AJ Johnson on Doing 'Inkwell' with a Young Jada Pinkett & Larenz Tate (Part 9)

Watch the full interview now as a VladTV KZbin Member - / @vladtv
Part 10: • AJ Johnson on Bill Cos...
Part 8: • AJ Johnson on Only Mak...
Part 1: • AJ Johnson Cries Recal...
--------
In this interview, AJ Johnson addresses her past relationship with Michael Jai White and the way in which his work out regime inspired her to take her fitness more seriously. The 58-year-old actress talks about working with up and coming actors like Lorenzo Tate, Jada Pickett-Smith in The Inkwell. She also discusses what is was like to shoot an emotional scene with Morris Chestnut while her father was on set.
Interview by Shawn Prez
Check out his youtube channel at: / powermovemakers

[@520ghost2]

The Inkwell is a classic and very underrated movie!! Alot of great actors in that one.

[@datboyphil]

Very good coming of age film i loved it.

[@mokahgirl5165]

Agreed! Not sure why that movie doesn't get more attention. It was great.

[@michaelbull4344]

Very underrated with a hell of a black cast

[@82laina]

Absolutely!!

[@dawolf856]

I'm SOOOO GLAD she made it a point to acknowledge, Glynn Turman, Suzanne Douglas and Joe Morton. We get so fixated on the "flavor of the month" and current BS, we always forget the ones who got us there. Those 3 are (were) phenomenal.

[@scinnyc]

Glynn Turman will forever be in a top spot for me just off of his Blaxploitation films Cooley High and J.D.'s Revenge

[@christopheronwumere6641]

🎯

[@suites83]

Definitely they are all highly underrated actors

[@joshuamcdowell9745]

@@scinnyc He have done theater too. He was in the original Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun with Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee when he was 12. That was his first role.

[@MsDreamscaper]

Excellent comment.

[@FlymoufDiction]

RIP Suzanne Douglas. She was SO FINE as the wife on The Parent Hood

[@mrcraigjohnsonjr]

Yessssiirr

[@rolltideandriseup5751]

yes lord

[@denisedillinger1354]

The inkwell does not get enough credit that movie was flawless thru and thru black cinema at its finest

[@torrisfairley3227]

Most definitely.

[@misterbee66]

Let's not forget about Vanessa Bell Calloway, an underrated legend. I love myself some Vanessa.

[@dawb86]

Phyllis Yvonne Stickney and Mary Alice as well...

[@justonfisk5813]

@@dawb86 I think Phyllis Yvonne Stickney is so beautiful and elegant.

[@joshuamcdowell9745]

Vanessa Bell Calloway is 64 and still so fine

[@joshuamcdowell9745]

@@dawb86 Holly Robinson Peete

[@misterbee66]

@@joshuamcdowell9745 For sure.

[@xShapeShifter]

Man...I don't know why....but AJ Johnson's story about her dad made me cry...legit tears...She's still beautiful, still articulate, still an amazing human with limitless talent. ❤

[@walenawellness6449]

I cried too

[@jamisona.5639]

You soft Duke

[@markchristian30]

“Anthony Granberry” What a moment!

[@leeann5442]

Thank you AJ for schooling the interviewer about the power dynamic of Black Hollywood when making the Inkwell

[@russelladams7134]

AJ Johnson is such a talented and educated and intelligent actress. She had great parents that instilled in her discipline and determination. Her parents had very high expectations of her. Anything else is not accepted.

[@antoniomccoy9451]

I bet they didn't think she'd would grow up to be a train 304. 😂😂😂

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@antoniomccoy9451 And? She's a grown ass woman.

[@antoniomccoy9451]

@@kendallrivers1119 your mother is a grown ass woman is she a 304 too?

[@lisadokes2655]

A.J. is sooo right about the acting and singing/rapping talent in the 1990's. It has NEVER been the same. There are NOT evnough entertainers who are hungry for the CRAFT!!!

[@NorthPhilly-zr7xc]

Facts everything has fallen off because they hired people that sr not talent

[@dawb86]

There's people with ten years of work in Hollywood I STILL be looking at thinking '.......... they need to go take some acting classes.' 😂💯

[@Nanbebe7]

It’s like the 90 s we’re the last decade of innocence. So much was lost

[@NorthPhilly-zr7xc]

@@Nanbebe7 you ain't lying and family community gathering man smh

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@NorthPhilly-zr7xc Cookouts, Family reunion picnics, the circus, amusement parks etc. No one goes outside anymore.

[@char_d.0908]

I really liked the story about her shooting the scene with her father on set...Great storyteller!!

[@torrisfairley3227]

The Inkwell has a special place in my heart. I use to watch that movie every day when I was in 4th grade. Classic film.

[@EventheScore40]

I loved Inkwell, but Crooklyn was my every day movie. Lol

[@torrisfairley3227]

@@EventheScore40 No argument there. Definitely a timeless classic.

[@wemadeitpodcast]

She really is right. Black cinema has fallen off since the 90s and even early 2000s. American Skin was really good though. But a good black drama is hard to come by.

[@datsapaddlin]

Yeah all we got is Tyler Perry movies left

[@Thedrumsthebass]

Gonna be real with you all the super great black films theses days are not made in America and do not feature American actors.

[@saucegodxx]

I think she means cinema in general

[@cadencarlisle3772]

Straight Outta Compton and The Best Man 2.

[@reviewsdunn5542]

There out there you have to look for em

[@jjayphilly342]

Suzzanne Douglas was so damn beautiful. R.I.P. Queen 🖤❤🖤

[@sbrooks729]

I love it when ladies still sing praises about their exes instead of bashing them. MUCH RESPECT, AJ!

[@reelspilltv]

I don't know AJ but, I love her. She seems like someone I can have hours of conversation with...and marry afterwards!!! Such a lovable soul!!!

[@brandont3549]

I always tell people to watch the Inkwell, then watch Menace to society. You will see how good Lorenz Tate and Jada acting really is.

[@NewYorksMostWanted]

The Inkwell was one of my favorite movies as a kid. Love how they managed to create that cool feel-good vibe from back in the day that black adolescence films like Cooley High had. And it was something else seeing Larenz go from O-Dog to shy Drew in less than a year.

[@Daydreams-hu2fs]

I love me some larenz Tate

[@GHOST91141]

Inkwell is a underrated movie a lot of greats in that one

[@icebergjames5423]

Facts

[@ChocolateLover4365]

Yes really good and very underrated

[@michaelbull4344]

I agree inkwell is very underrated

[@GospelMusicians]

Man I love the interviewer Shawn. Man Shawn is on point! Amazing story!

[@Thedrumsthebass]

We need a new IOS synth ;)

[@GospelMusicians]

@@Thedrumsthebass It's coming!

[@iron2468]

AJ is such a great actress. Loved her in almost all her roles. Inkwell is a classic.

[@ShawnWhitsell]

The interviewer was talking like Jada was bigger than Larenz but Larenz had done tons of TV at that point and both had done Menace To Society already. In terms of people knowing who they were, they were about equals. With that said, I appreciate AJ giving props to the OG's.

[@kingplaya]

She was so fine in Inkwell…that was my movie

[@daddy4310]

Lol look at her now....

[@kennymack6492]

😂

[@brandonknight7486]

Yeah she was and Larenz Tate got them drawers towards the end of the movie

[@DontaeS]

Yeah she was, Jada too

[@TahariBlue]

This interview clearly confirms she's a woman of substance and talent

[@akinyianderson4075]

This woman had me in tears when she played a teen mom in "In the Heat Of The Night" she was lovely then and lovely now.

[@dpaint3702]

Bruh that is one the most underrated movies of all time 🌊

[@Kingjosiah91]

Inkwell was Legendary!

[@datboycotvdotcom9593]

No body never mention it, n it doesn't get played like baby boy, set it off, boomerang, Friday, player club

[@310bound]

Glad someone is finally talking about the Inkwell. Shame it has to be on a platform like Vlad’s but nevertheless….

[@dawb86]

It's not a shame. No matter where it comes from, as long as the message is given the work is being done...

[@ChocolateLover4365]

Shoutout to Glynn Turman "It's a different world than where you come from."

[@BFick478]

AJ has some AMAZING STORIES! Great job Shawn!

[@KaySHEBrew]

No lie love this interview so much has me going to watch the movie cause Yess queen icons this generation will never understand greatness

[@kevada1]

There was substance in the 90's.

[@walenawellness6449]

I'm crying 😭 and I don't even know Anthony Gramberry...she made me think of some of THE BIGGEST 💔 heartbreaks I've had...her earthly father remind me of my late father Walter Moss....R.I.P to both of our dad's ❤️❤️💕💕💕🤴🏾🤴🏾🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️🦸🏽‍♂️My dad was my biggest cheerleader,Mr Mom & Hero too!

[@fade2black1982]

The Inkwell is soooo underrated.

[@keekokilo5329]

The passion for art and not just a paycheck. That's why Legends where actually created back in those times with acting and music 🌟✨.

[@mokahgirl5165]

Anthony Grandberry you messed up! 🤦🏽‍♀️😂

[@bigbabysld]

she is so on the money...about being about the craft, not getting famous because of a tweet or whats put on tik tok...it was about the craft, about the talent.

[@dawb86]

I swear whenever I hear people say "where did all the talent go?" nowadays I automatically think 'they started hiring people based on popularity and not skill.' All these kids that are in college now that have been studying the craft of acting since they were kids but they'll throw the girl/guy from IG/Tik Tok fame in a multi-million dollar budget film first just to sell more tickets?!? SMH, tragic...

[@siswitvision75]

I Love to hear Super Dad stories! 👏❣️🥰🙏 . How blessed A.J. is to have had a Super Dad 🥰

[@Purgg]

“2022 WILL BE MY OUT BREAK YEAR IN MY MUSIC CAREER”🙏🏽‼️

[@datboycotvdotcom9593]

Seen inkwell one dam time, nobody speaks of or ever mention it damn near almost always forget about this movie it took me years to see it just to see it for the first time but I've been seeing boys in the hood ,the wood players club, Harlem nights, boomerang ,Friday , menace to society forever because they play it on BET VH1 every weekend for the last 20 years

[@saulramirezkb5855]

I definitely remember watching the inkwell at the theaters and i remember this scene and said the same thing everyone else said, what a great tremendous performance by her, but laughed my ass of so hard right after when she said to him your not a man, and morris said ya well you weren't saying that shit last night were you. Hahahahaha lmfao

[@JayEP86]

That's one of the great things about having a father there who knows better

[@hodgesqu]

Dope interview, Inkwell is classic too.

[@TALLXXL]

RIGHT!!!! IN HER SWEAKY VOICE.

[@shaqtalksstocks]

Inkwell a sleeper hit

[@josephmorgan816]

The way he said Jada like she's really someone 😂😂😂😂

[@dominicmorris8797]

Never seen or heard about Inkwell but I see nothing but Positive things about it therefore I’m going to check it out now

[@BRANDNEW715]

Preach sis!!! They took their craft seriously in the 90s...you really had to be talented!!

[@ChanceJolivette]

Man that was a beautiful story, i loved the inkwell jada did lorenz so dirty lol

[@melekelewis2945]

She did it to Willy from Philly many years later lol

[@ChanceJolivette]

@@melekelewis2945 i thought about that too 🤣🤣🤣

[@melekelewis2945]

@@ChanceJolivette 😅😅😅😅

[@NorthPhilly-zr7xc]

She wasn't lying about what she said about the 90s thos where great time's for movies man

[@ChanceJolivette]

@@NorthPhilly-zr7xc facts

[@dbeats6576]

Bruh that’s Jody’s mama 😂. I could listen to her talk all day fr.

[@kandicepimpton4357]

I’m so going to watch the Inkwell for the millionth time tonight.

[@Danny-fs1hk]

Wow, I love this segment 😂👍🏾

[@ddeeddee1380]

I keep thinking bout that part in baby boy when Melvin was giving her that rabbit bounce.

[@ChocolateLover4365]

🤣 🤣 🤣 all I kept seeing was Baby Boy watching this interview

[@datsapaddlin]

Squat fawk

[@peacecrewproducts]

5:34 that's because record companies and Hollywood focus on what sells at discovering raw talent.

[@MsJune1972]

AJ . I love your show " Life Therapy ".

[@jeremyjman2009]

I love the inkwell. Great Movie! Very underatted

[@kaylonrome]

That's why fathers are so very important in a daughters life, especially black fathers! The first man a daughter falls in love with is her daddy! That bond is unbreakable! I have three daughters the eldest is 24yrs old and they will ALWAYS be daddy's little girls!

[@LiveWithMPROV]

She gone make me watch INKWELL again

[@shaunieibe2081]

Ikr. Only saw it once back in the 90s.

[@RamsonOpoku]

I loved the story about her father

[@kactusjaxson2965]

Ink Well was brilliant! 🔥🔥

[@datboycotvdotcom9593]

Yeah ain't nobody ever heard of /it was alot of black star power in it but doesn't get the recognition like Friday , boomerang, coming to America , boys in the hood

[@DaveSincere]

Shawn has stepped his game up.. He's doing a nice job..

[@zettawilson2236]

She is so AMAZING!!!. I just love her and a huge fan of hers too🤗

[@Joey_Lance]

AJ Johnson did a phenomenal job in the Inkwell

[@reimourrpower9357]

This was a great story. Especially hearing how A.J.'s father was such an inspiration and protector to her as a woman and actress.

[@jgooch99]

This is gold!!!

[@cynthiasolomon6383]

I've always love her Healthy Attitude.Peace

[@br33zytb009]

Inkwell is one of my favorite movies. Lol let me go watch it again for the millionth time. Lol

[@mr.hester5671]

Now I want to go back and rewatch…

[@myfriendisaac]

Love love LOVE that movie 🍿🔥🎬 & props to her Dad for pulling that out of her!

[@glenroybrome2812]

Also loved her in baby boy as Tyrese mum

[@vontelildude]

Love her and her work💯💪🏾👸🏾

[@Goodfellaallday]

Inkwell was 🔥

[@deandreray3500]

Inkwell is underrated movie Jada was fine in that movie

[@lokena67]

How awesome for her dad to be so supportive and draw that emotion out of her. Super Dad!

[@rubiog8600]

Damn it Took two Years For that Movie to Come out The Inkwell Came out in 94,

[@dantheman8152]

I like the way she talks

[@jearldchambers384]

InkWell Was My Movie Back In The Day.... They Don't Make Movies Like That No More That Movie Was So Lit 🔥🔥

[@sherenay3109]

I knew that scene came from a real place. I could feel it. Her father directed her well.

[@mys3682]

Love the story about her dad ❤

[@JustRaine97]

Love The Inkwell. So many great actors and actresses on that movie. I wish there was a soundtrack. Great music on that movie. The great Terrence Blanchard did his thing. RIH Suzanne Douglas. She was really beautiful.❤😔 Props to Matty Rich.

[@MsJune1972]

I love her.

[@derrickjones1820]

I can listen to her all day her spirit is amazing 😍

[@realtalkyafeelmah]

You mean you can.

[@derrickjones1820]

@@realtalkyafeelmah I stand corrected thanks she I'd my 90s crush

[@lyfestylemuzik7931]

That’s Deep (the Dad situation)

[@dhowto3005]

Mrs. AJ Johnson dropping straight knowledge. Facts!

[@djoneshks]

Anthony Gradbury watching this like..............dang put my business out there HAHAHA jk

[@jaye5926]

thats deep...

[@timmyggztv]

She is one of the greatest of all time

[@Playerism]

TK Kirkland was the first to punch Jody

[@itshellabreetho349]

Y'all didn't talk about how she was the girl Will was tryna impress in the Raphael DeLaGhetto episode...

[@BlackStarrTurnsHeel]

I would love to see a biopic of Aj Johnson's life in a similar tone to the "King Williams" biopic.

[@ellispcp]

Love this!

[@talented1602]

I just live AJ Johnson! She's such a vibe. Still the same, looking good👍🏽.

[@pCOCKPRO11]

WOW my dad and I just watched THE INKWELL Thurs. Idk why l remember it being filmed way after MENACE/SET IT OFF. I loved the politicking between Drew's dad and Glynn's character. They both had a perspective and could've come together about their positions. It was interesting how Morris Chestnut looked soooo different from Ricky, yet the time in real life wasn't that far, he looked like a grown ass man in THE INKWELL. Suzanne was sooooo fine ❤

[@michaelbull4344]

They say a secret to acting especially and emotional scene that involves crying go back to a time where you we re let down or sad as a result of a real life event

[@dsales2011]

Speaking on Larenz Tate, one of most favorite lines ever was on Power when Ghost was tying to punk him and he said " You ain't gon do shyt boy." 🤣😂🤣😂

[@nikkinic27]

Can't wait to see the full interview

[@jackboi5094]

praise to her father

[@allworldentertainment6782]

Good interview. I see why she has lasted so long in the industry.

[@jeremyjman2009]

I thought the Inkwell was film around 1993

[@orlandoturner7725]

It was.. Filmed in 93 and released in 94.. I was listening to that too and thinking no way was this movie before menace and Poetic Justice.

[@VegasElement]

Wow, incredible. Need to see more of her in film.

[@amarvinwinansfan]

Inkwell came out in 1994.

[@sarahsimpkins1311]

Yep

[@kuriaki71]

One of my favorite actresses

[@isaiahshowell8841]

Wow this story is a gem