Sarah Jeffery on Playing Dolores Washington and Honoring The Six Triple Eight

[00:00:09] Sarah, thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged. Thank you so much. How are you? Great. I can't complain. You know, we have a big day for you tomorrow, December 20th, Six Triple Eight on Netflix. How exciting is this project for you?

[00:00:23] It's so exciting. I mean, it's always exciting to be working as an actor, but to have it be a project that is so meaningful and just, of course, based on a true story.

[00:00:39] Being able to honor these women has been such a gift. So, yeah, the fact that it's finally here is pretty, pretty crazy.

[00:00:48] Right. What drew you to the role of Dolores? And how did you prepare to play a character like this, a real person?

[00:00:59] So, I loved what Tyler was doing from the start. I thought, wow. At first, when I took a look at the script, I assumed it was fictional and then, you know, realized that it is, in fact, based on a real story about the real women of the story.

[00:01:18] Six Triple Eight Battalion. And so, having not known about it and asking around and realizing that most people have no idea about this piece of history, I was just really excited to see this project being brought to life because it's about, you know, an all-Black female battalion.

[00:01:38] Yeah.

[00:02:08] And she embraces it. And, you know, I've been scared to, I wouldn't say, I guess not scared. I've been hesitant to, you know, really embrace that part of me wholeheartedly because people have different opinions about it.

[00:02:30] But, you know, I think just being a part of the community and having these women take me under their wing and, you know, really embracing my heritage has been a beautiful part of it.

[00:02:40] And that's what drew me to her specifically was that she's so, she owns it and she's unapologetic.

[00:02:46] Was there any pressure or like to play somebody that's a real person?

[00:02:51] I think for most of the ensemble ladies, ours were more culminations of many women, whereas with Carrie and Ebony and Milana, they were playing really kind of, they didn't have that sort of same artistic freedom, that same chance to just like really build the character.

[00:03:22] That said, you know, I still went back into history and looked at as much footage as I could, learned as much about the women as I could, tried to really just adopt their mannerisms in that time period and just be cognizant of what it must have been like for them.

[00:03:43] I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, like a lot of like these war movies, you know, sometimes people get a hold of like particular letters or like real life stories to get an idea.

[00:03:51] Did you get, did you get a chance to get any of that like study guy pretty much?

[00:03:57] You know, we had the privilege and honor of meeting Lena Derricotte King on Zoom, who is in this film played by Ebony Obsidian beautifully.

[00:04:12] She's a hundred when we spoke to her and she was in the battalion.

[00:04:17] And this story is, is as much her story as it is Charity Adams and the other ladies of the battalion.

[00:04:26] But speaking to someone who had actually been there and experienced it, I mean, for me, like speaking to, you know, people who are so much older and wiser than me is just so fascinating to begin with.

[00:04:41] But then the fact that she was, she was really there was, was really cool.

[00:04:47] And then I, I just keep hearing these stories of people discovering that their family were part of the 6th AAA battalion.

[00:04:54] Big Sean was at the premiere and he, his, his grandmother was in the battalion.

[00:05:02] So just, just really cool to, to hear people's individual stories about, about these real women.

[00:05:10] This project, you know, was a Tyler Perry.

[00:05:12] How was the collab like with you and Tyler Perry and also did he give you any specific direction or insight to dive deep more into the character, into the story?

[00:05:22] Yeah.

[00:05:22] I mean, I really loved working with Tyler.

[00:05:26] He is such a Titan in the industry for a reason.

[00:05:29] And he's brought so many opportunities to the black community.

[00:05:33] And I'm so grateful to him.

[00:05:36] And he, he, he has this confidence on set that just really makes you feel like he trusts you and, and he's cast you for a reason.

[00:05:47] And you being here is like, it's because he trusts you.

[00:05:52] Um, and so any questions I had that came up, I would go to him with, and he was so open and collaborative and, um, yeah, just, just really wonderful experience from top to bottom.

[00:06:05] Um, yeah.

[00:06:07] So, so wild to have worked with the Tyler.

[00:06:12] I know I've had other guests that worked with him before.

[00:06:15] They're like, every time he does a project now, they're always telling me like, I hope I can be on the next one with him.

[00:06:20] Yes, absolutely.

[00:06:20] I would love to work with him again.

[00:06:22] It was, it was really cool.

[00:06:23] You mentioned, uh, Kerry Washington before also, like how was it working with them and, uh, and the rest of the cast?

[00:06:30] Honestly, so incredible.

[00:06:31] One of the most beautiful experiences I've had, um, in this industry, I have been blessed to work with a lot of different people.

[00:06:41] Um, from, you know, top celebrities everywhere in between.

[00:06:46] And I can confidently say Kerry is just the kindest soul and just the most wonderful number one on the call sheet that I've had the privilege to work with.

[00:06:58] Um, she is very giving as a human, but also as an actor.

[00:07:04] And she really made time and space for all of us ladies, um, who were in the ensemble cast to just get to know her and get comfortable and really become a unit.

[00:07:16] So she's, she's wonderful.

[00:07:19] What's great about the film too, is like, it focuses a lot, like on perseverance, sisterhood, you know, uh, even overcoming like racial and gender barriers.

[00:07:27] Like, was there a specific theme that resonated with you personally?

[00:07:31] Yeah, I think, I think.

[00:07:35] I was just drawing a lot of parallels to where we are right now.

[00:07:40] We're in a time politically that is scary for a lot of people.

[00:07:44] Um, I keep coming back to the fact that black women were the ones who showed up to vote the most out of anyone.

[00:07:51] And, um, you know, a lot, a lot of, a lot of them were disappointed with the results.

[00:07:57] And I think it just, yeah, it just reminded me that we still have a lot of work to do.

[00:08:05] I think as, is really was the key takeaway, um, for me.

[00:08:12] What do you hope the audience takes away from this film?

[00:08:15] You know, I think just that, I think that.

[00:08:19] A black woman do so much for this country and they have long gone without their accolades and recognition.

[00:08:26] And so I want people to open their eyes to that and just realize that this isn't the only story like that.

[00:08:32] Like surely there are more and for creatives to get excited about finding these new stories.

[00:08:37] These are these untold stories rather.

[00:08:40] Um, and yeah, I think, you know, my castmate Shanice.

[00:08:48] She, she had said that it really showcases that anyone can be a hero.

[00:08:54] Um, and I thought that was really beautiful.

[00:08:57] Like there are the women vary so much in personality and color and shape and size come from all different walks of life.

[00:09:05] And yeah, it really, it really is true.

[00:09:08] Like you can step up to the plate when you need to and become that, that real hero.

[00:09:14] As an actor, what do you think was like the most challenging aspect of filming this project?

[00:09:18] And what do you think was like the most rewarding?

[00:09:22] Um, I would say I was most nervous for the accent.

[00:09:26] Um, I worked with a dialect coach.

[00:09:29] I think most of us worked with a dialect coach and I feel good about where it is in the film.

[00:09:35] Um, but it definitely is something that an accent that I haven't, I haven't done, um, previously.

[00:09:42] So I was nervous about that and just getting the marching to be as true to history as possible and working with our military advisor and our choreographer, Debbie Allen legend.

[00:09:56] Um, to, yeah, just to be as true to their commands and salutes as possible.

[00:10:03] That was like what I was most sort of focused on.

[00:10:07] And what was the other part of the question?

[00:10:11] Like, uh, the most rewarding part about being in this film.

[00:10:15] I would say the most rewarding part was the sisterhood that, that came from it.

[00:10:20] Um, like the whole cast really, like we just have it, we have a group chat that's always, always going.

[00:10:27] Um, and we're so, we just, we really do love each other and it feels like a true sisterhood.

[00:10:34] Um, yeah, yeah.

[00:10:36] It's just, I, I'm so lucky and I have friends for life now.

[00:10:41] You mentioned the marching and everything.

[00:10:43] How about, how was it?

[00:10:44] Like with the uniforms wearing those uniforms from the world too?

[00:10:47] It was really interesting because our costume designer, Karen Wagner, she brilliantly made sure that, you know, top to bottom, we had every piece of authentic, like authentically made garment that we could have.

[00:11:02] So our undergarments were, even though you never see them were true to that time period.

[00:11:08] And to what the ladies would have been wearing.

[00:11:13] And it's a lot, like, it's a lot of layers.

[00:11:16] It's kind of stiff depending on which iteration of the uniform you're wearing.

[00:11:21] You're doing a lot of manual labor and these like restrictive, um, uniforms.

[00:11:26] They're not the most comfy.

[00:11:29] Um, and that really actually helped for me.

[00:11:32] I was like, you know, I would, I would be on set and be able to take breaks and sit down and eat.

[00:11:37] And these women were in these uniforms all day, every day with, with no break.

[00:11:43] And yeah, it just was a good reminder of, of what it, what it would have actually been like.

[00:11:49] Did you get a chance to keep anything from set?

[00:11:52] I snuck a pair of socks.

[00:11:57] I, they, they made like literally down to everything.

[00:12:00] These socks were, some of the socks were actually, I think, sourced from archival, uh, wardrobe pieces.

[00:12:12] There were, there were definitely pieces of wardrobe that wore from the 1940s, like really specifically from then.

[00:12:20] Um, but they made these replicas and I have the socks and I cherish them.

[00:12:26] That's amazing.

[00:12:28] Uh, so we have six triple eight, uh, December 20th.

[00:12:32] Uh, what's next for you now?

[00:12:33] Anything you could tease us about that you got coming up?

[00:12:35] Are you just taking a break for the holidays?

[00:12:36] What's the.

[00:12:37] Yeah.

[00:12:38] I mean, for the rest of the year, I'm just gonna relax and, um, just enjoy downtime with family.

[00:12:45] But in the new year, I just finished a film that I'm very, very passionate about.

[00:12:48] I'm excited about called Tessie.

[00:12:50] Um, Moby, who's an incredible DJ and musician and composer, uh, wrote it and is composed.

[00:12:57] And, um, Mark Weber directed it.

[00:13:00] And, um, Mina, Mina Masood, uh, is my co-star in it.

[00:13:06] And we just had the best, most magical time making the film.

[00:13:13] Um, so I'm really excited to see where that lives and yeah, just excited to see what projects

[00:13:19] come up in 2025.

[00:13:21] It's been a very strange year for a lot of people.

[00:13:24] I feel blessed to have, have worked and to, to have this project coming out and be able

[00:13:30] to, to talk about it.

[00:13:31] Um, but yeah, I just hope for prosperity for, for everyone here.

[00:13:37] Sarah, let's end this by.

[00:13:38] How can the listeners, the viewers find you on social media now to keep up with you?

[00:13:41] I saw that you're posting a few things about the film for tomorrow.

[00:13:44] Yeah.

[00:13:45] So my Instagram, which is like my main, the main place that I live is, um, Sarah M like

[00:13:52] mother, Jeffrey J E F F E R Y.

[00:13:56] Um, people tend to mix it up a little bit, but, um, yeah, I'm, I think I'm on threads under

[00:14:02] the same handle and yeah, I think that's it.

[00:14:08] Amazing.

[00:14:09] Sarah, I want to thank you for giving me a few minutes today.

[00:14:11] Good luck with the film.

[00:14:11] Let's get you back on with future projects.

[00:14:14] Thank you so much.

[00:14:15] I appreciate it.