Aisha Willis, Message Maker

Hoda Kotb reveals an important lesson she learned after hearing a story from Sheryl Lee Ralph, and how important it is to know what you hold in your heart and keep moving forward “Three days ago, I did an interview with Sheryl Lee Ralph, who you guys know from Abbott Elementary. She won her Emmy at 60-something. She had all these blessings late in her career — her first Emmy at 60-something. And she said, ‘I wanna tell you something that happened to me.’ And I said, ‘Okay.’ She goes, ‘Early in my career, Robert De Niro said to me, “You’re a magnificent actress. It’s too bad that there are no roles for you, and you’re really gonna have to work super hard. But it’s kind of a shame that that’s the way it is. You’re gonna have to really plant the flag.”’ And I said, ‘Oh God, that’s...’ She goes, ‘Did you hear what I said?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ She said, ‘Robert De Niro said I’m a magnificent actress.’ That was her choice. Out of the whole sentence, she chose that part. And that’s why, at age 60-whatever, she got an Emmy. She has her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s a choice. Everything’s a choice." 🔗The Drew Barrymore Show