Heading into any interview, there are always some nerves. Well, truthfully, there are a lot of them. I am never sure what to say, afraid of saying the wrong thing, and really I am terrified of running out of questions. Not to mention the whole, my internet may go out thing.
But as I was placed in the zoom to interview Candace Nicholas-Lippman, everything seemed to just be put at ease, because this woman has an infectious joy about her. She’s smiling, laughing and reminding you just how great you are.
She’s a captivating talent on Blindspotting, playing Janelle. Janelle is Ashley’s best friend and if you don’t watch the show, Ashley is the main character of the show. When her husband, Miles, is incarcerated, Ashley moves in with Miles’ mother and half-sister as she makes some difficult decisions in the aftermath.
Janelle had been off traveling the world and had returned in season one. We don’t get to learn a lot about Janelle in the first season, but as a viewer, I definitely wanted to learn more. Janelle is mysterious and there is so much that I would like to learn about her time in Bali.
So of course, I asked about it and if her time in Bali plays a big part in this season and if we’re going to learn more about her, she said, “Oh, it plays a big part. Again, if you remember in season one, Janelle was very mysterious, and very guarded throughout the entire season. We didn’t know what was going on in her until the season finale. In season two, she’s kind of that way again, where she’s being very mysterious and guarded, and we again, don’t really know what’s going on with her, but the great news is, we don’t have to wait for the season finale to find out.”
I was intrigued. She continued by saying, “I can’t give too much away, but all I can say is, there may be a piece of Bali introducing itself in season two.”
The actress also spoke with us about colorism, coming back to film together after two years apart, and the legacy that she hopes to leave behind.
“The legacy I want to leave behind is, understanding that who you are, your uniqueness is valuable. You don’t have to try to conform,” she said, “You don’t have to try to change yourself to meet other people’s standards, or what you think is acceptable. I promise you, the thing that’s going to make a difference is, whatever, who you are genuinely, and uniquely. Just be yourself. That’s how you change the world. Amen.”
See her interview below.
Blindspotting airs Sundays on Starz.
