Aja Naomi King chats with THR at the BAFTA Tea party and dishes on what it's like to receive her first Emmy nomination for 'Lessons in Chemistry.' Plus, she talks about having Viola Davis as a mentor in the industry.
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00:00Listen, you are my Emmys bestie this weekend. We've been the last 24 hours together. We had we had a great time
00:06I mean there were revolving beds involved. We won't say anymore
00:10Yeah, it was it was quite the time. We won't spill all the tea now. We're being very demure. We're at a tea party
00:16How does it feel to be here with BAFTA? This is insane. This is amazing
00:20I'm so happy to be invited and especially as a nominee this year that the BAFTA tea party is back and I get to be
00:26Here in the presence of so many legends that I just admire so fully
00:31Like dreams really do come true. Yeah
00:34I know first time Emmy nominee. Have you had time to process it? Is it just been go-go-go this whole weekend?
00:40It's it's been so go-go-go
00:42But I was actually having a conversation with Cherilee Ralph earlier who is such I mean like just heart of heart soul of souls
00:49Like she is so incredible and she was like we show up like that is what we do
00:54We show up and sometimes that's what keeps the opportunities going
00:58By being able to show up show up for ourselves show up for our work and make our presence known
01:03And I just I really felt that and so I'm I'm honoring the space that I get to occupy and I was grateful for her words
01:09No, and I know last night when we were talking
01:12I know we mentioned that you had mentioned that Viola Davis was someone that you had really built a strong friendship with
01:18Through doing how to get away with murder and someone that you might possibly run into at one of these events this weekend
01:23What does her friendship mean to you and having her as you navigate through this industry?
01:27you know the thing that I love about Viola is that she's so honest and raw and real and she wants
01:33She wants to be able to uplift you and she also wants to be able to give you the confidence to
01:38Be who you are
01:39Like I I think we get into industries like this and we think we have to like change or manipulate
01:44Ourselves into being something else in order to be palpable for other people and she's like have integrity be vulnerable
01:51Be genuine and like and that is enough like you are enough
01:56So I know we are at a tea party
01:58So I want you to spill the tea for me a little bit spill the tea nothing about last night
02:04Spill the tea on the best thing you've seen on TV this year. Oh the best thing I've seen on TV this year
02:10That is so hard. That is really really hard. I'm gonna say, okay
02:15Four way tie I'm cheating four way tie hacks show gun Abbott Elementary in the bear
02:21Okay, wait, those are good ones. Those are good ones. They're great. They're great. This is like this such such great work. Like yeah
02:29Who is the last person from?
02:31Lessons in chemistry that you texted and what did you say?
02:34the last person from lessons of chemistry that I texted was probably Brie and just being like just thanking her again for like
02:41Believing in me because like she was one of the voices in the room saying it needs to be me in this role
02:46So yeah, I really feel like I owe it all to her
02:50What is one show that you would love to guest star on maybe one of the four way ties
02:54Yeah, I mean all four of them probably highest on my list would be Abbott Elementary
03:05Finally what was your first job in Hollywood? Oh my first job in Hollywood actually
03:12Little known fact. I used to work as a PA a production assistant and one of my first jobs
03:18I believe I was a PA either for a BET Awards or a comic view. Yeah
03:23Way back. What was that experience? Like, um, it was intense, but I wore a fanny pack and carried a notepad
03:30So I was I was made for it. I was built for it. It can be intense
03:34It was intense, but I was ready. I was yeah
03:37I did my job very well and it built your work ethic that you have today, right?
03:41It really it makes you appreciate every part of this every every single person that takes part in making all of this
03:47It's like it reminds you that we are all a team like and we need to treat each other like that
03:51Yeah, thank you again. Have fun in there grab some tea
03:55Relax, right? Oh my gosh