The Sterling Affairs: Lets Talk Clipped Episode Two
Cleopatra Coleman (as V. Stiviano): People act like it’s wrong to want fame. You think anyone who’s famous didn’t want to be famous? Do you think Meryl Streep didn’t want to be famous?
Ramona Shelburne: Hi. I’m Ramona Shelburne, and you’re listening to the Let’s Talk Clipped podcast, where we follow along and react to the FX series Clipped. Just a reminder, these are spoiler-filled conversations, so if you haven’t watched the show yet, you might want to hit pause on this and go check it out on Hulu.
Ramona Shelburne: Today we’re talking about the third episode of Clipped, titled “Let the Games Begin.” In episode three, TMZ publishes the tape of Donald Sterling’s racist tirade. The Clippers players and Coach Doc Rivers scramble to decide if they will boycott their playoff game. Meanwhile, V. Stiviano starts building her brand. Joining us on the podcast today, the woman, the icon who plays V. Stiviano, Cleopatra Coleman.
Cleopatra Coleman: Thanks for having me. (LAUGH)
Ramona Shelburne: And CP3, the man who plays the captain of the Clippers, J. Alphonse Nicholson.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Thank you so much. So it’s a pleasure bein’ here. Thanks for havin’ me.
Ramona Shelburne: Cleo, when you first read the scripts and you were approached about playing this character, what was your take on who V. Stiviano was and what you could bring to this role?
Cleopatra Coleman: Well, Gina’s such an amazing writer. And I remember very distinctly in the first scene that we see her, she was described as someone who has a lot of charisma that pretty much everyone ignores. And that was, like, a huge key for me, and it just described so much of what was going on with her. And I just ended up having a lot of compassion for her, also just finding her really fascinating and interesting. And I was rooting for her.
Ramona Shelburne: How much research did you do for this role before you dove in?
Cleopatra Coleman: I did do some research on V. It was my first time playing a real person. But it’s kind of interesting to get to play someone where there’s, like, video, and imagery, and stuff that I could actually look up and try to reference the voice, and get ideas for makeup, and, you know, think about how I want my hair done and my manicure, even. Just all– it was really cool to be able to have, like, details like that.
Cleopatra Coleman: And I remember thinking, “Oh, I remember this.” And it– yeah, it didn’t take me long to completely remember V. and just the surface idea of her which we kind of, like, scrape off in this series and reveal a lot more about her as a human being.
Ramona Shelburne: So we’re gonna switch over to Fonz. What do you remember about this whole thing back in 2014? Where were you? And then how did this project and this role come to you?
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Yeah. So, oh man, I definitely remember it just because Chris Paul is from North Carolina and it was kinda the talk of the town. And him bein’ the advocate that he was at the time to change that situation was really cool to see. I was in New York, and I was just workin’ as an actor. I was a street drummer in the– in the subways of New York at the time. And so it was all entertainment for me.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: And– this role came to me by way of– Alexa Fogel, who is– is an amazing castin’ director. And she just told me, “Hey, I think you would be great for this part. I know you’re from North Carolina. I know you are familiar with Chris Paul, and his– his legacy, and what he’s built. And so I want you to send in a tape.”
J. Alphonse Nicholson: And I did. And similar to Cleopatra, you know, havin’ not played a real person before, just a little nervous about that process but understanding, like, “Hey, of course I’m not gonna be exactly who Chris Paul is, but I can just bring the mannerisms.” And– booked the role, and the rest is history.
Ramona Shelburne: What is it about Chris that you related to in real life and also in this show?
J. Alphonse Nicholson: In real life, bein’ a father and understanding wantin’ to create a legacy for your family and for your children. And being from North Carolina, knowin’ that it’s a small town compared to a lot of other places, compared to L.A., compared to the larger places in– in the world, in America. And so bein’ able to come from a small town and build a life for yourself, I could relate to that.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Basketball, there was nothin’ we can relate to. I’m not a basketball player by any means but able to make it look good, you know? And then with the role but also the leadership– I try to find myself to be a leader in certain situations, and whether that’s my cast, or whether that’s the friend groups that I belong to, just always holdin’ myself to a certain standard.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: And CP3 does that no matter what team he’s on. And so it was very awesome to be able to put that onscreen, you know, in a way that’s very relatable that– I think, to audience members and also to the people who are familiar with his journey, you know? I just wanted to make sure I was as similar to that as possible.
Ramona Shelburne: This is for both of you. In this episode three, the tape is out. There’s no going back to the way things were for any of the characters. For both of you, how do you describe your character’s reaction to the tape’s release and the decisions they’re forced to make afterwards? We’ll start with Cleo.
Cleopatra Coleman: Well, for V. or for the character of V. in the show, this is a time when I felt, when I was playing her, that she was starting to see what she thought was, like, everything she ever wanted starting to happen. And it was feeling like the fame and the attention was a pointer towards perhaps winning in court and, like, perhaps everything she ever wanted coming true, becoming a star, becoming important, becoming a known person in the world. And I think, you know– as an actor, this episode in particular was really about the subtext and really the– the inner workings of V. and her motivations that you maybe aren’t seeing up front but are happening inside. It seems really surface level, everything that she wants.
But really where I was approaching it from was a place of, like, needing to survive. I was playing it like this is someone who’s had her own back her whole life, who doesn’t have anything else to fall back on. And, you know, it’s eat or be eaten. The stakes are pretty high.And I also was delving into the idea of her inner child sort of being at the wheel of the (LAUGH) bus, you know? And that’s where some of the I guess you could say defensive behavior comes from. There’s not a lot of awareness outside of her own bubble, her own journey.
J. Alphonse Nicholson (as Chris Paul): So how many games we gonna sit out? One? Whole series?
Player: Maybe more?
Player: Until the league does somethin’ about Sterling.
Player: How ’bout till racism ends?
Player: Yeah. Why’s it on us?
Ramona Shelburne: Phonse, this is the scene where you and the rest of the Clippers learn what’s really on that tape. And you have a team meeting at the ballroom up in San Francisco.
J. Alphonse Nicholson (as Chris Paul): If we go out there, my kid’s gonna ask me why I’m playin’ for a man who smiled in my face while sayin’ all those disgustin’ things behind my back. But if we let him take everything we done grinded for, I don’t want them to see me give that up. I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. I want (CLAPPING) to fuckin’ win.
Ramona Shelburne: It is one of the most emotionally powerful scenes in the show. And I just wanted to get your thoughts on how you react to seeing it now on film.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: It was obviously a very potent scene that came with some very real truths. And it’s just things that we have to constantly think about today as– as Black men. And sittin’ in that circle, although we’re not athletes, you can relate to their sentiments, you know?
And so I think it was just a well-written scene by Gina and her team. And then, Francesca, our director, she was just really amazing, working with her. And so that day just happened– I just happened to have that emotional moment. And– and although it wasn’t quite written that way, it turned out, I think– very powerful, you know?
And so it landed in a way with– that I’m glad we captured it and that it– you know, some things don’t make it. So it was (LAUGH) one of those things where I walked away and I felt really good about the scene. And in the back of my mind, I’m like, “Man, what was that conversation like, you know, for CP3 and his team?” And I can only imagine that it was probably emotional.
J. Alphonse Nicholson (as Chris Paul): (VOICE BREAKS) I want my ring, man. I want my fuckin’ ring, yo.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: And what I just wanted to layer in there was the fact that he still wants a ring, you know? He still wants to go after his dream, and a part of him feels like, “I’m not lettin’ anything stop me, not even racism.” So a very powerful scene mixin’ that past with the present and– and– allowin’ us to s– feel it here, you know, now.
Ramona Shelburne: I feel like that scene really sets off the rest of the show, like the trajectory that a lot of characters are gonna feel throughout, which is, “Did we do the right thing? Did we do enough? Did we say enough? Could we have done something different?” And I think– in that scene, I think you capture that really profoundly of, “I still want to win a ring,” (LAUGH) right? Like, “I don’t want this to derail me.” But I’m curious also. Like, what was it like with the other actors in that room?
J. Alphonse Nicholson: You know, it was cool because we’re all peers, you know? And so we’ve seen each other come up in this industry and through this space, and some havin’ more experience than others but really bein’ able to share space with young actors, young up-and-coming actors and to– to just push out the work, you know?
And it’s– and there’s no competition there. There’s no sense of one tryin’ to up another, you know? It’s just like, “Hey, let’s do really good work, and let’s all come to work and be prepared today.” When you’re in a scene with Laurence, you don’t want to be the kinda one that’s goofin’ around and– and bein’ immature about it on that day, you know?
You want to be, you know, on point and– and– and understand that there’s a etiquette that comes with it. And most of the time, that etiquette is just sayin’ the line, and– and breathing, and makin’ sure you’re breathin’. So everyone was doin’ that. No one ever stepped on anyone’s toes or– or made someone feel less than. And so it– it was really great to be in a room full of guys who could pretend to be competitors but not be competitive at all.
Ramona Shelburne: One of the things I think with this time in the show is the team is still tryin’ to figure out how to play, but there’s also this intense pressure on every single player to react and do something big.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Uh-huh (AFFIRM).
Ramona Shelburne: In real life, I think Chris was getting hit from everyone. How much did you understand about the pressure that they were feeling externally? So there’s the internal pressure of how you feel when you hear the tape. And then there’s the external pressure that you feel from just everyone textin’ you, callin’ you, all that stuff.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Yeah, I– I think when people watch this episode and watch the show, they’ll see that Gina and her team did an incredible job of– of depicting that, you know? The external pressure was– it was crazy, you know? By the time they got to that next game, there’s all this press, and obviously the Twitter of it all, the memes of it all, social media, you know?
And so a lot of pressure on these gentlemen to, yeah, come out and say somethin’– what they’re gonna do. And it– that’s not their job, right? At the time, that’s not their job to make this decision. They’re thinkin’ about their livelihood. They’re thinkin’ about how to take care of their families.
And so we can only imagine what that pressure was like. You know, if I was to compare it to somethin’, it would probably be like FedEx and havin’ a manager who’s just treatin’ all the Black guys different than the white guys. And it’s like, “What’s that about,” you know, and havin’ to have a meetin’ with your guys at FedEx.
And so that was a real life situation that’s happened for me. And although it’s not the NBA Players Association, I did feel like, “Hey, we stood up to somebody that we felt like was causing issues or not respecting who we were.” I understand it to a certain extent and understand wantin’ to be quiet but also understanding somebody who wants to say, “You know, forget that. I want to stand up– and make somethin’ happen.”
Ramona Shelburne: Okay. So let’s go to the other scene in episode three that I think is fairly iconic. In my mind, everybody is going to be ordering this costume for Halloween. And that is when the tape comes out, the paparazzi have gathered around V.’s house in Beverly Hills. She has this moment like the stage is finally hers, and she decides to roll on out in some roller skates.
Paparazzi: V.! (FLASHBULBS)
Paparazzi: Over here.
Cleopatra Coleman: Dude, I am not that good at roller skating, it turns out. (LAUGHTER) Like, those skates, you don’t understand. I can Rollerblade. But Rollerblades go up to your ankles. These skates are like sneakers with wheels, so there’s no support.
And so I’m, like, going down this (LAUGH) driveway. It was kinda awkward. But I think we could lean into that. I just think that’s such a funny choice on her part that showed, like, a lot of humor about fame and just about the whole paparazzi situation.
And then it was also really bizarre to film, too, ’cause we had pretend paparazzi, but then we had also had some real paparazzi on set. So it was really kinda confusing at times about what was real and what (LAUGH) wasn’t. Yeah. It was fun. I mean, obviously that’s, like, very iconic. It’s something that everyone really remembers. So I was excited to wear the visor, and the jean shorts, and my roller skates.
Ramona Shelburne: It’s an amazing scene, and you couldn’t write it any better than she really did it in real life. But Gina might’ve. (LAUGH) Like, Gina might have written it better, because the conversation that you have with Deja and the– the argument you have with her I think is a really powerful one and kinda encapsulates all the stakes that are there for V. At that moment.
Yvonna Pearson (as Deja): Why won’t you come out and say Donald’s a racist?
Cleopatra Coleman (as V. Stiviano): What are you talking about? Look at my Instagram. #bethechange, #nohate.
Yvonna Pearson (as Deja): You are a Black woman. Why won’t you say it hurts to hear him talk about us like that?
Cleopatra Coleman (as V. Stiviano): You weren’t hurt when he was buying your spicy meatballs at Rock Sugar, when he bought you a Louis Vuitton coin purse.
Yvonna Pearson (as Deja): There isn’t a soul in America who hasn’t earned from a Donald Sterling. That’s the way it is. I never judged you. But if you’re gonna put out a tape, let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about the Klansman in the room.
Cleopatra Coleman: So the scene with Deja is the scene where their friendship kind of dissolves because Deja is trying to let V. understand the reality of the situation. It’s something that she’s not very focused on, you know? She’s very much focused on other things, and, like, her survival, and those things that I mentioned earlier.
And I thought it was a beautiful scene. Like, I really loved that speech. I loved the idea of, like, “What’s so wrong about wanting to be famous?” And the way that she’s justifying herself I thought was really food for thought. And then it’s just also– it’s just kind of absurd, you know?
She’s got this posse of people that she’s kind of hired to hang out with her, and it– it’s funny. And that– that’s also what I love about this show, is it’s as poignant as it is, like, bizarre and funny. And– it’ll make you cry, and it’ll make you laugh.
Ramona Shelburne: I’m gonna go back in time a little bit. I know we’re talkin’ about episode three in this, but we haven’t really talked about the one scene where everybody is in there together, which is the white party scene from the opening episode. And I know that must have been really fun for everyone to shoot. But it’s also V. gets to interact with the players, and the players gettin’ to interact with Shelly and Donald, and everybody’s all in the same place at the same time. What was it like for all of you guys to be in that together and have scenes together in that one very surreal, strange space?
Cleopatra Coleman: Anytime you’re filming a big scene and everyone’s there, it’s really exciting. It was like, you know, the table read day when everyone’s there and it’s all coming together. And it was cool to just see everyone embody their characters. And, yeah, it was– it was– it was really fun.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: It was incredible, you know? It was a day where there’s– you end up in one of those Hollywood Hills that you’ve never been to before, and you’re at this massive house, and it’s like, “Okay, whose house is this,” you know? And, (LAUGH) you know, we had a couple– times like that, you know, for me anyway, where it was just– it was like, “Man, this is crazy.”
J. Alphonse Nicholson: But these people live these lives every day, you know? These– Donald Sterling, this was his lifestyle for a long time. But for us, it was really fun, too, you know, bein’ able to dress up in all white and– and have a little party on set. You know, you gotta be careful, remember not to eat the food and (LAUGH) stuff like that, no matter how good it looks. But it– it was fun, and they had the fake Madonna and all them things that come with– TV magic. And so great couple days on set, and amazin’ view.
Ramona Shelburne: I know. I remember that house out in Malibu. I was like– I was thinkin’ the same thing, Fonz. I was like, “Whose house is this in real life?” (LAUGH) Right? “What’s this spot?” I want to ask you guys about one of my favorite scenes, and I– I still, like, every time I watch it, I’m like, “Oh.” It’s so true to life, but it’s also– still gives me the shivers, is when Donald comes in the locker room, and– and clearly, you know, this is your– this is your green dress moment.
Ed O’Neill (as Donald Sterling): This is my assistant, V., with the beautiful– birthday gown.
Cleopatra Coleman (as V. Stiviano): Hi. We’re acquainted.
Ramona Shelburne: But it’s– one of the things that strikes me about the locker room scene is V. understands that she’s violating a sacred space here, too. Like, when she walked in the room and the players are havin’– this is their sacred locker room space, she actually shows some hesitation.
And I’m– I’m wondering h– just how uncomfortable that scene was for you guys to film, what your thoughts and emotions were about each of your characters in that spot, and just sorta what it said about Sterling in general and how he saw the team.
Cleopatra Coleman: Well, that scene’s– like, for V., for my character, it did feel like a great example of her position. You know, to be involved with someone that you don’t agree with everything that they do, but you are linked to them and dependent on them, and you have your own reasons for that, and you’re participating but you’re conflicted and not able to really act on that. You don’t really have power in the situation. It was– it was all of that. And then for me, like, Laurence made it so incredible because the way he came in and told everyone to get out really, like, felt very real.
Laurence Fishburne (as Doc Rivers): Everybody out.
Male Voice: Doc.
Ed O’Neill (as Donald Sterling): Oh, calm down? This is–
Laurence Fishburne (as Doc Rivers): This fuckin’–
Ed O’Neill (as Donald Sterling): –my fuckin’ team. You don’t–
Laurence Fishburne (as Doc Rivers): I’ll calm down.
Ed O’Neill (as Donald Sterling): –you don’t like it, stay in your office.
Laurence Fishburne (as Doc Rivers): No, you get the fuck outta here.
Ed O’Neill (as Donald Sterling): Okay, Papa Bear.
Cleopatra Coleman (as V. Stiviano): I told you we shouldn’t.
Cleopatra Coleman: And then aside from that, just the filming of it was really fun because I got to hang out with Ed, and Laurence, and all the players at the same time, which didn’t really happen a lot. But, yeah, it’s– it’s also, like, a very, very uncomfortable situation, and you could definitely feel it.
We had a lot of actors that were maybe day players that were featured in that scene that were in vulnerable positions. So that also made it feel really real. And then just the way that Donald puts her in the middle of it, asking her questions about the players, and she’s answering because she really wants to, you know, be a good student. (LAUGH) But at the same time it’s not really her place. And he’s leading her into this. And it’s just– it’s very complicated. So I think it’s an interesting scene. And it’s, to my knowledge, true to what happened.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Yeah. That day was– it was intense, you know? Like I said, you know, a great– one of my good friends, Blair Underwood s– said to me once– he said, “Man, your neurological system does not know you’re acting. It’s just not that smart.” He said, “So you can know that, ‘Hey, I’m here today,’ whatever. “But as long as you’re breathing, your brain and body starts to process those things and feels those things.” And so we felt it that day, you know, havin’ to see, you know, DeAndre or whoever kinda have their arm squeezed and how these guys were feeling.
And it was disturbing to see. Because we’re professionals, it was less disturbing to shoot. But shout out to the people who also they had to be the bad guy. You know, Ed O’Neill, when you’re around him, you will see he’s completely different than Donald Sterling. You will see that the people who were, you know, in that room that had to do those things, that they were– they were just doin’ their job. And so it wasn’t easy for anybody. But I think it’s important that we show those parts of the story, too.
Ramona Shelburne: Why do you think Donald Sterling felt it was okay to go in a locker room like that? Why do you think he felt he could behave in that manner?
Cleopatra Coleman: That’s a huge question, ’cause you’re talking about, like, the conditioning of racism and–
Ramona Shelburne: Yeah.
Cleopatra Coleman: –why is that? I mean, I could go on, and on, and on for hours. It’s hard to even answer that question. I think he kind of answers it on the tape, though, a little bit. That’s how he feels. There’s a lack of respect and a sort of entitlement to space that is very disordered and racist, very racist.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Yeah. I– I think that’s the best way to put it, just extremely racist, extremely privileged. And then obviously there’s a lot of other things beneath the surface that we all know to be true about certain people. And then when you add– a lot of money, a lot of power, they feel like they can utilize that even more– and feel like they can get aw– around those situations.
And so Donald’s not the only one. That’s what I really love about this story is that it’s gonna shed light on a lot of people who move throughout the world like this. You’ll see people who disagree with it the most are probably those without agree with (LAUGH) Donald and his way of living, you know, the people who are not as happy with the– the series.
But I feel like it’s gonna hit the nail on a lot of things. And it’s nothin’ new. You know, it’s not like we don’t understand what racism is. We– it’s not like we don’t understand the culture of it, and where it comes from, and how it– it makes its way throughout America and all other parts of the world, you know? And I think it’s gonna take a long time to fix it, but I think it’s stories like this that bring it to people’s attention. And it helps try to find a solution for the racism that is not only in sports but that’s within our daily lives.
Ramona Shelburne: Cleo, you have so many scenes with Ed. Obviously it’s– it’s a very fun thing for us to watch as the series unfolds. But what was it like doing scenes with him? What was it like doing the show with him? I mean, he’s kind of a jokey guy but also in this role, (LAUGH) he had to cross some lines.
Cleopatra Coleman: Ed is such a wonderful person. And it was so funny that, you know, a lot of our bigger scenes, like reenacting the tape, the recording, that was in the first week. It might have even been day one. Like, there were just a lot of big things up front that we had to tackle.
And a day into it, we were already, like, bickering like (LAUGH) father and daughter, like we’d known each other forever. It just happened, like, immediately. So I feel very comfortable it’s Ed. I feel like I’ve known him my whole life, maybe because I’ve been watching him (LAUGH) on TV for– for a long time. But maybe it’s just something to do with our personalities. We just get along. And he’s just got the best stories. He’s so supportive. And I loved working with Ed.
Ramona Shelburne: What was your– relationship with Jacki like?
Cleopatra Coleman: Oh, Jacki’s such a mischievous little thing. I love her so much. She’s an Australian icon, so it’s really cool to work with her, obviously, being Australian and everything. But she was really fun because I– you know, there’s obviously a lot of– (LAUGH) our characters don’t like each other.
And so– and that’s always hard to do, ’cause I really like Jacki. But she made it fun. Like, she would poke her tongue out at me, or she’d flip me off, or, you know, we would just make it sort of mischievous, and fun, and very Australian. So she made it good. And– and I– I love her dearly. (LAUGH) She’s an amazing actor.
Ramona Shelburne: She really is. When I was first reporting on this, the reason why I always thought this should be a show is, like, the Shelly character, it’s such a great role for an actress to sink her teeth into. Like, I think she just– she ran with it. And you have to not be afraid to be disliked.
Cleopatra Coleman: And she’s powerful. She– she is small of stature, but she has a powerful gift of performance. And she embodies these very strong characters so well, seemingly with ease. But obviously behind the scenes, it takes all these little tricks. But, you know, she is just such an incredible actor, and I have so much respect for her. So it’s really cool to see her nail this role.
Ramona Shelburne: Hey, let me do– a l– quick little lightning round. This is just somethin’ kinda for fun at the end. We do it on each episode. I’ll ask you kinda whatever just pops into your head. Who is the cast member most likely to laugh during a serious line? Let’s start with Cleo.
Cleopatra Coleman: Ed. (LAUGH)
J. Alphonse Nicholson: (LAUGH) I’m gonna say– DeAndre– Sheldon. Yeah, he– he’s– he’ll get a good laugh in. (LAUGHTER)
Ramona Shelburne: What’s something you do for good luck? Do you have any superstitions or routines before a big audience or performance?
Cleopatra Coleman: Oh yeah, I always pray. I always pray– to act with specificity, electricity, and authenticity. It’s so– it– it’s so weird. I (LAUGH) have to do it every time. Yeah. That’s my thing.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Yeah, I– I may have– a little cup of coffee or somethin’. Yeah, I– I don’t have too many traditions or anything that I do. But I do have my routines, though. And– yeah, they’re just private routines.
Ramona Shelburne: Oh, it’s pri– oh, proprietary. I like it. (LAUGH)
Cleopatra Coleman: I gave mine away. (LAUGHTER)
J. Alphonse Nicholson: No, it’s okay. It’s okay.
Ramona Shelburne: I had one too when I– I was a softball player, so I always had my little, like, “I have to touch the bat four times this way and three times this way.” And then I had to do– you know, I had to say some things under my breath, like. And I think in– in the show, Chris Paul’s character obviously has some superstitions. JJ has some superstitions. Like, I mean, it– you know.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: A lot of basketball players do that. They have their little thing. They have to do it– before they, you know, go on court or practice, whatever.
Ramona Shelburne: Next one: What’s your comfort TV show?
Cleopatra Coleman: Right now I’m watching Hacks, the new season of Hacks.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: That’s a good one.
Cleopatra Coleman: Oh, the Cosmos. I love to watch the Cosmos. Even just to have it on, like, in the background if I’m doing something else.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Mine– my wife loves Beyoncé. She’s a huge Beyoncé fan, so we’ll turn on Homecoming on Netflix at any time, just kinda let it play and listen to her music and– when we’re s– out in the house. But my wife, she’s a huge fan of the– all the Housewives shows. So I– I g– I find myself trapped in watchin’ those sometimes. But then recently we watched Shogun on FX, and it’s really, really good, and it made me very proud to be part of the FX family.
Ramona Shelburne: What is the worst costume or hairstyle that you’ve had for a role?
Cleopatra Coleman: Oh. Okay. I did this soap opera when I was, like, 17 called Neighbours. It’s Australia’s longest-running soap opera. And it was during the time– I think it was, like, the indie sleaze time. And it was when people were doing these coifs. (LAUGH)
Ramona Shelburne: Coifs.
Cleopatra Coleman: Where, like, you tease your hair and, like–
Ramona Shelburne: Yeah.
Cleopatra Coleman: –comb it (LAUGH) back. Ugh. Yeah. (LAUGH) So bad.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Crazy. I’ve had some pretty cool hairstyles– for the work. I’ve– I’ve done blond, which is really cool, for P-Valley. And I’ve done blue and all sorts of things, which is really cool. What I am excited about, though, is, like, bein’ able to wear my beard for Chris Paul.
And now people want me to keep it for other shows. I’m like, “Great. You know, skin care, let me keep– not have to shave so often.” So, yeah, that’s my– I don’t like to shave. So when I have to shave all the time on a show, that’s my least favorite thing to do. Costume-wise, I always end up in somethin’ pretty cool with– you know, P-Valley and then the Clippers, we were in s– lounge, Nikes, and all the great things over there. It was pretty comfortable.
Ramona Shelburne: Do you have a favorite basketball team?
Cleopatra Coleman: I don’t know if I have a specific team.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Uh-huh (AFFIRM).
Cleopatra Coleman: But I love the women’s league. I think that’s really cool and the movement that’s happening now to observe is really, really cool. I saw the same thing with women’s soccer last year.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Yeah.
Cleopatra Coleman: And that was really exciting. So, yeah.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: I’m a huge LeBron fan, so I– I love the Lakers. Anywhere he goes, that’s– that’s kinda my team. Obviously we’re sittin’ on a coach right now– not participating, (LAUGH) you know, in these playoffs. And the– and, man, I was wantin’ the Clippers to go.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: I was like, “That would be such great press for our show.” But they did exactly what they do in the show, which is they lost, (LAUGH) unfortunately. So I guess they– art imitating life. But– yeah, L– LeBron. I’m a huge fan of LeBron. But right now, I’m a huge fan of Anthony Edwards, too. What he’s doin’ in the league, the things that he’s doin’ is just– it– it’s incredible.
Ramona Shelburne: All right. I want to let you guys wrap up. Thank you so much for joining us, Cleo and Fonz.
Cleopatra Coleman: Thank you.
J. Alphonse Nicholson: Thanks, everybody.
Narrator: This episode was hosted by Ramona Shelburne and produced by Meghan Coyle. Our associate producer is Gus Navarro. Our line producer is Cath Sankey. Sound design by Ryan Ross Smith and original music by Hannis Brown. Preeti Varathan is our head of audio. Our head of development is Kati Fernandez. Our head of talent relations is Chantre Camack. Our executive producers for 30 for 30 and ESPN Films are Marsha Cooke, Brian Lockhart, Burke Magnus, and Heather Anderson. Our ESPN audio team includes Megan Judge and Devon McGowan. Special thanks to Roslyn Bibby at FX and Greg Bergman at ESPN LA Radio. As always, thank you for listening. Episodes of Let’s Talk Clipped drop every Tuesday until July 2nd.
