So talk about how you got involved with the project.
Sylvia Crim: How I got involved? I auditioned and I killed it. And then I was there. No, I’m local in New Orleans at the moment and the film shot in Atlanta. So I just made a flight over there and shot for a couple of days. And really enjoyed myself.
Once you knew Oprah was involved, was there like an immediate level of like, “Oh, my God! I’ve got to bring my A-game because it’s Oprah?”
Sylvia Crim: Yeah, for sure. I was telling someone else, there’s not a whole lot that I knew about the story beforehand, and I think it’s probably better that I didn’t because it would have made me more nervous. But after doing it, realizing how huge the story is and how big it was going to be for the nation to hear about it, that’s super exciting.
Talk about your character in the film.
Sylvia Crim: Okay, so I play Mary Kubicek, who is the young scientist that actually was the first one to discover the cells, past their 24-hour usual life span. Being able to portray that woman who was a real deal scientist … In the fifties not many women got a lot of recognition for all their hard work. I actually had the son of the woman email me to tell me congratulations and thank you for portraying his mother. So that was like the coolest part, having a real-life person reach out to me about portraying his mom. I hope I did her justice.
Talk about Henrietta’s story and what people will take away from the film.
Sylvia Crim: It’s going to bring a lot of light to the mistreatment of the Lacks family and black Americans in general. And the healthcare that they didn’t get back then. It’s going to really bring justice to the Lacks family. That’s my answer.
Well, amazing. Congratulations!
Sylvia Crim: Thanks so much. Nice to meet you, OJ!
