Miss Mouthy Podcast
Miss Mouthy Podcast
Miss Mouthy Podcast: (Unmuted) The dolls do it the best! Ep.6
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Meet Kimora Banks, the new lead actress of the Nightfall reshoot. 🎥💯
Inspired by the life of Yolanda a Bronx legend who survived, danced, and lived boldly Nightfall returns with higher quality and deeper purpose. 🕊️
Catch the conversation on March 23rd.
Suspense. Drama. Romance. Real stories.
This one hits different.
What up, though? Hey y'all, it's your girl, Miss Mouthy, and I am so excited to be here today. Lips, are if you're listening to this podcast, you have stumbled on the Miss Mouthy podcast. This is our unmuted edition, and what it is that we're talking about in this season, we're not holding back. And as I was thinking through this episode, I wanted to entitle it The Dolls Do It the Best. Okay, because we do. When I sit back and I think about how I'm just sometimes scrolling on social media, and these are amazing women that I either share space with or know of or just watch them in their own greatness, is doing a shit. So we got girls like T.S. Madison, we got the Hope Giselles, we got the Dominic Dominique Morgan, we have Angelica Ross, we have Erin Lang. I think the list goes on and on. Like, and I couldn't think of a better young lady that is coming up in the game that's really killing it. Kamora Banks is gonna come on today and she's gonna talk all about the role that she plays in her upcoming lead role in Nightfall. And I can't wait till she tell y'all all about it. Because one thing I know is that women like us, whether y'all like to give us credit or not, we is doing the fucking thing. You can try and discount the girls, but we're gonna show up and show out every time. Okay, so let me bring out my special guest.
SPEAKER_03Hey girl, hey, hey everyone.
SPEAKER_01Yes, introduce yourself, let the lips know who you are, and welcome to the pod.
SPEAKER_03Thank you for having me. My name is Kamora Banks. I live here in New York City. I'm the lead actress playing Yolanda in the movie Nightfall.
Dream Roles And Black Storytelling
SPEAKER_01And that's that's so exciting. So thank you for one being here today and just taking the time out of your schedule. I always like to open up with a game. So I guess in the ways of do's and don'ts, you were just talking about the greats from St. Louis. Yeah, that's so amazing because I did not even know Maya Angelou was from there. So that's amazing. All right, so in this whole acting thing, is there a role or a movie that you wish you could be in? And if so, why?
SPEAKER_03Um, well, it's one person that I look at was Angela Bassett. That's who I channel. Where my bell at? Okay, I channel her, so that's like a couple of my scenes. If you go back in the over the series that we did uh under Seven King Studios, I was very one of the scenes very intense, you know what I'm saying? And that's who I challenged. I mean, uh, you know channel, yeah. Yeah, channeled that's who I channeled, and that's one of the people that I really really look up to in the acting. But uh what movie? I mean, if they ever make pose, I'll be, you know, go on post. Girl, okay. Um course, yeah. Um any roles that's like very that tells a good good story, yeah. You know, I'd be good for it, you know, absolutely, and for a black story, you know, it can be you know, mixed anything, but me it's something about a black story that's just yes, it's raw and real, you know. That's what I want to be part of, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. Like when I think about some of the greats, I really love how Viola Davis um use her artistry to just show and showcase pain and raw emotion, and she has that depth, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yes, even Kiki Palmer, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay, Kiki is my girl, okay.
SPEAKER_03That's my girl.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, for real.
SPEAKER_03Because I grew up with her, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_01So I love her, yeah, absolutely. Her and Taraji, and that's what I'm saying. Like, there is just a long line of women that's incredibly talent, talented, and then it's so devastating and heartbreaking to see when we see them at the award shows kind of be looked over, or yeah, even Tiana Taylor, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm glad she's just now getting her flowers that whole time we've seen her from you know, sweet 16. That's my love her, absolutely, and so in that, what accomplishments, how far do you want to take your acting? Like, I want to take it to the top, period.
SPEAKER_03I want to it's stories to be told, and I'm here for it, you know. Yeah, I'm gonna go for it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, do you recall what your first like emotion was that you could cultivate and bring to the screen when you were actually playing in a movie?
SPEAKER_03The emotion, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Like, what's one of the first emotions that you felt like, okay, I I did that shit?
Acting Ambition And Finding Joy
SPEAKER_03Joy, yeah. I felt joy and excitement, and yeah, uh, because you know, it's take after take after take, and you know, that's why I said the Angela Bassett, one of the people she was like, channel, channel who you, you know what I'm saying? And idea, and that really worked, you know, especially when you get into your character, you know, and it comes out so natural, you know, and it was amazing. I felt, I felt accomplished.
Politics And Trans Survival Now
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, and I love that. How have this whole regime with everything that's going on in the political climate, has it personally affected you or has it shaped your desire to want to do a certain type of artistry to talk about what trans people are experiencing right now?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, like for like a march or or something to help. Yes. I mean, it it affects me like if I travel something, but I never like have different issues, but I know other girls that's unless fortunate, you know what I'm saying, in different cities, you know what I'm saying, real estates, you know, and that they that goes through that, you know, especially what they did in Kansas City about the IDs, you know, they're so close to home, you know what I'm saying? So it's a lot. So I know, even though I'm where I am now, I know where I came from. And I know, you know, the girls that you know still, you know, in the beginning of the transitioning and stuff like that, it's hard. It's best hard. And somebody gotta, you know, represent for them. That's why I'm glad they haven't they have a um trans woman that just got appointed by mayor here in New York. New York, yeah. Uh-huh. Yeah, and that's amazing. That's what girls stuff like that makes me, you know what I'm saying? Because I have a big voice, you know what I'm saying? And I'm very combative when it comes to power uh politics and stuff like that. Yeah, so I I stuff like that makes me want to push to you know, being more involved.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know what's crazy? I might as well address this now. But like I have made a statement, I don't even remember what episode that was, but I was talking about political things. I think I'm gonna uh it's no way that you could really be an advocate and not talk about politics, but I remember mentioning like I'm not a politic girl, and that's only when I made that statement, it was around saying that that's not my lane, like that's not my expertise to speak on because I don't want to say the wrong shit, but being able to acknowledge that everything that happens in the political climate affects us, like that's a difference. I'm not saying a bitch ain't never voted or I don't give a fuck what happens to other people. It's like no, I'm just not a girl that's on CNN or on the political front to say all the things, and I don't know all the bills, but if you want to educate me, keep me at a town hall, meet and I'll promise you.
SPEAKER_03I'm always on watching the news. There's neat things about I love learning, you know. I love learning, I like to know what's going on, especially like I said, this climate, different uh rules and bans and different countries and stuff like that. It's just a lot, you know.
SPEAKER_01We got some exceptional women that are really pushing the agenda with political education, political engagement, and it is astonishing to know that. Like, I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, but definitely y'all can come onto the platform and educate the masses to tell them what bills we need to be voting on, what we need to do to start to make things better again, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_03Because it's going back like oh um to back on the well, they're trying to put push everything like back in you know in the 60s.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, back in the day, yes, and it's you know the great history repeats itself, and as I'm starting to watch it, I'm seeing it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yes, embryo time, and everything is in your face, and it's in it seems like one way you would United States do every other country try to fall, I mean, yeah, fall suit, you know, with all these different bands and things, and it's just crazy. That's why I be on top of uh stuff like that. That's why I watch world news, not only the United States, but world.
SPEAKER_01So I know, yeah, because we gotta know what what is up, what we up against. And yes, you want to be in one city, and next thing you know, you don't know this, this, and that you know, yes, that's and I think about that even before all of this happened, is that like as trans people, we have had to navigate society in a whole different type of way where most people don't even think about that, right?
SPEAKER_03Like, we have to think about the way in which how we present, how do how do we go exactly the documentation, some places we just know to avoid altogether, but Trump just passed another bill saying for ICE to uh arrest trans women now.
SPEAKER_01You see what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_03So I didn't trans women now, yes, and they said don't matter if they have uh if they be combative, then they'd be able to arrest you, and no matter if you had of your uh if you're born and raised here or not. You see what I'm saying? And they were just talking about that on the news. That was like, why it seems like y'all trying to, you know, like what are you gonna tell me?
SPEAKER_01Like yeah, and that's fascism, right? Like it's this yeah, constant idea of the bullshit that if it's one thing that they can roll back and push back, then it's this hidden fear, yes, that trans people pose, and it's like oh the artists that's locked up, you know.
SPEAKER_03They're trying to say the bow detransitioning them. Oh, I forget what's the what they say is called conversion therapy.
Bringing Yolanda To The Screen
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well, there's nothing conversion about um ideas and well, identity and making them forced to be something that they're not, exactly, absolutely, and so one of the things, yeah, because we could talk about that, yeah, but we wanna we wanna honor Yolanda's story and her legacy, and one thing in particular is her life was rooted in the lived experience of so many women like us. And what do you hope that this film really capture about Yolanda's life?
SPEAKER_03Uh, from her, I wanted to capture her, not only the heartaches of her story, but also the good person she was, the resilience, yeah, she is the the uh brightness, the the smile she brought on people's faces. You know what I'm saying? When she walked in the room, everything lit up, you know. She was a very carrying person, you know. Yeah, um did you personally know her? No, I didn't personally know her. I just read her story. You know, okay. And you know, like I said, I I mean her are like this, you know what I'm saying? I feel her story. I feel like yes, there's one. So I'm the perfect person to tell her story, and I think everybody will enjoy, you know, what's coming for them, you know.
SPEAKER_01So one thing, this is just me being me. Sometimes when I have guests on, I get this feeling or this inkling to like share a message. But Kamora, I think it's so revolutionary what you're doing in this moment, right? I get emotional too, girl. But some young girl is going to look at you on a screen one day and see you telling your line the story, and someone is going to want to tell your story, and that is how the ripple effect happens that we continue to keep our legacy. So know that, like even in this moment, if what is happening around you may have you questioning your importance and what you bring to the world, know that you offer so much and you're such a light, and your reasoning for your purpose is bigger than yourself.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, thank you. Thank you so much. It means a lot. Yeah, trying to get me the name.
SPEAKER_01No, for real, no, because I don't get oftentimes to be able to be in community and be around other women and really offer up, but when I feel that spirit, you have to be obedient to it to just lean into it. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Thank you so much. Thank you, and thank you for this opportunity too to be on your show.
SPEAKER_01Of course, girl. I'm just doing my shit. And you know, when our brother hit me up and said, Let's do a collaborative thing, of course, like for Seven, it is up and it's up because that is somebody who is not only doing the work, but seeing value in us and like putting us in these positions and always like sowing seeds for us to be greater, and like for me, that is something that every trans woman needs, they need somebody in a village that's gonna say, Hey, you deserve an opportunity, yeah.
SPEAKER_03And I love him for that. I love him, yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_01So let's get into how did you get prepared emotionally for the role that you're about to be playing in there because you're gonna be doing a lot of heavy emotional labor and vulnerable spaces. How do you prepare yourself for the role?
SPEAKER_03Like I said, from my personal, you know, things that happened to me, you know, and also St. Louis, you know, there's like I said, the struggle and stuff in St. Louis, they're all that gets me prepared for my role, you know, and also I think about her, you know, always think about her and how she will want, you know, how she would act and stuff. And we used to watch a couple of videos of her, you know.
Sex Work Myths And Community Harm
SPEAKER_01So yeah, that's how I can you know on this podcast, we are big advocates for sex work. What misconceptions or myths do people often have around people who do sex work that you would like to debunk?
SPEAKER_03Um the the sex work, like some people think sex work is like for survival, or uh well, some sex organization for survival, and then some sex work is just to get to where you need to get to, you know what I'm saying? And so it's a different type of successful work. I mean sex work. So it's just get uh I guess it gets the bad taste in people's mouths sometimes and this and that, but you don't know that girl struggle and you don't know what they've been through to get to that point, you know. Yeah, and some girls can't get out of it, you know what I'm saying? Or you know, I know, I mean, it's just it's just a lot. That's a very touchy, you know, situation. I mean, subject, you know, since you're doing sex work, and then you have a couple of my sisters, you know, pass from that, you know, so it's just a lie, you know, but it's a big misconception because people think, you know, oh, this, this, and that, and it don't be that, it'd be something totally different, or they think that's the only thing she knows how to do, you know what I'm saying? So it could be misproof, you know, yeah, that's my take from it.
SPEAKER_01But without even recognizing or adding a component how society adds the discrimination layer to women like us not being able to be welcome in society and have forms to make money if you don't have the documentation or you don't present exactly it could use to be there, absolutely, and we cannot talk about community harm when a lot of our introductions with saying that we want to be trans is introduced right into sex work by other community members, so it's not only the societal aspect of it, but it's also the component of us trusting like our chosen mothers and fathers and not even being word to wise that that's what we're kind of being navigated in mode.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, uh-huh, yes, you're so right, and it's a lot of yeah, you're so right. You did it on and all.
Joy Practices And Support Networks
SPEAKER_01No, for real. And so what is it like no, what is it like for you now, currently in where you at now? I know you've overcome some things. How are you been able to celebrate joy in this current life, Kamura?
SPEAKER_03You know, I'm very like to myself, you know, same besides you know, seven calling and checking on me, or maybe my family. I like I said, I I go out, you know, like sitting in front of the vacations, you know, saying I go on vacation, but I like to get out when I go to a cafe and go on Manhattan, sit in front of the water, you know, go down to I love to shop, so you know, I might do that. So yeah, that's yeah, that's what I do. Oh no, my dog, my dog Bendy. Oh okay, so that's my baby.
SPEAKER_01So, how have it? I know that community isn't so important and all the things, but would you say that you have a great network of other trans women that rally around you and support you, or what is that currently looking like for you now?
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, including I have a lot, yeah. The girls from St. Louis, you know, a lot of girls from Tyra, from Kiki, Ri Re. Okay, meaning like all the girls in St. Louis, Vanessa, they all rooting for me, you know. I have girls on my side, you know, including you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, of course, but I'm gonna be there tearing you on at the screen opening.
SPEAKER_03Yes, the girls are very supportive, you know, especially when I go back home, you know, they're very supportive. And even though I'm far apart, you know, I know everybody has their thing, you know, it's a lot on, you know. So don't blow people down, but when we hook back up or they call them like, yeah, I just need your thing, or this is gonna say, go, girl, you know, we root before you, yeah, yeah. No, because it's good to have Courtney.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So one of the things I can't take the person.
SPEAKER_03Oh, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_01Go ahead. No, you go ahead.
SPEAKER_03No, I'm gonna tell you. I got a couple girlfriends up here too, uh Janae and uh Ashley.
SPEAKER_01Okay, cool.
SPEAKER_03I gotta I got a team.
SPEAKER_01Good that makes me feel good because oftentimes for me, I think I'll isolate myself, especially here at home, is I don't have necessarily the team around me, but I also don't desire that because what happens in the industry is when you're trying to like reach a certain goal, it just crab in the bucket and it becomes hard. But I take the fuse and the twos and fuse that I get that's genuine. I'm I'm big on genuine connections and genuine energy. But if you don't mean me know you get the fuck exact okay, okay, we don't even go waste no time, all right. But one of the things we love to do on the pie is definitely always giving young girls encouraging words and pearls of wisdom. So if we had a young girl that is early in her transition, you spoke about this earlier and may not have all the things, but she wants to be an actress. What is some advice that you would give her, Kamura?
SPEAKER_02Um, she wants to be an actress. Um I'll say.
SPEAKER_01Wait, hold on. Your sound going in and out a little bit. What's I think I hold on. I'm gonna go back in and out. Okay.
unknownOkay.
Advice For Young Trans Actresses
SPEAKER_01All right. Yes, and so we're gonna get into these pearls of wisdom. So all of my listeners that's currently listening on the audio, we are going to let me describe myself. I am Miss Mouthie. I got long black hair. I'm dark skinned. I have on blue eyeshadow today. I have on a blue satin pinstripe shirt. I also have on a navy blue skirt. So, you know, that is just a little descriptor because I want to be mindful and more intentional about my people who may not be able to see me. I never thought about that. But we are working with our producers to be more inclusive for people to be able to have a really sound experience here at the Miss Mouthie Podcast. Okay. And when we get back, when Kamora gets back, we're gonna get her pearls of wisdoms. I'm gonna give y'all minds and we're gonna close this thing out. And to my audio people, we're gonna have a special treat for y'all at the end of this, and as well as my visual people who is tuning in on YouTube, we are gonna have something special. All right, let's see. Yeah, now you sound perfect. Yeah, okay. So we were saying to a young girl who is wanting to be an actress, what advice would you give her?
SPEAKER_03I would tell them, I would tell her, don't be afraid, you know, ask questions, study, you know, and most importantly never stop.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, period.
SPEAKER_03Yes, because you might feel like that, oh, this is a lot, this this and that, but once you get used to it and used to and keep practicing and practicing, you're gonna get better and better, and it's gonna look better and better, and you're gonna look back and be like, oh my god, I'm really here, you know.
SPEAKER_01I love that so much. What I would say to a young girl that is aiming to be in the limelight or ambitious and just go after your goal, it don't matter what it is. I would say always know who you are, know that you are deserving to be in rooms and in spaces and showcase your talent because you are the one, like you're not the two, you the one, okay? And with that being said, there will be no one else that do it like you do it. So don't be afraid to show the world your greatness. And that goes for Kamara too. When they see this film and what she be able to put on the spin of Yolanda's life, it's gonna be a smash hit. Why? Because she's a stop, period, and it's been already ordained for her to live this and put this legacy out. But yeah, you know, I'm just so grateful for you to stop by and pop it and come in and share your brilliance with me today.
Where To Find Kamora And Auditions
SPEAKER_03Yes, and thank you so so so so much for having me. Of course, of course.
SPEAKER_01Let the people know how they can find you if you want to be found and all the things, anything that you may have that you want to share, like an upcoming event, or how the people can support you, definitely let them know now.
SPEAKER_03Well, you can find me at Vatan Bangs on Instagram or more than Vuta Time Bangs on Facebook. Also, I have a couple things brewing. I have a working on an album. Okay, period. I'm doing that, and I still have my makeup line killed KLB lips. What lips are made? So I'll be coming back out with that with more colors and more products too.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I love that.
SPEAKER_03I gotta check that out because you know how to get to check out the movie, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Okay, no, for real. So when are y'all thinking about um production or when people will be able to um I say around August?
SPEAKER_03That's when we're probably doing the in-person at the end of August doing the in-person audition, and then at the beginning of the month, we're probably gonna do virtual, you know. So, yeah, it's a process, but we're gonna get it done, you know. I love that so much.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, all great things come with a process, so yes, yeah, you know, no rush over here. Thank you again, lips. This was so necessary, and like I said at the beginning of this episode, nobody do it better than the dolls. Like, y'all can try and be need nobody competing where they don't compare. Like the girls are here to say we've been here, we ain't going nowhere. Fuck a ice, fuck this, fucking it. Okay, the girls, okay. The girls is girling, okay. Period. Because what if you don't hear me, you see me, and if you don't see me, you definitely hear me. It's your girl, Miss Mouthie.
unknownBye.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I just wanted to say thank you, Kamora, for coming on and sharing your amazing story, testimony, and being able to be vulnerable with me. I hope you have an amazing journey with bringing to life Yolanda's story and all that she went through and all that she contributed to our community. Thank you, Seven, Q7 King, for making this collaborative effort possible. You know, one of the things that I think is important is to be able to recognize talent. And Seven definitely have an eye for talent stars and creative process with bringing something that could be a thought or a story or a conversation to life. And so I'm excited to witness what greatness comes out on the other end of it. And what I will say for the state of the women of my community, I'm not no saint by far. I know that we have differences and we can be catty and we can go at each other, but I do think there is coming going to become a time very soon where we're all gonna have to band together and put the bullshit to the side just for a moment. You can address the bitch after we know that we're alive, or we're not being deported, or we're not being wrongly incarcerated, then you can pick up where you left off without liking the bitch and being petty again. But for the moment of survival of our community, we might need to just put a pen in that so that we can all progressively move forward and we all leave nobody behind. But again, y'all don't gotta take my word for it. I'm just a bitch on the mic, just trying to get some humanity and some unity between all of us, so none of us is left out. What they say, no justice for one is an injustice to all. And so if we have not realized now what this means for the state of humanity, the world and this country to not be able to show up and be your authentic self by just existing, then this is a wake-up call for all of us to look within and see how our differences start to make us hate one another and make other people outside of us hate us as well. And it has just been a pleasure. It's been a pleasure to be able to host this podcast with y'all. It is unmuted. So I'm just saying what the fuck I feel with no filter. It's your girl, Miss Mouthy. Even when you what don't see me, you hear me. Till next time.
SPEAKER_04Bye.