Are we good? Tony, what's good, Tony? Okay, so when I lose hope
in the world, like AKA 2020, people like my guest today
restore my faith in humanity. I'm talking about young people
who are doing dope things. From ABC's hit show
"Black-ish", please welcome to my crib Marsai Martin! Whassup? How are you?
- Hey! - I am so happy that I get
to chat with you today, because I think you are
absolutely incredible... extraordinary... I don't--I can't--I don't
even know the words, to be honest, but thank you
so much for being here. Actress that's won many awards. Guinness World Record holder. You have your own
production company. You're 16 years old. I have to know: do you do regular
16-year-old-person things? Like, when I was 16,
I was not doing this. - I have the biggest
teenage problems, honestly, like, it's still
boy situation, and that's like--
tour, school, it's-- it's the whole--it's all of
the above, honestly. - I love that you're just
a regular 16-year-old. And like any other
regular 16-year-old, for your birthday,
Beyoncé gave you a shout-out. - Yeah, that's normal, right? - Walk me through this moment, because I always say that once you interact with
Beyoncé, is there anything else
that surpasses that? I would like to believe no. - There really isn't. Yeah, Mama sent me
a screenshot of, uh... my baby photo on her website
saying, "Happy birthday, Marsai." I was...I was screaming. I was freaking out.
I was running, like... throughout the whole
entire house. And then she sent me flowers
later on that day. And, um, no, it was just--
she's really sweet. And, like...yeah.
- Wait, hold on, I need to... I need to address
the casualness. Beyoncé also sent you flowers? - Yeah, she sent me... she sent me flowers. - Just a regular
16-year-old out here. Just a regular 16-year-old. I think so highly of you. I think you're so powerful
and you're such a force. But obviously,
people in the public eye, they get some hate sometimes. Everybody
that's on the internet-- trust me, I know firsthand--
gets some hate. And I bring this up
not to harp on the negative but because I thought
something you did recently was so cool. You posted a video
in response to haters. I wanna ask you about it,
but first let's check it out. - A lot of people have been addressing my hair
or talking about my hair and how it looks like
a grandma's wig. And I don't... Sorry, can I--
[sniffling] [inhales] Ohh... Thank you. - Honestly, it--
I feel like this acting
also needs an award, because when I watched this
for the first time, I was in my feelings,
I was genuinely like, "Oh, my God, she's crying," and then I was shook
by the turn. What--what prompted you
to post this video? - I won't look at comments
at all. Like, literally, when I post
something, I'm just like, okay, go ahead, it's like,
you know-- I don't look at it again. But I don't know what it was. Something told me just to look at the funny Twitter
that it is, and it was just wild. So I just knew the biggest
thing that I know the most was gonna just
kill the haters, which was sarcasm. So I just talked to my parents
about it, like should I respond,
should I not? I'm like, "It really doesn't
matter to me," 'cause, honestly,
it was quarantine. It was like in July
so, like, I was doing whatever
made me feel good. No one was looking at me,
so... - You're like, "I have time
during quarantine. Today I have time." - Yeah, first of all,
no one gonna see me. I ain't goin' outside,
so I was like, I'm totally fine.
Something just told me to post it,
so I just went for it. - So often women are encouraged
in this industry to be, like, "Don't talk about
money. "Don't flaunt your success. "Don't stand up for yourself
too much. "Do it within reason, but,
like, don't be too loud. And don't make such a fuss." And I feel like that's what
we're encouraged to do, so I personally love when women
specifically are, like, yes, I got the bag. I have success. - It's, like, another level
of self-confidence for me. Like, if you really are
comfortable in who you are and, like, what you're
building, as a self-made person or,
like, wherever you came from, then go ahead, do you, like,
honestly, there's nothing that can stop
you other than the people that are in your head,
honestly. - Here's our PSA to you, women.
Embrace it. Embrace and flaunt
the success, and we should just, uh...
[sniffles] Ah! - Okay, Mariki! Okay.
- Or should just... The only difference, girl--
mine is a prop, yours was real.
But it's all good. Let's talk about
"Black-ish," of course. Season seven comes back.
It came back tonight. What I love about "Black-ish"
is that it has never shied away
from talking about real issues in regards
to racism, culture, society. What has the experience
been like growing up on a set like that? - I mean, it's been
super amazing, super educational. And, I mean, I started
the show when I was nine, so just growing up with it and getting to know so much
more than like the real topics that you don't
get to learn in school-- like school doesn't teach you
about, like, racism or any of the things
that we get to tackle on "Black-ish", really. So even speaking for Miles
and the rest of the kids just growing up throughout
the seven years that we've been on the show, it's been a blessing,
and it's truly amazing. And I don't know
any other show that can tackle comedy
and...drama at the same time without it being like
insensitive or us trying to get canceled
for some reason. - Popsugar just dropped
a brand-new cover that you are gracing. Can we see a picture
real quick? Because the people at home,
they need to be blessed. Boom! There it is. You look incredible. And I have to say that I have stalked you on the 'gram pretty thoroughly. I know that you are
an absolute pro when it comes to photo shoots. You seem so confident.
You know it's true. You're like, no, you're right.
It's true. - I love photo shoots,
honestly. It's the top level of
confidence for me, for sure. It's when I get to change
different looks, different vibes, and, like,
different aesthetics. - I just did a photo shoot
the other day and I was like asking my makeup artist,
"What can I do with my hands?" Because you know
they always say, like, "Show us the rings, the rings,
the brand sent the rings. I need the rings in the shot,"
so literally, I'll just be like... You know?
Doing some stuff-- But I don't know how to
do it gracefully at all. Are you good at that stuff? Like showing off
certain things? - Yeah, honestly, it really all depends
on the music. The music that you have
in the background and just swaying
back and forth, like, never like stopping,
like a little stiff. You kinda have to sway
back and forth and then the camera
will catch you, you know what I'm saying?
- Oh! Okay. After seven seasons
on "Black-ish," your facial expressions
have become quite the hit. There is many a gif
of your facial expressions. Do you use your own gifs,
first of all, can I ask? - I don't use my own gifs, but in my Friend groups,
they use my gifs. - One of the things I adore about the fact that you're so
good about facial expressions is that I think it aids
comedy so well. Like, you communicate in a way
that words never could, and I'm striving
to be like that. I really try to work on
my facial expressions. So I thought we could
do a little training right now where you maybe school me
in some facial reactions. I'm gonna give you a scenario, and on the count of three,
we'll both do a reaction, no words, just reaction, and maybe I can learn
something from you. Cool? All right, here we go.
- Okay. - When you get home
and realize your shirt was on inside out
the entire day. Ready?
One, two, three. Oh, this happens to me
all too many times. When you're watching your
friend's Instagram story, it finishes, and the next one
that autoplays is your ex. One, two, three. [laughter] When you realize you sat down
in a mysterious substance. Ready? One, two, three. When someone
is wearing a mask, but it's below their nose. Ready? One, two, three. That moment when your crush
likes your selfie on the 'gram. Mm. Can't relate,
but I'll try to act. Ready?
One, two, three. [shrilly] Ah-ha-ha! Hah! Haaah! It's the subtleties,
it's in the subtleties. It's in the eyes.
You are a queen. You are a queen--I'm gonna
try to be like you.
