This week One of Them Days, the hotly anticipated female buddy comedy starring Keke Palmer and SZA arrives in theaters and BOSSIP’s very own Janeé Bolden chatted with the film’s stars and producer Issa Rae!
Source: Courtesy / JPI
Directed by Lawrence Lamont, One of Them Days stars Keke Palmer and SZA as best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa who are forced to scramble to funds to cover their rent after they discover Alyssa’s boyfriend has blown the money! The dynamic duo finds themselves doing a lot of strange for some change (don’t think too dirty now though!) in a race against the clock to avoid eviction. Check out the trailer below:
As you can see — things get EXTREMELY silly — but there’s definitely more than a few scenarios Dreux and Alyssa face that most of us have come head to head with a time or two! Especially when it comes to making poor relationship decisions.
“What rang the most true was going on a journey with my homegirl to get the man back or to get at him or figure where he’s going to be,” Keke told BOSSIP. “ I’ve done that a few times. I’m definitely going and pulling up on that man. Yeah I’m doing that.”
“Definitely the aspect of getting lost in dickmatizment and relationship and energy to where you just cooked yourself because you were caught up in something ridiculous, but when you come to,” SZA said “I think I would have came to a little quicker, but at the same token the way that Alyssa was like, ‘Alright I’m down though. I got a plan — it’s terrible but I have a plan. And I feel like mine would have been terrible but I also would have a plan.”
Source: Courtesy / Sony Pictures
Issa Rae spoke to the financial issues highlighted in the film, reminiscing on some of her own past hard times.
“Actually poor decision-making when it comes to money,” Issa Rae added. “I would say I love a get rich quick scheme. Like I got a free T-shirt because I signed up for a credit card and then I ran up the debt on that credit card and it goes and goes, like it just goes and goes and goes. Like — I can get another credit card. I blame the system okay? Society. I was like 19, what was I doing?!”
SZA shared her personal bad experience with credit cards as well.
“Capitalism! You know what when I was 17, it was terrible. I got a Macy’s card — ruined my whole credit.”
It’s definitely no secret that the vast majority of folks are set up to fail when it comes to credit, so a whole lot of folks are definitely going to be able to relate to Alyssa and Dreux’s struggle!
On a more positive note — not all of us are fortunate to experience a friendship like Alyssa and Dreux! Keke and SZA took turns describing each other’s character to BOSSIP.
“Alyssa is that vulnerable, loving, artistic friend that we all want and need but never are interesting enough to keep,” Palmer said of SZA’s character. “Somehow Dreux is able to keep her interested and engaged. She’s the person that’s always going to be by your side and always figure out a solution no matter how crazy it gets. She’s not going to judge you, but with all of that love and understanding comes a little bit of calamity. There’s always some chaos or some crazy things going on and she somehow knows how to work through it and even if you don’t, she’s gonna take you along for the ride.”
“Damn that was perfect,” SZA responded. “I feel like Dreux’s character is so Type A, it’s so driven, it’s critical but it’s forgiving, it’s very — she also has a little bit of calamity in her, because why would you even attract this situation? Full of problem solving, full of loyalty and empathy, because even though you’re trying to better yourself and get this job and do some things you gotta go out and get your a** beat with your friend — because you love her. I feel like it’s a lot about telling your friend the truth. Just that drive and we both kind of motivate each other. I’m in the car and talking to you about how you don’t need nobody, to be a manager and all the things!”
As SZA was describing Keke’s character, Keke couldn’t help but jump in and agree.
“There’s also a really good speech that Alyssa has that hits on what you’re saying when things kind of get to a boiling point that I love — that comes from friendship,” Keke added. “When you actually aren’t judging your friend you have an opportunity to mirror yourself and to see yourself — because it is true. Dreux — it’s easy to blame Alyssa for being super extra and crazy because she’s crazier than you, but you are also crazy because you love that. You just have her to blame it on, but you’re the same person. That’s how it is in friendship. We always want to be like, ‘Oh no that’s you, that’s you!’ It’s like yeah, it’s us.”
“There’s aspects that I feel like that we wish we had in the movie that also it’s like, you want to be a little bit more careless, I want to be a little more on point,” SZA agreed.”
At the close of the interview Keke was saying what everyone will be thinking when she commended Issa Rae and One of Them Days writer Syreeta Singleton for creating dynamic characters who reflect what good friendships look like in real life.
The SZA and Keke collab is undefeated. We can’t wait for you to see Alyssa and Dreux in action.
One of Them Days is in theaters January 17.