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What’ it like
doing your first major movie and all the
great success after America’ Next Top
Model?
Yaya: It’s going. This was my
first big movie but I’ve been acting on
and off since I was 11. It’s really nice
to have the time and support to be able
to just focus on this. It was a
wonderful experience. I learned a lot.
How much preparation went into the
dancing?
Rob: A month. Prior to that I
had a week of rehearsal with just
Pierre. And he taught me all the steps
even though you only see me doing a
little bit of the Waltz and the Tango.
And after that, in a couple of weeks, I
went up to Toronto with the rest of the
cast for like 3 more weeks, 8 hours a
day. Half dedicated to Ballroom and have
dedicated to the Hip Hop stuff we were
doing up there so, we had a lot.
Yaya:
Everybody had different levels of
experience but we all started from
scratch together. We learned all the
dances together.
Lots of former contestants from The
Next America’ Top Model criticizes and
says it’s an exploited reality show.
With your experience in the show do you
feel it’s an exploited reality show?
Yaya: After the show was
over, I kind of separated myself and
decided to do my own thing. Get back to
my roots and this is one of those things
that I’ve always loved to do. It’s been
nice. The people here; the director, the
producer didn’t even know I was on that
show. That was refreshing to see someone
see you as an actor. Even though I have
a lot of work to do. It’s nice to have
someone see some talent. I really don’t
have much of an opinion. It’s a show. A
TV show.
So, you had to go in an audition for
this role?
Yaya: Oh yes. I got called
back. I audition all the time like any
other New York actor. For this
particular one, I did two scenes and
then they just pressed play; I got up
and just free styled and did that for
the first auditions. And after that I
met up with Liz the director and danced
with Pierre himself for about 2 minutes.
Rob:
I had to dance. Well, she’s (Yaya)
lucky because she has a dance
background. So I go into the whole deal
and I first did the Hip Hop and Tone who
did all our hip hop choreography, he has
a lot of energy, I was just gonna
say…they made me do something
choreographed and I don’t do this all
the time, so that was kind of nerve
racking but then I danced with Pierre
and they figured that I could keep a
beat. So we went on from there.
Did you guys do anything particular
to get into character?
Rob: I didn’t do any specific
research. I think a lot of it comes
from…a lot of our performance functions
just come from being from New York. We
know a lot of the kids in the film. If
we weren’t there at some point
ourselves, we know a lot of people. We
just drew on life just growing up here.
Do you hope the film speaks to those
kids here in New York?
Rob: definitely. That’s what
Pierre’ trying to do. He’s speaking to
them through his program. Through his
dance. He’s just telling everybody about
it.
What is your
perception of the way the urban kids
were presented in this film?
Yaya: That’s a great
question. I didn’t think so much about
it during the making of the film because
I felt like my character needed to be
what it was; but in retrospect it’s
interesting because we are characters
similar to ones that we’ve seen before
and it is important that we respect the
fact that not everybody from the ghetto
is that way or troubled. I mean, I’m
from the hood and been given many
privileges to go about the world in a
way that LaRhette can’t. Well, that
LaRhette can’t…yet. But their still in
school and despite that their in
detention their still doing their
homework. And they still have really
good intentions for themselves. To me
it’s more about the people in power and
the ability for them to implement art
programs in the school. To show what
that does for kids because I was given
those opportunities. I was lucky. But
not a lot of kids are. And you have to
find the balance. I don’t think the
portrayal was as …I don’t think it was
bad at all. There are some movies that
you say…no…that’s really not how we are.
Rob:
Yeah. That’s not my thought when we read
the script. I think that’s important if
something’ representative. And there are
a lot of films that they exaggerate
things on. Like in this film there are
different kinds of kids. And not
everybody is in there just shooting each
other up. I felt like there wasn’t that
much violence in the film and it wasn’t
too much of a stretch. When reading the
script, I was thinking about that like,
was this realistic. Are they gonna OD
and make it seem like the kids are real
ghetto for no reason. Just going
overboard. I mean, I made a few jokes
about LaRhette’ earrings. But then again
that’s how it is. I know girls who got
those earrings. I wasn’t like she was
wearing that with booty shorts while
it’s snowing. Sometimes that happens in
films…they way they are portrayed. It
gets out of hand.
Where there any changes that you
implemented with the director on the
character?
Rob: Obviously we have our
own things to bring to the table but we
navigated that with Liz and at times
with Antonio so, we just had a ton of
time to rehearse. So we went through all
those progressions.
How was it working with Antonio
Bandera?
Yaya: Nice. Down to earth
guy. But also a very serious actor. You
can tell that when he walks into a room.
He’s cool but he’s a pro and you learn a
lot.
Any scenes were
your favorite?
Rob: Anytime where in the
dungeon because we were just hanging out
a lot. And not just necessarily because
we like the film but all the memories
associated with being in that dungeon.
And we’re going on our 12th our and
we’re goofing around and Antonio’ making
jokes. Anytime the whole cast is in the
dungeon that’s my favorite time.
Any projects that you guys are
working on right now?
Rob: There’s always something
that’s in the mix but I’m still at
school. I got to balance that. I got
nothing lined up right now. Just
midterms.
Yaya:
No. I’m not in school lol. Officially.
But I’m still taking acting classes and
doing the ground work.
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