WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW"."
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) YOU'VE SEEN MY NEXT GUEST IN
"FULL HOUSE," "FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS," AND "TRUE BLOOD."
SHE NOW STARS IN THE SERIES "UNDERGROUND."
PLEASE WELCOME JURNEE SMOLLETT-BELL!
>> HELLO!
>> Stephen: WELL, LOVELY TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME!
>> Stephen: AND MEETING YOU IN PERSON I AM NOT AT ALL SURPRISED
TO HEAR THAT YOU WERE JON BATISTE'S FIRST CRUSH, I
UNDERSTAND.
>> Jon: OH!
>> ME?
>> Stephen: THAT YOU HAD A CRUSH ON HER FROM AFAR WHEN YOU
WERE YOUNGER?
>> Jon: WOW, YOU GOT THE INSIDE INFORMATION, DIDN'T YOU.
>> Stephen: WE'VE GOT A RESEARCH TEAM HERE.
SO, ANYWAY, THIS YOUNG MAN, YOU WERE HIS FIRST CRUSH RIGHT OVER
THERE.
>> Jon: HELLO.
OH, MY GOODNESS!
HEY!
>> HELLO!
>> Jon: HELLO!
NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> I'M A HUGE FAN OF YOURS.
>> Jon: THANK YOU!
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: IT'S NOT A BAD
GIG, HEY, JON.
>> Jon: HEY, MAN, NOT BAD.
>> Stephen: WE HAD YOUR BROTHER ON HERE.
>HERE.
>> JESSE.
>> Stephen: WE HAD JESSE ON HERE FROM "EMPIRE."
WHO IS THE BETTER SMOLLETT?
>> I THINK JESSE WOULD TELL YOU ME ABSOLUTELY.
>> Stephen: HOW MANY OF THE SMOLLETTS ARE THERE.
>> SIX OF US PLEASE, I HAVE TO ASK YOU ONE MORE TIME.
>> JJORKS JAZZ, JESSE, JOCKEY.
>> Stephen: WHERE DO YOU FALL IN THE FAMILY?
>> I'M THE FOURTH.
I'M THE YOUNGEST GIRL.
ME AND MY SISTERS WERE THE ONLY GIRLS AND WE HELD ON TO EACH
OTHER FOR DEAR LIFE WITH FOUR BROTHER S.
>> Stephen: WELL, I'M ONE OF EIGHT BROTHERS AND THREE GIRLS.
>> OUCH!
>> Stephen: BUT WHATEVER YOUR FAMILY IS SEEMS NORMAL.
>> ABSOLUTELY!
IT'S YOUR NORMAL.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE BEEN PERFORMING SINCE YOU WERE A
BABY.
>> I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS SINCE I WAS 10 MONTHS
OLD.
>> Stephen: WHAT WERE YOU ACTING AT 10 MONTHS?
>> I WAS MODELING.
I WAS MODELING DIAPERS.
>> Stephen: AND HOW DOES ONE MODEL A DIAPER?
ISN'T IT SORT OF PLACED ON YOU?
>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO SIT PRETTY, AS I'M TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IN
THIS DRESS.
>> Stephen: DID YOU GET A LIFETIME SUPPLY OR SOMETHING JEW
KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WISH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED INTO
MY DEAL, BECAUSE NOW I'M A MOM.
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN, LIKE, VERY HELPFUL FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
>> Stephen: CONGRATULATIONS.
HOW OLD IS YOUR CHILD?
>> HE'S FOUR MONTHS OLD.
>> Stephen: FOUR MONTHS OLD!
WOW.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE, CONGRATULATIONS ON NOT
SEEMING EXHAUSTED.
>> YOU KNOW, I'M AN ACTRESS.
WE KNOW HOW TO LIE.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
BECAUSE WE JUST HAD FELICITY HUFFMAN OUT HERE AND SHE SAYS
SADE IT'S HORRIBLE.
>> DUDE!
LITERALLY, WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING SEASON TWO OF "UNDERGROUND," AND
MY SON SOUNDS DISOOIDZ NOW HE'S GOING TO STAY UP THROUGH THE
NIGHT ON THE PROMO TOUR.
>> Stephen: THEY WERE SMALL BUT RELENTLESS OPPONENTS?
>> OH, MY GOSH, TELL ME ABOUT IT.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S HIS NAME.
>> HUNTER ZION BELL.
>> Stephen: NO "J"?
>> DONE WITH IT.
I WAS LIKE ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE BREAKING THE CHAIN?
>> LISTEN, THE CYCLE HAS TO STOP, PEOPLE!
>> Stephen: NOW, ON "UNDERGROUND," YOU PLAY A
CHARACTER NAMED ROSALEE.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: WHO IS-- UNDERGROUND REFERS TO THE
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD IN THE SHOW.
WHO IS ROSALEE.
>> ROSALEE IN SEASON ONE WAS A YOUNG HOUSE SERVANT WHO WORKED,
IN THE HOUSE AND, YOU KNOW, HER FATHER WAS THE PLANTER, WAS A
PLANTATION OWNER.
DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT HE WAS.
AND IN SEASON ONE, WE SEE ROSALEE ESCAPES THE PLANTATION
AFTER HAVING NEVER BEEN OUTSIDE IN HER LIFE.
>> Stephen: WHERE IS THE PLANTATION?
>> MACON, GEORGIA.
SHE RUNS 600 MILES TO FREEDOM, WITH THE MACON SEVEN, HER
COMRADES.
SHE MAKES IT TO THE NORTH AT THE END OF THE SEASON ONE, AND MEETS
UP WITH HARRIET TUBMAN, WITH THE INTENTION OF GOING BACK.
AND IN SEASON TWO, WHICH PREMIERED THIS PAST WEDNESDAY,
WE SEE ME FIVE OR SIX-- YEAH, YOU CAN CLAP.
WE HAY GOOD PREMIERE.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE A CLIP HERE.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLIP?
>> SO, IN THIS CLIP, FIVE MONTHS HAVE PASSED.
I'VE BEEN TRAINED UP BY HARRIET TUBMAN TO LEARN HOW TO TRANSFER
CARG OH, WHICH ARE HUMAN BEINGS, TO FREEDOM.
AND IN THIS CLIB CLIP, I'M TRYING TO GET THIS GIE GOOI
WHO'S INJURED TO GET UP OFF OF HIS FEET.
>FEET.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT, JIM.
>> MOVE!
THROUGH THE TREES!
GO, GO, GO!
COME ON NOW!
COME ON!
WE'RE ALMOST THERE!
COME ON.
>> I CAN'T.
>> YES, YOU CAN!
NOW, LISTEN TO ME.
YOU GOT TWO CHOICES.
YOU GOT LIFE.
YOU GOT DEATH.
YOU'VE GOT TO TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS RIGHT NOW.
THAT ANIMAL, THAT ANIMAL INSIDE OF YOU, THAT FEAR, IT BE
POWERFUL.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE YOUR EYES BLINK WIDER, MAKE YOUR HEART
BEAT FASTER.
YOU HAVE TO TIEWZ RIGHT NOW.
IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.
( GASPING ) RUN!
>> Stephen: WOW.
WHAT ARE YOU-- ( APPLAUSE )
>> I DO-?
>> Stephen: THAT LOOKS LIKE A SCENE FROM "PULP FICTION."
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM THERE?
>> I'M GIVING HIM A SHOT OF ADRENALINE.
>> Stephen: WHAT?
THEY HAD ADRENALINE BACK THEN?
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MY CHARACTER IN THE DAYTIME, I WORK
AT A HOSPITAL UNDER AN ALIAS, SO I'M CONSTANTLY, LIKE, STEALING
MEDICINE.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> SO, YOU KNOW, I-- I'M GIVING HIM THIS BECAUSE HE'S BEEN
INJURED AND WE GOTTA-- WE GOTTA KEEP THE MISSION GOING.
>> Stephen: HOW DO YOU RESEARCH-- HOW DO YOU PRIEP TO
PLAY A ROLE IN A STORY SO INTENSE?
>> YOU KNOW, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF RESEARCH IN ORDER FOR YOU TO
SATURATE YOURSELF INTO THIS WORLD.
I WAS READING A LOT OF BOOKS, A LOT OF SLAVE NARRATIVES LIKE
"THE BULLWHIP DAYS" READING A FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNT WHAT IT WAS
LIKE TO BE A SLAVE, AND IT BROUGHT A LEVEL OF TRUTH TO ME.
THERE'S ONE STORY THAT REALLY BLEW ME AWAY IS THE STORY OF
ELLEN AND WILLIAM KRAFT.
SHE WAS AN ENCLAVED WOMAN, FAIR SKINNED, MARRIED TO WILLIAM
KRAFT, WHO WAS DAERK SKINNED.
THEY ESCAPED ON A TRAIN BY HER PRETENDING LIKE SHE WAS A WHITE
MAN.
>> Stephen: WHAT?
>> YES.
>> Stephen: LIKE SHE PUT HER HAIR UP IN A HAT?
>> SHE CUT HER HAIR OFF.
HE DISGUISE-- SHE DRESSED AS A MAN AND DECIDES HER AS A WHITE
MAN AND HER HUSBAND WAS DISGUISED AS HER MANSERVANT.
AND THEY GOT ON THE TRAIN AND RODE TO FREEDOM
( APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> THESE MEN AND WOMEN WERE GENIUS.
YOU KNOW, THEY REALLY WERE GENIUS.
AND THEY USED THEIR INSTINCTS.
THEY USED WITS.
THEY WERE SO BRILLIANT.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD THESE CHAINS BINDING THEM, THEY REALLY
USED THEIR HUMAN WILL TO GET THEIR FREEDOM.
>> Stephen: THEY SCREENED THIS THE FIRST SEASON AT THE WHITE
HOUSE, I UNDERSTAND.
>> LAST SEASON.
>> Stephen: LAST SEASON AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> LAST SANE.
>> Stephen: LAST SEASON AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
ANY CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO SCREEN THIS TAKEN AT THE WHITE
HOUSE?
>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN INVITATION!
>> Stephen: GOOD LUCK, GOOD LUCK.
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN YOU.
"UNDERGROUND" AIRS WEDNESDAY NIGHTS ON WGN AMERICA.
JURNEE SMOLLETT-BELL, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH COMEDIAN ANTHONY DeVITO.
STICK AROUND.