EssenceFest 2018: Essence Atkins Talks Hosting 15th Annual McDonald’s 365Black AwardsPosted by Wilson Morales
July 8, 2018
In celebration of the 15th annual McDonald’s® 365Black® Awards, the company will honor celebrities and everyday heroes who make positive contributions to the community. To date, this year’s roster of remarkable honorees includes popular Political Commentator Symone Sanders, renown actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, Black Girls CODE CEO Kimberly Bryant and next generation McDonald’s Owner/Operator Monique Vann-Brown. Additionally, college junior Tishauna Wilson will be recognized alongside this lineup to receive the McDonald’s HBCU Forward $10,000 Scholarship, for her exceptional efforts to impact the community. Hosted for a second year by actress Essence Atkins, the awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, July 8, 2018, during the 24th annual ESSENCE FestivalTM presented by Coca Cola® in New Orleans.
The annual McDonald’s 365Black Awards honor outstanding individuals who are committed to making positive contributions that strengthen the African-American community. McDonald’s 365Black Awards is known for attracting various top celebrity attendees, many of whom will grace the signature gold carpet prior to the ceremony. The luncheon will feature performances by award-winning R&B swooner Dave Hollister and gospel heavy-hitter Le’Andria Johnson.
Blackfilm.com had to opportunity to speak with Essence Atkins regarding her involvement as well as her TV series, Marlon, which is back on NBC for Season 2.
How did you get involved with the project?
Essence Atkins: I was here last year. I hosted 365Black Awards and thankfully they invited me back. I enjoyed myself immensely. I particularly enjoyed the company of the women who were honored last year and again this is the 15th year and they have decided to distinguished another group of outstanding women and the fact that they have asked me to host is a compliment that I don’t know I’m deserving of but I certainly aspire to be worthy.
What comes with being a host?
Essence Atkins: I think the responsibility of the host is to really facilitate letting those women shine. It’s really about being a listener. It’s not about me. I don’t want it to be about me. I want to make sure the luncheon coming up will move along and people are entertained. I also want to make sure, more than that, that people are able to hear the outstanding work as well as the messages of these women being honored because I think that we assemble at Essence in New Orleans and it’s a time where women of different sizes, shapes, colors, careers, hairstyles and clothes can come together and celebrate ourselves, celebrate each other, and celebrate our music. But then we go back, and we have to go back to the communities where we leave and hopefully we go back inspired. WE go back feeling a little more regal, a little more grand and acknowledged so we can do that for the generations that we are raising and that we’re inspiring in our workplace.
How excited are you for Marlon Season 2?
Essence Atkins: I’m just grateful. I’m grateful to work for such an incredible, kind, talented and trusting boss. Marlon is a great leader in the fact that he inspires others to do their greatness and trusts them to be great. When he gives you a job, he expects you to be able to do it and allows you to do it and be as creative as you can. I know if you “fail” in a moment, that it’s not a death sentence and I think it’s really an incredible environment to create for any job; not just one of show business but just to know you’re allowed to pitch them that aren’t necessarily going to be home runs and that doesn’t mean it’s the end of you. How many experiment did Edison have before he created the lightbulb. I think it was over 500. It was tons of failed experiments so we have to be able to feel safe to try and fall down.
What are we to expect of your character this season?
Essence Atkins: Well, Ashley and Marlon are still trying to figure out this friendly divorce thing. In the first season you really get to see the dynamics of why they are in this situation and why they got a divorce and now it’s more about they cultivate their friendship because they aren’t married anymore. It’s about finding new boundaries and new ways of partnering together without being lovers and married anymore. Season 1 is streaming on Netflix and Season 2 is on Thursday nights on NBC at 9pm. I’ve been told that Netflix will stream Season 2 as well, eventually. It’s exciting and we’re so grateful to all the people who love Marlon and who love us together. We worked together on Haunted House six years ago and people loved us as a combination then and that’s partly how I ended up in this position. It was from that movie and the great experience that Marlon and I had. We’re grateful that people seem to like the Ralph and Alice, or Lucy and Ricky that we seem to be.
