Latest news with #Aduba
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
In Netflix's ‘The Residence,' Uzo Aduba doesn't tell jokes — but she's seriously funny
When Uzo Aduba's mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the actor stepped into the role of caregiver until her mother's death. During the grievous period, the three-time Emmy winner etched the beginnings of a memoir, published last year, called 'The Road Is Good: How a Mother's Strength Became a Daughter's Purpose.' In it, Aduba writes, 'This is a story not about death but about life. This is my mother's story as much as it is my own.' That deep connection to her mother has come to define her. 'The woman that I have become is founded on the way I was mothered. I am the daughter of Nonyem Aduba, and so much of the way she moved through life as a woman — not only did it impact and shape my fortitude and commitment to working hard, but even how I see characters, specifically female characters, is built off the teachings that were poured into me as a daughter.' Best known among those characters is certainly Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren on Netflix's 'Orange Is the New Black,' a breakout role for which Aduba earned two Emmy Awards. That performance opened other doors, including portraying former politician and presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm in Hulu's 2020 miniseries 'Mrs. America.' Her galvanizing depiction brought a third Emmy. 'People really did take a real liking to her as a human, despite the politics, which I think is fascinating given the time. We're talking about a woman, a Black woman in a very specific chapter in American history, so close to the Civil Rights Act,' she says of coming to understand Chisholm. Have such successes validated her journey as an actor, one she nearly gave up on in leaner days? 'I became an actor because I loved the creation of art, to tell stories,' she says. 'However, I, too, have felt the worry looming from the artist's doubt: Is there space in this room for a voice like mine to exist? And I'd say that, throughout the years, these wins, given to me by my peers, have left me encouraged to believe that yes, there is.' Her voice comes now by way of Cordelia Cupp, a full-time birder and part-time crime solver in Netflix's 'The Residence,' from creator Paul William Davies. The eight-episode whodunit, from Shonda Rhimes' production company, Shondaland, is set in the halls of the White House, where the death of one of its East Wing employees during a state dinner party triggers panic. Enter the cape-wearing Cupp with her superhero ability to read people and spot clues. For Aduba, the character jumped off the page. 'I remember reading the material, and she had this power that was really present for me. It would seem like she would get just a grain of information and there would suddenly be a wealth of knowledge that she was able to extract from it.' Finding the character's mannerisms was another central study. 'She read like somebody who spoke really fast because she processes information really quickly. So I wanted her to be able to speak as fast as possible and for us to get inside the head of how she does her investigative work,' she says. 'This is a woman who listens to the proposition you said, then she's like a hawk — pun intended — perched up on the investigative table. So I started thinking this might be an exercise of stillness both when she speaks and when she listens.' That stillness — an uncomfortable silence to many — often leads those being questioned to fill the void with more information than they intended to share. During one magnetic monologue, where Cupp pieces the clues together to whom she believes is the killer, we see all the cogs of her intelligence and humor turning swiftly. 'She takes her job very seriously, and for me to achieve that technically, it inspired this idea of flatlining her a little bit. It felt like she's not here to tell jokes but what she says is funny. She's five feet gone past the joke, and you're like, 'Wait, what did she just say?'' Aduba's full name is Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba. She was born in Massachusetts to Nigerian immigrants and, as a teen, was an exceptional figure skater: one who could land double axels with a practiced ease that betrayed the intense commitment behind them. She attended Boston University on a track-and-field scholarship as a sprinter, studying classical voice and discovering acting. Today, she's the mother to a daughter and seems to have softened her intensity: She has a passion for cooking, reading books (Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist' is a favorite) and watching reality television. Her guilty pleasure: 'The Real Housewives.' And she still holds her time as a caregiver close, recently providing the narration for Bradley Cooper's documentary 'Caregiving,' which is a hard look at care in America. She connected with Cooper's story of caring for his father during his fight with lung cancer. 'I know what that life looks like. I know what that world is. I know what it means to be juggling your front-facing life with your private life, your professional responsibilities with your familial desires,' Aduba says. 'I could just see a lot of myself in those stories, and that made it a real no-brainer for me,' she adds. 'This is an opportunity to try and spotlight that work happening every single day, and we might, through this process, alleviate some of the stress and the overwhelming feelings that come with that invisible labor.'
NBC News
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Uzo Aduba leads White House mystery series 'The Residence'
One of TV's most prolific producers, Shonda Rhimes, is back at the White House, but this time without 'Scandal' and Olivia Pope. That doesn't mean the drama has stopped. It's just wrapped in a lot of wit and humor. There's been a murder at the White House and eccentric detective Cordelia Cupp is on the job to figure out whodunit in the eight-episode Netflix series 'The Residence,' starring three-time Emmy winner Uzo Aduba. Cordelia Cupp arrives at the White House tasked with solving whether chief usher A.B. Wynter (an impactful Giancarlo Esposito who stepped in for the late Andre Braugher) killed himself or was murdered during a state dinner. The investigation reveals the intricate inner workings of the White House from its head chef to its janitors. Aduba told NBC News that she appreciated her character's sharp mind. 'I love her precision,' she said during the 2025 SCAD TV Festival in Atlanta. 'I love how she doesn't miss a beat. She's really exacting with her words. I think she's just smart. She sees every detail in the room and is able to put together all the necessary pieces to solve the case.' Cupp incorporates another passion into her detective work: 'She's a bird-watcher,' Aduba said. 'She brings all of herself, including bird-watching, to her cases,' she added. Throughout the series, the ace detective is rarely caught without her binoculars and is prone to bird-watching as she interrogates. The cast of actors includes 'This Is Us' star Susan Kelechi Watson as Jasmine, who had dreamed of replacing A.B. Wynter. 'Saturday Night Live' alum Jane Curtain plays the president's mother-in-law, while Bronson Pinchot, from the 'Beverly Hills Cop' franchise, is Chef Didier Gothard. Randall Park, from 'Fresh Off the Boat,' plays skeptical FBI agent Edwin Park working alongside Cupp to solve the mystery. 'The Wire' alumni Edwina Findley and Isiah Whitlock, Jr., play boozy White House butler/server and Metropolitan Police Department chief respectively. Comedian and former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken plays a senator leading an investigation into security failings at the White House. Even pop star Kylie Minogue is in the mix. Aduba said Cupp's ability to sift through more than 150 murder suspects and a string of confusing clues comes naturally to her character. 'She has absolute confidence in herself and her abilities, and will not allow anyone's idea of who she is or what she can do be the dominating factor in defining who she is,' she said. Being the best at what she does, however, is not what motivates Cordelia Cupp. 'I think Cordelia is definitely driven by the truth,' Aduba said in a Zoom interview. 'She wants to get the answer. She wants to get to the root. So she'll do whatever needs to be done to chase that down. And she loves, once she has done that, having everything explained in some way. That helps to make the world make sense.' Aduba said taking on the lead for 'The Residence' was a fulfilling job, especially under Rhimes' 'warm and supportive' Shondaland banner. 'You can feel that from Shonda herself,' Aduba said. 'She does the good work, also.' She added that Rhimes buoys everybody up. 'I know it is not by accident that they have found that success, because they operate with discipline and their modus operandi is one of excellence that continually sets the bar for the industry.'
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Some of Your Favorite TV Stars Appear in Netflix's New Murder Mystery 'The Residence'
Shonda Rhimes, the writer and producer behind shows like Bridgerton and Scandal is back with her latest series, The Residence. A new murder mystery joining the likes of Only Murders In The Building, The Perfect Couple, and Poker Face, The Residence sees Orange Is The New Black's Uzo Aduba star as Cordelia Cupp, an eccentric detective tasked with the mission of finding out who is behind a murder that takes place at the White House during a state dinner. With an ensemble cast that includes Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, and even a cameo from Kylie Minogue, The Residence promises all the intrigue, drama and wit you'd expect from a Shondaland show. As you dive into the new series, get to know the main cast members and their characters Aduba stars as the series' protagonist, Cordelia Cupp, a consultant with the Metropolitan Police Department. 'She has the memory of a steel trap,' Aduba told Shondaland. 'So every single thing, every letter every word, every single detail that someone brings to her, she files it away and listens to or for a contradiction.' While many of us first came to know of Aduba through her portrayal of Crazy Eyes in Netflix's Orange Is The New Black (2013-19), which earned her several accolades including two Emmys and SAG awards, the actor has appeared in a number of other TV series and films. From American Horror Story (2018), to The Handmaid's Tale (2019–2021), Mrs. America (2020), Hillbilly Elegy (2020) Godmothered (2020) and more, Aduba's more recent works include Painkiller (2023), Magicampers (2024), and Roofman. Giancarlo Esposito plays A. B. Wynter, the White House Chief Usher. Esposito revealed a little about what we can expect to see from his character: 'For A.B., it's the house, it's the tradition, it's what it represents, it's how it's been done for so long, so when you see him being stern it's because he wants to preserve that.' A titan in the TV and film industry, you'll likely recognize Esposito from many of his projects, including: Breaking Bad (2009–2011), Revolution (2012–2014), The Mandalorian (2019–present), Better Call Saul (2015–2022), Once Upon a Time (2013–2018), Do the Right Thing (1989), The Jungle Book (2016), and The Boys (2022). Next up, Esposito is set to star in the upcoming films The Long Home, The Prince, and L2: Empuraan. Susan Kelechi Watson appears as Jasmine Haney, a the White House Assistant Usher who is on the rise. 'Jasmine is the assistant usher, but she's trying to be chief usher, and this was supposed to be her time to shine, but then A.B. says he's not leaving. She's devastated that she's not going to take on this role,' Watson told Shondaland about her character. Prior to The Residence, Watson is best known for playing Janet in Louie (2012-14) and as Beth Pearson in This Is Us (2016-22). She has also starred in The Following (2013–2014), Happyish (2015), A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), The Five (2016), For Life (2020–2021), The Righteous Gemstones (2023), and Lee plays Tripp Morgan, the president's brother, who is 'in the White House against his will and he's trying to take full advantage of it. He doesn't really get along much with his brother the president, so there's a lot of tension there.' Lee began his acting career in the mid-1990s with his role in Mallrats (1995). Since then, he's starred in a number of much-loved TV series and films including Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), My Name Is Earl (2005–2009), several Alvin and the Chipmunks films (2007-2015), The Second Coming (2018), This Is 40 (2012), and Memphis Beat (2010–2011).Joining the cast of The Residence is Kylie Minogue. The popstar makes a cameo as herself. While many of us know Minogue as being a global sensation, the 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' singer began taking on small acting roles before her music career took off. Her most notable TV roles include: The Delinquents (1989), Neighbours (1986–1988), The Split (2019), Holy Motors (2012), The Voice (UK, Australia, and more, 2014–2021), and Blue: The Truth Behind the Colour (2019).Edwina Findley takes on the role of Sheila Cannon, one of the many butlers within the White House. Findley first garnered recognition after starring in The Wire (2004–2008), Treme (2010–2013), and If Loving You Is Wrong (2014–2020). Since then, she's appeared in The New Edition Story (2017), Saints & Sinners (2016–2021), The Family Business (2018–present), The Banker (2020), and All American (2021–present).Ken Marino stars as the president's chief adviser, Harry Hollinger. '[He's a bull in a china shop, he never is happy in any scene that he is in. He's a loud mouth who has no filter. It's always fun to have an asshole and do a scene full of people,' Marino told Shondaland in a video. Marino is an actor, producer, and comedian. Some of his acting and screenplay works include: The State (1993), The Ten (2007), Diggers (2006), Role Models (2008), and Wanderlust (2012).Randall Park portrays Edwin Park, an FBI special agent who's assigned to help Detective Cupp on the case. 'She doesn't need help so she feels like Park is just there to watch her, to make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. At first it starts out a little antagonistic,' he said. Park has starred in a number of successful TV shows and films including The Office (2013), The Interview (2014), Fresh Off the Boat (2015–2020), Veep (2014–2019), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Aquaman (2018), WandaVision (2021), Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Shortcomings (2023), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).Molly Griggs stars as Lilly Schumacher, the president's social secretary, and is effectively in charge of planning all parties at the White House. Prior to starring in The Residence, Griggs has also appeared in the likes of Succession (2018), Prodigal Son (2019-20), Servant (2020-22), and Dr. Death (2021).Dan Perrault portrays Colin Trask, the head of the presidential detail for the Secret Service. 'He loves pop culture, bread, and Kylie Minogue. Part of Trask's job is to protect the president, so if he's out there doing something, I might be by his side,' Perrault said of his character's role in the show. Not just an actor, Perrault is best know for being the co-creator of American Vandal, a series which makes mockumentaries of true crime documentaries including Serial and Making a Murderer. You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
Buzz Feed
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
"The Residence" On Netflix: Critics Say The Murder Mystery Is Your Next Binge-Watch
So far, the fruits of TV producer Shonda Rhimes ' big-money deal with Netflix have included the most talked-about period drama since Downton Abbey in Bridgerton and twisting true crime drama in Inventing Anna. And for her latest collaboration with the streaming giant, the Bafta, Golden Globe and Emmy winner is heading in a completely different direction. Streaming now, The Residence is a star-studded 'whodunnit?' that unfolds, in all places, following a fancy dinner at the White House, which pays homage to Agatha Christie's classics and the more modern mysteries from Rian Johnson; Knives Out and Poker Face. In their early reviews, critics have near-unanimously highlighted how bingeable the eight episodes of The Residence are – although they're a little more divided about the quality of the show. More glowing reviews have praised the miniseries for offering some glossy, fun escapism, with Uzo Aduba 's performance as detective Cordelia Cupp being particularly lauded, though more scathing critics have called The Residence out for lacking in any substance and bordering on 'annoying'. Here's a selection of what's been said about The Residence so far… The Guardian (4/5) ' The Residence is a very happy experience all round – moreish, bingeable, a complete tonic [...] Although there is an ensemble vibe, it remains Aduba's show, and rightfully so. She is a magnetic presence and The Residence takes full advantage of that. This is not television that is going to change the world, but it is going to give you eight hours of fantastic escape.' People 'Scenes come and go with the fast click of a camera shutter, while the story careers through an unending series of switchbacks. It's like the current White House: never a dull moment.' Rolling Stone 'If the mystery occasionally becomes hard to follow, the resolution in the finale feels awfully satisfying, both in terms of who did it and how their guilt resonates with the series' themes about the reasons – some noble, some narcissistic – people might choose to work at the White House.' The Hollywood Reporter ' The Residence is an entertainingly chaotic goof, a dramedy that immediately sets a frantic tone that's only occasionally varied in the seven episodes (out of eight total) sent to critics. I found it both amusing and exhausting, with Aduba's performance and the energy of the wildly overstuffed ensemble elevating a mystery that's treated with too much frenzy to ever become emotionally involving.' The Telegraph (3/5) '[ Uzo Aduba ] is a total hoot in the starring role, deadpanning her way through each scene and eliciting information from suspects simply by narrowing her eyes at them to the point where they freak out. She is a worthy addition to the TV detective ranks, but everyone else here – the writer, the director, Kylie Minogue – needs to dial it down.' ERIN SIMKIN/NETFLIX The Times (3/5) 'Over eight hours, screwball mystery/drama tends to get a bit exhausting and this is one long game of White House Cluedo. I guess that's modern TV for you. Still, Aduba is a hoot as Cupp, keeping a cool head amid the farce – that silent stare is second to none.' TheWrap ' The Residence is fun, frothy and full of intrigue, and sometimes that's more than enough.' Variety 'Despite being overrun with characters, details, timelines and story, The Residence mostly works. The comedic tone and standouts like Cordelia, the president's brother, Tripp Morgan, White House Butler Sheila Cannon and the president's vodka-loving mother-in-law Nan Cox are a constant reminder that this show is in no way taking itself seriously. Yet, certain aspects could have been trimmed for more condensed viewing.' USA Today (2/4) ' Residence is not an abject failure. But it's also nothing resembling the greatness of Bridgerton or [Grey's Anatomy ]. It's like a dish cooked with a whole lot of expensive, artisanal ingredients that ends up tasting like Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. It tastes good, sure, but it's not nearly as delicious as all of its components should make it.' Mashable 'On paper, Shondaland and Netflix's The Residence should be a blast. A White House–set whodunnit? An ensemble cast led by Uzo Aduba, Randall Park, and Giancarlo Esposito? Kylie Minogue is there? Sign me up! It's a shame, then, that The Residence squanders that potential with execution that is so unwieldy and one-note you'll wish you were watching one of the several other whodunnits it pays homage to instead.' The Standard (2/5) 'Murderously dull [...] without the wit and charm that forms the bedrock of Bridgerton (or indeed Knives Out, which it rips off most obviously), The Residence ends up a tacky whodunnit without the heart and soul of the shows that inspire it.' Radio Times (1/5) 'Rather than being Rian Johnson at his best, The Residence is more like Ryan Murphy at his worst, existing in a heightened reality occupied by horrible characters that seem trapped in a state of over-caffeinated mania.'
Telegraph
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Uzo Aduba: ‘I was still thinking about quitting acting even when I was cast in Orange is the New Black'
'I've got my binoculars right here! Aren't they cute?' bubbles Uzo Aduba. The 44-year-old actor – best known for her double Emmy-winning breakthrough role as Crazy Eyes in comedy drama Orange is the New Black – admits that before being cast as ace detective Cordelia Cupp in new Netflix comic crime caper, The Residence, it had 'never even occurred to me to go birdwatching.' But Cupp is a sleuth who honed her beady-eyed observational skills and long-game attention span with a birdspotter's guide in her hand. So Aduba headed out into the field with her book'n'bins and 'really surprised myself by enjoying it. It's so peaceful and quiet. It calms the mind. You become very detail-oriented. So many birds LOOK alike. But if you pay attention to the nuances you see they have very different behavioural traits that distinguish them from each other.' Cordelia Cupp is certainly faced by birds of very similar feathers when she arrives at the crime scene in The Residence. As a 'consulting detective' – in the tradition of Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple – Cupp is drafted in by the Washington Police Department to solve a murder that has been committed during a state banquet (designed to cool escalating tensions between the US and Australia) at The White House. As a black woman in tweed, she's confronted by a large flock of white men in penguin suits ('How many dudes do you need?!'). There's extra fun to be had with the Australian delegation including celebrities Hugh Jackman and Kylie Minogue, who ends up having to sing for her supper, before being interviewed as a suspect. 'She was great,' says Aduba. 'I'd forgotten she was a good actor.' The Residence is the latest in a long line of witty, and wildly entertaining TV shows to come from Shonda Rhimes ' Shondaland production stable, founded in 2005 to bring us medical dramas such as Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice before branching out across all forms of entertainment. Increasingly, Shondaland shows such as Scandal, Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte have cast ethnically diverse actors in traditionally white-only genres. In this case, a woman of proud Nigerian heritage solving a classic country house murder. 'The success of those shows, and their impact on the television landscape over the past 12 to 14 years has proved there's an appetite for versatility in storytelling,' says Aduba. Does she think the Shondaland project is typical of the entertainment industry's pushback against President Trump's diversity equity, and inclusion (DEI) dismantling policies? 'Pushback from entertainment, or from the culture in general?' she mulls. 'People can – with all their might – try to stop progress. However, history has shown us that progress can be slowed but it cannot be stopped. Shonda Rimes has brilliantly cast shows that expand our idea of who gets to tell stories. That's the good trouble she's been making for over a decade. And that – in the words of Forrest Gump – is all I have to say about that.' Pivoting tactfully from my questions about the Trump administration she notes that Shondaland shows 'always bring the unexpected. She will take whatever you think you know about the locations she uses – stately homes, hospitals, law courts or Washington DC – and turn your preconceptions on their head.' In the case of The Residence, cameras sneak behind the scenes and below stairs at the fictional White House to explore tensions between the permanent staff to see how rivalries are ruffled by changes of administration. These managers, chefs, gardeners, florists, carpenters and social secretaries are all ambitious people at the top of their game, often pushing competing agendas. Some want to modernise, others cling to tradition. 'When we think of the White House, we think of a very particular, public-facing set of people,' says Aduba. 'But, behind the scenes, these other set of people are always there as historical keepers of the keys. I thought it was very interesting to hold the binoculars up to the politics WITHIN the house.' Talking via video link from the New York home she shares with filmmaker husband Robert Sweeting and their one-year-old daughter, Aduba is a merry – but careful – conversationalist. She's dressed casually in sweatshirt and red baseball cap emblazoned with the name of her alma mater, Boston University. She's glowing with cosy domesticity, saying that she'd been through her fair share of 'heartbreak and rejection' before finding love and becoming a mother for the first time in her forties. 'All the waiting, all that pressure-cooking was worth it,' she says. Her daughter's Igbo name – Adaiba Lee Nonyem – means 'daughter of the people, treasurer of the mother's names who came before you'. In her 2024 memoir, The Road is Good: How a Mother's Strength became a Daughter's Purpose, Aduba explained that her own name – Uzoamaka – means that the journey may be hard but the destination is worth it. Written while her own mother, Nonyem, was dying of pancreatic cancer, it's a moving chronicle of the immigrant experience. Today Aduba holds up a framed photograph of her mother – beaming through a froth of extravagant jet frills and gold jewellery – to honour the grit of a woman who had two masters degrees (both with distinction) but wasn't too proud to work at McDonalds to support her five children. As a child, the clever but sometimes reckless Aduba never troubled her mother with the occasional racism she faced in the mostly white suburban New England. She credits her Nigerian-born refugee mother with giving her the tenacity to battle on through repeated rejections as she fought to make a career as an actor. 'She held us firm.' Although she had actually resolved to quit the industry when she was then cast, aged 31, as fearless, Shakespeare-quoting loner Suzanne 'Crazy Eyes' Warren in prison drama Orange is the New Black. 'Even then I wasn't initially brought on as a series regular. I didn't think: 'This is the part that is going to change things for me'. It wasn't as though I got the job and the internal quitting voice went away. I was more: 'Hmm, let's see how this plays through. Maybe it is going to be okay…'' The Huffington Post's critic wrote that Aduba was 'genuinely frightening' in the role which initially saw her struggling with obsessive, unrequited love for another inmate – going so far as to urinate on the other woman's cell floor when she's rejected. Having initially been drafted in for a few episodes, Aduba made the character so compelling she became pivotal to the show for all six seasons. She would become one of only two actors to ever win Emmy Awards in both comedy (2014) and drama (2015) for the same role. From there Aduba went on to star in 2020 Hulu miniseries Mrs America as politician Shirley Chisholm opposite Cate Blanchett and Sarah Paulson; as a therapist in the fourth season of HBO's In Treatment (also 2020) and was nominated for a Tony Award for her Broadway turn as the lead character in Lyn Nottage's 2023 play, Clyde's, in which she swaggered about as the owner of a truck stop cafe relentlessly bullying and belittling her employees. Speaking now to the cheery, soft-hearted actor, I'm surprised that she's been repeatedly cast in some hardened, menacing roles. But she's an actor who clings to the humanity of even the most difficult character – so with Warren she 'leaned into the love story'. Cordelia Cupp is equally uncompromising – if more rigorously law and order. 'Cordelia Cupp is not part of the system,' nods Aduba. 'She moves through the world as she chooses. Whatever you think about her could be wrong – she undresses herself, as it were, over the course of the season, until you get to see how she became the greatest detective in the world.' Was the role written for Aduba? 'I honestly don't know the answer to that question,' she shrugs. 'You'd have to ask [scriptwriter] Paul William Davies. But I know that it felt like… like I had a connection. I could see a pathway into this woman which felt exciting.' The Residence also allows Aduba to nod heavenwards at her late mother. She says she channels a little of Angela Lansbury in her mother's favourite Eighties show, Murder, She Wrote. 'That was her jam,' she grins. 'When my daughter was born I remember asking myself, 'How am I going to raise her without the guidance of the woman who raised me?' But every day I realise how much of her is in me. I had never heard my mother's disciplinarian, 'No, no, noooo!' come out of my mouth until my daughter was born.' She shrugs sadly then smiles. 'But she is unmoveably in me as I move more deeply into my womanhood. From the gap between my front teeth, to my name, from my nose to my lips – all of it.'
