Woman: GROWING UP, I WOULD WATCH THE "MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE" WITH MY GRANDMOTHER, ESTELLE. SHE WOULD SNEAK ME UP INTO THE LIVING ROOM TO WATCH IT BECAUSE IT CAME ON LATE. AND I WOULD SEE DOROTHY DANDRIDGE, YOU KNOW, IN "PORGY AND BESS," BEING THIS ENCHANTING, YOU KNOW, EARTHY, SEXY BEING. OR I'D SEE "DARK VICTORY" WITH BETTE DAVIS, OR I'D SEE RUBY DEE, AND SHE WAS THIS PETITE WOMAN WHO LOOKED VERY MUCH LIKE I THOUGHT I WOULD LOOK WHEN I GREW UP. SO AT ABOUT 7, I THINK I DECIDED, I'M GOING TO BE AN ACTRESS WHEN I GROW UP. IT WAS JUST THAT SIMPLE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT TOOK. I JUST KNEW THAT I HAD TO DO IT. Oprah: EVERYBODY HAS A STORY, AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE LEARNED FROM EVERY EXPERIENCE. Hart: NOBODY KNOWS YOUR FUTURE BUT YOU. YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN BOOK. Knight: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU LOVE AND RESPECT YOURSELF FIRST. O'Neal: YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE A PERSON, BUT YOU GOTTA RESPECT 'EM. Perry: BE HUMAN ENOUGH TO MAKE MISTAKES AND BE FLAWED. Lewis: WE HAVE TO BE BRAVE. WE HAVE TO BE BOLD. Harvey: WHEN IT LOOK LIKE YOU AIN'T GONNA MAKE IT, WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP, DON'T. LL Cool J: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. Usher: DON'T STEP WITH ANGER. STEP WITH CLARITY. Fonda: WE ARE NOT MEANT TO BE PERFECT. WE'RE MEANT TO BE WHOLE. Angelou: WHEN YOU LEARN, TEACH. Oprah: USE YOUR LIFE AS A CLASS. TALENT, BEAUTY, FAITH, AND A LOT OF SWAGGER. LYNN WHITFIELD EMBODIES THEM ALL. MY PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH LYNN STARTED WHEN WE CO-STARRED IN "THE WOMEN OF BREWSTER PLACE" WAY BACK IN 1989. AND OVER THE YEARS, I'VE WATCHED HER BLOSSOM INTO THE GLAMOROUS STAR SHE IS TODAY. WHO COULD FORGET HER ICONIC PERFORMANCE AS THE TITLE ROLE IN "THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY"? LYNN HAS A POWERFUL SENSE OF EMPATHY. SHE'S ABLE TO EXPLORE THE NUANCED DYNAMICS OF HER CHARACTERS WITHOUT FORFEITING THEIR STRENGTH. THAT'S WHY LYNN WAS OUR FIRST CHOICE TO PLAY THE INDOMITABLE LADY MAE ON "GREENLEAF." GROWING UP IN BATON ROUGE IN A FAMILY WITH A DEEP LOVE FOR THE ARTS, LYNN DECIDED TO CHASE HER PASSION AND SEEK OUT NEW EXPERIENCES. THIS PATH SOMETIMES TOOK HER TO PLACES THAT DIDN'T WELCOME HER, BUT IT WAS THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES THAT SHE DISCOVERED A MIGHTY RIVER OF INTERNAL STRENGTH. -- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS WELL, I GREW UP IN BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, AND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE SOUTH IS A LOT OF HARSH STORIES, BUT ONE THING THAT WE HAD WAS COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP SEEING PEOPLE WHO LOOKED LIKE ME WHO WERE MY TEACHERS, DOCTORS, LAWYERS. GROWING UP IN THAT ENVIRONMENT GAVE ME A SENSE OF SELF, A SENSE OF GRACIOUSNESS, A SENSE OF LEGACY. MY FATHER WAS A DENTIST. HIS FATHER WAS A DENTIST. MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER, LEO S. BUTLER, WAS AN OLD COUNTRY DOCTOR. SO, YOU KNOW, I COME FROM A FAMILY WITH PEOPLE WHO LED YOU TO BELIEVE THAT YOU REALLY NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS. AND MY MOTHER HAD THE EXPECTATION THAT WE ALWAYS PRESENT WELL. MY MOTHER WAS VERY GLAMOROUS. YOU KNOW, THE HAIR ALWAYS HAD TO BE PERFECT. EDGES HAD TO BE, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH LIKE OUR LOOK NOW. OH, MY GOD. OH, MY GOD, I AM MY MOTHER'S CHILD. BUT, UM... YES, MY MOTHER WAS EXTREMELY GLAMOROUS, SO IT WAS THIS JUXTAPOSITION OF THIS PERFECT-LOOKING FAMILY TO THIS... VERY PASSIONATE PEOPLE COMING FROM THEIR OWN POINTS OF VIEW. SO WE HEARD -- WE DID HEAR ARGUING, AND I THINK IT AFFECTED ALL OF US. AFTER 15 YEARS OF THIS SORT OF CAMELOT-Y, VERY CONTENTIOUS MARRIAGE, AT -- I WAS 15 WHEN THEY SEPARATED TO DIVORCE. I WAS TERRIFIED OF US NOT MAKING IT AS A FAMILY. THAT WAS A BIG, BIG DEAL TO ME. I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO KEEP MY FAMILY TOGETHER, AND IT DIDN'T WORK. SO AT 15, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THIS PUBERTY BUSINESS, MY MOTHER LEFT. SO WE LEFT -- SO THE WHOLE FAMILY, WE LIVED WITH ONE OF OUR AUNTS, AND IT JUST -- EVERYTHING WAS JUST A LOT OF UPHEAVAL AND TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO SORT OF LAND AND BE COMFORTABLE. IT NEVER, EVER FELT THE SAME AFTER THE DIVORCE. IT ALWAYS FELT LIKE WE WERE JOURNEYING ON SOMEWHERE. NEVER FELT SETTLED ANYMORE. SO, I WAS 15, AND I FELT LIKE, I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE. YOU KNOW, AND I JUST FELT VERY LONELY, AND KIND OF SAD. AND I REMEMBER MY MOTHER WENT TO FASHION INSTITUTE IN NEW YORK. MY FATHER DECIDED THAT HE WOULD TRY TO GET CUSTODY OF US BECAUSE SHE WENT TO NEW YORK, AND HE BOUGHT ME A CAR BECAUSE I WAS GONNA BE THE NEW MOMMY, I THINK. I WAS GOING TO TRANSPORT EVERYBODY TO SCHOOL. WELL, WHEN I GOT THAT CAR -- I THINK IT WAS A MAVERICK -- BUTTERSCOTCH MAVERICK SOMETHING. AND I WOULD GO AND SNEAK DOWN TO NEW ORLEANS AT LEAST TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK 'CAUSE IT'S ONLY 60 MILES AWAY. AND I WOULD JUST GO THERE AND DREAM. I THOUGHT THE FRENCH QUARTER -- 'CAUSE I'D NEVER BEEN TO PARIS -- WAS THE MOST MAGICAL, EDGY, BEAUTIFUL PLACE. AND I ALWAYS FELT, I KNOW THIS. I KNOW THIS WROUGHT IRON. I KNOW THIS PLACE. I JUST STARTED GOING MORE INTO MY WORLD. I THINK IT WAS CREATING A LOT OF THE FUEL THAT MADE ME AN ARTIST. AFTER THE DIVORCE, I -- AND THE SORT OF PAIN, AND HOW DRAMATIC IT WAS, IT'S ACTUALLY WHEN I REALLY STARTED REVVING UP AS AN ARTIST AND GATHERING INFORMATION THAT I'D BE ABLE TO USE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THAT I'D BE ABLE TO USE IN "JOSEPHINE," THAT I'D BE ABLE TO USE IN "EVE'S BAYOU." I STARTED EXPERIENCING TREMENDOUS TRAUMA, AND I THINK DEPRESSION, AND JUST DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA. AND BOYFRIENDS AND ROMANCE AND STARTED -- IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF ME CREATING MY OWN TRIBE. SO THERE'S FAMILY THAT YOU'RE BORN WITH, AND THEN THERE'S TRIBE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED, I'M GOING TO GO AWAY AND LEARN TO BE A REALLY GOOD ACTRESS. AND WHEN I LEAVE, I'LL NEVER LIVE IN BATON ROUGE EVER AGAIN. Oprah: COMING UP ON "MASTER CLASS" WITH LYNN WHITFIELD... Whitfield: I WAS LEARNING TO BE A NEW MOTHER. WORK STARTED SLOWING DOWN. THE MARRIAGE FELL APART. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RODNEY KING RIOTS. SO WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? Whitfield: I WENT TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY. I WENT TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND I WAS JUST SO EXCITED TO BE IN WASHINGTON, MY PARENTS' ALMA MATER. BOTH MY GRANDFATHERS WENT TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY AND WENT THROUGH MED SCHOOL AND DID SCHOOL THERE. MY MOTHER AND FATHER WENT THERE. ALL MY AUNTS WENT TO HOWARD UNIVERSITY, SO I WAS VERY EXCITED TO BE THERE, AND THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY WAS AMAZING BECAUSE THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT WAS UPSTAIRS, AND THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT HAD CREATED DONNY HATHAWAY AND ROBERTA FLACK. AND SO MANY GREAT ARTISTS HAD GONE THROUGH, THE VISUAL ART SCENE. THERE WAS A RENAISSANCE GOING ON. EXPERIMENTAL THEATER WAS GOING ON. HUGE, MODERN ART SCENE, AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCENE FOR PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS, AND EVERYBODY WAS VERY -- YOU COULDN'T HAVE ON TOO MANY RINGS OR TOO MANY BANGLES. YOU KNOW, TOO MUCH OF A -- YOU NEEDED IT ALL. AND IT WAS A VERY BUSY TIME, BUT SO EXCITING BECAUSE I FINALLY WAS IN A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT WAS ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN MY LIFE. I FINALLY WAS, YOU KNOW, IN ACTING CLASSES UNTIL MIDNIGHT. I CUT OFF ALL MY CURLY HAIR AND GOT A LITTLE BITTY AFRO. I STARTED LEARNING ABOUT AND FEEDING MY AESTHETIC OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE, WHAT I WOULD LOVE, WHAT WOULD INFORM SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT I DID. THE SCENE WAS GREAT. THE MUSIC WAS GREAT. EVERY PARTY TURNED INTO AN INTERPRETATIVE DANCE, KIND OF PEOPLE EXPRESSING THEMSELVES. YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALL ABOUT PERSONAL EXPRESSION AND JUST BEING OUT THERE AND DOING IT. AND I BECAME THIS ARTIST, YOU KNOW, IN A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT I WAS LEARNING WITH. AND I REALLY FELT THAT -- I FELT I WAS HOME THEN. IT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR ME TO FINALLY START MY QUEST TO BECOME AN ARTIST. WHAT I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT TO NEW YORK WAS THAT, YOU JUST -- YOU'RE JUST LUCKY IF YOU'RE WORKING. SO I GOT TO NEW YORK, AND PEOPLE STARTED TELLING ME, WELL, HERE'S WHAT YOU DO. YOU GET THE ACTOR'S HANDBOOK, AND THEN YOU GET PICTURES, YOU GET YOUR RéSUMé. YOU NEED TO MAKE THE ROUNDS. WHAT DO I DO WHEN I MAKE THE ROUNDS? THE ACTOR'S GUIDE WILL TELL YOU WHERE YOU GO AND WHERE THE OFFICES ARE. JUST SLIDE YOUR PICTURE UNDER THE DOOR. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT A MINUTE. I -- BUT I DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T DO ALL THIS TO SELL TAMPONS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I GOT REALLY FREAKED OUT, AND I DID A LITTLE BIT OF IT, SO THEY -- I REMEMBER GOING TO MY COMMERCIAL AUDITION AND SAID, WEAR A PLAID SHIRT, AND WEAR A LITTLE CURLY WIG. AND THERE YOU GO, AND IT WAS AN ALPO COMMERCIAL. SO THEY HAD A FAKE DOG AND A LITTLE BOWL, AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, ALPO'S THE BEST. OH, COME ON, SCOTTY, DON'T YOU LOVE IT? OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS -- AND I REMEMBER WALKING OUT THE OFFICE, OUT OF THE AUDITION ROOM, AND THERE WERE, LIKE, 12 OTHER WOMEN WHO LOOKED JUST LIKE ME WITH CURLY WIGS AND PLAID SHIRTS, FLOWERED SHIRTS. AND I WAS MISERABLE. I WAS, LIKE, OH, MY GOD, THIS IS AWFUL. AND SO THIS WHOLE NEW THING, WORLD OF THE HUSTLE, THE NEW YORK HUSTLE OF -- OF GETTING WORK AS A NEW YORK ACTOR, IT WAS REALLY DAUNTING. AND I HAD JUST NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ON MY ACTOR'S HIGH HORSE. I WAS JUST INDIGNANT THAT PEOPLE WANTED ME TO SLIDE MY PICTURE UNDER A DOOR TO SELL DOG FOOD. OR, YOU KNOW, OR SOAP OR WHATEVER. I -- I WAS JUST -- I WAS PRETTY LOST IN THAT. I DIDN'T DO WELL AT IT. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO REALIZE THE DIFFICULTY. THIS IS REALLY HARD. WHAT I'VE DECIDED I WANT TO DO IS VERY DIFFICULT. I'M NOT JUST GONNA JUMP INTO, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT I SAW DOROTHY DANDRIDGE OR MARILYN MONROE OR BETTE DAVIS OR ANYTHING. THERE IS DUES PAYING TO BE HAD. IT SEEMED THAT I AND GOD AGREED THAT I NEEDED TO GO ON TO LOS ANGELES. Oprah: YOU'RE WATCHING "MASTER CLASS" WITH LYNN WHITFIELD. I GOT A JOB, "DEAR DETECTIVE," BRENDA VACCARO WAS THE STAR, AND I WAS SO EXCITED. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME EVER SHOOTING, LIKE, HEARING THE "BWAAMP, ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY IN PLACE? EVERYBODY READY? GO. THE YOUNG LADY, THE SECRETARY, WHERE IS SHE? OKAY, SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? YOU'RE GONNA WALK IN THIS DOOR, AND YOU'RE GONNA WALK UP TO THE DESK, AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL HER WHO CALLED HER. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING, SO JUST WALK STRAIGHT TO THAT SPOT, WE'LL BE GOOD, READY?" I WAS SO TERRIFIED BECAUSE IT'S SO FAST. IT WASN'T LIKE THEATER WHERE YOU GET TO REHEARSE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU CAN WALK OUT AND WALK BACK IN AND KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GONNA GO. AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO LOOK FOR A MARK WITHOUT LOOKING LIKE YOU WERE LOOKING AT A MARK. SO, THEY DID THE WHOLE THING. "OKAY, READY, READY, OKAY. ACTION." AND I WALKED, AND I WALKED INTO THE LITTLE TABLE BEFORE I GOT TO HER DESK AND KNOCKED STUFF OFF OF THAT. "OKAY, HONEY, IT'S ALL RIGHT. NO PROBLEM, BABE, YOU'RE FINE. OKAY, SHOW HER THE MARK AGAIN." IT WAS A FREAKIN' NIGHTMARE. AND I WALKED IN, AND I HIT THE MARK, AND I WAS SO EXCITED THAT I JUST DID THAT WELL, I COULD NOT REMEMBER WHAT I HAD TO SAY. I WENT OUT, I CAME BACK IN. I COULD NOT REMEMBER MY LINE. AGAIN. IT WAS SO MORTIFYING. YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THAT SAYING, "YOU KNOW, HONEY, LOOK, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, YOU'LL BE FINE. AS LONG AS YOU DON'T BUMP INTO FURNITURE, AND YOU REMEMBER YOUR LINES, EVERYTHING'S GOOD." TO WHICH I DID BOTH OF THEM WRONG. AND I REALLY, REALLY HAD TO BUILD UP MY CONFIDENCE AFTER THAT BECAUSE I -- I KNEW I DIDN'T DO WELL. AND SO I WENT BACK TO CLASS, AND, OH, AND THEN I GOT A CALL TO AUDITION FOR "DOCTOR DETROIT." HOW ABOUT TAMPA. THELMA! BUD! COME ON, HONEY, WE'RE GOING HOME. AND NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON. CASE DISMISSED. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE INDIGNITIES I SUFFERED HERE IN THIS -- THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR! YOU'RE ENTIRELY WELCOME! THAT GIRL IS COLORED! [ ALL GASP ] HONEY, NOBODY COLORED ME. I WAS BORN THIS WAY! COME HERE, BABY, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT! BYE BYE! SEE YOU LATER I GOT THAT PART, AND THAT WAS A BIG -- THAT WAS A BIG OLD HOLLYWOOD MOVIE, AND THAT WAS EXCITING. DONNA DIXON, FRAN DRESCHER, AND WE WERE THE LADIES OF THE EVENING. AND HOWARD HESSEMAN WAS OUR PIMP, AND IT WAS JUST GREAT. AND I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO CALL MY MOM AND SAY, "I AM SO EXCITED. I GOT MY BIG FIRST HOLLYWOOD MOVIE." SHE SAID, "WHAT IS IT?" I SAID, "WELL, I'M A -- I'M A WHORE." AND SHE SAID, "WELL, DARLING, JUST BE A GOOD ONE, AND BE GLAMOROUS." I GOT A CALL. THE CALL SAID, "THEY'RE GOING TO DO 'THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY.'" I KNEW THAT I WOULD BE PERFECT FOR IT. FROM THE FIRST PHONE CALL. THAT I COULD REALLY DO THIS, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING I COULD SINK MY TEETH INTO. AND I JUST SET ABOUT IT LIKE A SPONGE. I DECIDED I'M NOT GOING IN AND LET THEM PUT ME ON FILM WITH ALL THAT BAD LIGHTING. SO I FOUND A PLACE THAT DID VIDEO THAT WAS VERY CLOSE TO LOOKING LIKE FILM. I GOT MICHAEL PETERS, WHO WAS A GREAT CHOREOGRAPHER. "DREAMGIRLS" AND "BEAT IT" AND "THRILLER," HE DID ALL THAT STUFF. AND SO I PRODUCED MY OWN -- MY OWN LITTLE MINI JOSEPHINE BAKER MOVIE. AND ON -- AND I GOT THEIR ATTENTION THAT WAY BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE HAD DONE THAT. THAT KIND OF BROKE ME OUT A LITTLE BIT FROM THE PACK. AND THEN WE PROCEEDED ONTO A SEVEN-MONTH EXERCISE, SEVEN MONTHS OF AUDITIONING. BRIAN GIBSON WAS THE DIRECTOR. HE WAS EXTREMELY DEMANDING AS A DIRECTOR AND REALLY WAS LOOKING FOR VERY SPECIFIC THINGS. AND SO I DID REALLY WELL, AND I GOT DOWN TO THE WIRE OF THE AUDITIONS. AND THEN HE WALKED UP TO ME AND SAID, "YOU'VE DONE A MARVELOUS JOB, MARVELOUS, JUST GREAT, GREAT WORK. NOW WE'RE OFF TO NEW YORK." TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN. THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE ALL THOSE AUDITIONS IN NEW YORK, AND THEY ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT WITH TWO PEOPLE. AND I BELIEVE IT WAS IRENE CARA AND DIAHANN CARROLL. SO I WAS OUT OF THE RUNNING. AND I WENT TO WHAT IS NOW THE MONDRIAN HOTEL IN LOS ANGELES AND SAT DOWN AND DRANK WINE FROM ABOUT 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON TILL ABOUT 8:00 AT NIGHT, AND CRIED, AND LISTEN TO THE JAZZ PIANIST JUST GO ON. AND I WENT HOME, AND ALL OF MY RESEARCH, ALL THE BOOKS, ALL THE THINGS WERE ON MY TABLE. AND I TOOK THEM, AND I WAS SO UPSET, I TOOK THEM AND STUFFED THEM IN THE CABINET. AND JUST -- AND I SAID, "NO." I TOOK THEM OUT AND PUT THEM BACK ON THE TABLE, AND I SAID, "I'M NOT -- I'M NOT PUTTING THEM AWAY." FOUR MONTHS LATER OR THREE MONTHS LATER, MY AGENTS CALL AND SAY, "THEY WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN." WELL, I USED AN EXPLETIVE AND SAID, NO, I'M NOT GOING BACK IN ANYBODY'S OFFICE. I'M NOT GONNA DO IT. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE THEM PUT ME THROUGH THAT AGAIN. OR, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT DISAPPOINTMENT. SO, NO, I'M NOT GOING. IF THEY WANT TO TALK TO ME, SEE IF THEY'LL TALK TO ME AT A NEUTRAL PLACE. THEY FINALLY WORKED IT OUT THAT -- THAT I SHOULD COME IN. I WAS THE ONLY SCREEN TEST. AND THE SCREEN TEST WENT FROM 7:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL ABOUT 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. WE DID ALL THE AGES AND THE COSTUMING AND ALL THAT. AT THAT POINT, THEY BROUGHT IN A COSTUME AND ALL THAT. AND BY MONDAY, THEY SAID, "OKAY." AND THE OFFER CAME. BUT IT WAS JUST RIDICULOUS. YOU KNOW, HOLLYWOOD IS HARD. IT MAKES YOU FEEL DEMORALIZED SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN DO IT, THAT YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH, THAT YOU CAN DO IT. THAT YOU CAN BE TRUSTED, THAT YOU SERVE IT, THAT YOU WON'T MESS UP FOR THEM. AND SO FINALLY, THEY MADE THE DECISION. BRIAN GIBSON FINALLY MADE THE DECISION, AND I FEEL LIKE HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING. IT WORKED OUT, IT WAS GREAT. THAT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND I JUST -- I COULD SUBMERGE MYSELF, LIKE I THOUGHT ARTISTS WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AND TAKING ON AND THE RESEARCH AND ALL OF THAT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS BUILT FOR, AND THAT'S HOW I STUDIED. AND SO IT WAS EXCITING TO JUST WRAP MYSELF UP AND NOT HAVING ANYTHING ELSE THAT I HAD TO DO. HOW COULD I COME BACK HERE AND NOT FIGHT, HMM? I DID NOT THINK IT WOULD BE THIS HARD. BUT THERE ARE LAWS NOW. WE'VE ONLY GOT TO USE THEM. KEEP PUSHING AGAINST THAT BIG OLD DOOR. AT THE SAME TIME, THE DIRECTOR OF "JOSEPHINE BAKER" AND I WERE FALLING IN LOVE. WE WERE JUST CREATING SOMETHING THAT WAS THE BEST MARRIAGE THAT A DIRECTOR AND AN ACTRESS CAN HAVE. IT WAS AN AMAZING, ARTISTIC MARRIAGE, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD -- WE THOUGHT IT WOULD TRANSLATE TO MARRIAGE, SO WE LEFT BUDAPEST AND WENT TO LONDON AND GOT MARRIED. I WAS KIND OF CHRISTIAN. I WAS STILL, WHATEVER IT WAS. ROSE QUARTZ CARRY THE ENERGY. THE ROSE QUARTZ ENERGY, THEY OPEN OUR ENERGY. SO I WAS DOING ALL THAT, AND HE WAS BUDDHIST. HE WAS ONE OF THOSE CHANTING PEOPLE, WHICH WAS SO -- HE WAS, LIKE -- [ IMITATING CHANTING ] AND THEN THE GONG AND THE BONG, AND HE'S DOING ALL THIS STUFF. HE WALKS UPSTAIRS, AND HE SAYS, "THERE'S A LITTLE SPIRIT THAT WANTS TO COME IN, AND WE SHOULD LET THEM. I SAW THE SPIRIT. WE SHOULD LET HER COME IN." I WAS, LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, ARE YOU CRAZY? THIS IS THE BEST ROLE OF MY LIFE. MY STOMACH IS FLAT AS ANYTHING FROM ALL THIS DANCING AND EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN DOING, AND LIFE IS -- I'M JUST ABOUT TO BREAK OUT. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE A BABY RIGHT NOW. I IMMEDIATELY GOT PREGNANT. I WAS JUST, LIKE, SO UPSET ABOUT ALL OF THIS. I CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT MY DAUGHTER, GRACE, SHE'S -- I AM SO BLESSED. SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW, BUT GOD KNOWS. EVERYTHING THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A MISTAKE AT THE TIME, THAT IT'S THE WRONG THING AT THE TIME, THAT IT'S TOO HARD AT THE TIME, THAT SOMETHING'S BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU... YOU'RE BEING GIVEN A GIFT. IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT. LYNN WAS EXPERIENCING THE KIND OF SUCCESS MOST ACTRESSES ONLY DREAM ABOUT. JUST WEEKS AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO HER DAUGHTER, GRACE, LYNN WON AN EMMY FOR HER COMMANDING PERFORMANCE IN "THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY." FROM THE OUTSIDE, IT LOOKED AS THOUGH LYNN WAS ON TOP OF THE WORLD. BUT THE TRUTH WAS FAR LESS GLAMOROUS. TRYING TO SAVE HER CRUMBLING MARRIAGE WHILE LEARNING HOW TO BE A MOTHER AND PURSUING HER ACTING CAREER AT THE SAME TIME PROVED OVERWHELMING, AND LYNN SAID SHE FELT ISOLATED AND LOST. IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING GRACE AND WINNING AN EMMY, AND BRIAN WON AN EMMY -- THE REVIEWS OF A LIFETIME, IT WAS AN AMAZING THING. A STAR IS BORN TYPE THING. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYTHING STARTED GOING WONKERS. I WAS LEARNING TO BE A NEW MOTHER, AND YOU KNOW, THE PRESSURE OF NAVIGATING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, HOLLYWOOD, AND EVERYTHING JUST -- SO THAT WONDERFUL, ARTISTIC MARRIAGE WE HAD DIDN'T TRANSLATE TO THE MARRIAGE-MARRIAGE, AND IT ALL STARTED FALLING APART WHEN GRACE WAS A MONTH OLD. I DID NOT HAVE THE TOOLS, I DIDN'T HAVE THE SPIRITUAL BASE, I DIDN'T HAVE THE SMARTS TO KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THINGS. AND SO, WORK STARTED SLOWING DOWN. THE MARRIAGE FELL APART IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RODNEY KING RIOTS. IT WAS HORRIBLE. LOS ANGELES WAS BURNING UP, AND SO WAS MY MARRIAGE. AND IT WAS JUST A LOT. AND THAT FOR ME WAS WHEN I SAID, "OKAY, NOW, THESE ROSE QUARTZ, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THIS, AND THE TAROT CARD LADY, DEFINITELY, THAT WAS BULLSHIT. SHE DID NOT -- THAT WAS NOT WHAT SHE TOLD ME. THAT WAS -- SO WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?" AND SO, I SAID, OKAY, WELL, I THINK I BETTER JUST GO BACK TO THIS GOD THING. I THINK I JUST REALLY NEED -- I NEED SOME HELP HERE. SO, I STARTED GOING TO CHURCHES, AND I REMEMBER, IT WAS NEW YEAR'S EVE, AND BRIAN HAD GRACE, AND I WAS ALONE IN THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS. I SAID, OKAY, I AM GOING TO THIS CHURCH I HEARD ABOUT. AND I DROVE MYSELF TO THE CHURCH. I OPENED THE SIDE DOOR TO THIS CHURCH, AND THERE WAS NOWHERE TO SIT. I FELT LIKE MARY AND JOSEPH, LIKE, NO ROOM AT THE DAMN INN. THIS IS -- THIS IS REALLY DEPRESSING. AND THE FIRST LADY OF THE CHURCH SAW ME AND CAME OUT AND SAID, "LYNN, LYNN, COME IN HERE, GIRL, I HAVE A SEAT FOR YOU. COME ON." AND I SAT DOWN, AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF ME STARTING TO REALLY FIND OUT WHAT GRACE IS. THAT'S WHEN I ACTUALLY FOUND IT. IT FOUND ME. EVERYTHING THAT I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD, EVERYTHING THAT I THOUGHT I KNEW TO DO RIGHT, EVERYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO BE SMART, HOW TO HAVE PEACE, HOW TO KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT. I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT ANYMORE. IT'S CALLED FAITH. I HAD NONE. AND SO -- AND I NEVER HAD 'CAUSE I GREW UP -- I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, LIKE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WHERE YOU CAN JUST SIT AND SAY, "OKAY, GOD, YOU GOT MY BACK." AND I HAVE THAT NOW. AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST AUTHENTIC PART OF ME AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE, YEAH. IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, HAVING GRACE AT A TIME WHEN I HAD MY BIGGEST CAREER OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EXPOSURE IN MY WORK. AND AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN EVERYTHING STARTED SHIFTING. BUT WHAT I DID KNOW, WHEN I HAD GRACE, I MADE A DECISION. AND I THINK SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO DECIDE, WITHOUT FEAR, AND I ALSO MADE IT WITH MY SPIRITUAL GROWTH. MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO BE OKAY. I AM GOING TO HEAR HER. I AM GOING TO LISTEN TO HER PASSIONS. I AM GOING TO BE -- I AM GOING TO CREATE A LEGACY. MAYBE IT WAS EGOTISTICAL AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT I DON'T THINK SO. I JUST FEEL THAT I WANTED TO PARENT A PERSON TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THEMSELVES, TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, TO HAVE A BALANCE IN THEIR LIVES. AND SO I'M STILL BECOMING COMFORTABLE WITH EVERYTHING. AND I BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE AS I SEE IT MANIFEST IN HER. I SEE THE WHOLENESS COMING INTO BEING. NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES AND ALL THAT -- BECAUSE BRIAN BECAME VERY ILL WITH CANCER, AND HE DIED. AND WHEN HE DIED, I KNEW THAT I REALLY HAD TO, IN THE FULLNESS OF FAITH, MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO RAISE A HEALTHY CHILD. THAT WAS A CHALLENGE. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF I DECIDED THAT MOTHERHOOD WAS OKAY OR IT WAS DECIDED FOR ME. BUT WHAT I DID DECIDE, AND I THINK EVERY HUMAN BEING CAN DECIDE IS THAT I AM GOING TO DO WELL IN THIS. I'M GOING TO SEE THIS THROUGH. I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT. Oprah: THIS IS "MASTER CLASS" WITH LYNN WHITFIELD. MATURING IN THIS BUSINESS IS NO JOKE. IT'S VERY HARD, AND IT SNUCK UP ON ME, AND IT JUST HASN'T STOPPED. IT JUST KEEPS ON COMING. IT'S THE LIFE OF THE ARTIST. IT JUST KEEPS GOING. YOU'RE THE INGENUE, YOU'RE THE POWERFUL WOMAN, YOU'RE THE SEXY THING, THEN YOU'RE THE MOTHER, THEN YOU'RE THE GRANDMOTHER, THEN YOU'RE THE -- AND SO MY GOAL IN MY CAREER AS AN ARTIST IS TO KEEP ALL THAT STUFF COMBINED. I THINK THAT FEMININITY, SENSUALITY DOESN'T GO AWAY BECAUSE I STILL HAVE EVERYTHING THAT I HAD AS A YOUNGER WOMAN, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS. IT'S HOW HOLLYWOOD DOES IT. AND SOMETIMES, IT'S AHEAD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, OR YOU WANT TO WORK, SO YOU DO THINGS THAT SPEED THAT PROCESS ALONG. AND THEN YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THEY DON'T SEE YOU IN ANYTHING BUT MOTHER ROLES OR APPENDAGE ROLES. IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING, AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT MOVING. SOME YEARS, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, I AM SO FRUSTRATED. THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO DO. AND THEN SOMETHING COMES ALONG, AND YOU HAVE THAT CREATIVE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IT ALL AND REALLY TO HAVE A BIT OF ACTIVISM JUST IN HOW YOU APPROACH IT. TO NOT GIVE INTO ALL OF THAT, TO GIVE THEM AN OPTION THAT PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T THINK OF. IT'S UP TO US TO HOLD ONTO OUR SPIRITS. IT'S UP TO US, UP TO ME PERSONALLY NOT TO GET JADED AND HARD-HEARTED ABOUT IT. IT'S UP TO ME TO STILL FEEL THAT I AM A SENSUAL WOMAN. IT'S ME, I CARRY THAT ENERGY, AND NOBODY IS GONNA JUST GET INSIDE MY SPIRIT AND SAY, OKAY, YOU CAN'T -- YOU CAN'T FEEL LIKE THAT. I OWN ME. SO I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS... IS THAT I HOPE IT'S YOUR INTENT TO USE THE AUTHORITY OF THE PULPIT ON SUNDAY FOR INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSES AND NOT AS A SWITCH TO PUNISH US PUBLICLY. THAT WOULD BE SUCH A CRUEL THING TO DO TO YOUR FATHER, ESPECIALLY IN HIS ABSENCE. DON'T YOU AGREE? MAMA? YES, DEAR. DO YOU LOVE ME AT ALL? WHAT A LUDICROUS QUESTION. NO, IT'S A REAL QUESTION. DO YOU LOVE ME? OF COURSE I LOVE YOU, GRACE. I ALSO LOVE YOUR FATHER. I GOT A CALL SAYING OPRAH WANTS TO REALLY DO SOME TELEVISION THAT IS VERY INTERESTING, AND THERE'S A ROLE, AND IT'S LADY MAE GREENLEAF. I READ IT, AND I DIDN'T SEE WHY THEY WANTED ME. AND I TALKED TO THE PRODUCER, CRAIG WRIGHT, AND I SAID, "WELL, WHY ME? I MEAN, WHAT --" THEY HAD HER WRITTEN AS THE STERN LADY MAE, FIRST LADY OF THE CHURCH. AND I SAID, EHH. [ YAWNS ] OKAY, NO, THAT -- WHY? I DON'T WANT TO -- IT DIDN'T SEEM EXCITING. AND SO WHEN I TALKED TO CRAIG, HE SAID HE WOULD BE COLLABORATIVE, AND HE READ A SCENE THAT WOULD BE IN THE EPISODE. I SAID, OH, OKAY, WELL, I CAN KIND OF SEE WHY YOU WOULD WANT ME. AND TO DO THIS, AND HAD A LONG CONVERSATION. AND AT THE END OF IT, HE SAID, "SO, CAN I CALL OPRAH AND TELL HER YOU'LL DO IT?" I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH MEETINGS AND WHATEVER AND SEEING A REWRITE. I SAID, WELL, OKAY. SO IT APPEARS THAT OPRAH THOUGHT I WAS THE RIGHT PERSON FOR IT. YOU DON'T THINK I KNOW THE ROLE YOU PLAYED IN ALL THIS? YOU THINK I DON'T SEE YOUR HANDPRINT OF VERY BRICK OF MY RUIN? MAC HAD TO BE STOPPED, AND YOU KNOW IT! AND YOU AND THAT DAUGHTER OF MINE DRESSING UP ALL YOUR RESENTMENTS IN ROBES OF RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I NEVER -- YOU LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE. AND SO I PROCEEDED TO, YOU KNOW, APPROACH LADY MAE AS SOMEBODY WHO'S STILL GOT IT GOING ON AND WHO DOESN'T WANT TO LOSE HER LEGACY AND WHO IS THE QUEEN OF HER ROOST AND WHO WILL NOT ALLOW ANYBODY TO TAKE WHAT SHE'S WORKED SO HARD FOR. BUT IT'S FUN. I THINK I'VE BEGUN TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT THE AUDIENCE LOVES. SHE'S QUOTABLE, AND THEY QUOTE HER, AND THEY LIKE HER, AND SHE'S SASSY STILL. AND SO IT'S KIND OF GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. KEEP HER WARM AND SENSUAL AND FUN AND A SENSE OF HUMOR AND AN INTEGRITY AND POISE AND GRACE AND NOT, YOU KNOW, GO DOWN THE STEELY, STERN, YOU KNOW, FIRST LADY, AND THE BUN AND THE BAD SHOES AND THE LONG, MISSIONARY SKIRT. NO, SHE'S A VERY APPROACHABLE CHARACTER IN A WAY. SO IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN SO FAR TO BRING HER TO LIFE. AND MAYBE WE'LL GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AND PULL BACK SOME LAYERS AND SEE WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE TO LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU LIKE TO LIVE IN. SO THAT'S AN AESTHETICAL TRUTH OF WHAT YOU LIKE TO BE SURROUNDED WITH. INNER TRUTH IS A CONSTANT RESET, CHECKING, LOOKING BACK. IT'S, WHAT AM I FEELING? IS IT TRUE? WHY AM I OFF BALANCE? I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THAT. EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE BRINGS SOMETHING NEW, AND IT'S ALWAYS AN ADJUSTMENT. I FEEL SO IMPRESSED AND INSPIRED BY PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY SAY I'VE DISCOVERED IT, I'M GOOD, AND MY LIFE IS -- I KNOW WHO I AM NOW. I'M CONSTANTLY READJUSTING, AND I CONSTANTLY FEEL LIKE A WORK IN PROGRESS. AND I THINK FROM THE MINUTE THAT I REALLY ACCEPTED THAT THE PASSION AND PURPOSE THAT I HAVE AND WITH SO MANY THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'VE ACCOMPLISHED ENOUGH. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT I HAVE TO DO, THAT I HAVE TO SAY, THAT I HAVE TO GROW INTO. I NEVER UNDERSTAND THE SAME WAY PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I'VE REINVENTED MYSELF. AUTHENTICITY IS EVERYTHING. SO I TRY AND FIND THAT BALANCE. IT'S ALREADY INSIDE ME. MY SENSIBILITY OF TRUTH IS THERE; OF PEACE. IT'S ALREADY INSIDE ME, AND I CAN RE-CREATE THAT WHEREVER I GO. BE IT A ROLE, BE IT MY LIFE. IT'S INSIDE ME, AND SO I JUST CONTINUE TO CREATE THE OUTER MANIFESTATION OF IT WHEREVER I AM AND TRY TO KEEP THE INNER TRUTHFUL, HONEST, AUTHENTIC. AS LADY MAE IN "GREENLEAF," AND IN ALL HER ROLES BEFORE IT, LYNN HAS BEEN IN TUNE WITH HER OWN AUTHENTICITY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. FROM SEEING HERSELF IN SILVER SCREEN ICONS AS A LITTLE GIRL TO BECOMING A STAR AND GIVING PERFORMANCES THAT ARE UNIQUELY HER OWN. YET WITH ALL OF HER TALENT AND POISE, LYNN UNDERSTANDS THAT SHE'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. AND SO SHE STRIVES TO LET GO OF THE PAST WHILE ALWAYS FULLY LIVING IN THE PRESENT. MISS LYNN WHITFIELD, FOR YOUR TALENT, FOR ALL OF YOUR GLAMOUR AND YOUR SWAGGER, YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR FAITH, YOU ARE A MASTER. IT REALLY NURTURES ME TO LOOK TO PEOPLE WHO I RESPECT, WHO I FEEL HAVE GONE THROUGH MANY OF MY CHALLENGES AND ACCOMPLISHED THINGS THAT I DO. I LOOK TO MY ICONS, MY HEROES FOR INSPIRATION. AND ONE OF MY INSPIRATIONS IS RUBY DEE. I THINK SHE IS AMAZING, AND I JUST FOLLOWED HER THROUGH HER LIFE. I CAME ACROSS THIS ONE POEM THAT SHE LOVED, AND I LOVED BECAUSE IT MAKES ME STAY IMMEDIATE. IT KEEPS ME KIND OF IN WHATEVER THE TASK OF WHAT TODAY IS. AND I ALSO THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. ANYWAY, IT'S VERY HEALING TO ME. IT SAYS, "TODAY IS OURS. LET'S LIVE IT. AND LOVE IS STRONG. LET'S GIVE IT. A SONG CAN HELP. LET'S SING IT. AND PEACE IS DEAR, LET'S BRING IT. THE PAST IS GONE, DON'T RUE IT. OUR WORK IS HERE. LET'S DO IT. THE WORLD IS WRONG, LET'S RIGHT IT. THE BATTLE IS HARD. LET'S FIGHT IT. THE ROAD IS ROUGH. LET'S CLEAR IT. THE FUTURE FAST. DON'T FEAR IT. IS FAITH ASLEEP? LET'S WAKE IT. BECAUSE TODAY IS OURS. LET'S TAKE IT."
