Ingrid: What was your journey like as an actor/performer leading up to landing the role of Thelma?

Bern Nadette: Well I’ve always danced all of my life. However, I started to do more drama and take more acting classes. My mom was very supportive. Like many, I wanted to be a doctor and/or psychologist. Upon pursuing a career in acting, my manager thought I would be perfect for the role of Thelma. I auditioned and was very blessed to land the role. My journey on an everyday basis wasn’t a hard struggle, but it was very direct and disciplined. I was practicing for that role all my life. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY in the projects. The character and I had very interesting similarities, accept I had two brothers and two sisters in my household. As Thelma, she was optimistic and so was I. My life paralleled a lot with Thelma. I was a hard worker and optimistic, but more in the grind of it. I was living the grind, In life and professionally. You had to be on top of everything to get over the top. When I studied at the Juilliard School, it was a very wonderful and difficult experience, but very fun.

Ingrid: What would you say was instrumental in the success of you landing the role? How did you prepare for the audition?

Bern Nadette: I go internal on it. I focus on the character. I focused on her and what she wanted. I thought a lot about it, but then again I didn’t. It came natural to a point—in the way I projected the character. I studied a lot of acting. I made her optimistic. I designed the character from my studies. I would always “bring it” from the studies…no matter what character I portrayed. Even though I lived her, it’s still a character. I wasn’t playing Bern Nadette, but some of me came out in playing her. I really enjoyed that time.

Ingrid: How was life and work for you all those years behind the scenes when you were playing the role of Thelma?

Bern Nadette: Well it was interesting. I was of course growing. I was learning life myself along with the character. I wasn’t “out there” a lot. I was very observant at that time of my life. I was learning and absorbing everything. My life was truly ahead of me then. I stayed focused on what I was doing. I had some goals to obtain. There were things that had to be done and I did them.

Ingrid: How hard was it for you to stay focused?

Bern Nadette: My whole life I was focused to be somebody. I knew I had to be focused to get out of the ghetto. I had to set examples. I didn’t have time to play games. I knew that one decision could change the course of my life. I went to Catholic school so you always had to stay disciplined. I saw it as having no choice but to walk a straight line and do well. Sometimes you didn’t feel like doing things, but I knew I had to and it paid off. I know that when you are devoted to your passion it will pay off. God will bless you in it. In some ways I ended up being my own “that girl.” I hear people tell me that “You know what Thelma I loved those clothes you use to wear you were so fly.” It’s amazing how you put things out there and when your heart is in it, it comes back to you. I get on my knees every day and thank God, because there were so many shows, but Good Times prevailed. People say to me that they still go home and watch that show because they can relate to issues and the content of the show. The show meant so much to both men and women. I have generational fans. I have young men/girls, teenagers, etc. The character identifies with people even now. God has truly blessed me. My fan based spans now from teenagers to three, four and almost five generations. That’s a gift and I thank God. I just love it! I have a big audience of men, women, young and old. Some of the little ones at eight and nine don’t understand that Thelma grew up. They tell me I look like her. They are babies and don’t understand that I didn’t do the show yesterday.

Ingrid: How was it for you working on such an important, positive and controversial show (Good Times)?

Bern Nadette: The show, lasting as long as it did, was a blessing. The show never really ended. It slowed in the 80’s but started coming back. Thank God for TV Land. I’m watching the Show as entertainment now. Now I am looking at the actors, each person and the quality of work. I look at it with a whole other perspective. I appreciate it more. They kept it light but you got the message. The writers were amazing. To watch it now it’s amazing. I watch it with my daughters and can see Thelma in them. My oldest daughter’s attitude is just like Thelma’s. When I watch the show, I see the little one’s facial expressions, and in so many ways, I can see that they are just like me. I see them in me (Thelma) so much. One day my daughter was getting dressed and she put her hair in the pompoms like I used to wear on the show. I thought she looked just like me, and it was like looking at myself in an episode.

Ingrid: What is it like in your world today, especially being a mother?

Bern Nadette: I take my mom on a lot of my book signings. It makes her so proud. She remembers what we’ve been through. She says to me “They really love you!” I remember when I was in school at the age of twelve years old…there were two girls that always got “A’s” and “B’s”. One of the girls had straight “A’s”. I was disappointed when I got my report card, and saw that I did not make “A” honor role. I was trying so hard to make the “A” honor role, but didn’t. My mom looked at me and said you have talents in other areas. Just because you don’t get all “A’s”, doesn’t mean you don’t have talent. She said “One day the whole world is going to know your name.” “When they say Bern Nadette they are going to know it’s you.” Now isn’t that prophetic at best? You plant those seeds—just like they say, “SPEAKING THINGS INTO MANIFESTATION.” My mother always encouraged me in a peaceful, but strong way. I always wanted to do well and please her because I saw the sacrifices she made. One of my goals and focus was to make her proud. Words are like a sculpture to clay. Even with my own kids, you really have to be careful what you say to them. Even in teaching, you have to be strategic. I am very direct and honest. I tell them this is what you are doing, and this is what it will lead to. Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don’t, but if they are smart they realize that what you said can happen. Sometimes you say things out of anger, but you still have to be careful. A lot of times in these days, our kids are touched by many people. Step parents (two moms, two dads, etc.). Impart to your children to learn early and listen to their feelings. They can feel hurt by something that people say. You may not always understand, but you can feel hurt or that something isn’t right in your spirit—we learn that early. You may not understand intellectually, but God has given everyone the ability to feel something in your spirit. Whether it made you feel bad, dirty or ugly. You say to that child “I love you, God loves you, and whoever said/did that, that is there problem.” You have to give that power to your child, not in a disrespectful manner—respectful yet powerful. Someone may call you fat, but you know that you are not and as a result that particular person is shut down. That is the power you have to give your children. You start building them when they are young to discern and see for themselves so that when they grow up they are wiser at a younger age. You are teaching them to not give their power over to anyone. No one can throw them off but only so far in doing so.

Ingrid: What/who is Bern Nadette today? What are you doing now?