fair, they do not look like me.

It's to be able to bust open the box, break that thing down and really allow this next generation to say, wow, man, if Danielle was able to do that, I can do that. What do you think the GLP1 has done to the body positivity movement? Oh, now you can deep. I think, and now this might be controversial. But I think it's helping because I don't think body positivity is just about like loving

your body, you know, as it is, even if it's big, just love it.

“I think you should love your body at whatever size, you know, and for me, like I've lost 80 pounds.”

People don't really notice, I don't understand why, because I'm very proud of it. And like, I've lost 80 pounds from when I had my daughter in 2019. And there was moments when I had gained that weight and I wanted, I was hiding. I was hiding from the world when it came to social media.

You know, if you go back and watch that first episode of Peace Maker, you're going to see those 80 pounds on me.

But I worked really hard. I worked super hard on my own. You know, and to get down to maybe like 60 pounds, you know, less on my body. And then I started taking GLP1s. And I'm not ashamed that first I was. At first I was like, definitely, what am I doing?

Like, is this healthy, is this safe? And after being on them for months, I am very happy that I made that choice. You know, I feel more confident.

“And I think the thing that I have always preached is love yourself wherever you are.”

I have never said that you got to stay there.

So I'm here for it. Daniel Brooks, co-stars in the new movie, if I go will they miss me. It's currently in the limited release and will open in more theaters this Friday. This is fresh air. On the next through line from NPR.

Let's listen to Josh Reddick's new walk-up song. Whether you love it or you hate it, walk-up music has become a huge part of major league baseball. The need to secure and the attention of the fans is relentless. I've thought of my hearing things. I mean, I realize everybody's singing a lot. Listen to NPR's through line in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

On NPR's wildcard podcast, actress Julian Anderson says she's looking forward to getting old.

There is part of me that has always slightly fantasized about being in a home.

Watch or listen to that wildcard conversation on the NPR app, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This is fresh air. Let's get back to my interview with Daniel Brooks. She co-stars in the film if I go will they miss me. She's known for her role in the Netflix series "Arnges the New Black" as tasty. And for her role in the Broadway revival of the musical "The Color Purple" and in the 2023 film adaptation of the musical "Sofia".

Brooks was also in a Minecraft movie and recently won a Critics Choice Award for her performance in the series "Peacemaker" adapted from a DC Comics superhero series. I want to play one more song. And this is a song from an EP of four songs that you recorded. And this is a song that you co-wrote.

And John Batiste is featured on it. We hear his voice very, very briefly on it. But what role did he play on this? Did he produce it or range it? See at the piano?

He's at the piano. He came at the end on the organ and spiced up the song for me. And I lended his voice like you say, very lightly in the end. And we kind of go back to that july art feel that I had mentioned that Colin response at the very end of the song.

“And I think it's interesting given all the discussion that we had about church and gospel music.”

That this is a secular song, but it's called "Blessings." And it's about being grateful for your blessings. Can you talk a little bit about what inspired the song? Hey, I guess I'm really just fond of staying positive, man. I just know that life gives tough.

And I guess this was my version of the gospel song I won't complain. You know, it's that reminder to count your blessings. And all my feet, you know, four or five, six, no.

I got blessed as the count, like I got so much to be grateful for.

“You know, and I think for me, I just, I need that reminder.”

You know, and I want people to be reminded. And the reason I want people to be reminded is because we affect each other so powerfully. You know, and how beautiful that is, if we could just find ways to uplift each other. Daniel Brooks has been such a pleasure to talk with you. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Terry. Thank you for having me.

Thank you for your poignant questions and, you know, allowing me to reflect on what life has been in my 37 years almost. You know, I've really appreciate you. Thank you. And here you are, singing "Blessings." When the tide comes rolling in, and I can't hit, keep up with it. When the road seems so long, and I question my will to go on.

“Can I remember, can I remember, count one, two, three.”

I'll steal on my feet, count four, five, six. No, I can't fall again at the end of the day. While this blood flowing through my veins, I got blessings. When I feel unqualified, and it seems like I can't make it through, no matter how hot I try. When my dream.

Daniel Brooks co-stars in the new movie, if I go will they miss me. It's currently in a limited release, and will open in more theaters this Friday.

“Tomorrow on fresh air, President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has said, "Peace deals are like real estate deals."”

He's involved with both, as a U.S. special envoy negotiating peace plans, while working on private business deals with some of the same countries. We'll talk with the New Yorker's dexter Philkins about his story, Jared Kushner's dollar diplomacy, I hope you'll join us. To keep up with what's on the show and get highlights of our interviews, follow us on Instagram at NPR Fresh Air. Fresh air is executive producer, Sam Brigger. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham.

Our engineer today is Adam Stener-Chefski. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Philis Meyers and Rebuildenado Lauren Crenzel, Theresa Madden, Monique Nazareth, Thayachaliner, Cisignucundi and Abamun and Nico Gonzalez-Wisler. Our digital media producer is Molly Sivine Esper. Rebuilder-Shore Rock directs the show, our co-host is Tonya Mosley, I'm Terry Gross. The company behind flawed cameras sold itself as a boon for public safety, but these cameras have had another consequence.

More surveillance.

When you kind of give thousands of cops access to this very powerful system, they're going to touch the electric fence and see what they can do.

It's flock making communities safer. Find this in more stories from the indicator from Planet Money on the NPR app. On the latest code switch, 25 years after 9/11, America's have gotten real used to being watched by the government from doorbell cameras to AI power license plate readers. If you put anyone under a microscope or any community under a microscope, you're going to find reasons to harass people or to tick it them or to arrest them. Listen to code switch in the MPR app or wherever you get to podcasts