Kyanna Simone Enjoyed Filming ‘The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat’ So Much She Had ‘Separation Anxiety’ Afterward – Essence

Kyanna Simone stars this month in a movie telling a story concerning the power of chosen family.

The comedy follows three women, Odette, Barbara Jean, and Clarice, who, following a series of misfortunes in old age, are forced to reflect on the seeds they sowed in adolescence. Set in two distinct time periods, the mid-Nineteen Sixties and the late Nineteen Nineties, the film was adapted from novel by Edward Kelsey Moore.

“It’s a feel-good movie, and it’s reminiscent of movies like ,” Simone tells ESSENCE. “I feel like it’s a good time for us to do it again.”

The characters support and challenge one another throughout their lives. Jokingly in comparison with a cult girl group by their beloved bar owner, they proceed to operate as “The Supremes” from childhood into maturity.

“I’m very fortunate to have a family, but God, it’s so good to be able 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 might be familiar to many black women. “There’s something to be said about how strong friendships can be when you can choose those people,” Simone said.

“When it comes to black women in friendships, I mean, those platonic relationships are super, super important,” Simone continued. “Your sisters are going to be there for you throughout your life, your girlfriends, your sisters, your Supremes. They’re going to be there for you through your romantic relationships, as they come and go.”

The younger versions of the ladies are played by Simone, Tati Gabrielle and Abigail Achiri.

Their older counterparts are played by Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Simone plays the younger version of Ellis-Taylor’s character, Odette, in Tina Mabry’s Hulu film.

“My biggest goal was definitely to embody [Odette]and to speak her words and let her thoughts and energy be known to the audience and visible to the audience. And then right after that, it was really about doing justice to Aunjanue. I mean, those are big shoes to fill,” Simone said. “I just wanted to make sure I lifted my side so that it would be very smooth as we jump into the ’90s.”

Simone devoured the book to evoke Odette’s supposed fearlessness.

“I actually read it in two days,” she said. “I wanted to make sure Odette felt real.”

She worked with the director to solidify Odette’s teenage fantasy, where her character goes on the attack to guard herself and her black friends, moderately than a cheesy comedy a couple of sassy black girl. “Tina Mabry plays a big part in that, but I had to really focus on the fact that Odette wasn’t trying to show off,” Simone says. “I didn’t want it to come across as showing off or putting on a performance. I wanted it to come across as someone who knew she had to do whatever it took to protect her new friend.”

Simone researched on a regular basis black life during that point period to organize for the role. “A lot of times when you think about the ‘60s, your immediate thought process is civil rights, Martin Luther King, racial injustice. And I think Supremes really captures that and shows these sweet pockets of childhood inspiration.”

Simone hit it off with Gabrielle and Achiri while filming the film. The young actresses are at the same stage in life to their characters.

“We hit it off right away; we ended up on the same plane, Tavi and I,” she said. They connected with Achiri and reflected on their success to have the option to inform a robust black story together. “It’s rare and it’s beautiful,” she said.

“We all came out,” she said. “We sat down and realized that for all three of us, this was the first time we had really gotten to work with other women who were in the same situation as us.”

“The conversations were so detailed,” she said. “We shared such similar experiences that it was almost like a family reunion with family I hadn’t met yet.”

Simone rekindled a spark between herself and her castmates that she missed after the project ended.

“When we finished filming, the separation anxiety was enormous.”

Is now streaming on Hulu.