Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Randolph recounted Al Pacino advising her that climbing a ladder of success requires letting go of more weight.

“he used this metaphor of a ladder and said, like, as you continue to go up a ladder, you have to let go of more and more weight”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:02:10

Randolph described Robin Williams as generous and talkative with her, the first to tell her she had career potential.

“Robin was the complete opposite. And he actually talked to me more than anybody else”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 39:25

Randolph said she asked for white extras in her kitchen and ad-libbed a line to show her character was in charge.

“So I ad-libbed this line in the movie where I'm like, to the white lady, too much paprika”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 46:23

Randolph said she insisted to Alexander Payne that her character be called a chef rather than a cook and shown commanding the kitchen.

“We're going to say chef. If you're saying she has an education in it, she's a chef”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 45:15

Randolph said she wants to make a biopic about soprano Leontyne Price to return to classical singing.

“I think I want to do a biopic on Leontyne Price”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 1:05:34

Randolph said she experiences impostor syndrome when discussing her work but not while performing.

“I do still suffer with imposter syndrome in this format. Like when we have to talk about it, but I don't when we're doing it”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 59:11

Randolph said the Boston dialect, which Payne initially considered unnecessary, was what allowed her to separate the character from herself.

“But the dialect was the thing that really allowed me to lock in”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 51:17

Randolph said Eddie Murphy's inclusion of her on the Dolemite press tour prepared her for The Holdovers campaign.

“And he was like, whatever I'm going to, she's coming to all of it. And so 100% it prepared me for holdovers”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 42:05

Randolph said she believed she was auditioning as a rarely used understudy but was actually cast in Whoopi Goldberg's role in Ghost.

“they were like, yeah, we lied. Um, you are playing Whoopi Goldberg's part”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 37:56

Randolph said Temple's music department flunked her out after she sought help from the theater department to act in Aida.

“I guess because it had happened so many times, they were very like territorial over it. And they flunked me out”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 29:58

Randolph credited Miss Piggy with teaching her not to take mistreatment from men and to stay fabulous.

“I am who I am today because of her”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 25:46

Randolph recommended Interlochen to any parent whose child has interest in the arts.

“I would recommend any parent who has a child that has remote interest in any form of the arts”

Good Hang with Amy Poehler: Da'Vine Joy Randolph (May 12, 2026) · Listen from 23:16