“The characteristics of the characters that I play, I try to tap into that human part of them. That’s what we have in common. Human being transcends race, creed, color, all the bullshit. Yes, it’s painful and sometimes cathartic and sometimes detrimental, but it’s what I took an oath to do, as best I could.” – Glynn Turman, episode 210 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
At age 74, Emmy award-winning actor Glynn Turman “keeps on keepin’ on.” This week on the show, he tells us how. We discuss his first role in Broadway’s original production of A Raisin in the Sun (5:03), his unwavering commitment to acting, even as he struggled to find work (11:28), an opening night that took a dark turn (14:44), his breakout role in Cooley High (20:21), going to a human place as an actor (25:36), and what it means to live with loss (27:13). Then, finally, a story about the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin (31:30).
Show-notes:
- Stream Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix.
- Follow Glynn Turman on Twitter.
- Watch Aretha Franklin sing “A Natural Woman” at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors.
- Revisit Glynn’s lead turn in Cooley High.
Illustrations by: Krishna Shenoi.