Alex Newell: There’s Only One of You
Episode Description:
Alex Newell is known for their role as Unique Adams on the Fox musical series Glee and Mo on Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (for which they earned a Critics Choice Award nomination). Newell also starred as Asaka in the 2017 Broadway revival of Once on This Island at the Circle in the Square Theater and received a Grammy nomination for the role. As a singer, Newell has released tracks with Clean Bandit, Blonde, and The Knocks, and has released numerous dance-pop singles that have garnered millions of streams and U.S. and U.K dance chart success. Listen as they talk to Fanshen and Anya about black representation in Hollywood, knowing your worth, and showing up in the world as your authentic self.
TRANSCRIPT:
Fanshen Cox (00:13):
Welcome back to Sista Brunch with me, Fanshen Cox.
Anya Adams (00:16):
And me Anya Adams.
Fanshen Cox (00:17):
Sista Brunch is a podcast about black women plus striving and thriving in media, entertainment and the arts. And we cannot wait to share more stories with you over the next few weeks.
Anya Adams (00:28):
Today's guest is our first actor and singer Alex Newell.
Fanshen Cox (00:33):
Woo-hoo!
Anya Adams (00:35):
They're known for their role as Unique Adams on the Fox musical series Glee, and Mo on Zoey's extraordinary playlist, for which they earned a Critics' Choice Award nomination. I was there when that happened, amazing. Newell also starred as Asaka in the 2017 Broadway revival of Once On This Island at Circle in the Square Theater. I also saw that and it was amazing, and received a Grammy nomination for the role as [inaudible 00:01:02]. As a singer, Newell has released tracks with Clean Bandit, Blonde, and The Knocks, and has released numerous dance-pop singles that have garnered millions of streams and US and UK dance chart success.
Fanshen Cox (01:14):
Yes. We are so honored to have you on.
Anya Adams (01:19):
So much.
Fanshen Cox (01:19):
We know you are busy. We know you've been dealing with the pandemic in ways that we can't even begin to imagine. We know that you need to have some rest time, but we are thrilled to have you on, Alex.
Alex Newell (01:30):
You guys are sweet. That little bio thing makes me sound real important and stuff.
Anya Adams (01:35):
You are so important.
Alex Newell (01:36):
No, I'm as kind. I'm as smart. I'm as important. And yes, I just had the [Covisha 00:01:44] all up in my lungs, but I got her out in five days, five whole days.
Anya Adams (01:47):
Because that's how we do, that's how we do.
Fanshen Cox (01:50):
That's how we do.
Alex Newell (01:50):
That's how we do it. Don't worry. I have my Pedialyte on start, next to me at every juncture because I don't know [inaudible 00:01:56] dehydrated.
Fanshen Cox (01:59):
Yes, we need you.
Anya Adams (02:00):
Stay hydrated.
Fanshen Cox (02:01):
So stay hydrated and all of the above. Alex, will you take us back to the beginnings, especially as a gender-nonconforming person, a black person really striving to be in the industry as far back as you want to go, could be the day you were born or wherever you'd like, how did you do this?
Anya Adams (02:20):
How did you do this?
Alex Newell (02:20):
I don't know. Oh my God. How did I do this. I have no clue. I am probably one of the most luckiest people on this planet. But I've worked extremely hard to maintain said luck. I think I was two years old and my mother took me to our state fair in Massachusetts. And she turned around to get me a juice box and I ran away from her and walked onto the stage, grabbed the microphone and started singing.
Anya Adams (03:00):
No way.
Fanshen Cox (03:00):
No way.
Alex Newell (03:01):
Yeah. So that's the origin story to my villain. But that's when I always known that I wanted to be a singer. Singing was my first passion and for the most part acting and everything else kind of just fell into my lap. I knew that I wanted to sing on stage and knew that I wanted to bring joy to people when I sang. I just didn't know what that looked like. And I'm so happy that I've been lucky and worked really hard. I said yes to a lot of things, a lot of things. And now I know what to say no to in my short 29 years of living, fraudulent.
Fanshen Cox (03:42):
Younging.
Alex Newell (03:42):
Thank you. Where in Massachusetts? I just got to know real quick.
Alex Newell (03:45):
I'm from Lynn. It's a little small town where there are more black people than white.
Anya Adams (03:49):
What?
Fanshen Cox (03:50):
Yeah.
Anya Adams (03:51):
Yeah.
Alex Newell (03:52):
And I went and my mother put me in the whitest of white schools. I went to a Christian school from the time I was in first grade to third grade. And then I went to a charter school and then my high school education was a Catholic school where I was one of three blacks.
Fanshen Cox (04:08):
Whoa.
Anya Adams (04:08):
Wow.
Alex Newell (04:10):
So my cold switch is really good.
Anya Adams (04:13):
Which is why you're such a great actor now.
Alex Newell (04:15):
Yeah. It just like, I really can just manifest whatever I want to be.
Fanshen Cox (04:19):
Yes. Were you encouraged in the school environment and especially, in being gender nonconforming, was that something that came later or were you able to be free with that?
Alex Newell (04:32):
As I was...
Fanshen Cox (04:32):
Because I know Massachusetts by the way. I grew up in Boston. I'm just saying there's some interesting folks.
Alex Newell (04:39):
It's strange. I say that I went to a Catholic school, but my principal at that Catholic school was probably one of... she was a nun, to be honest with you. Sister Kathy. Love that woman to death to this day. She checks up on me. She calls me to this day. As I was finding myself, she just let me. We had a uniform at the school where the boys wore, we had two polo colors, black, white, navy blue, three, and then the girls had white and they had pink and they had yellow and they had the black one and I was like, "Hold on, hola, why I can't wear the pink one? I want to wear pink. I would like to wear pink to school." And she was like, "Go ahead, have fun." And in the rule book, that's how they marketed. That's how they sold it. And she'd like, "Let me. As you're in a uniform, you didn't have ways of expressing yourself other than accessories."
Alex Newell (05:32):
And so I would go to [PacSun 00:05:34] and find the tightest of khaki pants and walked my behind through the school. And I would throw a scarf around my neck and that's how I was known, always with the scarf one. But I don't think I really realized how much room she gave me to express myself and really find who I was, which is a beautiful thing. And I think more people should just give kids room to find themselves, make their own mistakes, make their own opinions on themselves, find different roots. And with having that, it freed me in my expression, in my acting and finding myself... Who gets to play a high school student while being a high school student? No one gets to do that. And so that's what really gave me the freedom to do that. She really did that for me, especially being a nun in a Catholic school.
Fanshen Cox (06:21):
This is Sista Brunch with Fanshen Cox and Anya Adams. Stay tuned for more of our conversation with our inspiring guest, actor and singer Alex Newell. We're back. Check out more of our conversation on working in Hollywood with Alex Newell.
Anya Adams (06:54):
So your first kind of big thing, I'm bringing it up just because it's a part of your trajectory, is the Glee project and getting through there. So you kind of established yourself as this amazing singer who was playing this really interesting non-binary character. Do you feel like once you did that, people were just open to you, playing these different roles as you moved through or were there challenges once you left Glee? What did that look like?
Alex Newell (07:17):
I think that there was a lot of challenges. I know there was a lot of challenges. I can't think. If there was, where do we put Alex? Where does Alex fit? And it was a lot of, "Well go out for this role. Let's see if we can change their mind. Go out for this one. Maybe they can change it and mold it to you." And there wasn't anything that was set in stone for me, because back then in 2012, which was only so long ago, there wasn't terminology. We didn't have the verbiage. We didn't have the language. We didn't know. We were still learning and adapting and things were coming too, back then. And so we didn't have the word non-binary.
Alex Newell (08:01):
We barely had the word gender-nonconforming back then. I would walk carpets being as stunning and fabulous as I am. And people were like, "Oh, so what's it like being trans?" And I was just like, "I'm not trans." And then they're like, "Well, what are you?" And even I was like, "Well, bitch, what are you?" And it's that. And it's trying to... Back then it was [inaudible 00:08:23] figuring it out. And so now we have all of these tools. We have all these resources, we have definitions, we have structure. And I think it's a beautiful thing. But I was part of the first part of that and figuring it out with everyone at the same time. And it was hard to carve and manifest in a way, a lot of roles. I mean now I only play like ethereal gods and goddesses, but it's fine.
Fanshen Cox (08:51):
I mean that's how you were born. Be that. [crosstalk 00:08:55]
Alex Newell (08:55):
So that's what God allowed for me.
Anya Adams (08:57):
But it's kind of exciting to know that you're a part of it. You're a trailblazer. You're breaking the mold so people can now step into these roles and be comfortable and say, "Well, Alex did that in 2014." But I did find it interesting. You saying, you were going out for roles that weren't for you, but you were going out to convince them. Maybe you can change it. Can you talk a little bit about that, especially being a black person in that whole situation?
Alex Newell (09:24):
Well, baby, let's talk about going in for Mo in general. Like on Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist. I mean that's more recent. I've known Robert Ulrich for years. He cast me on Glee. He cast me on the Glee project. He brought me in for this role, the role which started off as a 30-year-old bisexual black woman. And I said, "Well, I'm black."
Anya Adams (09:47):
I got one.
Alex Newell (09:49):
I got one. And I walked in and I read it and I did it. And it was me. I think the common denominator was the love of music that the character... I hate DJing on you. But they always want me to do the DJing. I said, "I can't be doing all this at the same time." But the love of music that this character had, you go in these rooms and you want... I tell all of my kids because I teach. I say, everyone in the opposite side of that at table want you to succeed. They want you to be the best. They want you to make their job the easiest that it possibly could be, where they look at you and they're just like, "Pope, that you are going to be the one that I want for this character, for this part, for this role, for this project."
Alex Newell (10:32):
And I had to trick my mind to that and be my best self in the room and it made me my best self in the room because I am doing a job to convince these people that, "Hey, it could be like this if you wanted to be." This is also an option. I know this person is white. I know this person is white, but they could be black. I understand this person is not gender-nonconforming. I understand this person is not what you think the ideal archetype that you want or for this show. And you don't even know how to think about it yet. I can prove to you and show to you what the possibilities could be. And they're so vast. They are vast, they are richer and they are better.
Fanshen Cox (11:10):
I love it. I love that it's about your truth. Because that's what good acting is. That's what good directing, all storytelling is rooted in that truth. And the fact that you are saying, and you are in this position to say, there are other truths. They're not the ones that Hollywood has told us are the only truths. I just I'm grateful to you. I think this is incredible, truly. Are there tools that you kind of tap into, let's say you're about to go on an audition or I would imagine just from this conversation already, I'm like you going to be writing stuff, you going to be directing stuff. There's just no question. So, what are some tools that our listeners can use and really us, me and Anya, when we need to tap into that strength that you're talking about to speak our truth?
Alex Newell (11:57):
There's only one of you. You can't be nobody else other than yourself. My mama taught me at a good old young age. And I said, "Mama, I have to, I just have to do it." And she said, "Baby, all you have to do in this life is be black and die." And I said, "Be black and yeah..." I actually have to do both of those things. And it created such a vessel of individualists in me. I know that no one else can sing like I can. No one else can do the acting truth that I can. No one else can be me. Imitation is only the highest [inaudible 00:12:33] of flattery. So no one can ever emulate and try to be me, but nobody on this planet can be me. And I think everyone should know that about themselves and nobody else can be you.
Anya Adams (12:44):
Yeah. Okay. I'm snapping over here.
Fanshen Cox (12:48):
Oops. Same. I'm like, ooh, I have my inspiration. I have my inspiration to even... I'm going to of listen to this episode again just as we go back into work in January. It's like, "Okay, nobody can be me".
Anya Adams (13:00):
Yes, [inaudible 00:13:01].
Fanshen Cox (13:01):
So Alex, you work in so many different mediums. So first of all, I'm wondering, did you find any one of those a little more friendly or open to this truth and where do we need to do better?
Alex Newell (13:14):
It's hard to be on camera. It's hard to be on camera. I have to get a facial every two weeks. I have to make sure I find my light all the damn time. When I am singing in a studio, it is dark. The lights are off. Ain't nobody care what I look like. I'm in sweatpants. I'm never in a sweatpants. I am myself. I think the music industry as pigeonholed as it is where when it's time to go out in the world and be a person "No one's a person in the music industry", but that the music and what you get to do is so freeing because no one cares what you look like. Because as my favorite quote from dream girls, "Nobody can see her on a record." Nobody can see your face in the music. They can't see you when you are listening to something. And I think that that is so broad. I think we can do better by knowing that not everyone is perfect. I understand that. I look good at every light and angle, but...
Fanshen Cox (14:16):
Okay, well, you can't help that.
Alex Newell (14:17):
Honey, I can't help it. Even God is putting sunlight on my face right now. And I'm just like, "Lord, what did I do?" So I don't know what God did for me, but no, that's not reality for most people other than me. Because ain't anybody can be me. But I think we need to do better by showing people and real people. And I think that we're going towards that. We are leaning towards that. Not everybody has the ab, not everyone has all the hair down to their [inaudible 00:14:46]. Not everybody is always snatched and pulled like we have. We need to move from that and show people. And it's the truth. I mean there are some people that wake up fully beat. I don't know that person.
Fanshen Cox (15:00):
I got to say, you know what, I have seen Jennifer Lopez when she just woke up, that's a whole another story, but she looked good. She did.
Alex Newell (15:07):
That's unfair.
Fanshen Cox (15:08):
A couple people. I would imagine you [inaudible 00:15:10] you. I feel like that's you and you're right. Some people just... But even that is an aesthetic that we've been told is beautiful.
Anya Adams (15:18):
Right. Exactly.
Fanshen Cox (15:19):
Like one of the things we have to push back against all the time is, what do I really believe is beautiful? What is really truly attractive versus the messaging that we've gotten? And that's what I love. I feel like you are pushing back against all of that. And in all your beauty and all your gorgeousness and all your fabulousness...
Alex Newell (15:40):
Stop it. Tell me more.
Fanshen Cox (15:42):
Let me just tell you how much I love you.
Anya Adams (15:44):
So I want to ask you a little bit about you've been talking about the different projects. I'm wondering what stories you are interested in seeing told. You said there was like this vast world that's not been tapped, but are there stories or things that you feel like you would love to see that you haven't seen yet?
Alex Newell (16:05):
I would love to see more of a mother-son kind of relationship because I love my mama. I don't tell her that often because I don't want her head to get big, but I love... I wrote a whole song about my mama, and people love it. But I love that relationship because I have had one of the strongest women raise me from the time I was six to still, to right now, currently. Still raising me by herself. I watched this woman fight her way to be able to pay my high school tuition and give me the opportunities that I don't think that I would've had without her. I've watched this woman work 11 to seven, from 11 o'clock at night to seven in the morning. I have watched her hug me and go to sleep while she sent me to school.
Alex Newell (17:00):
I have watched her make so many sacrifices. And her strength in that made me know that nothing in this world is that hard. Nothing else is that hard. To sacrifice seeing your own child that they have a better life is a brilliant thing. Because some people don't know what that unconditional love looks like. And I really want to see those stories. I want to see the struggle of that. I want to see the beauty in that because there is so much beauty because I am my mother's dream. I am my mother's dream. I am the hard work that she slaved away.
Alex Newell (17:43):
I am the product of that, that I get to sit here on a compound in Los Angeles and live my dreams by singing and dancing and acting on stage, by making television, by making films, by recording, by touring, by seeing, she always says, "You get to go to all these places and I'm so proud and happy for you." And I'm just like, "One day you will be right there with me because I don't fly coach and I'm not going buy two coach tickets, baby. So I will leave you directly."
Fanshen Cox (18:11):
Hey, it's Fanshen and you're listening to Sista Brunch. We'll be right back. And if you haven't already go ahead and follow us on Twitter @Sista Brunch. We're on instagram too @sistabrunchpodcast and Facebook at facebook.com/sistabrunchpodcast. Leave a comment, slide in our DMs and share your news with us. We want to celebrate you and all your hard work.
Fanshen Cox (18:38):
You already mentioned on film, on camera, these hitting your mark and making sure you're in the light and all and I found as a very brief TV film actor that I felt like a prop. And because so many of the decisions were in other people's hands, unlike even with theater where you have this opportunity to explore with a cast and your rehearsal process and with the writer and then singing too, because that is you is coming from your voice. I'm wondering, first of all, do you have aspirations as the writer? If you don't, we going to tell you to do that. But are you able to... You've already talked about even in the audition process, but let's say once you're on set or even when you're doing the table read, do you have opportunities to really push for urgency for the characters you're portraying?
Alex Newell (19:27):
Yes, baby. I got a big mouth and I use it. A closed mouth does not get fed. And the squeaky wheel gets the oil. I'm a big...
Anya Adams (19:39):
So true.
Alex Newell (19:39):
It's so true. I always say things and you know this, I'm the first one to say something. If I don't like it, I'm not going to do it. They not telling me what to do but it's always within reason, I hope.
Fanshen Cox (19:51):
Anya, she can let us know because she was on set with you, wasn't [inaudible 00:19:55].
Anya Adams (19:54):
I think you should actually... This is really interesting because I think it also ties into being black. It's a stereotype that's there. You always say what you think and what you feel. And it's not targeted. It's not mean. It's just matter of fact. But people really respond to that.
Fanshen Cox (20:13):
Differently.
Anya Adams (20:13):
You want to talk a little bit about that because I think it's important to share your truth. But then with the amount of power that you have, people really, it's like... how do you mediate that?
Fanshen Cox (20:24):
Exactly.
Anya Adams (20:25):
Talk a little bit about that.
Alex Newell (20:26):
It is. And I run in it all of my career. I've always run into this. Well, now that I've come into the person that I am today, because when I was on Glee, it was just like, "Okay, sure. Yep. I'm here. What do you want me to do? I'm here." "I'm not losing this opportunity." Now the bag is secure. I'm the first one to be like, "Let's not do that." And people are just like, "Whoa." I mean I've had directors look at me and say, "You don't have to be difficult." And I said, "First of all, I'm not difficult but I can be difficult." [crosstalk 00:20:58]. I can make this living hell for you. We can be here for 16 hours, baby, if you really want me to be difficult. But it's that.
Alex Newell (21:05):
A lot of people aren't used to black people speaking up. Because sometimes in the back of their mind, you should be so lucky. You should be so lucky. You're here. Why are you not respecting my time? And I'm just like, "Hold on, hold on. You're not respecting me now." I've said so many things that people just think that I'm just being a diva or I'm being mean or it's targeted or they get defensive and they shut down and just like, "Well, if I were white and a straight man, it'd be fine. It would be perfectly fine."
Anya Adams (21:37):
You'd be praising me for being assertive.
Alex Newell (21:39):
Exactly.
Anya Adams (21:40):
... kind of saying.
Fanshen Cox (21:41):
Clear.
Alex Newell (21:41):
And if I was a mousy little white girl, it'd be the same thing. Because I would just start crying and you'd feel sorry for me. You would just feel sorry for me. But no, I just happen to have a little melanin in my skin because I'm a little darker. I'm not a Kelly Rowland, but I'm not a Beyonce. So I'm in the middle.
Fanshen Cox (21:56):
For those of you are just listening and haven't seen Alex Newell before.
Alex Newell (22:02):
I'm in the middle of Kelly and Beyonce but I'm not Michelle. But they take pause with that. And it is very hard and I stopped caring. I've literally just stopped caring. I can't pacify you. I'm not your mama. I'm not your mama. I'm not your daddy. We are here to play adult make believe. It is adult make... [inaudible 00:22:24] adult dress up everybody. It is not that damn serious.
Fanshen Cox (22:29):
I hear what you're saying. As you said, you had to establish yourself. You have to get yourself to that place where you have that kind of leverage once you do and you feel it out. You feel it out. Once you have that leverage, you push it some more. You push it some more. And I'm 51. So knowing that the work that so many before you have done to get you, I think about Whoopi Goldberg. So many people and that we are getting to see it happen. It's truly beautiful. We are getting to see you all, for you to be able to speak this way. I'm literally tearing up because it's inspiring and hopeful. It's like the work that everybody has done has led to this. We should ask about future stuff. When are you getting us the script about you and your mother?
Anya Adams (23:23):
What do you have coming up?
Alex Newell (23:26):
I do do the writing, darlings. When I say I do the writings, I look at a writer and I say, "This is what I want." Because I am terrible at typing. These hands, they're made for just making cooking and things and getting good manicures and [inaudible 00:23:39]. But I did write a pilot that is about my mother's need for me to have kids quickly.
Anya Adams (23:48):
Oh, interesting.
Alex Newell (23:51):
I said, "Hold on. I'm 29." She said, "Yeah, late." I said, "Hold on, you had me at 36, ma'am. Don't put that on me." "Don't put that on me. I'm young. I'm beautiful. I'm gifted, I'm black." And she's just like, "I need it now." And I'm just like, "All right." So she really wants grand babies because I'm the youngest in my entire family on both sides. The cousin above me is in her 40s. So that's the gap.
Anya Adams (24:23):
Oh, wow.
Fanshen Cox (24:23):
So you're the one.
Anya Adams (24:26):
[crosstalk 00:24:26]. You have to come through.
Alex Newell (24:26):
I am V1. Her sister, my aunt just became a great-grandmother. I said, "Well, I don't know what to tell you, baby"
Anya Adams (24:35):
That's a lot of pressure.
Alex Newell (24:36):
I don't know what to tell you. I can't. Can't be me. Won't be me. I'm too busy for that. But it's that. And I have so many projects and I'm sick of them. I'm sick of them.
Fanshen Cox (24:51):
Okay, let's talk though. Are they musical? Are they theater? Are they television?
Alex Newell (24:56):
Everything.
Fanshen Cox (24:57):
Is everything?
Alex Newell (24:58):
I got an offer to do a workshop in London in February. I got an animated Netflix movie that I can't talk about at all. I got another animated series. I got... what else do I? I got too many things. I'm so tired. I ain't take a vacation in my adult life yet. So I'm just a little tired.
Anya Adams (25:20):
Oh no, you need that.
Alex Newell (25:21):
I do. Don't I? But these people they keep me in somebody's theater, or somebody's set, in somebody's vocal booth. I'll be tired.
Fanshen Cox (25:29):
Did you get forced into a little bit of rest because you were in a Christmas carol?
Alex Newell (25:35):
Yes.
Fanshen Cox (25:36):
[inaudible 00:25:36] and now it's supposed to play through the new year. And now, well tell us what's just happened.
Alex Newell (25:41):
Well, I got COVID and the show closed. Baby, I didn't know how much power I had until I got COVID. I said, "Well, [crosstalk 00:25:53].
Anya Adams (25:53):
Everything closes down and Alex can't be there.
Alex Newell (25:56):
Look, the white man got the COVID. They said, "Shut this down." I said it is in my lung. You got into nothing for me. But as soon as [crosstalk 00:26:06].
Anya Adams (26:06):
You got it.
Fanshen Cox (26:06):
It was done.
Alex Newell (26:07):
Yes. But I don't like staying in quarantine. So I got tested every day until it came up negative. I didn't care. I went directly to that place and got swabbed.
Anya Adams (26:19):
Good for you.
Fanshen Cox (26:20):
Yes. And so now are you going affirm here with us that you're going to take some rest and tell us, see, and what are you going to do for rest?
Alex Newell (26:31):
I don't know yet.
Fanshen Cox (26:31):
Tell us. Okay, let's say for our listeners who need to know about self-care, what would you recommend that they do that you should do the same?
Alex Newell (26:38):
Baby, I am the listener.
Anya Adams (26:39):
I am the listener.
Alex Newell (26:42):
It's me. Tell me. I don't how it runs. I have been working non-stop since I was 18.
Fanshen Cox (26:50):
Nap ministry. Do you follow the nap ministry?
Alex Newell (26:53):
I am the praise and worship leader of the nap ministry. I do fall asleep any and everywhere. I don't care. I was filming this children's show on a day off. Because I was doing a Christmas carol. We had a four days off and I was going back to New York and they gave me the offer, "Do the Little Puppet show." And I said, "Well, I'm here." And I'm sitting like this, just sleep and the nice PA comes in, "Alex." And I said, "Huh, sleep." She said, "It's amazing how you could just sit up right and fall asleep." I said, "That's a gift and a talent." I love sleep. Sleep is me. That is how I rest.
Anya Adams (27:34):
That's good.
Alex Newell (27:36):
You don't sound like the blood of Jesus would not sleep. Sorry.
Fanshen Cox (27:39):
This is true. Okay. There you go. Well, there you go.
Anya Adams (27:42):
[inaudible 00:27:42] sleeping.
Fanshen Cox (27:42):
The one other thing we didn't talk about that you may or may not want to speak to, but are you comfortable about talking about your salary?
Alex Newell (27:55):
Yes.
Anya Adams (27:56):
About what you make?
Alex Newell (27:57):
Absolutely.
Fanshen Cox (27:57):
But let's just quickly just touch on that. What do you make as a guest star and maybe what do you make as a series regular? Illuminate that for folks because I think people don't know.
Alex Newell (28:07):
I always and be a guest star so they don't hold you down. Be a guest star, come in, twirl on the girls and then twirl your ass on out. They don't owe you for seven years. See that's when they get you with this series regular. "I would like one please, another one." But that's when they get you. They get you right in there. They be like, "Oh yes you get all these episodes guaranteed. This such and such..." But on a guest star, if you negotiate correctly, I mean guest star, top of show is what? $9,500 now I think.
Fanshen Cox (28:42):
Yeah.
Anya Adams (28:42):
Yeah.
Alex Newell (28:42):
I think that's what it is. But that's like before tax and agent fees and things like that. Baby, I was broke as a joke on Glee. Then people had me living at the Park La Brea in Los Angeles where the rent was $4,900 a month. But they would have me in two episodes a month making 85 back then an episode. And I wasn't incorporated so after tax I was making what and $3,000 each episode. Poor. Having the return shoes to know [Nordstrom 00:29:16] just to pay my rent. I said, "Uh-uh (negative), this is not it." And then by the second season, I was at $20,000 an episode. But that's still not incorporated and taxable and agent fees. So it was more like 10, 11. So and then that third season I was at 30 an episode. And so I got incorporated quickly. I said, "You may take it all my money up the firm." [crosstalk 00:29:49] Get incorporated.
Fanshen Cox (29:49):
... It's your business.
Alex Newell (29:51):
I think it's always make yourself a business because you are. We talk about making a brand. A brand is "Pay me." That is my brand. "Hand me a paycheck and I will show up." That is your brand and you have to make sure that you are a well-oiled machine because this is a business. They don't call it show business. It's not called a playtime. We don't do this for cocktails. And I love being transparent, especially with the black people. When I was on Broadway, I was telling these people exactly how much I was making.
Fanshen Cox (30:21):
Oh, will you talk about that for theater?
Alex Newell (30:24):
Theater that we have our equity union where the base minimum to be on Broadway or a union contract is like $2,100 a week. I don't know how anyone can make that and make a living off of it in New York city, in Nueva York while paying agent fees, while paying tax is on it, and paying your equity dues, you're coming out of pocket, you're making what? $4,000 a month. And my rent in New York is $4,000 a month.
Alex Newell (30:52):
I said, "Well, look at me just having a place to live and nothing in it." But I've always very transparent, especially about black people because I want them to know to get what they are worth. You get the money that you are worth for you, your talent specific, what you bring to the table. I would go around that theater. And I would look at company management and I would look at general management. And I said, "I understand that I am just a number. I am a bottom line. I know you want me in this building no matter what because you want people in those seats to see me and my gift, pay me for it." "Pay me for it."
Fanshen Cox (31:25):
I love it. That's why we got to ask.
Alex Newell (31:27):
You have to ask and also don't be scared. Don't be scared to ask how much are you making. So that I know-
Fanshen Cox (31:34):
Because that's how the machine works for us not to know so that we take the lesser salary.
Alex Newell (31:39):
Exactly. I also hate the word favored nations. I'm always like favored for who?
Anya Adams (31:45):
Wait, can you explain what that is?
Alex Newell (31:47):
So favored nation means that everything is just blanketed.
Anya Adams (31:50):
Everybody is the same.
Alex Newell (31:50):
That everyone is the same. "Everyone is the same." But there were tiers to favored nation. I'm favored nations to whoever I'm build with sometimes on that level, but the person that's built above me is a favored nation to themselves. So that's what favored nations mean. I said it's not doing me a favor. It's not. But on Broadway, people thought that I was making bookoos of money because I was the draw.
Alex Newell (32:18):
I was the star. Apparently, if you listen to this, I was the star. I was amazing, hello. But I wasn't, I would make a $3,000 a week. Screaming for the girls in the sandpits of New York City, going around Manhattan, singing everybody's gallop, going to the morning shows, going to the night shows, doing the show and pony shows, but making $3,000 a week. And the day that I asked for money, they said, "Why?" I said, "what you mean why?"
Fanshen Cox (32:50):
You're making a whole lot of money off me, so.
Alex Newell (32:51):
You making bookoos of money on top of my back. So if you could just run me, I don't know, a couple extra thousand dollars. I'd be so grateful. I would be so grateful if you had just gave me an extra like $30. No, but it's that. And I remember the conversation of them like threatening to pull me from the Tony performance. And I said, "Go ahead. I could use the day off." I could use the rest. So always, don't be scared about money. And if someone's making more than you, there is always going to be somebody in this world making more money than you. There's always going to be somebody making less money than you. Know these things and be comfortable with those things.
Anya Adams (33:34):
Love it.
Fanshen Cox (33:34):
And I mean specifically, what you're saying is, know your worth.
Alex Newell (33:38):
Yes.
Fanshen Cox (33:39):
And don't doubt yourself. Know you're worth, and like you said earlier, know who you are because who you are is your brand and it is so unique. It is you.
Alex Newell (33:52):
It is.
Fanshen Cox (33:52):
Is that really important?
Anya Adams (33:54):
Alex you are so awesome.
Alex Newell (33:55):
Thank you.
Fanshen Cox (33:55):
I know this is amazing.
Anya Adams (33:56):
This is so great.
Fanshen Cox (33:57):
This is so beautiful.
Anya Adams (33:58):
Alex, thank you so much.
Fanshen Cox (34:00):
It's been amazing. Thank you. We have [inaudible 00:34:03].
Alex Newell (34:02):
Oh, darling, mwuah, kisses, hugs, all the things. Thank you for having me.
Fanshen Cox (34:06):
Well, we are looking forward to seeing how all these projects unfold. And I hope that you do get a little bit of rest, maybe one or two days of just sleeping, enjoy that time. And we hope that you come back when you've done all these new things and [crosstalk 00:34:21].
Alex Newell (34:20):
Yes.
Fanshen Cox (34:21):
Because it's been wonderful.
Alex Newell (34:22):
I love it. I have one note. Y'all will have to start bringing champagne to [Moses 00:34:27] for Brunch.
Fanshen Cox (34:27):
We will do that.
Alex Newell (34:29):
I am very upset. I am very upset that I'm not buzzed.
Anya Adams (34:33):
It's a really good point.
Fanshen Cox (34:36):
We will. The next time you come on, champagne will be provided.
Anya Adams (34:39):
That was the intention. That was the original [crosstalk 00:34:43].
Fanshen Cox (34:52):
That's how we got started. That was our conversation with the fabulous Alex Newell. Visit sistabrunch.com to find out more about them and how to support their upcoming projects.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Follow us on Instagram @sistabrunchpodcast. We are also on Twitter @sistabrunch. And on Facebook at facebook.com/sista brunchpodcast. Have you got questions for our Ask Sista Brunch segment? Visit sistabrunch.com to fill out our questions form. And we might just read and answer yours on the air. Also, sign up for our monthly newsletter to get job tips and viewing recommendations and whole lot more. And don't forget to subscribe, rate and review our show on iTunes. Your support is so helpful and really important to us.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
Our senior producer is Sonata Lee Narcisse. Our show producer is Brittany Turner. Our executive producer is Christabel Nsiah-Buadi. We acknowledge that the land we record our podcast on is the original land of the Tongva people, for those of us in Los Angeles. Can't wait to see you all next time. Take care until then. Bye.