Kyanna Simone. Photo: Savanna Ruedy
Kyanna Simone is co-star this month The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eata story about the power of the chosen family.
The dramedy follows three women, Odette, Barbara Jean and Clarice, who in their later years are forced by a series of misfortunes to reflect on the seeds sown in their youth. The story is set in two different time periods, the mid-1960s and the late 1990s, and was adapted from the novel by Edward Kelsey Moore.
“This is a feel-good film that is reminiscent of films like Waiting to exhale”, Simone tells ESSENCE. “I think it’s a good time for us to have that again.”
The characters support and challenge each other through life. A popular diner owner jokingly compared them to the legendary girl group, and they continue to act as “The Supremes” from childhood into adulthood.
“I’m very lucky to have my family members, but my God, it’s a beautiful feeling to meet someone where they are, whether it’s middle school, high school, college, anywhere in life, and choose that person,” Simone said.
The bond between the characters will be familiar to many black women. “You can tell how strong friendship can be if you can choose the right people,” says Simone.
“When it comes to friendships between black women, those platonic relationships are super, super important,” Simone continued. “Your sisters will be there for you throughout your life, your girls, your sisters, your supremes. They will be there for you throughout your romantic relationships, no matter how they come and go.”
Younger versions of the women are played by Simone, Tati Gabrielle and Abigail Achiri.
Their older counterparts are played by Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Simone portrays a younger version of Ellis-Taylor’s character Odette in the Hulu film directed by Tina Mabry.
“My biggest goal was definitely to embody (Odette), to speak her words and to make her thoughts and her energy known and visible to the audience. And right after that, it was about really doing Aunjanue justice. I mean, those are big shoes to fill there,” Simone said. “I just wanted to make sure I kept my side of things so that when we fast forward to the ’90s, it’s very seamless.”
Simone devoured the book to conjure up Odette’s supposed fearlessness.
“I actually read it in two days,” she said. “I wanted to make sure Odette seemed real.”
She worked with the director to ground Odette’s youthful bluster. Her character’s attacks are in defense of herself and other black girls, not the cheesy comedy of the sassy black girl. “Tina Mabry is a big part of this, but I really had to focus on making sure Odette wasn’t showing off,” Simone said. “I didn’t want it to seem like she was showing off or putting on a show. I wanted it to seem like someone who knows she has to go to these limits to make sure her new friend is protected.”
Simone also researched everyday life for black people during this time to prepare for the role. “When you think back to the ’60s, you often immediately think of civil rights, Martin Luther King and racial injustice. And I think the Supremes do that so well because they acknowledge that while also showing those sweet moments of childhood inspiration.”
Simone and Gabrielle as well as Achiri got along well during filming. The young actresses are in a similar phase of life to their characters.
“We hit it off right away; we actually landed on the same plane, Tavi and I,” she said. They bonded with Achiri and reflected on their good fortune to be able to tell a powerful black story together. “It’s rare and very beautiful at the same time,” she said.
“We all went out,” she said. “We sat down and realized that this was the first time all three of us had really been able to work with other women who were in the same situation as us.”
“The conversations were so concrete,” she said. “We had such similar experiences that it almost felt like a family reunion with relatives I didn’t know yet.”
A certain tension developed between Simone and her colleagues, which she had hoped would continue after the project was completed.
“When we finished filming, the separation anxiety was intense.”
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eatis now streaming on Hulu.
