Carlacia Grant – Roots

By starrymag | June 1, 2016

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

 

A) I have “Greenleaf” that is coming out June 21^st and June 22^nd on the OWN Network.

 

Q) Please tell us the premise for “Greenleaf” and about your character.

 

A) It is based on the in’s and out’s of what goes on in a Mega Church. There are a lot of plot twists and turns. I can’t really say who my character is because I don’t want to give away the plot, but it will be revealed in a big way. All I can say is I play Danielle Turner. In the trailer it hints at who she is, but we’ll just have to see…

 

Q) What was your experience like being a part of “Greenleaf” and what drew you to the role?

 

A) My manager approached me about the project and all I heard was “Oprah Winfrey.” I was like, “What?!” Once I heard that Oprah was Executive Producing and acting in it, that was all I had to hear. There were no more questions. It’s a really great drama because it makes people in the church human. You can still be part of the church and have flaws.

 

Q) We’re now seeing you in the series remake of “Roots.” Talk to us about your character.

 

A) Originally, this came out in 1977 and it is based on a book by Alex Haley. It’s the story of a young African taken from his tribe and sold into American slavery. So, we’ll see the differences between where he was and where he is now. In Africa, he was free and could do whatever he wants. In America, he has absolutely no rights whatsoever. My character, Irene, is Kunta Kinte’s great great granddaughter. So, we’re going to see how the hopes of Kunta Kinte is passed down through generations. I believe it mirrors now how his dream is still as relevant today as it was so many years ago. Irene was originally played by Lynne Moody who did a phenomenal job the first time and I’m just so excited for the project to come out.

 

Q) How did you put your spin on such an iconic character?

 

A) I did a lot, a lot of research. I probably watched the original series about five or six times. I read the book. I went to the library. I picked up all kinds of novels based around slavery. A lot of our version is pulled from factual events. Like I was able to visit a real plantation and talk to passed down generations of slave owners and descendants of slaves. A lot of it was also imagination, to be honest with you. Also, once you get on set everything starts to flow. You get on set and then it is real.

 

Q) How was it for you embodying this person and walking this history?

 

A) I have to say that was the hardest role I’ve had to do to date just because of the amount of time we were filming and the heaviness of the project. To be free and then to have everything taken away from you is the hardest thing, especially being a woman back in the day – an African American first and a woman second. You really have no rights whatsoever. You can’t speak up for anything. You are treated not like a person or even a human being. To live with that mindset and that heaviness – not even being able to look most people in their eyes – it was daunting to lose that and find that inner strength. I believe my character actually helped me as a person because to lose everything and then to make it through everything she makes it through it pushes me as a person saying nothing is going to stop you. As long as you know who you are in your mind, you don’t let anyone around you dictate that.

 

Q) It sounds like it was empowering and educating.

 

A) And that’s the thing with the whole slave narrative. It’s not demeaning at all. I know in our series there is a quote that says, “it’s not our shame to bear,” which is really honest because it is not us who did this to ourselves. It’s not something we should be ashamed of. If you look back, it shows where we came from and look where we are now. So, it’s something to be proud of. I think with this film, a lot of the younger generation it will awaken a lot, a lot of people as to what is exactly going on now. This wasn’t made up yesterday. It has been passed down from generation to generation.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the History network that makes it such a great fit for the series?

 

A) I have to say it was a pleasure to work with all the executive producers and the network on the series because everyone knew exactly how huge the original was and what a high standard they had set. Everyone just took their time and said, “This just has to be done the right way.” That’s what it was, it was done the right way. With the budget, the characters, the writing – it’s amazing. It’s still very true to the original, but it is just written for a different generation. It still has the same impact that it had almost forty years ago and that was the aim for this project.

 

Q) Is there a scene you are nervous or excited for fans to see?

 

A) There are a few scenes of mine. I can’t say exactly what happens, but I will say that after filming those scenes it was very hard for me to get back to me. It was very hard for me to go back to Carlacia. There were scenes that stayed with me or lingered with me for days or weeks later. The pain my character felt in that time, it took me a few days to a week and a half to get that energy out of my body. What came of that, my character came through it. When I read the script, I was like, “Wow! I don’t understand how this woman was able to get through that. But in learning the character, I realized she does everything for her children. Our ancestors were always thinking about the next generation or what was to come from that like, “You can do whatever you want to me, but just don’t touch my kids.” So, that was something that I learned and grew. I called my mom and said, “I don’t even know how you are a parent,” because that was the first time in my life where I realized you put someone else well before yourself. What my character was willing to do for her kids, I just realized was a parent’s love and how they will really do anything to protect their child.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback and dialogue the series will provide?

 

A) I think everyone is a little nervous because the original “Roots” is iconic. It’s still going to last forever, but from the screenings the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. So, I’m very, very happy for that.

 

Q) What have you taken away from your experiences working on “Roots?”

 

A) There are a few things. I have so much more strength now. My life has so much more value now because I know what people have gone through to give me the things that maybe before I would have taken forgranted. Now, it’s like how dare I now not go even harder for my dreams or fight for the things I believe in? Even talk to the youth about these sort of principles because it really changed me as a person as well as just the history of it. Now I know so much more and am so much wiser. I hope our generation watches it and takes away the same type of values and finds something to live for – just more value in their life and passion for what they want. There were so many hundreds of millions of people who took whippings, beatings and all kinds of heinous things for the things that we have every single day.