Representing Black Love w/ Ella Rodriguez

The star of CandyJar's newest vertical "The Heart Thief" Ella Rodriguez sits down with Brigette to spill all the behind the scene secrets of shooting spicy scenes, the stigma that comes with making a vertical and much more !

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to your point of view guys. I am your host, Bridget, and today I'm doing a very fun and special interview with the beautiful Miss Ella Rodriguez and she is the star of the new vertical that is coming out June 19th called The Heart Thieve.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Ella, how are you today? I'm doing so good, Bridget. Thank you for the lovely introduction.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

Of course, thank you so much for being here. I'm so excited because I got to have an early screening to the Heart Thieves, and I am a huge fan, one of you and two of the project. So I've been looking forward to doing this interview for a little while.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

Yes. I'm I'm happy because I I haven't even gotten to see it, so I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Which is crazy. I feel like I have like the ultimate exclusive, the fact that the star has not seen it.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

I know genuinely you have the ultimate exclusive right now, the perks of my job. Yeah, literally.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

So I know we're definitely gonna get into all of it, but I do want to start. I like to start by asking my guests a little bit about themselves. So I want to know about young Ella and how you ended up in the industry, in the acting industry.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

Yeah, oh my gosh. So I was thinking about this ahead of time because I was like, how do I try to condense this? Because my story, I feel like, is very, I don't know, loaded and crazy. And I have moments where even my own friends will be like, I forgot that was a part of your lore. And I'm like, yeah, me too. Um I'm an only child. I think I always really was creative and very imaginative. And so in school, when they started to do plays, which I don't think I really understood the concept of a play or theater or anything, I just knew that they were like, Who wants to be on stage and say these three words or sing this song? And I was like, me, like every single time. I was so excited. And um, yeah, I always really enjoyed it and I took it more seriously uh when everyone was like applying to colleges in high school. I was thinking, like, where am I gonna go? And nothing sounded appealing to me besides going to a performing arts college. And I remember at the time I had really bad breakouts, like any teenager does. And um I like gotten worked up to like tell my mom, like, okay, I want to go to performing arts school. Like I got really nervous and I went down, I told her, I was like, hey, this is what I want to do with my life. Like, is this okay if I go to this school? I don't know why I built it up in my head that she would say no or something, but she I like cried. It was so emotional. My mom was like, whatever you want to do, like I support you and I love you. And then from that day on, like, I all my acne cleared, like for the rest of my life. I think that was stressing me out so much. It's so crazy. Um, but yeah, I went to Amda, it's a performing arts college. They have two campuses. There's one in LA, one in New York. I went to the LA campus because I grew up in LA. Um I graduated, and then I kind of took a break from trying to submit and finding agencies because it's really difficult and it can be really discouraging. And I was kind of just feeling a little bit depressed and discouraged. And then I started to write. And then I ended up writing um my first ever screenplay. And the screenplay I wrote was actually um like my version of fan fiction for the character Ironheart. She was she had just been released in comic books. I think she was, I think the first issue was released on my birthday, uh, which is June 21st. And I got really depressed with it.

unknown 3:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Um and I have an Iron Man tattoo. I love Marvel and Iron Man. I was like, oh, she's this black girl from Chicago. She her story's really entrenched in in trauma and and how to move through that. And I really was like, let me just write something. One to keep my mind busy because I was just feeling depressed and and needed like a creative outlet. And two, I was just kind of like, well, what if like what what would it be like if she got her own origin film? And I wrote that, I posted it on Blacklist, which is a website that industry members can you can pay industry members to rate your script and to give you notes and feedback. And it was the first thing I did, and I some I don't even know who told me about it, but I was like, okay, I'll just I'll just send it in. And it scored pretty highly, which I didn't think I thought I was proud of, but I didn't think anything was gonna come of that. And like a month later, I just woke up and I it was going viral. Like it was all over Twitter. They thought I was like commissioned to write it. It started this whole buzz of like, is she gonna be um at the time I think only Infinity War or yeah, I think maybe Only Infinity War had come out during this time. And so they thought I was like, they thought it was like an Easter egg, basically, how Marvel is. Like they Easter egg everything. And I was me and my mom, I just like screamed. I told my mom about it, and she was like, I feel like we should release a statement to the press. And I was like, the press, baby, we're in a townhouse. Where's the press at? I don't know where to contact these so-called press that you know of. If you have any connects, like let me know. Um so then I just let it be, and I was like, I just I guess I'll say nothing, and then maybe people think it's like cooler or something. And then I was working at a restaurant and um I had a horrible shift. My friend got fired in the middle of this shift, it was crazy. And then I just remember clocking out and being like, oh, okay, like I made it through, and I checked my phone, and it was this massive, like one of the number one agencies um reached out and they were like, Hey, we read the script, we want to sign you, we want to represent you, we want to like take a meeting. And I was just like, Oh my god, my life is gonna change. I then signed with a huge management company, and yeah, I really thought at that time I was like, oh my god, they kept pitching to me, like, you're gonna be the next, like um Issa Ray. I was really wanting to be this actress, screenwriter, like multi-hyphenite person. And but that wasn't my IP, nothing really happened with Marvel. I mean, they did bring it up to Robert Downey Jr., I remember, and like the fact that like my name and his name were in the same same sentence. Yes, I was like, oh my god, I was freaking out. Um, but nothing ever really came of it, and um, and this was back when I was I had it was like my my legal name, so it is which is Jada. So it was like Jada Rodriguez's scripts, and I was like, oh my god, I was so excited.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

You do have a lot of lore. Like, oh my god. No, I was not expecting that answer.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

It's crazy. Um, and yeah, nothing really happened. And then I started to just go, okay, that's not my IP, like that's not my intellectual property. Let me really work on my own projects and original ideas. And then I did that, and now I have like five, six um original screenplays I've written. Some of them are pilots, some of them are like a limited series, some are romances or like films. So that's what I would love to do eventually, but that's kind of like the smallest version of like my career that I could give to you.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

No, that's amazing because you took something that was kind of like a hobby that was therapeutic for you, and you turned it into something that I'm sure you didn't even expect. For I did not think that's where you were gonna go with that. Because I thought you were someone that would prefer to be like in front of the screen. Are you more a behind-the-scenes person or do you have love equally for both?

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Oh god. I yeah, for both for sure. I love storytelling. I love being able to I love kind of playing like this divine feminine like role in in screenwriting. It makes me feel like I'm this kind of goddess watching over these characters. It sounds so pretentious when I say it, but I truly it's a way for me to kind of connect with how I see humanity and how I see redemption and people, and I believe in hope. I like truly I believe in hope and in the good in people. So I love telling stories and I love to be able to tell different versions of pretty much the same story, which is like hope and love and kindness and like how humanity really is so good at heart. But I also love being in front of the camera because I love being able to um like bring someone else's vision to life, and I love to live a character out. I think that's really enjoyable for me, and it's like a great therapy for me is to just have all these different characters that I've kind of, I don't know, like been graced to inhabit and like put on their point of view, even if they're so opposite to me or similar or whatever, you know. So I I do really like both, but yeah, I don't know. I'm I'm greedy.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

No, I think that is a beautiful that's a beautiful answer, first of all. And I think that's why you're so good at it, is because you're so passionate about it, and you say, like, your answer you felt was pretentious, but no, it shows that you actually care about the craft, and I think because you are on different sides of it, I've heard people say this before. That's why you're so good at it because you have been the person to write it and then also play it. So I feel like you feel it on a deeper level, and it shows in your work, like this is why I'm doing this interview, y'all. Y'all gotta see this vertical. She's so good, and and now I know why. I'm like, oh, I thought I just thought it was gonna be I uh saw somebody on TV and I wanted to be adventures, but no, you really feel this, and I really hope that this is the beginning, and I know that it is for you because wow, as you already have a crazy story, and I and Marvel, shame on you guys. What are you guys? They're missing out, and I hope they see this. They're missing out on having you.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

No, truly, you know, it's so funny, Bridget. Every time I bring it up, I always have this like weird, like daunting fear that I'm like, are they gonna come for me for saying anything?

SPEAKER_00 10:01

Like they need to let no, it needs to be a shock and reminder that you you know you're here and you are good. If you're gaining attention like this already organically on your own, imagine the backing. But I think it's just hopefully that's just like a stepping stone, and eventually you're gonna end up where you need to be. But that that is an insane story. But besides like all of that, did you have any inspirations like writing wise or acting wise growing up?

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Oh my god, that's such a good question. Honestly, I think I've probably the first, I mean, mostly because representation wasn't the strongest growing up for me, so probably Raven Simone, honestly. And she did obviously really co comedy heavy things, but I think maybe that was the first time I was like, oh, maybe I could do that because I finally saw somebody who was this same skin tone and you know as me. That was probably maybe uh an inspiration for me growing up. But I even then I didn't really know what I wanted to be. I always knew I wanted to do that, but I didn't know that there was a word for it. But yeah, I guess maybe her. She probably made me think I could do it.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

That was my thought, because honestly, I can kind of see some of her in you, which I know you're probably like I'm telling you. I was like, watch her say in my head, watch her say Raven Simone. But I see it, I see the influence. And I think, like, yeah, Raven definitely inspired a lot of us black girls growing up for sure. She was, I think, the first female um black woman to have, or black girl to have a show on Disney Channel, which was huge at the time because they didn't think that we could carry and like look what came out from it. You know, China got her own show as well as Ndea eventually. So it really was a stepping stone, which is you've really opened doors in such massive ways for sure.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

Sorry to cut you off.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

I apologize, but no, no, you're good. I'm just I was just saying, like, it was back in 03 to think that that was the first time, you know? Like it's still all really recent. So it kind of is so important to see people that look like her and you doing this and knowing that it is um possible for the rest of us. So thank you for doing what you do for sure.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

Yeah, and that's also why I was really happy to be a part of it. I don't want to jump your questions, but just to be a part of this vertical too, you know, so much of what I've seen specifically in the vertical space and even with candy jar is, you know, a lot of white or white passing leads. And I'm I'm I eat it up, okay. You know, like I love the vertical space. I I'm a I grew up a Wattpad teenager, so like this was up my alley. But it's so nice to be able to bring in a different, like we're just a I believe, and you can tell me, I think the heart thief is such a straight and narrow rom-com. Like it's just silly, it's fun, it has the like typical coaching tropes, but there's no huge drama that makes it like, and then they have this like thing about being black that's really oppressive. You know, like there's no this not like this heavy thing under exactly underneath, it's just sweet and silly, and um I really love my relationship uh to um uh Kwabi plays Isaac, my best friend, in the thing. And like even that was so fun to have those kind of best friend scenes. Um, yeah, I don't know. I think that The Heart Thief, I'm so excited for it for it to come out and for people to see just I don't know, black love and like for it to be silly and playful. I think Roman and Millie's relationship is is silly and fun and they and they can joke around with each other a lot. And um, I loved that part of the script. I was like, okay, I really I'm rooting for them, you know.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Yes, no, a hundred percent. And I feel like because this project is in particular so special because it's an all-black cast and it also has a black director. And I feel like because Alex, yes, shout out it's this is so well done, and I feel like because we have the representation and the people you know behind it, that it's for us by us, basically. And that is what we've been missing. I feel like we've gotten so much struggle of trauma and all like we've been we've seen it all, and it's so good to see a refreshing take on fun love for people that look like us. And since you have, I'm sure, been on another set that hasn't been this way with that much representation. Can you tell me the different um experiences being on that type of set versus this type of set?

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Yeah, one of my biggest, like, I don't know, challenges and gripes I think a lot of women of color actresses deal with is hair. Like that is something that always is so daunting to me on a set. Yeah. It's like who is going to take care of my hair. And they were so great, you know, asked my manager, can we make sure that I have a black hairstylist on set? And I always ask. But what was so great is that I found out at the fitting that the director Alex, she was like, you know, like give her what she wants. Like Alex was so great about yes, we need to advocate for ourselves on these sorts of sets. And Alex was really great about that, like of what I'm comfortable with. I don't know, just the people, all the the whole team, the makeup team, the hair department. Everyone was like, what do you want? What makes you feel sexy or beautiful? And also what's gonna protect your hair or your skin or this? I think that's a huge difference. And then in terms of in front of the camera, I think maybe the sense of humor, honestly, on set between all of us with Alex or this, or um there was a moment where there's a dancing scene, and it was originally written that my character Millie and Roman are face to face and we're dancing and we're in a club, and we're dancing, and then it leads to, you know, like an almost kiss. And so we were doing the walkthrough, just Claude and I, who plays Roman, and we're doing the walkthrough, and I'm like, this does not make any sense. We are black people in a club. What black people in a club do you know are dancing face to face? Well, especially when there's like sexual tension, you know? This is not so I was telling him, like, I don't like this, this doesn't make sense, and it's not sexy. Claude and I really got along in the fact that we would be like, This isn't sexy, we don't like it. Like we were very um, yeah, because we were like, We want we want the edits, we want it to do well, and how it's gonna do well is if you can really feel it and if yeah, there's more tension and chemistry. And so I was like, I don't like this dancing. And he was like, What do you want to do? And Claude was really great about kind of letting me lead that rather than you know, he's the male, my male counterpart. He could easily maybe be like, we should do this or this, but then it almost it could maybe get into gray zone territory, I feel. And he was so great about he also wanted it to do well, he also wanted things to be sexy. But number one for him was like, what do you want to do? What are you comfortable with? And let's go from there. And obviously, we had our intimacy coordinator on set. Her name's Haley, she was wonderful, but for this one, it was just a dance, so it wasn't anything crazy. But I was like, if I'm honest, I feel like we should be grinding. Like, I should be grinding. And I was like, So I think let's try to. We were doing a walkthrough while the lights were getting set up and cameras are being moved. So I was like, okay, when we practice like being this way, and then we were kind of stuck, realizing, like, wait, how do at one point he was like, should I like do a dramatic like spin? And we were like, that doesn't really make sense. And then Alex, our director, came over and she was the one that was like, What's happening here? I like this, like, what's going on? And we were like, We we want to grind, we think it doesn't make sense, like we are black and we're in a club. And Alex was so great where she was like, Yes, like she she was very on board with any uh ideas or suggestions that we may have had to make the scene stronger or that would make more sense character character-wise. So she kind of laughed about it, but she was like, Yeah, let's figure it out, let's walk through it. And she kind of watched us, and then she came up with the idea of like, you know, I'm just I look at him and I'm so drawn, and it turns me around. So, like little things like that, somebody else might just be like, just do what how do it how it's written, you know?

SPEAKER_02 18:18

Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Um, whereas Alex was like, You're right, it doesn't make sense. You're in a club, you would be grinding, like let's figure out so I think that's also a way that like a small example I can I can say about working with people like who where I'm around all people who we have different experiences of being black. I'm I'm also mixed ethnicity, so everyone's gonna have a different experience of that and based off of like where you came from, where you grew up, who you grew up around. But in the end, you can tell we're all like, I don't know, it's family.

SPEAKER_00 18:53

Yeah, it's definitely gave you that comfort level to you know be able to speak up and you know, you guys have more of like a collaborative experience, which is good because I probably would have looked at it and thought the same thing and because the type of music that was playing, which I know a lot of times they add that music afterwards, yeah. I'm like, the type of music that was playing and what you're describing, I would have been like, What's going on?

SPEAKER_01 19:15

Yeah, what's going on if we're just like this?

SPEAKER_00 19:19

That would have been one of probably one of the clipped moments where people are like, What is happening?

SPEAKER_01 19:26

I have a fear of people being like, This doesn't make sense. Oh, actually, that reminds me. I also we had a scene where I get surprised in the morning and I they just had me looking cute and I was like, that's fine, but where's my bonnet? Like, I need a bonnet if he comes to my home. And even that, they were like, Oh, yeah, who does anyone have like, does hair have a bonnet? Does makeup have a bonnet? And luckily we had a bonnet on set to like shout out. Um thank God, because I was even that was such a small detail that I'm like, I need a bonnet. And I feel like it makes it a huge difference. And again, these are there's gonna be young girls who realize I don't know, even me when I grew up, I never grew up seeing like romance where someone's wearing a bonnet or like exactly or whatever, you know, or putting on the rig where you feel like it's just normal. It's not like a taboo thing. So it's even small things like that where they're like, yeah, let's add it, let's change it, and let's figure out how to do it. So um, it was truly so wonderful working with Alex. And she's doing way more, and I'm excited to see her other verticals as she does as well.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Yeah, you guys did a really good job on doing the small details because that does matter, especially, you know, from our culture, because one thing about social media, now everybody can nitpick everything. So these are things that I'm glad you guys got on top because I noticed them and I took note of them, and I was like, yeah, that is part of why this was so good because the little things they add up to the big things and it makes it more authentic for the audience. So good job on that. And I do want to ask you more about your co-star since you brought him up, Collat. How was the casting process? Did you guys get to do a chemistry read before you were both cast? Or were you kind of like thrown into it and like had to figure it out that way?

SPEAKER_01 21:09

No, I got really lucky that we did do a chemistry read. I I feel like we may have done two, but I that could be wrong because this was a like several months ago. But I did get to meet him over chemistry read, but even that was really quick. It wasn't like, hey, how are you? And then get straight into it. But then once I was cast, then we met at the fitting and then we had dinner, I think like the next day with our director Alex and with our producer Danny. And he was so great and we got along fairly well. And he's you know, Claude's this like huge guy, like super tatted. I was like, Oh, I'm like, what's he is he who's he gonna be? What kind of guy is he gonna be? But he was so sweet and lovely and was just like asking me questions about myself, and it was so funny. We like went out to dinner, all of us in Silver Lake, and like suddenly, like Claude and I were just both. Drinking like mocktails. Um, and I was like, I have to be so bad. And so I was like, he's like, I'll I'll take you, I'll walk, I'll walk over with you. And of course, the woman's line was like horrible, and there was no line in the men's room. And I was like, Claude, like, get in there and tell me if there's any men in there. Like, I because I really have to go, I cannot wait. And so we bonded very quickly because we peed next to each other very like just meeting each other. It was so ridiculous. Men ended up coming in eventually, and they're like, whatever, we don't care. But it was so ridiculous and so silly. And like, I was like, okay, he's cool. And I am ended up telling him, You seem like a girl's guy like this, you know. Um I love it. It was so sweet. I was like, we have to film TikToks, we need to do this. And I think there can sometimes be this sort of like looking down. I don't know. I think maybe men sometimes can look down on like social media or like I don't know, even just like a fit check or something like whereas for us it is fun and it's a way to connect with people or with audiences. And he was so game for anything. He's like, Whatever you want. I brought my ring light girl to the dinner. I was like, Claude, we're locking and prepared, yes. I can prepare. And he was like, Whatever you want. He was so sweet, he was so wonderful, intimate scenes as well. Like, obviously, we had our intimacy coordinator, like I said mentioned before. Her name is Haley, and she was great. But Claude was really good about again when I would feel it's funny, I never felt uncomfortable. My thing was like, we need to up the stakes bigger, bigger, bigger. Like I was trying to always make it bigger. And he was so game. He's like, Okay, what do you want to do? Let's let's walk through it. And um, yeah, he was wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 23:42

And do you mean that like upping it for the intimate scenes or just all intimate scenes?

SPEAKER_01 23:46

Yeah, for the intimate scenes. So we wanted again, Claude and I, we may be a little bit self-absorbed, you may say. No, I don't know how to word it. We were just like, we want an edit. Like, that's all we want. We want a good edit, we want to see a good TikTok edit of us looking hot as fuck. Can I cuss in this Bridget?

SPEAKER_00 24:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

I'm just like, feel free, say whatever. We want to look hot, we let it look great. And um yeah, and then we were just like, how do we make this sexier and sexier? And like we had three different things. One of them got rejected, which is fine because we got two. Um but yeah, it was things like that where I'm like, I don't like this, we can we can add more to this. And to be fair, I would say that I I appreciate a script and a director to almost like do the bare minimum of like this is what we can show. We don't want to push this, they we don't want to ask an actress to do more than she may be comfortable with. And so I appreciate that, but then if I feel like I can do more, I'm happy to verbalize that and be like, if you guys want more, I am down to go to this level, basically. And Claude was with me on that, where he was like, Okay, wherever you want to go, I am happy to match you. So with intimate scenes, there is definitely a level, not improvising at all, because you can't improvise in those scenes, it's just not professional to do so, and also camera-wise, just like it's not it's not gonna work, but we would do walkthroughs and then we would be like, What felt bumpy? What would we kind of do in our personal lives that we can maybe add into this? And um, he was always so game. And then through the walkthroughs, like it's kind of choreographed, we would add in more stuff and we would talk to our intimacy coordinator, and we'd be like, We want to add in a few lines, we want to add in this sexy thing, we want to add this, and she's like, Okay, great. And then we would film it. I mean, maybe sometimes I pushed it too far because I do remember at one point our director for the last like big climactic kind of intimate scene. I like, I heard her say, like, put your hands over your head. And I think I may have done something not which you wanted, because she was like, Not that cut. Okay, and I was like, Oh, okay, gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

Like, oh, I have to listen. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

I was like, I thought, okay, okay, I don't know what what you were saying, but yeah, he was really great about wanting to match me, and he truly is so professional while also being a friend and being very kind. I struggle with like getting overheated on set and little things like that, and um, it's a marathon, like filming these things, truly, like it's just so fast and it's kind of fashion level in terms of like you shoot, hurry up and change into the next outfit, go shoot. You shoot, like there's not really any downtime. And um wow, Claude was so great about checking in on me or being like, I'm gonna get you a snack on the side, and he'd put it so he'd hide it somewhere where we were, or he'd make tread water, or he'd make sure the fans were near me. He was really great about advocating for me when I maybe felt like I don't want to come off as a brat, I guess. And I really appreciated that and I thanked him for that. But I would do so many more of these. He's he truly is such a kind, gentle like actor to work with in these circumstances where it can feel really weird and uncomfortable, you know. Like you're you're faking, you know, really intimate things, and for somebody to make you feel that comfortable is like no small feat.

SPEAKER_00 27:24

That's amazing. I love that. He sounds like a great scene partner and just friend overall. And I know you said you had to do this like really quickly. What was the shooting schedule like? Like how many dates did you guys have to shoot and get this out?

SPEAKER_01 27:37

Yeah, we shot it in five days. Wow. Um that's it. You know, uh, you get like three, I would say maybe three takes each scene. I could be wrong. So I, you know what, it depends on the scene, actually, I would say, um, and how important it was. Because if you didn't get it, she wasn't gonna just out, it wasn't gonna move on if it wasn't working. But overall, probably like three takes each, and then you go to the next and the next and the next. Um, yeah, five days. I at a certain point, I was like, I think I'm going crazy. One, we were in a bar for so long, like days on end, like three days in a row, I think. And I hadn't seen daylight because I'm in a bar all day long. And I did at a certain point go like, oh my god, this is just so crazy to shoot this way. But also it was such a relief because once it's done, you're like, I shot this entire thing in a week and I still have like my life and everything. You know, it's not months on end, but you know, um Sarah, who was in charge of hair, uh I'm sorry, Sarah Riley was my hairstylist. Um, Sarah was in charge of makeup. Sarah, she has worked on so many candy jar projects. Like, she is the makeup girl for a candy jar girl. She's amazing, but she was kind of like my mom on set, I feel like, or like my big sister, because at one point I it was kind of at maybe the second to last day of shooting. My body was just so exhausted from shooting that much and giving so much emotion, and then I have to fake moan and then change another outfit and then change your hair, and we do all this stuff, you know. Like I was starting to hit a wall, and I just very privately got into like my makeup chair, and I was like, Can you please close the door? And she was like, Yeah, of course. And I was like, I'm gonna cry now. And I wasn't crying because the set is such a wonderful set, they take su such good care of you. It's just a whole new level of acting, truly. Like, you have to have such a crazy stamina. So I do want to say that, like, anyone who kind of I don't know, makes fun of or doesn't take these actors or actresses seriously, has no idea what it's like shooting these. Truly, it's truly boot camp, and it's just like one thing after another. So I have so much respect for people in the vertical space who even do way more than I've done, like who maybe have done like a longer one or like two a month or something, you know, like hard work. But Sarah was so wonderful in telling me, like, I was just crying, like shoving protein in my mouth, trying to like multitask while like Riley's doing my curls. And Sarah was like, I promise you, you're right at the end, like this always happens, and she's like, and also once you do a vertical, you will like you're set. Every other set from now on will never be this crazy. And I was like, She's so right, like it never will be this insane because this is my f uh, you get thrown into it, you know? Um you have to learn lines so quickly. Like, Claude and I would come to set, and then like there'd be edits, and it's like, okay, you have to learn five new pages today, now while shooting these other things. Like, it's so insane, but it works, and I think that's as a testament to the fact that there is sustainability in it somehow. And when you have talented actors and um who are dedicated to like I can learn my lines this quickly, I can get this chemistry going, I can like do this 500 times and still make it look sexy, like it's gonna work, and that's why Candy Jar does so well. Like, there's no for there's no coincidence, is what I guess I'm trying to say.

SPEAKER_00 31:11

Yeah, this is not for the week because I was watching it. The runtime is over an hour, so that's just what made you know to the cutting room floor. So you guys were shooting way more than that. So for that to be within five days is like mind-blowing to me. It's so well done. This is definitely like a you're welcome, of course. This is definitely a new avenue that I think at one point, like you were saying, like people weren't taking it as seriously. So, how did you feel about it taking it, taking this type of role initially? Did you feel like you were gonna be looked down upon by other actresses? Or do you did you were you just kind of like, this is for me, I like it, and I'm just gonna go for it?

SPEAKER_01 31:55

Yeah, I think a mixture of both. I if you had asked me two years ago when verticals were first, I think that's around the time, I feel like that was when they were kind of starting to become a thing. My manager brought them to me, and I was like, No, absolutely not. I think I was very stubborn around it, if I'm so honest, and I did have this kind of pretentious feeling around it of like it it felt like I don't know what I was comparing it to, but it I just looked down on it a little bit, but then I did get to a point where I got sucked into one, like one of them came on my TikTok, it was um cheer scandal with Kira Wisely, and they got me, okay. They and I was like, wait, uh these guys are very talented. This was so much fun, and that kind of started to change my mind. I called my manager and I was like, mm, okay, like these aren't what I was expecting them to be, I guess. But on top of it, I think I did just get to a place of maturity, maybe where just because something is consumed differently than what I'm used to, you know, like rather than like on my TV or in a film or like in a uh cinema doesn't mean that it's any less than, especially like that the story is any less than. And this industry is changing and evolving so rapidly that it's so naive of me to try to I don't know, I never want my ego to be so precocious that that I I don't allow myself to see like the beauty and the art and like the real talent and like people who care to put in the work to create these uh stories. Right. And um I don't know, then I get real then I can go really far back and think like, well, radio, then to TV. They people were like saying TV was gonna rot your brain. And then it was like streaming was so looked down upon for a while, like ugh, that's not real TV show. It's a streaming show. Streaming is now like streaming is TV now.

SPEAKER_00 33:55

It's the number one form at this point, yes.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

Yes, and I and I really 100% believe that verticals are going to be so much bigger than anyone thinks they are. I mean, one, just because of accessibility, everyone like can just watch them on their phone or on their iPad, or like now you can watch them on your TV screen, which is so exciting. I'm so excited we got to shoot uh different ratios, like the vertical ratio and um like for a TV format. So that's super exciting. But I really think that it's going to be huge. And I was I keep telling my mom and like my manager that I really think it's almost like people are gonna look down on it as if the same way they kind of looked on Disney Channel actors, like ugly that's so beneath us kind of thing. And like, look at all those people now, they're huge. And um, and they had an audience for a reason, like young women or young queer kids, or even middle-aged women who are a huge demographic of this. Like, people are called to this for a reason. You can't ignore the numbers. And I think romance and smut and yearning and desire are so important into our lives, and they can really be I think rom-coms and fan fiction and all these things can be a blueprint into like something that we need or want or like can help us grow and learn more about ourselves. So to look down on anything that has to do with that is so naive and unfair and stubborn-minded. So I I agree with you completely. Yeah. I'm curious what your thoughts are, but basically to to answer your question, I that was so long-winded, but I looked down on it for a while and then I did get to a point like, well, what if this was years ago and I was never looking down on like Wattpad? I saw the value in that, that escapism, and like wanting that to know what it was like to be desired and be in that, like, I'm your name or whatever, you know. Um, and so yeah, I think that I I care very deeply about anything that young teenagers are interested in because I think teenagers are such beating, sensitive, open people. And I get I'm not saying it's only teenagers who watch it, clearly, I'm not a teenager. I've watched 32. I you know, and I'm reading SMAT and romance, like I'm not a teenager, but you know, I'm just trying to say that what young people like or what women primarily like, and of course, there's gonna be uh men and non-binary people who also are interested in this, but predominantly when it's that group of people, when it's mostly anyone who's not a straight man liking something, it's normally going to be shit on, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 36:37

I'm agreeing with you.

SPEAKER_01 36:38

So 100%. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

I completely agree. It's always that way at first. They always look down, but guess what? Women are the gold mine for money. Because look at Bridgeton, and I feel like that's partially why this type of um uh verticals and everything is starting to pop off for one, is like we're getting more shows like Bridgeton. There's more like yearning and passion. And unfortunately for us, we are kind of living in this day and age where we're not getting as much romance face to face. A lot of people are like sucked into the digital, so women, especially, but you know, like we said, men and non-binary also have that like yearning feeling for um something that we aren't really just getting anymore. For the longest time, we didn't get any rom coms, like for the longest time, and that was hard for me as a rom-commerce.

SPEAKER_01 37:27

No, we were in a drought, yes.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

You know how many times I've seen uh how to lose a guy in 10 days, or I used to watch that's my favorite rom-coms ever. It's so good, it is so good. Oh my gosh. But yes, I had to rewatch so many of those and like rewatch um think like a man. Like, if you want to watch one with like an all-black cast that doesn't have a lot of trauma and stuff, so I'm really happy to see like this is on the rise, and then also we just got Yumi and Tuscany in theaters, which was an amazing watch as well. So I think that it is changing. And speaking of like black rom-coms, given the fact that we have Tay Diggs in one of the verticals, tells me that you're so correct. We are moving on to a different direction. He is pretty much Black Hollywood royalty or Hollywood royalty, period. Yeah, so for him to be in a vertical, I was very shocked. This is my mom's like biggest crush, like he was he was really generational because everybody loves that man for like a good 2025 year. Yes. So for him to be like one of the first actors to get into it, and then Issa Rae just uh released a vertical, I believe it was on TikTok not too long ago. Yeah, I think Issa Rae, her and Quinta have like an eye for innovation and getting in before anybody else. So I think they're gonna take it. I don't know if Quinta's doing it, but I think um Issa's gonna take it to like a whole nother level. And to be very honest with you, your vertical style is a lot different than what we used to get. It was very much like passion, love, not really that heavy on plot, not really that heavy on acting. But we have actors now. We have you and we have Claude, and you guys really brought it and it makes it more digestible. So I think because they're putting I I don't know if they're putting more money behind it or just like a little bit more care in it, but I see it changing over. So was that like a part of the reason why you wanted to do this? Did you get to read the script beforehand? Or were you prepared to do like the old type of verticals?

SPEAKER_01 39:26

I was prepared to do the old one. I actually was going to do another one by a different, like kind of top vertical platform, and they ended up not picking me. And that one was more what you were saying, where it's like very drama heavy, like cliffhanger-esque, and uh like what's the word? Not salacious, but like um, yeah, just like very clickbaity, I would say. And I was so prepared for it because I just thought it'll be fun. It's kind of like ridiculous camp to me at that point. And I was like, great, this will be fun and silly, and I'm willing to do it. What they were asking for was, you know, kind of heavy, like BDSM-esque, like trope and things like that. That and for someone to be curvy and to do that. So I felt like, well, I'm really comfortable in that in that world and in playing that character, so I didn't mind it. They ended up not going with me, and then it's so funny. I and that one they gave me the entire script for because they wanted to make sure I was comfortable with every aspect of it. Oh nice. And then um I ended up not getting that one, and then I think like the next day, I got an audition through my manager for The Heart Thief, and I only got the side, so I didn't get to see the whole script, but even the sides I read, I was like, this is so cute. Like the way they were flirting with each other was so sweet, and the banter back and forth was really cute that I was like, wait, this is like more like my vibe for sure. So um, yeah, then I was way more excited. I even told her, like, oh, I like this one better anyway.

SPEAKER_00 41:00

Yeah, see what's for you came at the right time.

SPEAKER_01 41:03

Yes, totally, and then I yeah, I'm very happy that that it worked out and that they picked me and that they thought it would be a good match, and I hope I did it justice because all of the candy jar verticals are based off of book books, and this book was written by a woman named Zay Nab. And um, it was I obviously didn't get to meet her. She's um not in the country, but it was so nice that producers and people from Candy Jar came by um and they like allowed us to send her a video and say hello and thank you for allowing us to like play these characters that she's written um in you know way longer format with a novel. So that was really nice and special as well. So um yeah, I'm I'm very happy that they fixed me. I'm excited. I hope I did her justice.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

You did. Everyone's gonna love it. I really did love this one. Um, my first like real grab was watching Private Lessons, which I got to interview Lauren as well. But you guys are literally like toe-to-toe or favorite.

SPEAKER_01 42:03

And I watched it too. I love Lauren. I love that one too. She she's such a phenomenal actress as well, where I'm just like, she plays vulnerability and like this kind of soft insecurity, and her eyes speaks so loudly. And I I love her. That's my girl. We as soon as I got cast, we started messaging and we became friends, and she's been so supportive in this process for me, truly. As like, I feel like all the candy jar girls are like um linking up and like becoming friends, you know. Um, which is just so sweet uh to be embraced with open arms, where she was like, the fans will love you, don't worry, you know. It was just so so wonderful. But I also watched that one, so that's a huge compliment because it's Lauren, it's Joseph, who Joseph is like literally dumb. He's miss Mr. Candy Jar at this point, you know.

SPEAKER_00 42:55

Which I don't mind. He's doing a great job.

SPEAKER_01 42:57

No, he's doing a great job. One thing about Joseph is he takes his role seriously, honey. He's gonna be down.

SPEAKER_00 43:03

That's because it's in his blood. You know, his dad was on prison break. It's in his blood. This is his right of passage.

SPEAKER_01 43:10

Yes, I'm so excited to see like what happens with his career and everything. Like, it's so fun to watch him. Anytime it's him, I'm like, ah, okay, I'll watch.

SPEAKER_00 43:19

Yes, definitely. That is me 100%. This is so late in me asking you, but I meant to ask you to like give us a little insight into the plot of the heart thief and your character.

SPEAKER_01 43:32

My goodness, duh, of course. So I would say the heart thief um is about Millie, and Millie is really struggling with dating, and and she feels like she needs to find the one and very quickly, and she kind of has this mindset of like who who they need to be and what they need to act like. So she's her standards are pretty strict. And um, she meets Roman, who Roman is the owner, and she doesn't know this at all. The time when she meets him, but Roman owns the bar, he owns a lot of nightlife and he makes great money, and he's young and tatted, and just she just feels like this guy is just a playboy, like get away from me. But she's really struggling with dating her own way. So Roman comes in and decides to coach her. And I love a trope like that. So he's kind of coaching her, and they become friends through it, and and they fall in love, and it's sweet. And I I really like that kind of mentor trope and like friend level. And um, yeah, it's really sweet, it's really wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 44:38

Friends to lovers. I love that as well. And she I thought I thought as though she was nuts because when I found out he was a billionaire with a B, I was like, girl, jump on that. Well that would have been the end of the vertical.

SPEAKER_01 44:53

I know, Millie. I don't know what she's thinking, but I also think she gets so stuck on like he's so young, he's like a tattooed bad boy, you know, like she's just so it's so ridiculous. Like, girl, please, this man is fine, like he's nice, he's a billionaire.

SPEAKER_00 45:10

And he wants you, like, what are we waiting for?

SPEAKER_01 45:13

She's stubborn, she needs to like it, had to take her a little while. And it's just so funny. The guy that she picks, like to date for a while. It's so that me and Claude were constantly laughing about like this is so like apples and oranges. Like there's a woman who's like sexy and hot, and like, you know, has Riz, you know, and then here's Brent. Like we were just like, and then there's Brent. Like the vanilla.

SPEAKER_02 45:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:44

See, that did make me laugh. And yeah, they wrote Brent as uh, I would say as vanilla as humanly possible. Poor Brent did not get in the chance.

SPEAKER_01 45:53

No, that's what I'm saying. Did he ever think he had a chance? Like, I'm so sorry, Brent.

SPEAKER_00 45:57

Like it was never gonna be you, buddy. It was never gonna be you, even with all your efforts. We won't give that away, but even with that away, yeah. Well, speaking of like Millie's journey, she is so she's very much like tunnel vision. I have to meet these goals at a certain age, like I have to settle down. And I feel like a lot of women can relate to that because that has been kind of like pushed on us since we were kids. Like, you gotta get married by 25 or have babies by this age, or there's something wrong with you. Like, what do you hope that women and people in general just take from Millie's journey throughout the vertical?

SPEAKER_01 46:37

Ooh, oh my god, I I could say so much about that. I mean, I r I because I because I care about it as well, and it and it does affect a lot of women, and I know I can even find myself falling victim to like I need to hit I love the word you said tunnel vision. I can totally fall into that sometimes, or even with my career, I can be like, why didn't I why wasn't I in the pit already? Why wasn't I, you know, like hitting these goals and being in these shows, or um, you know, why am I not Zendaya? You know, like I mean, well, she started so young, you know what I mean? But of course it's so easy to compare. Um, but yeah, I think that I can get that tunnel vision and it's so funny. I thought when I was younger, like, which is so ridiculous that I would ever think this. I'm thinking I would be like married at 24. Like, you're 24, like you don't even know who you are, you know. Um God I didn't get married at 24. Are you kidding?

SPEAKER_00 47:32

It would have been terrible.

SPEAKER_01 47:33

No, like that's just so I I really especially for me, I think it's different for every person and every person's journey is so different. Um, but for me, I I think if you're also unlearning trauma and I have an anxiety disorder, an OCD, there's certain things in my life that I needed time to marinate and to like to get to get to know myself um outside of those things or alongside those things that were gonna take years, unfortunately, whether I wanted it to to be or not. So one thing I would say to people is like one factor in who you are, where you came from, and like some of the struggles you may have, because if you compare yourself to someone else and they have accomplished this or that, or have been married or this and kids, whatever it is, your career, factor in like, okay, well, where you did you go through horrific trauma? Did you have grief that you're facing in life? Did you not really know who you were for a couple of years? Did COVID affect your life and impact it so greatly and like kind of keep you stagnant for a while? Factor those in and remind yourself like you have time, like time is on our side. I really do believe that. And I also think truly that this is gonna be the first generation of women who really do settle down later in life and have kids later in life. And I think people are no longer gonna call geriatric pregnancies like for women who are like 35 or whatever age is. I think that's I think that's going to be like a normal age to for women to have children, you know, or um, and again, anyone who's who's in or outside of that age range, it doesn't matter. But I think anyone who feels pressured because of wherever they're at age-wise with dating or career or anything, just one factor in where you came from and like give yourself grace and to know that like you don't want to rush things that are gonna taste so good when you have them. You have you're gonna be able to indulge in them for years, hopefully, afterwards. So just enjoy where you're at now. Like sometimes it feels chaotic, even for me, where I'm like, God, my life feels crazy. But I have to remind myself like one day I'm going to miss this crazy because I'm gonna be settled down and I'm gonna be working on the same show for the same amount of years, you know, where I might miss the kind of versatility and like up and downness that I'm going through now. But um, yeah, I mean, and also just with dating in general, please do not rush dating anyone at all.

SPEAKER_00 50:08

Like I think you will regret it.

SPEAKER_01 50:10

Yeah, you'll regret it. And I think if someone is really a good match for you, you guys can grow together and in and out, and they will come back. I really do believe that not they'll come back, don't wait around for people, y'all. But like especially me. Yeah, and what like makes you happy and the right people. I read a quote, I think I read it on Pinterest or something. I'm a Pinterest girly, but it was just like you find your soulmates when you're chasing your soul's life purpose purpose, first of all. So to me, it's like don't chase the person, chase who you are, because that's gonna make you the lighthouse of your soul, and then your soulmate will so easily be able to like look up and be like, oh, that's that's my person. So um, that's kind of what I would say. And I would just remind, like, if we're speaking to women in general, I'm like, please decenter men, please, y'all, please.

SPEAKER_00 51:02

Agreed, agreed. I think what you said is so correct. We're definitely the first generation of women to kind of like question these things and push our timeline down further. Because when you get to those ages, you just realize, like, wow, 24, 25 is still really young, and you have so much of your life left. We just were told for the longest time, like, your youth is your best years, and now we're experiencing it. We're like, um, no, actually, I prefer my 30s or my 40s and 50s. So I think that this is still an important story to tell because there are still so many women that I see that are like crying on TikTok and saying, I I was supposed to be married by now or have kids by now, like, what's wrong with me? So to be able to see somebody, you know, have that journey um through this vertical, I think is really an important message. And the fact that she, you know, ends up um exploring someone that she may not have thought of beforehand. Like, you know, you can't just map out your entire life. I think that's a really good, important lesson that's told as well. That life is gonna throw you curveballs as well.

SPEAKER_01 52:03

Hundred percent. And it's so interesting that you brought up the fact, like you brought up TikTok and women on there because the director Alex was telling we had a conversation where during the fitting, where I was asking her about Millie and asking more about like why is she so tunnel vision? What is going on with her? Like, let's kind of talk more about backstory. And Alex was truly used the inspiration of like these women who are online who are kind of getting indoctrinated into or not even being indoctrinated, but already have been, are just like now starting to face like trying to unlearn needing to have a man by this or the kids by this. And she was saying, I want to go after, not go after, but I really want to show, especially black women who have that kind of like need to do this, need to do this, that that let's throw that out the window. So she actually used that as inspiration. We were kind of talking all about like high value women, like kind of not stories, but what would you say like that uh world on TikTok that's going around and all that stuff. So it's funny you mentioned that because we were talking a lot about that, and we were like, okay, let's speak to those girls and be like, get out.

SPEAKER_00 53:11

Yeah, runaway, definitely. There's definitely a lot of that. There's like some red pill stuff that we have to watch out for, and then like the whole conversation around dating, too. So I definitely do um appreciate that that this actually has a real plot to it. There's character growth, there's humor, there's so much in this, you guys. It's gonna be on candy jar, which I didn't say at first, so like, ooh, hopefully I can edit that issue. You mentioned it pretty early. I was like a good thing she said where they can actually find it. Yeah, but no. Um, this is gonna be great. It comes out on June 19th.

SPEAKER_02 53:49

And before we yes, Juneteenth.

SPEAKER_00 53:52

It's it's amazing. It comes out on Juneteenth with an all by cast, and this is something we need to support you guys because this this is the beginning for Ella. This is not the last time we're gonna see her, and this is not the last time she's gonna be on my show.

SPEAKER_01 54:06

No, I legit, I'll happily talk to you anytime. I see your Love Island takes, and I'm like, well, yes. So we will be talking more. I can't wait to to be on your show again and to talk about the next project I am surely.

SPEAKER_00 54:18

Yes, and speaking of, let us know. Like, is there anything that's coming up for you that you can tell us about?

SPEAKER_01 54:24

No, there's nothing coming out for me now, but I am I'm in London right now. I'm trying to pitch uh my own pilot that I would love to have sold here and filmed here, and I'm hoping to star in, and we keep getting close and then things kind of fall through. But hopefully you guys can see me eventually um in something that I've written, but I also just want to be in anything else. I just want to act. I I just want to be able to do what I love and what I'm passionate about, and whether that's more verticals I'm so excited about, which by the way, I'm I'm trying to like selfishly champion. Like, I would love a lesbian vertical. Um, I saw an edit on TikTok that inspired this. It was um Hayden Panetier and bring it on with Solange. And I was like, Yes, I want that today. Yeah, so I'm like, let's make that into a vertical, and I'm down. Like, please cast me as that.

SPEAKER_02 55:22

Um, but I have to write it too.

SPEAKER_01 55:25

Yes, I'll send you the edit, girl. It's pretty good. Um, yeah, I'd love to be be in more verticals. I'd love to do television and film. Just I just want to keep acting, and I hope that I get to be on people's screens more often.

SPEAKER_00 55:41

You will. I'm manifesting it for you. Just like I told Lauren, like I'm gonna be starting to write some stuff too. I need to get my writing pen and we need to get you guys in more things because I definitely love you both, and you guys are very talented, and I'm so so happy to have you. And I before I let you go, I want you to plug your socials. Where can people find you?

SPEAKER_01 56:01

Yes, okay. So on Instagram, you can follow my uh account at Ella Rodriguez. It's spelled E-L-L-A-R-X D-R-I-G-E-Z. That's my Instagram account, and then on TikTok, because I have a crush on Frank Sinatra, you can follow me at Sinatra's Girl. So that's S-I-N-T-R-A-S girl. And that's me.

SPEAKER_00 56:25

Yay! And we're gonna talk about that in our next interview because I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_01 56:29

Okay, okay, I'm excited.

SPEAKER_00 56:31

Thank you so so much for taking your time to come on. It was really wonderful talking to you. I wish you nothing but the best. And everybody stream it on June 19th on Candy Jar. Ella is a star in the making, you guys.

SPEAKER_01 56:46

Yay, thank you. Please watch our film and support us and support black love and black actors and directors, and we hope you like it. And if you don't, DM me.

SPEAKER_00 56:56

And if you don't, still hype it up, still share it. Negativity still gets things going, okay? Don't be silent.

SPEAKER_01 57:03

Yeah, don't be silent, just talk about it at this point, you guys.

SPEAKER_00 57:07

Absolutely. But they will absolutely love it. Thank you again. I hope you have a good one. Bye.

SPEAKER_01 57:12

Thank you so much for today. I can't wait to talk to you soon.