About this episodeBurgundy Baker discusses her eight-year role as Kesha Williams on 'The Chi,' detailing the character's evoluti…AI summary
Burgundy Baker discusses her eight-year role as Kesha Williams on 'The Chi,' detailing the character's evolution from a teenage girl to a mother and survivor. She shares insights into the emotional toll of filming intense scenes involving kidnapping and assault, emphasizing her commitment to representing real-life struggles. Additionally, she outlines her transition into a music career under the name Burgundy Baker, aiming to release an album that combines her acting and musical talents.
Key takeaways 5
Character Evolution: Kesha Williams evolved from a high school student to a mother and survivor, with her arc designed to represent the resilience of Black women facing systemic challenges.
Emotional Impact of Acting: Filming sensitive scenes involving sexual violence and kidnapping required significant emotional preparation, with Baker noting she cried every day during those episodes to maintain authenticity.
Music Career Strategy: Baker is rebranding her music career under her real name, Burgundy Baker, to distinguish it from her acting persona, with plans for an album titled 'Burgundy' that integrates storytelling from her acting background.
Fan Connection: The character Kesha resonated deeply with female viewers, particularly those who related to her struggles with motherhood, relationship trauma, and societal pressures.
Industry Pressure: As a cast member of a hit show, any outside creative work must be 'on point' to avoid damaging the show's momentum, leading to careful curation of musical releases.
Notable quotes 4AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“I think when she almost like lost her life she started rethinking everything. Her attitude, her actions, her relationships... I think that just turned everything around for her.”
▶ 21:37Baker explains the pivotal character development for Kesha after surviving a kidnapping attempt, highlighting how trauma led to personal growth.
“Every day was really really really hard. Every day I needed a minute to just get back to myself and, you know, just get back to reality cuz it was it was really really really hard.”
▶ 14:43Baker describes the emotional difficulty of filming intense scenes involving assault and kidnapping, emphasizing the need for mental recovery between takes.
“I feel like she represents love. She represents strength. She's a survivor. I can't really think of another character in our time that really stood up for women in every way.”
▶ 22:03Baker reflects on why Kesha is such an impactful character, noting her multifaceted representation of womanhood.
“I think I put a lot of pressure on myself just like find something, find something. Now I've graduated so find something. But like, no, I like the time that I'm taking. It's been unfolding beautifully.”
▶ 5:23Baker shares advice she would give her younger self at Howard University, emphasizing patience in career development.
Chapters & Sections (12)▼
0:00Kesha Williams Acting Career and Howard Universitychapter2
3:04College Life and Party Drinks
4:46Advice for Younger Self and Keisha's Casting
7:28Keisha's Character Evolution and Music Careerchapter4
9:59Burgundy Baker Introduces New Single Bad
11:45Character Evolution From Sex Symbol to Mother
13:14Emotional Impact of Keisha's Role
16:02Acting Roles and Character Immersion
17:28Burgundy Baker's Music Career and Character Analysischapter1
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