01of 12Angela BassettLance Staedler/Contour/GettyWhich one word should I use? Her “radiance”? Her “brilliance”? Her “longevity”? Her “positivity”? And the fact that she is not only someone who is brilliant with how she works, but she is continuing to give back and uplift and not — asMichelle Obamasays — to close the door behind her as she walks through it. She’s leaving that door open and not only welcoming but encouraging and pushing younger talent through, and younger girls through, and building them up. —Audra McDonald, six-time Tony winner
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Angela Bassett
Lance Staedler/Contour/Getty
Which one word should I use? Her “radiance”? Her “brilliance”? Her “longevity”? Her “positivity”? And the fact that she is not only someone who is brilliant with how she works, but she is continuing to give back and uplift and not — asMichelle Obamasays — to close the door behind her as she walks through it. She’s leaving that door open and not only welcoming but encouraging and pushing younger talent through, and younger girls through, and building them up. —Audra McDonald, six-time Tony winner
02of 12Denzel WashingtonAaron Rapoport/Corbis/GettyI think ofGlory. I think of his portrayal of Malcolm X. I think ofMan on Fire. There’s so many things, all the way toThe Equalizer. You see so many different performances and his embodiment of a character and his unwavering resolve to be true to his character and also make an entertaining movie. That’s something I absolutely love and I’m grateful to have witnessed. —Jay Ellis, actor, Top Gun: Maverick
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Denzel Washington
Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty
I think ofGlory. I think of his portrayal of Malcolm X. I think ofMan on Fire. There’s so many things, all the way toThe Equalizer. You see so many different performances and his embodiment of a character and his unwavering resolve to be true to his character and also make an entertaining movie. That’s something I absolutely love and I’m grateful to have witnessed. —Jay Ellis, actor, Top Gun: Maverick
03of 12Stevie Wonder and Quincy JonesPL Gould/IMAGES/GettyWhen it comes to music, I think about people like Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder; people who are a huge influence of mine, who I’m also able to count as friends now in my life, which is a kind of pinch-me moment. These are people I looked up to over the years and idolized over the years. They are mentors to me, but they’re also people who have influenced the way I think about who I want to be in the world and how I want to use my celebrity. —John Legend, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner
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Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones
PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty
When it comes to music, I think about people like Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder; people who are a huge influence of mine, who I’m also able to count as friends now in my life, which is a kind of pinch-me moment. These are people I looked up to over the years and idolized over the years. They are mentors to me, but they’re also people who have influenced the way I think about who I want to be in the world and how I want to use my celebrity. —John Legend, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner
04of 12Whoopi GoldbergKobal/ShutterstockYou know Whoopi for her stand-up comedy. You know her fromThe Color Purple. She can doJumpin' Jack Flash; she can do her one-woman Broadway piece; she can doTill. She’s the jester and the king too — someone who is un-bounded. She’s an outlaw woman. As long as she has been a part ofTill[she plays Alma Carthan, the mother of Deadwyler’s character, Mamie Till], she was behind me. There’s an image [in the movie] of Alma putting her hand on Mamie’s shoulder. That’s who Whoopi has been for me — for everyone. —Danielle Deadwyler, actress,Till
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Whoopi Goldberg
Kobal/Shutterstock
You know Whoopi for her stand-up comedy. You know her fromThe Color Purple. She can doJumpin' Jack Flash; she can do her one-woman Broadway piece; she can doTill. She’s the jester and the king too — someone who is un-bounded. She’s an outlaw woman. As long as she has been a part ofTill[she plays Alma Carthan, the mother of Deadwyler’s character, Mamie Till], she was behind me. There’s an image [in the movie] of Alma putting her hand on Mamie’s shoulder. That’s who Whoopi has been for me — for everyone. —Danielle Deadwyler, actress,Till
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Queen Latifah
Al Pereira/Getty
06of 12Alicia KeysLionel Cironneau/AP/ShutterstockShe is one of the most inspiring for me because of her musicianship and her bravery, as far as her truths and just being who she is. And [growing up], I didn’t see any [other] Black women playing piano and singing, and that was a big deal for me. So yeah, she inspires me even still to this day. [To perform with her] was a dream come true. It’s crazy to me because I was singing her songs when I was a little girl. —HER, Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter
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Alicia Keys
Lionel Cironneau/AP/Shutterstock
She is one of the most inspiring for me because of her musicianship and her bravery, as far as her truths and just being who she is. And [growing up], I didn’t see any [other] Black women playing piano and singing, and that was a big deal for me. So yeah, she inspires me even still to this day. [To perform with her] was a dream come true. It’s crazy to me because I was singing her songs when I was a little girl. —HER, Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter
07of 12Harry BelafonteKobal/ShutterstockHe is still here, still alive, still making a difference, still using his words, his mind, his spirit, his past, his whole essence to continue to encourage young people while leaving a legacy for those who are not born yet. So I say, “Thank you, Harry Belafonte.” And he’s my daughter’s godfather, so we love him! —Sheryl Lee Ralph, Emmy winner,Abbott Elementary
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Harry Belafonte
He is still here, still alive, still making a difference, still using his words, his mind, his spirit, his past, his whole essence to continue to encourage young people while leaving a legacy for those who are not born yet. So I say, “Thank you, Harry Belafonte.” And he’s my daughter’s godfather, so we love him! —Sheryl Lee Ralph, Emmy winner,Abbott Elementary
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George C. Wolfe
Courtesy
09of 12Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Barack ObamaMediaPunch Inc/AlamyI’m going to start with my [Los Angeles Lakers] teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the things he’s done to change the world, to change sports and to change life for minorities.[In addition to his NBA accomplishments, he’s written several books on Black history and served as an official U.S. cultural ambassador.] And PresidentBarack Obamawith [his community outreach program] My Brother’s Keeper, which is making sure that men of color are getting a math and science education and making sure they know how to read and write before the third grade. Because if you don’t get them before the third grade, they’re in trouble. There’s so many people who have touched me and who are helping those who are poor. That’s what it’s all about. —Magic Johnson, NBA icon
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Barack Obama
MediaPunch Inc/Alamy
I’m going to start with my [Los Angeles Lakers] teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the things he’s done to change the world, to change sports and to change life for minorities.[In addition to his NBA accomplishments, he’s written several books on Black history and served as an official U.S. cultural ambassador.] And PresidentBarack Obamawith [his community outreach program] My Brother’s Keeper, which is making sure that men of color are getting a math and science education and making sure they know how to read and write before the third grade. Because if you don’t get them before the third grade, they’re in trouble. There’s so many people who have touched me and who are helping those who are poor. That’s what it’s all about. —Magic Johnson, NBA icon
10of 12Ben VereenCourtesyHe was the original lead in [the 1972 Broadway musical]Pippin, the first production ofPippinI ever saw. That play, that show, made me want to be an actor. I never got to tell him [when he guest-starred onThe Good Fight], just like I didn’t get to tell [The Good Fightguest star] Louis Gossett Jr. what he meant to me. But there are people who walk into a room, there are certain actors who walk onto a set, and everyone just applauds. And those gentlemen fit that bill. —Michael Boatman, actor, The Good Fight
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Ben Vereen
He was the original lead in [the 1972 Broadway musical]Pippin, the first production ofPippinI ever saw. That play, that show, made me want to be an actor. I never got to tell him [when he guest-starred onThe Good Fight], just like I didn’t get to tell [The Good Fightguest star] Louis Gossett Jr. what he meant to me. But there are people who walk into a room, there are certain actors who walk onto a set, and everyone just applauds. And those gentlemen fit that bill. —Michael Boatman, actor, The Good Fight
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Jessica B. Harris
Geoffrey Swaine/Shutterstock
12of 12Andre BraugherFOX via GettyI’ve spent time with him on [The Good Fight] set and then off set and talked to him about acting, talked to him about life, talked about storytelling, the creative process. I learned so much from him. I learned to keep asking questions until you find what is the key center of the scene. And that’s been amazing for me. And then to watch his work back? He’s incredible. His sense of humor, his professionalism, all of those things. I look at him as somebody who I hope, as I continue to grow in this business, to have half the career of a man like this. It’s been a blessing. —Nyambi Nyambi, actor,The Good Fight
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Andre Braugher
FOX via Getty
I’ve spent time with him on [The Good Fight] set and then off set and talked to him about acting, talked to him about life, talked about storytelling, the creative process. I learned so much from him. I learned to keep asking questions until you find what is the key center of the scene. And that’s been amazing for me. And then to watch his work back? He’s incredible. His sense of humor, his professionalism, all of those things. I look at him as somebody who I hope, as I continue to grow in this business, to have half the career of a man like this. It’s been a blessing. —Nyambi Nyambi, actor,The Good Fight
source: people.com
