![]() ![]() I don’t have the words to describe Miss Winfrey wanting me to play her in a biopic! I spoke it into existence -as a teenager I always told my family and friends that I was going to play Oprah Winfrey and work with her. She gave me so much knowledge and advice. When I did my scenes as a younger Deborah Lacks, Miss Winfrey would be on the set watching. Oprah Winfrey calls you KeeKee and told Vanity Fair she wants you to play her in a biopic. I told myself that one day, I was going to work for him, and I got the role in Ma. I loved how director Tate Taylor ( The Help ) guided me during the audition. Let’s talk about you playing teenage versions of adult characters played by Oprah and Octavia Spencer, especially Octavia’s role in the horror movie, Ma. I hope to do a film where my character inspires Black girls to do great things. When films like that are made, there are little girls watching and becoming inspired. That movie made me enter my school’s science fair. I loved how far she’d gotten in the spelling bee. My favorite movie was, Akeelah and the Bee. Was there a favorite movie or TV show with an intelligent Black girl that you loved watching? I’m just loving that the Black girls I portray are also intelligent. ![]() She ran for student government president. Kiesha likes to party, but she’s a smart girl, too. Kiesha’s a bad girl who pushes Jennifer to do bad things. Getting back to Black Lightning, your character Kiesha is BFF with Jennifer Pierce ( China Anne McClain), daughter of Jefferson Pierce in the show. If they bring up Black Lightning, I thank them and ask what they think about the show. If someone notices me, I’ll say, “Hi! I’m sorry that I don’t have a completely made-up face today!” Don’t apologize for that! Just say, “What’s up” and keep moving! Yes! It’s so cool! I’m not always wearing makeup, and I wear the usual college student attire sometimes. Do other students recognize you? Especially as Kiesha from the CW’s Black Lightning? I am a full-blown college student! I ride the UGA bus, go to my classes, eat cafeteria food, and hang out with my friends. Are you on campus or do you take some online courses? When I got the call that I nailed it, I was screaming, “I’m going to be on Netflix!” You attend the University of Georgia. I got the callback to meet for a test, and I gave my all. I was so excited about playing Yvonne, I think it showed on my tapes. When I saw that it was for Netflix, I said, “Whoa!” When I finished a scene, I ran to my trailer and had my mom tape me reading the part. I was filming a Lifetime movie titled, Three’s Complicated, with Shanola Hampton ( Shameless ) and Tyler Lepley ( Tyler Perry’s The Haves and Have Nots ) and got an audition for Chambers. Yes! That’s it! How did you get the role of Yvonne? I’ve always kept math and my imagination close to my heart. I eventually started pretending to be these professions and realized that I could be an actress and play these people. I changed my mind and wanted to be a microbiologist, then a chemist, a lawyer. I won so many prizes there, like microscopes. My mother would take me to space camp and the Georgia State Science Fair. The first thing I wanted to be was an astronaut. My mother noticed that I was doing very well in math classes, and, my teachers would reward me. Well, when I was a kid, I was into math and acting. I got an A! I’ve always been in love with math. I took a calculus class a couple summers ago, just for fun. If I wasn’t acting, I would’ve majored in mathematics. I can relate to Yvonne because, as a college student, I take a lot of classes where you are pushed above and beyond your goals. She is a true Black Girl Nerd! I love how the creators wrote and developed Yvonne as an intelligent Black girl. I am so happy to play a character like Yvonne because she’s a tech geek and she loves math. Yvonne is a super-intelligent Black girl. I help her along the way in trying to figure out what’s going on with her body, her life, and her mind. Sasha sees, hears, and does things that she can’t control. She gets a heart transplant, and things start getting really creepy. The show centers around a 17-year-old girl named Sasha, who has a freak heart attack. No problem, I’m excited to talk with you! That’s good to hear! Congratulations on the new Netflix series! Tell me about Chambers and your character. I will try not to keep you on the phone too long! ![]() I talked with Kyanna about Chambers, math - she’s a true Black Girl Nerd - and having Oprah as a mentor who wants the budding actress to play her in a biopic. ![]()
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