Kim Hawthorne – Greenleaf

By: Lisa Steinberg

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

A) The latest thing I did was a reading at HBO. They have a program for diverse writers and directors. So, Lamman [Rucker] and I were both a part of that. It was about maybe three weeks ago and it was nice because it was a longer process because it was a week or reading and working on the script. We had a night where we invited an audience and did a stage reading in a black box theater. Other than that, I’ve just been waiting for “Greenleaf” to be released and I’m happy to be back home with my kids because I was away for five months. I recently moved so I’ve been incredibly busy doing all sorts of regular life things more so than any type of acting. I’m working on a children’s book with a dear friend of mine who is an illustrator, Tina Darling. So, that’s been a project I am working on.

Q) How was your character Kerissa Greenleaf originally described to you?

A) When you are acting, your audition comes out and you get sides that are some scenes that they have chosen for you to come audition with. They will have character descriptions and I read that along with the other audition paperwork that was sent to me. It said something like “a self-possessed, controlling professional woman who was the wife of Jacob.” When I read the sides and the character, the writing was so good that she just lifted off the page.

Q) Was there anything you added to the role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) I think that as actors we do that all of the time. I must have done something because Oprah said they couldn’t find the actress they wanted to play for this part. She told me that when they saw my audition tape, they cast me right off of it. I never met with anyone like Oprah or Craig in a room and I know that some of the actors did go in and meet with them and talk with them. They said they looked for the character so long that when they saw my tape, Oprah said, “That’s Kerissa! That’s Kerissa!” She said I got the part because I gave Kerissa depth and levels. I guess some of the other people who auditioned didn’t have that come through on their audition tapes.

Q) How does it feel to be personally selected by Oprah?

A) It feels like coming full circle because Oprah has been someone who I have looked to during the course of my life, especially my professional life as someone who has helped me stay in the game. Because of her life, I’ve been able to say, “If Oprah can make it, I can make it.” I look at Oprah and was saying to a friend, “If you wanted to have a checklist for all the reasons why someone would give up or say I’m not going to make it or I’m not worthy, she pretty much has had all of those things on her list.” She was female, black, from Mississippi, had hiccups in her life the way she was raised (with not being raised by her mom, being moved from here to there and not having too much of a stable upbringing), being molested at the hands of a family member and having a teen pregnancy, losing a child and going on to getting a job and losing it. She was overweight. If we looked at the standards of what our society would say like, “You have so many things against you. Just hang it up,” but she never did. So, I was always able to look at her and go, “If this woman can overcome all of these “adversities…” Some things are pressed upon us and it is up to us to see them as roadblocks. She didn’t so she kept me in the game. So for her to look at the audition tape and say, “That’s Kerissa! I want to work with her,” was definitely validation and vindication for all of the hardship that I had gone through as an actor. It was literally like coming full circle. I stayed in the game just so I could have that moment. It was very surreal!

Q) What do you find the most challenging aspect to portraying her?

A) I think what I found challenging playing Kerissa is not so much for me, but for other people. They are uncomfortable with her level of directness and straightforwardness and not worrying about being well liked. I found like a lot of directors that came on the first thing they would say, “We’re going to try to soften Kerissa up.” I was like, “Why are you trying to soften her up? It’s not in the script. Soften her up when it is in the script, but otherwise I’m not offended by Kerissa so don’t you be offended by Kerissa. That’s really how I felt. She may make you feel uncomfortable, but she doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable because I feel like I am portraying the truth of this character. And if you are as an actor are just worried about looking pretty and being well liked, then I personally feel you are doing a disservice to your audience, the craft, the creative process, writers and directors. Your job is to tell a story and to tell the truth and we can’t always be the most likeable character in every situation.

Q) Did you have instant chemistry with your costar Lamman Rucker or did it take some time to develop?

A) We’re like brother and sister. He’s a tall, dark chocolate candy bar. I adore him. I adore his wife, Kelly. We work very well together. He is very caring, gentlemanly, giving and aware of his surroundings and other people. So, we are literally like brother and sister. I trust him implicitly with anything we have to do that involves kissing or anything like that because we established a relationship. I met his wife the first day after we got to the hotel. I didn’t really know him, but I said “hi” to her. Within five minutes, I looked at Lamman and said, “I’m in love with her.” She’s such a darling person and so sweet. He is a dream to work with. Of course, all of my girlfriends and everybody is like, “Lamman! Lamman!” And I’ve been around women who have turned into stone statues when he walks by. [laughs] And he seems to be so unaware of it, which is hilarious. But he called me to congratulate me for my performance on the show. He said, “We may be in scenes together, but I don’t always know what you are doing because I’m not looking at you all the time.”

Q) What are some scenes you are most looking forward to fans seeing?

A) I can’t tell you that! [laughs] I can tell you that I do believe they are going to enjoy the journey that Kerissa and Jacob go on. I am finding early on that people are very invested in our characters, whether it be people defending Jacob or Kerissa. People are not defending Jacob or my character. Some people want us to go to counseling and others are like, “Why are you going?” I think it is wonderful to be able to continue to watch and perhaps come to an understanding and be a witness to people really trying to work through various issues. I had a fan on Twitter asking, “Why would she even want to go to counseling with some guy who isn’t invested in their relationship?” I tweeted her back and said, “I’m the woman at the well right now. Put down the stone. Sometimes in life we are forced or we find ourselves living in gray areas. Life isn’t always black and white. It’s the gray area where we are tested or have to rise to an occasion or possibly sit still in an event in order to figure out how to move past it and get through it.”

Q) What have been some of your favorite behind the scenes moments?

A) Any time there are dinner table scenes that is when the whole cast is together. So, any time we are all together it is like a family reunion. I’m watching the show like a regular spectator because I knew it was in the script, but I wasn’t there when they shot it since I wasn’t in it. So, some of the best times that we have had is either the church scenes where all of the family is at church or the dinner tables scene when we are all together and we completely have the best time. We goof off, we take selfies and we take pictures of anyone who falls asleep. We have a thing where if anyone falls asleep they get their picture taken and it gets sent to everybody. Then, we also spend time together on weekends and go listen to jazz or go bowling or go out to dinner. So, we spend that type of personal time together as well.

Q) What do you think it is that has made the show so popular so quickly?

A) I think it is a combination of amazing storytelling, meaning the writing. It is phenomenal and they know what they are doing. I think we have some incredible actors on the show that are the actual storytellers. I think the directing has been amazing. The location and the sets are phenomenal and the cinematography, the lighting and the way they shoot it looks like (to me) a film more than a television. So, I think “Greenleaf” has taken television up a notch all the way across the boards – from wardrobe and everything. And it’s different. I don’t think there is anything like it on TV and it was a good time to premiere the show in summer. It was quiet in the industry right now and people are looking for something engaging. One of the things I have seen over and over again, regardless of whether the viewers agree with the shenanigans that are going on behind the scenes, that people say this is real life and the truth. And people are going to appreciate an authentic experience.

Q) You are a part of social media. Have you enjoyed the instant fan feedback you have been receiving?

A) I love it! The Twitter people are hilarious! Some of the things they have said is so funny and I respond to as many as I can when people tag me in a tweet. If they compliment me, I’ll say “thank you.” I have never had that before. It’s wonderful and it is so lovely to see just how strangers you don’t know are rooting for you and happy for you and are just excited their story is being told. The African American community is so excited and it is just so wonderful to be a part of something like that.

Q) Is there anything else you want to be sure fans know about “Greenleaf” and their support?

A) I would say get on Twitter and Instagram and support us. Hashtag us and tell your family and friends about us. There is the OWN TV app you can put on your devices that you can log onto with your cable ID to watch it on your devices. And just thank you for the love and support.