IN CONVERSATION WITH NICOLETTE ROBINSON

interview by JANA LETONJA

Nicolette Robinson will next be seen as the female lead of Jack Huston's ‘The Day of the Fight’, which will be released on 6th December. Recently, we’ve been able to watch Nicolette  in Netflix's ‘Woman of the Hour’. Her previous roles include ‘One Night in Miami’, ‘The Affair’, among others and she led as Jenna in the Broadway production of ‘Waitress’. She is also the co-author of the NY Times Best Selling children’s book ‘I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know’, alongside her husband, Leslie Odom, Jr.

‘Day of the Fight’ is described as a deeply emotional and redemptive story. Can you tell us about your character Jess and what drew you to this role? 

When I first read the script, I immediately fell in love with my character, Jess. I was drawn to her strength and the fight she has in her. She’s a woman who had such high hopes and dreams, and her whole life ahead of her, but had to sacrifice it all because of her circumstances. She’s a mother and a survivor. And I just loved how deeply complicated her relationship is with Mikey. When we first see them together, we can feel their deep and complex history, their love and passion for one another, as well as all the anger and resentment. There’s so much pain there and yet so much longing for one another at the same time. I loved getting to play both extremes simultaneously. Those are my favorite kinds of love stories, when the passion is so intense that you don’t know whether the characters are going to scream and fight, or kiss, or cry.

The film has a unique aesthetic being shot in black-and-white. How did this visual style influence your experience on set and your portrayal of Jess? 

My character’s flashback scenes and present day scenes take place in the late 70s and 80s. Christopher Peterson, our costume designer, and Pete Zumba, our production designer, did such an incredible job setting the tone and feel of the film. The colors were very simple with a lot of grey and it almost felt like black and white. Simple, bleak, cold. We filmed in winter, which also felt like a character of its own. It all contributed to the somber, rough and raw feel of the film. All of that helped me feel like I could just “be” on set, just be present and as grounded as I could. There wasn’t any pretending that needed to happen, it just felt like we were Mikey and Jess. And then finally seeing the film in black and white was pretty spectacular. I can’t really imagine it any other way. 

Your rendition of ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain’ is noted as a pivotal moment in the film. Can you walk us through the creative process of reimagining this iconic song and collaborating with Jack Huston on it? 

Jack had such a strong vision for this moment from the very beginning. We talked about it a lot before I started working on the song. He really wanted it to feel reverent and emotional and delicate, yet strong. And he wanted it to oppose the chaos and excitement and fanfare of everything happening at Madison Square Garden, so I went back and forth into the studio on my nights off from filming to try to find the right feel for the song. And our final time in the studio, Jack joined us, and we found our way to something really special. 

There’s so much layered into this moment of the film, but for me personally, I wanted this to be my character’s most grounded moment. So reflective and present that everything around me falls away and all I can think about are these lyrics and how deeply they remind me and take me back to the memories I’ve shared with Mikey and our daughter, Sasha. It’s like my life flashes before my eyes and I see the good, the bad, and even what could have been. 

The film delves into themes like love, forgiveness, and redemption. How do these themes resonate with you personally, and how did you channel them into your performance? 

This film is a deeply human story. There’s something in it for everyone to connect to. While I was filming this, I was going through some pretty intense personal stuff at the same time. I find that acting is often about surrendering and welcoming whatever feelings and emotions you are experiencing personally, and putting it into the work. So as I was grappling with themes of love and forgiveness and conflict in my own life, I used it in my work. I tried to embrace it all into the performance. It can help bring me closer to the character, and it helps me work through my own stuff, kind of like therapy. I hope my performance and experience as Jess will resonate with others. That’s why I go to the movies. I want to feel and I want to see some version of myself or my experience up there on the screen. That is when I am most moved. 

‘Day of the Fight’ premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. What was it to have the film showcased on such a prestigious stage? 

A true honor. So many films that have come out of the Venice International Film Festival are ones that I’ve always dreamt of being a part of. We were so honored that our film was chosen to be a part of it. I only wish we could have been able to attend. It happened during the SAG-AFTRA strike so we weren’t able to be there in person. Now I know I have to be a little more specific with my dreams. I have to say that it is my dream to be in a film that gets into Venice, and I would like to be able to attend when it goes.

You’ve recently worked on two powerful directorial debuts, Jack Huston’s ‘Day of the Fight’ and Anna Kendrick’s ‘Woman of the Hour’. How did their unique visions as first-time directors impact your experience? 

Both Jack and Anna are incredible seasoned actors, whose work I deeply respect and admire. They both have a lot of similarities. They’ve been doing this for a long time and they both have such a strong love for film. They know what it is like to be on my side of the camera and so they understand the needs of an actor and how to create an atmosphere that can foster our best work. And they both stepped into the roles of director with such passion and knowledge and impeccable leadership. I trusted them wholeheartedly. What a gift it was to get to work with each of them. I hope they both continue to direct more. I would work with them over and over again if I could. 

From your role in ‘One Night in Miami’ to Broadway’s ‘Waitress’, you’ve played a wide range of characters. How do you approach choosing your roles, and what excites you most about storytelling in different mediums? 

I love being a part of good storytelling that can move people and make them feel something. I think it’s really important work, whether it is on the stage or through the lens of a camera. What draws me to a project is good writing, layered and complicated characters, and great collaborators. I like it when the material feels challenging and scary. If I am curious about the character or feel moved by that character, I want to run towards it. And theater, film, and television are all unique experiences and come with their own sort of rush and thrill. I hope to get to come back to the stage soon, and I’ve truly fallen in love with working in film. 

As an accomplished singer, actress, and co-author, you wear many creative hats. How do these different avenues of expression complement one another in your life and career? 

I’ve always been a juggler, literally and figuratively. I learned to juggle in my 6th grade PE class, and little did I know that that skill would follow me through my life. I find myself constantly wearing many hats in my life, especially now as a mom, wife, performer, friend, entrepreneur, creative, etc. I like being able to express myself in many different ways. And sometimes I don’t have a choice, opportunities aren’t always easy to come by. I’ve had to fight for them with all my might and wait patiently and trust that my time will come. So having these different avenues of expression allows me the chance to work even when some doors are closed. It keeps me sane and drives me crazy at the same time. It keeps me creative. It keeps me practicing and helps me grow. And each project has strengthened another or given me the confidence or inspiration to step into the next thing. 

You co-wrote a children’s book with your husband, Leslie Odom Jr. What inspired you to take on that project, and how does it compare to other creative work you’ve done? 

As parents, we wanted to be able to contribute to the children’s space, whether it was through music, storytelling, clothing design, or education. This was the first step in that direction. We love reading with our kids at bedtime and it’s such a sacred part of our routine with them. It feels personal to us. We started writing the book during the pandemic. We’d put our daughter to bed, pour a glass of wine, and sit at the dining room table together and just see what would pour out of us. Writing picture books is a very long process, so by the time it was released, we’d had our second child and it was beautiful to get to share it all together as a family. Leslie and I have collaborated on many things over the years, he is my greatest collaborator, and this book was particularly special to get to do together. 

What can you share with us about your upcoming projects or roles you’re particularly excited about? 

I have no idea what is next. I hope some great filmmakers and creatives see my work in ‘Day of the Fight’ or ‘Woman of the Hour’ and feel inspired to collaborate on something together. It has been such a blessing to get to bare my soul in these two incredibly special projects and I hope I can continue to create messy, complicated, emotional characters in other projects to come. 

photographer JOSHUA BAKER