WELLMADE
MADEXXX
play the character that you think would
add to the story. And I felt that way about
Ambitions. I felt that way about Amara
in particular. You know, how driven she
is, how flawed she is, her insecurities in
terms of her relationship with her mar-
riage and what she’s trying to build and
hold on to. And also at the same time, the
distraction of getting ahead and winning
and how that can in the long and short
term undermine the very thing that we
say is most important to us.
MADE Can you expand on your
thoughts around competition?
ESSENCE We’ve been set up (we, as
people of color in particular) have been
set up to view each other as adversaries
instead of assets. And I think that that
plays out in the business world for sure
and it also plays out romantically. And
I understand because statistically we
are at a deficit in terms of eligible black
men that we’re vying for, you know what
I mean? So I get that we kind of feel
like: “Well I have to do what I have to
do to “secure the bag.” But I think they
can apply metaphorically to men as well
(laughs).
I think that we lose ourselves. We lose
who we truly are. We lose ourselves in
terms of our highest calling and our
higher selves when we allow [ambition]
to be the thing that drives us instead of
real companionship, real partnership,
conducting ourselves with integrity
maintaining a sense of peace, not feeling
desperate or at a loss. And I don’t want to
sound like I’m preaching from lofty pillar
on high. It is not easy to stay grounded.
It’s not easy to stay secure. It’s not easy to
trust in the greater vision for your life.
And the fact that when it’s time and when
it’s meant for you any old thing won’t do
(at least not for me) but it’s not easy to
trust in that and to sit in the sowing time
as opposed to the harvest.
And so this story is really about ambi-
tious people are very dedicated to getting
what they want and they’re determined to
get what they want. And that permeates
in our society and it permeates in this sto-
ry. So I think that when the audience sees
Ambitions they’re going to really be able
to attach themselves to one if not several
of these characters because they’re going
to see a little bit of themselves in what
matters, what they’re passionate about
and what they’re willing to do.
And obviously because we’re a soapy
drama it’s a heightened reality of these
characters and their worlds. But I think
everyone can have a sense of connection
to it in terms of how we’ve compromised
at times in our lives to attain a goal.
MADE So, in a world full of ambitious
people how do you stay grounded or
balanced?
ESSENCE Yeah it’s definitely both.
And it’s also the wisdom of being older.
It’s like: “I’m not a kid anymore.” I have
the asset of being able to look back on
my life and see God’s hand throughout
it and know that I don’t have to panic
#mademaven
21