When it comes to bringing icons to life,Adrienne Warrenis simply the best.
The star, 34, won a 2020 Tony for her lead role inTina: The Tina Turner Musical.
Warren didn’t intend to build a career portraying historical figures, but she welcomes it.
ABC/James Van Evers
Currently filmingThe Woman KingwithViola Davis, Warren hopes to share her own music next … and move into producing.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What is the biggest challenge of playing a real person and public figure?
And was it different for Tina versus Mamie?
ADRIENNE WARREN: Everything about it because it does not leave that much room for adaptation.
And it’s who these people are, not necessarily who people perceive them to be.
That’s a very different thing.
It’s not who I perceive them to be, but it’s who are they as human beings.
Sometimes it takes a physical transformation, which is also very taxing on my body.
It is a responsibility that I don’t take lightly.
Tina was very different from Mamie.
Tina is a performer and Mamie’s not.
The similarities are, they are believers in love and have a lot of faith.
Especially when you’re bringing light to stories, specifically, about Black women.
With Tina, the domestic violence, and with Mamie, the murder of her son.
When Tina first came your way, what was your reaction?
Were you scared of it?
Because there was no way I thought they were having me read for Tina.
it’s possible for you to do anything."
Did having that pause make the journey more poignant or bittersweet?
I’ve always been a strong believer in everything happens for a reason.
Obviously, the pandemic happened.
It’s been such a horrible and challenging time for all of us every single person on this planet.
I wish those were not the circumstances.
It made theTinajourney a bit more victorious.
To have a bit more fun and less pressure.
When you won the Tony Award, what was going through your head at that moment?
I somewhat blacked out.
They called my name, I don’t think I hugged my mom.
I was very shocked when there was a standing ovation.
It was my second Tony nomination, my first Tony, and no one stands up when you win.
I was very shocked at the love from our community.
The energy in the room was so supportive.
It’s hard because I love theater so much and now I need a bit of a break.
WithWomen of the Movement,you’re portraying Emmett Till’s mother.
This series is about her integral role in the Civil Rights movement.
Most people at least know the name Emmett Till, but probably not the details of Mamie’s story.
How much did you know about her going in?
I didn’t know enough.
I knew Mamie, but I didn’t know enough about her.
I didn’t even think of the nuances of that.
I didn’t even think of like, “How did she come to that decision?”
I didn’t know how young she was.
I didn’t know she was 33 years old.
Man, I mean, the patriarchy is real.
It’s the way our society has been run forever.
You’re seeing more stories of women.
I’m grateful thatWomen of the Movementcan be a part of that narrative as well.
It actually was right on time.
Because we realized that we weren’t telling a period piece.
This was an event that happened in the 1950s and 60s, but this wasn’t a period piece.
It’s still happening today.
If anything, it reaffirmed what we were doing.
It reaffirmed the gravity and the importance of the education of what we were doing.
It really rallied us to take care of this story.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
