05x00 - Goin' Up Yonder
Posted: 09/14/21 07:52
Hey, "Greenleaf" people and fans.
You know, I'm Patti LaBelle here.
And I'm welcoming you
to the "Greenleaf
goin' up yonder special."
The premiere of "Greenleaf"
is in one week.
Tuesday, June rd at : P.M.
Tonight, I'm with the five Greenleafs...
Grace, Bishop, Lady Mae,
Jacob, and Charity.
We're taking a look back at
the Greenleafs' ups and downs,
the highs, lows, drama, tears,
twisted and misted and everything crazy.
And later, we'll hear
a special song performed by
"Greenleaf's" own Charity,
Deborah Joy Winans.
Okay, let's get started.
Merle Dandridge is captivating
as Grace Greenleaf,
the prodigal daughter
who returned to the flock after years.
Let's take a look and let's look
back at Grace's journey.
Watch this.
- Roll it.
- Action!
So what do you think are the key elements
that brought you to this moment?
Every little step along the way,
I've felt like I've been
following God's leading
and God's hand.
In all of those places, I can look back
and I can see his hand working
to bring me right here to Grace.
I don't preach anymore.
Grace is in a place where she is hurt
and wounded and figuring out that journey
and that is just so human.
Synced & corrected by -robtor-
www.addic ed.com
How has Grace evolved?
Well, from a girl who was
ready to just come home
give her sister some respect
at her funeral
and leave town to someone who is
in the pulpit preaching every Sunday...
Rise up!
...leaning very heavily
on her parents' wisdom,
working hard amending her relationship
with her brother and her sister,
helping her daughter
through her own faith walk,
creating a relationship
with her grown son
that she hasn't known his entire life,
this is a completely different person.
Her growth factor through the seasons
and how she has walked through
m*rder, through pastoring,
through a broken relationship,
I'm proud of her.
I'm proud of the woman that she's become
and the strength that she has
garnered for those around her
because she has walked through that.
She surrenders everything
giving way toward
ultimate healing and trying
to look beyond
those choices that she'd made
and really, really rectify it.
And this season, those are
the things that Grace
is going to go full throttle at
but none of that at the expense
of making home for her son
and making it right with her family.
Merle, you've been on Broadway
and television.
Playing Grace Greenleaf
is your first leading role.
It's a drama, a fierce drama.
And I hear you told Oprah that
getting this part
would make a dream come true.
And just... girl, you're doing it.
You're phenomenal.
Oh, thank you, Miss Patti.
I have so enjoyed the energy
that you brought to set.
And you made us all feel like
our auntie was wrapping us...
wrapping us in her arms.
And thank you for supporting
and bringing all of that light
that you bring.
But, yeah, a dream come true
is an understatement.
And, you know, Oprah did say
when we started this journey
that my life would change.
And, child, it has.
A hundredfold. It delivered on that.
I'll say that.
A fan on Facebook wants
to know how has Grace
grown over the years?
I've seen her
take a lot of her pain
and transform it into
a powerful ministry.
And by ministry,
I don't just mean her
being in the pulpit or...
it's how she walks through this world.
And one of the most wonderful
things about that
is that in any failure
or in any kind of trauma,
there is a beautiful testimony in it.
And there's something
redeemable in that pain.
And why I think the fans are
asking and why they resonate
with her journey and why they
want to fight for her
and why she fights for people
is because they can see
themselves in that.
And while we are in a time of
such heartache,
when we are in a time when...
I even find myself
reevaluating some...
some things that I had let pass as,
oh, this is how... this is
how things are, I suppose.
This is how we are invisible
or this is how we have been pushed down
that as I unravel those things,
I am galvanized.
I feel activated. I'll say that.
And I hope that in that journey
that they have seen with Grace,
that she has turned her
pain into her power,
that everyone within the sound
of my voice right now
knows that your pain right now
is going to be your power.
It is your power
and we will move forward.
And if you get anything out of
Grace's journey,
know that such a time as this
you are purposed for and your
path has great, great meaning.
So use it. Move forward in it.
Swagger in it. Walk strongly in it.
And know that your steps are ordered.
Wow.
What does it feel like to say
goodbye to Grace Greenleaf?
Are you happy with the way
Grace's journey ends?
Are you happy?
An ending, is really a beginning.
And if I were just creating
a fantasy world of Grace,
this girl, now that
she's done all of this healing,
and left all of her childhood
traumas behind,
I think for so long she was
stifled and silenced by the trauma
that she went through.
And it ruled her whole life
until we came together
with her on her journey
in the beginning of "Greenleaf"
in the first episode.
And then you've seen her take
off all of those childhood ways
as the scripture says.
I have left my childhood ways behind me.
And now she's walking forward
into a new self.
And in the small snippet of time
that we have all walked
with Grace's journey,
you've seen this huge growth.
So if I think way beyond.
The girl's a shot caller.
She's gonna keep going from
strength to strength.
Higher and higher.
And walking more firmly in her purpose
that God has put her on this earth for.
Hallelujah.
We know how the world's feeling
right now.
And, you know, the... the virus
and the protesting and I just
wanted to know how all of you
feel about everything
that's happening right now.
I think it's job, like,
, , something like that.
That says, even though he slay
us, yet shall we praise him.
Mm-hmm.
And, I mean, certainly there is
some literalness
- to that at this moment.
- Yes.
But I believe that there are
no mistakes in God's world.
Amen.
You know, there's a lot of
things that look bad.
- Yes.
- It looks hard.
But we have gone through
hard times before.
And there is... there is
the other side to it.
Now, how we Grace ourselves
through to that
other side is what this is about.
We are about... we are... we're
in the midst of the biggest...
one of the biggest transitions
we've ever been in this country.
- Culturally.
- Absolutely.
- Mm-hmm.
- And we have to pay attention.
Because really it's a human thing.
It certainly is a black thing.
But it's also a very human thing.
I mean, if human beings don't
get theirselves together,
there's gonna be a lot more destruction.
Whoo, you better preach.
So, you know, it's really...
this is a period of accountability.
And every one of us has to be accountable
- for your actions.
- Yes.
- For your intentions.
- Yes.
And, you know, we all have to
hold each other accountable
for what we do and what we witness.
- Amen.
- Yes, that's for sure.
So that's what I think anyway.
Okay.
It's like we all feel the same way.
We all... we're all thinking
the same thing.
And I think that God is gonna
show us a better way
- to love each other.
- Absolutely.
And especially to love each
other where you get a chance.
Because we don't know if
tonight's not promised.
So we've got to get on the good way.
"Greenleaf" fans,
we're gonna return in a moment.
WOMAN: Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.
So, Bishop James Greenleaf,
the patriarch of the Greenleaf family,
is played by the magnificent Keith David.
Here's a look at the Bishop.
Go, Bishop.
What was it about Greenleaf specifically
that drew you in to say yes.
I thought these people were real.
- I know these people.
- Yeah.
And the Bishop,
I-I immediately I identify with.
A man is allowed to be discerning.
A Pastor is required to be.
What I love about this exploration is
the preacher is just a man
and we hold him to a higher standard.
And we like to believe
that for the most part,
he's going to live up to that standard.
But sometimes, they fall short.
And not in always
hugely controversial ways.
Sometimes in small, familial ways.
Yes, yeah.
And that, again, was wonderfully
interesting to me.
After you, Pastor.
I think it was in season one
that he said to Grace...
This isn't preaching.
This is ministry.
Now that he's dealing with retirement,
I think he finds a different avenue
for ministry once he stops preaching.
There are other voices
that need to be heard,
that deserve to be heard.
So he rediscovers a different
purpose for his life.
So, Keith... I love it.
You said playing Bishop Greenleaf
was an opportunity to live your dream.
How so?
Well, you know, I used to want
to be a preacher.
So...
And there are lots of deacons
and people of the church in my family.
And I've been going to church
my whole life.
I just didn't want to be
the kind of preacher
that talked one thing on Sunday
and didn't walk that way
during the rest of the week.
You know, we've all seen that.
You know, I always thought of
acting as my ministry, you know.
And that was the way that God
spoke through me.
Having this opportunity
to play this man so long,
I mean, it was a...
it was a dream come true.
It was a fantasy come true.
Because I got to explore,
you know, okay, if I...
you know, if Keith was a preacher,
what would that life look like?
It happens that I-I also have
two daughters
that live at home now.
They're much younger
than Grace and Charity.
But when you... when you... when
you live with three women...
[LAUGHS] ...At a time,
that's a very particular way of living.
And, you know, all the... all that energy
under one roof, you know.
So, I mean, there were so many
wonderful parallels
and some of them literal.
In fact, my daughter said to her
mother, to my wife, she said,
"mommy, have you noticed that
Daddy's gotten more religious
since he started doing 'Greenleaf'?"
[LAUGHTER]
I said, get out of here, you...
But there's some truth in that.
So Bishop Greenleaf gave some advice.
He said, "before you do anything,
"check your heart and make sure
that you're acting from love."
And that's a good reminder
for us all right now.
- Amen.
- Go ahead, honey.
Both of my grandmothers,
in their own way,
used to always say whatever you do,
- always put God first.
- Yes.
You know, the preacher is just a man.
And... and prone to everything
that man is prey to...
ego, lust, avarice, greed.
And we always have to check
our motives in doing anything.
Because, you see, the ego
is a great crippler.
It'll make you think you're
doing something beneficent
when really you're
really out for yourself.
- Boy, you're so right.
- You gotta be careful.
Does the family save Calvary
in season five?
Can you give just a little hint?
I'll give you a little something.
The family gets
a-a new vision of themselves.
Mm, okay.
I think that's cryptic enough, you know.
[LAUGHTER]
You said it. You said something.
My gosh, thank you.
Well, the legendary Lynn
Whitfield plays Lady Mae,
the matriarch of the Calvary
church and the Greenleaf family.
Let's watch all of her juicy moments.
I mean, she has some moments
that were priceless.
And I said amen to a lot of 'em.
Check it out.
OPRAH: When I read the script
I thought I could hear your voice.
A strength like yours, dear,
is best expressed in stillness.
What did you think
when you first read this script?
I questioned who she was
and I think we're discovering
as we go Lady Mae is unfolding.
So I didn't quite know.
But I knew that this is
a woman that would be important
to bring to the screen.
The textures of this woman,
the flaws of this woman,
and the beauty of this woman
all very much interested me
'cause it's a lot of
little things to play.
Lady Mae has a love of her family,
a commitment to their legacy,
to their safety.
She has a mother's love for all of them
even though it doesn't
feel like it to them sometimes.
But her strongest leadership
quality is that of loving them.
So it is very important, I think,
at this time in our country
and the world,
to see a mature woman still seeking
to step into her purpose.
Take back the light.
Many woman seem to be
taking that journey with her.
So to see this woman look towards God,
to step into her purpose
and her true strength,
it seems to be resonating
with a lot of women,
lots of places.
At the end of the day,
that's why the fans
are so captivated by it all
'cause they want to see
how it shakes out in the end.
Wow.
Well, Lynn, you knew that
bringing a strong,
strong black woman from the south,
it just would make a big, big difference.
Why did you bring that lady?
Well, you know, there's not been many
strong Southern women
kind of boss lady, family woman,
true... you just haven't
seen them, you know,
swishing around in their pencil
skirts and stilettos.
And I have to say that up until the time
that this character came
which you played,
Lady Mae did not have
anyone that she could share herself with.
You know? She didn't have a confidant.
And so, Patti, when you came,
I'm telling you, we had so much fun.
- I had so much fun with you.
- Whoo!
That can't even... tons of laughs.
Did you know you were gonna
be as comedic as you were
you know, when you saw some of it?
No.
You had moments that were so funny.
Moments that were so touching.
- Just incredible.
- Wow.
You brought so much to our show.
And thank you so much for coming
and being my TV girlfriend
as well as my girlfriend.
I will always be your girlfriend.
TV or in the street.
Do you remember
when they had the day with Lady Mae
and it wasn't planned,
but I walked over to you
and did part of the sermon with you?
And when I saw the tears in your eyes,
it just gave me the confidence
that we were
saying something that maybe was,
you know, maybe would be
piercing people's hearts.
So that was one moment
I remember so much.
- And then...
- good.
...the day we had to be on
camera with no makeup.
That was too cute.
Like I said, you made me cry
when you portrayed the lady
when you did that...
that shouting scene almost.
You were jumping out
of the beautiful pumps almost.
Which you made me cry that day
because you're teaching me
how to be a better actress.
By watching you, I watched the best.
And I can't say that to a lot of people.
And I said it, yeah,
I sent you flowers the next day.
- Because you really...
- Oh, my God.
When I got to work the next day,
there was... there was a bouquet
of flowers that was
as big as the table it was sitting on.
Right, because you're unsung.
And I have to do what I have to
do to keep us black folks...
Oh.
...you know, on top, on top, on top.
And we have to keep
congratulating each other
when we do good, you know,
because a lot of folks
like to pull you back down.
But seeing you, you are
my teacher and my friend.
And we've never seen a family
like this on TV before,
you know? Let me ask you.
In the times that we're having
right now, how are you healing?
You know, how are you feeling
about everything?
- Life...
- Well...
Everything, everything, gosh.
I'm... I'm trying to adjust to
the new normal of the pandemic,
of covid- .
And learn the discipline,
to exercise all the protocols,
and to be patient because
we don't know where everything is headed.
Right.
I'm feeling both saddened
and hopeful that
we are uncovering
our other pandemic
at the moment of racism.
And the volatile nature
in which we now have seen
a black man treated
and have the history
of how we've been treated
and how we've been felt to be less than.
Maybe not human.
And I'm feeling very excited and hopeful
that I see people,
and so many young people of
all races in the streets
in London, in Berlin, in Brazil,
you know, all over this country
who are standing together.
Yeah.
And standing together for the right
that black lives do matter.
And that we need to change
so I am so hopeful.
Because it feels a little
different than it's felt before.
Mm-hmm.
More of the cast of "Greenleaf"
in a moment, darling.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo.
Lamman Rucker plays the only son of
Bishop and Lady Mae, Jacob Greenleaf.
And here's a look at
that sweet man right now.
MAN: Roll it.
WOMAN: And action.
Nice, Jacob. Make jokes.
It's just the truth.
I think what Jacob is fighting
for this season is his freedom,
really having the courage
to fight for his truth
even though other people
are gonna be hurt,
it's taken this long for Jacob
to finally stand up
and really fight for
what he thinks is right
and not feel guilty
about his own happiness.
There's just a number of different things
that happen throughout
the seasons that shake
Jacob's world up and question
the way he sees everything.
There's no place for me at Calvary.
Time's running out.
It's Faith's death,
it's going to therapy with Kerissa,
it's seeing the flaws in his father
for the first time.
When I found out that you,
supposedly a man of God,
gave the order to burn your own church...
I did no such thing.
The you I thought I knew died, too.
This upcoming season,
she goes an extra step.
This will.
So what do you think this means?
It really shakes
the entire family's foundation.
I'm gonna pray that you
and whoever's stepping to you
with that, come to peace.
Something new to deal with,
but it ain't a little thing,
this is a big thing.
[TONGUE CLICKS] We'll see what happens.
Lamman, do you think Jacob
has grown over the years?
Oh, yeah. [SCOFFS] And thank God he has.
Yeah.
He's definitely grown over the years.
I'm extremely proud of
not only what we've seen but, you know,
when you really live in the real
life and blood, skin, and bones
of this character,
it's so many moments that
actually people haven't seen,
but... but I know, right?
Because I'm living in his body
and in his heart.
There's so much that Jacob has learned.
So many ways that he's evolved.
I think it's been very apparent
that his evolution
and the things that he does better,
that he knows better,
and that you can see really deep
in his heart
that he's now significantly more
committed to and focused on,
it's extremely gratifying to
know where he started
and to see where he's going.
Because his voice, his power,
his beauty, his vulnerability,
these are all the things
that I think a lot of men,
period, but in particular a lot
of our black men and boys
have been desiring, you know,
to show and to express and to share
and to be transparent about
for a very long time.
So Jacob gave us all permission
to finally do that.
So it's an incredible privilege.
All right, so, listen,
everyone on Twitter wants
to see you find...
Real love
real love. Okay?
You've got to get your act
together, brother.
Yeah, I know. It's been tough.
But I think Jacob's real
challenge is always
his love of himself.
Struggling, again, with
the power of his Faith.
Really getting a firm hold of
what his value is to his family
and to himself.
I think a lot of men,
if they're really being honest,
what they often struggle with is
their own concept of self-worth.
And we see that a lot.
We see that in some of
the self-destructive behaviors
some of our men engage in.
We see how difficult it is not
only for them to love
but to receive love from one another
and from the women in their lives.
No matter how well-loved
or parented they may be.
No matter how much of a mama's boy he is,
he still struggles with
the love of a woman.
How to really do that
and how to really understand
that and to step up to that.
Jacob really needs a soft place to land.
But he also needs somebody to push him
and kick him in his behind.
But to do that in a way
that's loving and respectful.
Tasha and Jacob both feel trapped.
I think they feel isolated
and insulated in a way where
they're not really connected to
the people that they really love.
And they're not connected to the person
that they call their spouse
and they've got a lot in common.
And you never know if Kerissa and Jacob
might actually figure it out
and get their act together
similar to mom and dad
and redefine themselves
and maybe be able to take
their future to,
you know, to a new place. You never know.
It's possible to rewrite your story.
- Lamman.
- Excuse us.
Lamman.
I completely do not approve of
Jacob and Tasha.
And as your mother, oh, please.
Good, you telling me
move on, leave her behind?
Is that what you're saying, ma?
I'm telling you that
Tasha Skanks is exactly that.
And Lady Mae would not be
pleased with that union
so that would call
for a whole other situation.
See, mama... see, ma,
this is the problem.
This is the problem from the gate.
You made me marry Kerissa
in the first place.
You're gonna stop telling me
what to do with these women.
- You don't let me...
- look.
Tasha is not allowed up in this house.
I'm just saying, son,
I think you deserve better.
- Definitely.
- Wow, wow.
You never know, listen.
Rochelle's sister pops up, you know?
I mean, there's all kind of
possibilities.
You never know what happens.
- Well, now.
- That family needs to go.
Hey, look, maybe in the spin-off
I'll have have somebody
completely different
and brand-new
so I'm praying for that, too.
PATTI: "Greenleaf" fans,
we're gonna return in a moment.
WOMAN: Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo
Deborah Joy Winans, she plays Charity.
Yes, ma'am.
The youngest baby, baby child
of Bishop and Lady Mae
who has faced her fair share
of struggles.
Yes, yes.
Let's take a look at
my little baby right now.
Go, girl. Oh.
Made a lot of mistakes in my life
when we started, Charity was a child
in almost every sense of the word.
And she had to go through a lot of things
to get to where she is now.
She was married to a man that she loved
who, while she was at
the height of her pregnancy
with twins, told her he liked men.
You sit here and tell me
you have feelings about men
and you love me?
And that was such a physical
pain that she lost
one of the babies.
So she lost her husband, she lost a baby,
she had a baby,
she became a single parent.
I'm handling everything
that you left behind.
That's a lot to take on.
So she was forced to grow in a way
that she didn't know she needed.
I look at you now
and you've never been brighter.
Harmony and Hope taking over Calvary
and Grace stepping down...
It's time that sister of mine paid.
...has become an opportunity for Charity.
You just don't always want it
the way it comes.
The upcoming season is
a beautiful catastrophe.
Things happen in our lives
that feel like bombs exploding.
And you never know how
you're gonna put the pieces
back together.
But what's so beautiful about this
because it's a show built on Faith,
the b*mb exploded,
but God is putting these pieces
back together
in the most unexpected way.
Girl, you played the fool out
of your character.
And there are so many people,
viewers, who see themselves like Charity.
You see a lot of Deborah,
who I know as Deborah,
and they see a lot of Charity in them,
the struggles that, you know,
you've gone through.
And they're learning a lot thanks to you.
Absolutely.
I love... I love Charity.
I know that people feel a certain way
about her right now.
But what I love is she has grown.
She's made mistakes.
And she's not someone
that will be held hostage
to her mistakes or her past.
She learns and then she doesn't allow you
to drag her back there.
And I think what is so real
about her is that we do have
women that are constantly,
you know, feeling like they've
made the wrong choices.
They don't know how to get out of that.
And will God still love me?
And I did this.
So am I still called to preach?
Even though I really felt like
I was called to preach years ago.
But I made this mistake.
Your calling and your gift is
your calling.
And God never takes that back.
Well, great.
And, you know, what did you
learn from Charity
about forging, you know, your own path?
I learned that it's lonely sometimes
forging your own path.
I've learned that everyone
may not get it.
And that's okay.
I come from a family full of musicians.
They were singing since well
before I was even thought of.
I think I was the first one in my family
to go to college to get a BFA.
I went on to get an MFA.
It was something that was very different
from who they were
and what they wanted to do.
But I think that while it may be
somewhat of a lonely road
forging your own path,
lonely in the sense that you...
everyone isn't saying,
oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, you should do that.
Because they may not see it.
But God is with you.
And I think that's what I have
learned throughout my life
and I think that's what
Charity ultimately learns is
that whether anybody else
is with her, God is with her.
And so she's got to find
the right way to do it.
But she can absolutely walk her path
knowing that God is with her
and he'll meet her on the other side.
Now, I want to ask you a question.
Yes.
Will Charity you know,
get back with the family
on the final season?
Will she say, "hey, y'all, I'm back."
- Well...
- You don't have to tell me.
I think that
Charity always figures it out.
She always... even when
she does make a mistake,
she always kind of centers
herself back to,
okay, was this right?
And if it's not,
I think she finds a way to make it right.
And so, I think that going
into season five,
Charity's in a bad way.
She's just been broken up with
by the man who said he was gonna
give her all these things.
Make her AP, he loves her, he proposed,
and now they're no longer
getting married.
She is gonna take that pain
and I think she's gonna figure it out.
She's gonna find out whatever
that right way is
and I think she's gonna make
her way there.
So don't lose hope for Charity yet.
Don't lose hope.
No. Never.
She's like a good girl.
Oh, gosh. You're great, girl. Period.
We're gonna take a quick break.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Keith, do you have something
to say to the fans?
Keep watching.
As with any... any really good story,
when you see yourself
reflected, don't ignore it.
Pay attention.
Follow your path. Follow your heart.
Look for it. Yearn for it.
And don't be afraid of it.
That's for sure.
So, Lynn, fans are waiting to
hear what you want to say.
Well...
It's been an amazing ride with them.
Your journey with us
has been the most meaningful thing to me.
To sit with my "Greenleaf" fan family
for five seasons.
That's like almost five years.
Really, that's longer than I was
ever married to anybody,
really, ever in my life.
- [LAUGHTER]
- You're special, girl.
I just have to say thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for how you've received us
and supported us.
And any of the good lessons that
you got, take it with you
and use them like a good mercenary would.
Just use everything that
you received from us.
And I love you all so, so much.
You better talk, Lynn.
Lamman, my darling person,
what would you say to the fans?
I love you, darling, I do.
Yeah, I think what I would say
to the fans is...
is also really just thank you.
I think their gratitude
for what we gave to them
couldn't be any greater
than our gratitude
for what they gave to us.
I took this role and this opportunity
really as a chance to speak up
for... for our fans.
To speak up for our community.
To speak up for our young
black men and boys.
You know, to really kind of show
and speak to the resilience
and the... and the fight
and the determination
and the love and pride and...
and vigor and, like, you know,
the visceral kind of conviction
that really lives in every
single one of us.
But to try to show what that
journey looks like.
So I think this show has really become
kind of a-a catalyst
for the kind of unity
that we all are longing for
and needing for
and searching for in the world right now.
- Wow.
- So I think that's where we are.
That's what we need.
I mean, the real pandemic is racism.
You said it, my dear.
Miss Deborah, you have something
for the fans? I know you do.
Yes.
Just... just a true thank you.
You know, without you,
we don't have a show.
What I love about the Greenleaf family
is that they're all so flawed.
And I remember my husband
telling me early...
early on in our marriage,
I would always try to present
like I knew what I was doing.
I knew what he needed.
And I'm this perfect little wife.
And I'm this and I'm that.
And I remember him telling me,
Joy, you're not perfect.
You're flawed, but it's okay.
Because only once you see
the flaw, you see the beauty.
And looking at this Greenleaf
family, at how flawed they are,
they are so beautiful.
So I would tell fans thank you
and to embrace your flaws.
And grow and see the beauty
in all that you are
and all that God has created you to be.
So let's do that together as a family.
As a human family. And thank you.
Oh, wow. Thank you.
Merle, it's your turn.
I know you have thoughts
and all beautiful stuff to say
to the fans.
They're waiting for you.
Thank you seems
underwhelming a sentiment.
This has been a profound time in my life.
And I've seen every comment.
I've seen every kind word.
I've enjoyed the conversations
on the street.
I've enjoyed being part of this family.
The intention that
Oprah Winfrey, Craig Wright,
and Clement Virgo,
our executive producing team
along with many, many others
that you don't get to hear
the names of have created something that
has put a spotlight
on our experience
and made so many people feel
seen and understood.
And it has stretched just...
beyond just the experience
of the black church.
It is universal the things
that we have covered.
Right now, I'm thinking of
the power of those
cameras that we hold up
and how much being seen
and visibility can do.
And...
What that has done for
making certain things that
we have lived through come to
the light, I ask if you have
gained something,
pay it forward and make sure that you are
paying attention where things
are not being seen.
And we love you.
We love you that you held
our hand through this.
We have loved walking alongside
you with this.
And I want to say a special
thank you to my family here
and also to Oprah.
Girl, you answered that call.
- We're all blessed by you.
- Amen.
Thank you so much for being
a part of that.
PATTI: More with the Greenleafs
in just a moment.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
We're gonna just leave you soon.
But Deborah, she's going to bless us
with her beautiful voice with
the song that I love.
I love "The Master's Call."
When I met her, I told her that
that song I'll have to play
every day at least three or four
times because it's a phenomenal
song and her voice is...
they'll never say no to you,
girl, again for anything because
you're talented in so many ways.
So let's take it away, Deborah. Hit it.
I love you.
Thank you, I love you,
I love you, family.
♪ Listen while you still can hear ♪
♪ listen while you still can hear ♪
♪ the master's call ♪
♪ the master's calling ♪
♪ Bow down while your knees still bend ♪
♪ bow down while your knees still bend ♪
♪ the master's calling ♪
♪ the master's calling ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I don't wanna walk away ♪
♪ walk away from him ♪
♪ oh, no ♪
♪ I need to walk beside ♪
♪ bind us to your side ♪
Thank you so much.
Thank you, family. I love you all.
- Wonderful.
- Hug.
- Thanks, sis.
- Virtual hug.
- I know.
- Virtual hug.
Oh. Mwah.
You know, I'm Patti LaBelle here.
And I'm welcoming you
to the "Greenleaf
goin' up yonder special."
The premiere of "Greenleaf"
is in one week.
Tuesday, June rd at : P.M.
Tonight, I'm with the five Greenleafs...
Grace, Bishop, Lady Mae,
Jacob, and Charity.
We're taking a look back at
the Greenleafs' ups and downs,
the highs, lows, drama, tears,
twisted and misted and everything crazy.
And later, we'll hear
a special song performed by
"Greenleaf's" own Charity,
Deborah Joy Winans.
Okay, let's get started.
Merle Dandridge is captivating
as Grace Greenleaf,
the prodigal daughter
who returned to the flock after years.
Let's take a look and let's look
back at Grace's journey.
Watch this.
- Roll it.
- Action!
So what do you think are the key elements
that brought you to this moment?
Every little step along the way,
I've felt like I've been
following God's leading
and God's hand.
In all of those places, I can look back
and I can see his hand working
to bring me right here to Grace.
I don't preach anymore.
Grace is in a place where she is hurt
and wounded and figuring out that journey
and that is just so human.
Synced & corrected by -robtor-
www.addic ed.com
How has Grace evolved?
Well, from a girl who was
ready to just come home
give her sister some respect
at her funeral
and leave town to someone who is
in the pulpit preaching every Sunday...
Rise up!
...leaning very heavily
on her parents' wisdom,
working hard amending her relationship
with her brother and her sister,
helping her daughter
through her own faith walk,
creating a relationship
with her grown son
that she hasn't known his entire life,
this is a completely different person.
Her growth factor through the seasons
and how she has walked through
m*rder, through pastoring,
through a broken relationship,
I'm proud of her.
I'm proud of the woman that she's become
and the strength that she has
garnered for those around her
because she has walked through that.
She surrenders everything
giving way toward
ultimate healing and trying
to look beyond
those choices that she'd made
and really, really rectify it.
And this season, those are
the things that Grace
is going to go full throttle at
but none of that at the expense
of making home for her son
and making it right with her family.
Merle, you've been on Broadway
and television.
Playing Grace Greenleaf
is your first leading role.
It's a drama, a fierce drama.
And I hear you told Oprah that
getting this part
would make a dream come true.
And just... girl, you're doing it.
You're phenomenal.
Oh, thank you, Miss Patti.
I have so enjoyed the energy
that you brought to set.
And you made us all feel like
our auntie was wrapping us...
wrapping us in her arms.
And thank you for supporting
and bringing all of that light
that you bring.
But, yeah, a dream come true
is an understatement.
And, you know, Oprah did say
when we started this journey
that my life would change.
And, child, it has.
A hundredfold. It delivered on that.
I'll say that.
A fan on Facebook wants
to know how has Grace
grown over the years?
I've seen her
take a lot of her pain
and transform it into
a powerful ministry.
And by ministry,
I don't just mean her
being in the pulpit or...
it's how she walks through this world.
And one of the most wonderful
things about that
is that in any failure
or in any kind of trauma,
there is a beautiful testimony in it.
And there's something
redeemable in that pain.
And why I think the fans are
asking and why they resonate
with her journey and why they
want to fight for her
and why she fights for people
is because they can see
themselves in that.
And while we are in a time of
such heartache,
when we are in a time when...
I even find myself
reevaluating some...
some things that I had let pass as,
oh, this is how... this is
how things are, I suppose.
This is how we are invisible
or this is how we have been pushed down
that as I unravel those things,
I am galvanized.
I feel activated. I'll say that.
And I hope that in that journey
that they have seen with Grace,
that she has turned her
pain into her power,
that everyone within the sound
of my voice right now
knows that your pain right now
is going to be your power.
It is your power
and we will move forward.
And if you get anything out of
Grace's journey,
know that such a time as this
you are purposed for and your
path has great, great meaning.
So use it. Move forward in it.
Swagger in it. Walk strongly in it.
And know that your steps are ordered.
Wow.
What does it feel like to say
goodbye to Grace Greenleaf?
Are you happy with the way
Grace's journey ends?
Are you happy?
An ending, is really a beginning.
And if I were just creating
a fantasy world of Grace,
this girl, now that
she's done all of this healing,
and left all of her childhood
traumas behind,
I think for so long she was
stifled and silenced by the trauma
that she went through.
And it ruled her whole life
until we came together
with her on her journey
in the beginning of "Greenleaf"
in the first episode.
And then you've seen her take
off all of those childhood ways
as the scripture says.
I have left my childhood ways behind me.
And now she's walking forward
into a new self.
And in the small snippet of time
that we have all walked
with Grace's journey,
you've seen this huge growth.
So if I think way beyond.
The girl's a shot caller.
She's gonna keep going from
strength to strength.
Higher and higher.
And walking more firmly in her purpose
that God has put her on this earth for.
Hallelujah.
We know how the world's feeling
right now.
And, you know, the... the virus
and the protesting and I just
wanted to know how all of you
feel about everything
that's happening right now.
I think it's job, like,
, , something like that.
That says, even though he slay
us, yet shall we praise him.
Mm-hmm.
And, I mean, certainly there is
some literalness
- to that at this moment.
- Yes.
But I believe that there are
no mistakes in God's world.
Amen.
You know, there's a lot of
things that look bad.
- Yes.
- It looks hard.
But we have gone through
hard times before.
And there is... there is
the other side to it.
Now, how we Grace ourselves
through to that
other side is what this is about.
We are about... we are... we're
in the midst of the biggest...
one of the biggest transitions
we've ever been in this country.
- Culturally.
- Absolutely.
- Mm-hmm.
- And we have to pay attention.
Because really it's a human thing.
It certainly is a black thing.
But it's also a very human thing.
I mean, if human beings don't
get theirselves together,
there's gonna be a lot more destruction.
Whoo, you better preach.
So, you know, it's really...
this is a period of accountability.
And every one of us has to be accountable
- for your actions.
- Yes.
- For your intentions.
- Yes.
And, you know, we all have to
hold each other accountable
for what we do and what we witness.
- Amen.
- Yes, that's for sure.
So that's what I think anyway.
Okay.
It's like we all feel the same way.
We all... we're all thinking
the same thing.
And I think that God is gonna
show us a better way
- to love each other.
- Absolutely.
And especially to love each
other where you get a chance.
Because we don't know if
tonight's not promised.
So we've got to get on the good way.
"Greenleaf" fans,
we're gonna return in a moment.
WOMAN: Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.
So, Bishop James Greenleaf,
the patriarch of the Greenleaf family,
is played by the magnificent Keith David.
Here's a look at the Bishop.
Go, Bishop.
What was it about Greenleaf specifically
that drew you in to say yes.
I thought these people were real.
- I know these people.
- Yeah.
And the Bishop,
I-I immediately I identify with.
A man is allowed to be discerning.
A Pastor is required to be.
What I love about this exploration is
the preacher is just a man
and we hold him to a higher standard.
And we like to believe
that for the most part,
he's going to live up to that standard.
But sometimes, they fall short.
And not in always
hugely controversial ways.
Sometimes in small, familial ways.
Yes, yeah.
And that, again, was wonderfully
interesting to me.
After you, Pastor.
I think it was in season one
that he said to Grace...
This isn't preaching.
This is ministry.
Now that he's dealing with retirement,
I think he finds a different avenue
for ministry once he stops preaching.
There are other voices
that need to be heard,
that deserve to be heard.
So he rediscovers a different
purpose for his life.
So, Keith... I love it.
You said playing Bishop Greenleaf
was an opportunity to live your dream.
How so?
Well, you know, I used to want
to be a preacher.
So...
And there are lots of deacons
and people of the church in my family.
And I've been going to church
my whole life.
I just didn't want to be
the kind of preacher
that talked one thing on Sunday
and didn't walk that way
during the rest of the week.
You know, we've all seen that.
You know, I always thought of
acting as my ministry, you know.
And that was the way that God
spoke through me.
Having this opportunity
to play this man so long,
I mean, it was a...
it was a dream come true.
It was a fantasy come true.
Because I got to explore,
you know, okay, if I...
you know, if Keith was a preacher,
what would that life look like?
It happens that I-I also have
two daughters
that live at home now.
They're much younger
than Grace and Charity.
But when you... when you... when
you live with three women...
[LAUGHS] ...At a time,
that's a very particular way of living.
And, you know, all the... all that energy
under one roof, you know.
So, I mean, there were so many
wonderful parallels
and some of them literal.
In fact, my daughter said to her
mother, to my wife, she said,
"mommy, have you noticed that
Daddy's gotten more religious
since he started doing 'Greenleaf'?"
[LAUGHTER]
I said, get out of here, you...
But there's some truth in that.
So Bishop Greenleaf gave some advice.
He said, "before you do anything,
"check your heart and make sure
that you're acting from love."
And that's a good reminder
for us all right now.
- Amen.
- Go ahead, honey.
Both of my grandmothers,
in their own way,
used to always say whatever you do,
- always put God first.
- Yes.
You know, the preacher is just a man.
And... and prone to everything
that man is prey to...
ego, lust, avarice, greed.
And we always have to check
our motives in doing anything.
Because, you see, the ego
is a great crippler.
It'll make you think you're
doing something beneficent
when really you're
really out for yourself.
- Boy, you're so right.
- You gotta be careful.
Does the family save Calvary
in season five?
Can you give just a little hint?
I'll give you a little something.
The family gets
a-a new vision of themselves.
Mm, okay.
I think that's cryptic enough, you know.
[LAUGHTER]
You said it. You said something.
My gosh, thank you.
Well, the legendary Lynn
Whitfield plays Lady Mae,
the matriarch of the Calvary
church and the Greenleaf family.
Let's watch all of her juicy moments.
I mean, she has some moments
that were priceless.
And I said amen to a lot of 'em.
Check it out.
OPRAH: When I read the script
I thought I could hear your voice.
A strength like yours, dear,
is best expressed in stillness.
What did you think
when you first read this script?
I questioned who she was
and I think we're discovering
as we go Lady Mae is unfolding.
So I didn't quite know.
But I knew that this is
a woman that would be important
to bring to the screen.
The textures of this woman,
the flaws of this woman,
and the beauty of this woman
all very much interested me
'cause it's a lot of
little things to play.
Lady Mae has a love of her family,
a commitment to their legacy,
to their safety.
She has a mother's love for all of them
even though it doesn't
feel like it to them sometimes.
But her strongest leadership
quality is that of loving them.
So it is very important, I think,
at this time in our country
and the world,
to see a mature woman still seeking
to step into her purpose.
Take back the light.
Many woman seem to be
taking that journey with her.
So to see this woman look towards God,
to step into her purpose
and her true strength,
it seems to be resonating
with a lot of women,
lots of places.
At the end of the day,
that's why the fans
are so captivated by it all
'cause they want to see
how it shakes out in the end.
Wow.
Well, Lynn, you knew that
bringing a strong,
strong black woman from the south,
it just would make a big, big difference.
Why did you bring that lady?
Well, you know, there's not been many
strong Southern women
kind of boss lady, family woman,
true... you just haven't
seen them, you know,
swishing around in their pencil
skirts and stilettos.
And I have to say that up until the time
that this character came
which you played,
Lady Mae did not have
anyone that she could share herself with.
You know? She didn't have a confidant.
And so, Patti, when you came,
I'm telling you, we had so much fun.
- I had so much fun with you.
- Whoo!
That can't even... tons of laughs.
Did you know you were gonna
be as comedic as you were
you know, when you saw some of it?
No.
You had moments that were so funny.
Moments that were so touching.
- Just incredible.
- Wow.
You brought so much to our show.
And thank you so much for coming
and being my TV girlfriend
as well as my girlfriend.
I will always be your girlfriend.
TV or in the street.
Do you remember
when they had the day with Lady Mae
and it wasn't planned,
but I walked over to you
and did part of the sermon with you?
And when I saw the tears in your eyes,
it just gave me the confidence
that we were
saying something that maybe was,
you know, maybe would be
piercing people's hearts.
So that was one moment
I remember so much.
- And then...
- good.
...the day we had to be on
camera with no makeup.
That was too cute.
Like I said, you made me cry
when you portrayed the lady
when you did that...
that shouting scene almost.
You were jumping out
of the beautiful pumps almost.
Which you made me cry that day
because you're teaching me
how to be a better actress.
By watching you, I watched the best.
And I can't say that to a lot of people.
And I said it, yeah,
I sent you flowers the next day.
- Because you really...
- Oh, my God.
When I got to work the next day,
there was... there was a bouquet
of flowers that was
as big as the table it was sitting on.
Right, because you're unsung.
And I have to do what I have to
do to keep us black folks...
Oh.
...you know, on top, on top, on top.
And we have to keep
congratulating each other
when we do good, you know,
because a lot of folks
like to pull you back down.
But seeing you, you are
my teacher and my friend.
And we've never seen a family
like this on TV before,
you know? Let me ask you.
In the times that we're having
right now, how are you healing?
You know, how are you feeling
about everything?
- Life...
- Well...
Everything, everything, gosh.
I'm... I'm trying to adjust to
the new normal of the pandemic,
of covid- .
And learn the discipline,
to exercise all the protocols,
and to be patient because
we don't know where everything is headed.
Right.
I'm feeling both saddened
and hopeful that
we are uncovering
our other pandemic
at the moment of racism.
And the volatile nature
in which we now have seen
a black man treated
and have the history
of how we've been treated
and how we've been felt to be less than.
Maybe not human.
And I'm feeling very excited and hopeful
that I see people,
and so many young people of
all races in the streets
in London, in Berlin, in Brazil,
you know, all over this country
who are standing together.
Yeah.
And standing together for the right
that black lives do matter.
And that we need to change
so I am so hopeful.
Because it feels a little
different than it's felt before.
Mm-hmm.
More of the cast of "Greenleaf"
in a moment, darling.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo.
Lamman Rucker plays the only son of
Bishop and Lady Mae, Jacob Greenleaf.
And here's a look at
that sweet man right now.
MAN: Roll it.
WOMAN: And action.
Nice, Jacob. Make jokes.
It's just the truth.
I think what Jacob is fighting
for this season is his freedom,
really having the courage
to fight for his truth
even though other people
are gonna be hurt,
it's taken this long for Jacob
to finally stand up
and really fight for
what he thinks is right
and not feel guilty
about his own happiness.
There's just a number of different things
that happen throughout
the seasons that shake
Jacob's world up and question
the way he sees everything.
There's no place for me at Calvary.
Time's running out.
It's Faith's death,
it's going to therapy with Kerissa,
it's seeing the flaws in his father
for the first time.
When I found out that you,
supposedly a man of God,
gave the order to burn your own church...
I did no such thing.
The you I thought I knew died, too.
This upcoming season,
she goes an extra step.
This will.
So what do you think this means?
It really shakes
the entire family's foundation.
I'm gonna pray that you
and whoever's stepping to you
with that, come to peace.
Something new to deal with,
but it ain't a little thing,
this is a big thing.
[TONGUE CLICKS] We'll see what happens.
Lamman, do you think Jacob
has grown over the years?
Oh, yeah. [SCOFFS] And thank God he has.
Yeah.
He's definitely grown over the years.
I'm extremely proud of
not only what we've seen but, you know,
when you really live in the real
life and blood, skin, and bones
of this character,
it's so many moments that
actually people haven't seen,
but... but I know, right?
Because I'm living in his body
and in his heart.
There's so much that Jacob has learned.
So many ways that he's evolved.
I think it's been very apparent
that his evolution
and the things that he does better,
that he knows better,
and that you can see really deep
in his heart
that he's now significantly more
committed to and focused on,
it's extremely gratifying to
know where he started
and to see where he's going.
Because his voice, his power,
his beauty, his vulnerability,
these are all the things
that I think a lot of men,
period, but in particular a lot
of our black men and boys
have been desiring, you know,
to show and to express and to share
and to be transparent about
for a very long time.
So Jacob gave us all permission
to finally do that.
So it's an incredible privilege.
All right, so, listen,
everyone on Twitter wants
to see you find...
Real love
real love. Okay?
You've got to get your act
together, brother.
Yeah, I know. It's been tough.
But I think Jacob's real
challenge is always
his love of himself.
Struggling, again, with
the power of his Faith.
Really getting a firm hold of
what his value is to his family
and to himself.
I think a lot of men,
if they're really being honest,
what they often struggle with is
their own concept of self-worth.
And we see that a lot.
We see that in some of
the self-destructive behaviors
some of our men engage in.
We see how difficult it is not
only for them to love
but to receive love from one another
and from the women in their lives.
No matter how well-loved
or parented they may be.
No matter how much of a mama's boy he is,
he still struggles with
the love of a woman.
How to really do that
and how to really understand
that and to step up to that.
Jacob really needs a soft place to land.
But he also needs somebody to push him
and kick him in his behind.
But to do that in a way
that's loving and respectful.
Tasha and Jacob both feel trapped.
I think they feel isolated
and insulated in a way where
they're not really connected to
the people that they really love.
And they're not connected to the person
that they call their spouse
and they've got a lot in common.
And you never know if Kerissa and Jacob
might actually figure it out
and get their act together
similar to mom and dad
and redefine themselves
and maybe be able to take
their future to,
you know, to a new place. You never know.
It's possible to rewrite your story.
- Lamman.
- Excuse us.
Lamman.
I completely do not approve of
Jacob and Tasha.
And as your mother, oh, please.
Good, you telling me
move on, leave her behind?
Is that what you're saying, ma?
I'm telling you that
Tasha Skanks is exactly that.
And Lady Mae would not be
pleased with that union
so that would call
for a whole other situation.
See, mama... see, ma,
this is the problem.
This is the problem from the gate.
You made me marry Kerissa
in the first place.
You're gonna stop telling me
what to do with these women.
- You don't let me...
- look.
Tasha is not allowed up in this house.
I'm just saying, son,
I think you deserve better.
- Definitely.
- Wow, wow.
You never know, listen.
Rochelle's sister pops up, you know?
I mean, there's all kind of
possibilities.
You never know what happens.
- Well, now.
- That family needs to go.
Hey, look, maybe in the spin-off
I'll have have somebody
completely different
and brand-new
so I'm praying for that, too.
PATTI: "Greenleaf" fans,
we're gonna return in a moment.
WOMAN: Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo
Deborah Joy Winans, she plays Charity.
Yes, ma'am.
The youngest baby, baby child
of Bishop and Lady Mae
who has faced her fair share
of struggles.
Yes, yes.
Let's take a look at
my little baby right now.
Go, girl. Oh.
Made a lot of mistakes in my life
when we started, Charity was a child
in almost every sense of the word.
And she had to go through a lot of things
to get to where she is now.
She was married to a man that she loved
who, while she was at
the height of her pregnancy
with twins, told her he liked men.
You sit here and tell me
you have feelings about men
and you love me?
And that was such a physical
pain that she lost
one of the babies.
So she lost her husband, she lost a baby,
she had a baby,
she became a single parent.
I'm handling everything
that you left behind.
That's a lot to take on.
So she was forced to grow in a way
that she didn't know she needed.
I look at you now
and you've never been brighter.
Harmony and Hope taking over Calvary
and Grace stepping down...
It's time that sister of mine paid.
...has become an opportunity for Charity.
You just don't always want it
the way it comes.
The upcoming season is
a beautiful catastrophe.
Things happen in our lives
that feel like bombs exploding.
And you never know how
you're gonna put the pieces
back together.
But what's so beautiful about this
because it's a show built on Faith,
the b*mb exploded,
but God is putting these pieces
back together
in the most unexpected way.
Girl, you played the fool out
of your character.
And there are so many people,
viewers, who see themselves like Charity.
You see a lot of Deborah,
who I know as Deborah,
and they see a lot of Charity in them,
the struggles that, you know,
you've gone through.
And they're learning a lot thanks to you.
Absolutely.
I love... I love Charity.
I know that people feel a certain way
about her right now.
But what I love is she has grown.
She's made mistakes.
And she's not someone
that will be held hostage
to her mistakes or her past.
She learns and then she doesn't allow you
to drag her back there.
And I think what is so real
about her is that we do have
women that are constantly,
you know, feeling like they've
made the wrong choices.
They don't know how to get out of that.
And will God still love me?
And I did this.
So am I still called to preach?
Even though I really felt like
I was called to preach years ago.
But I made this mistake.
Your calling and your gift is
your calling.
And God never takes that back.
Well, great.
And, you know, what did you
learn from Charity
about forging, you know, your own path?
I learned that it's lonely sometimes
forging your own path.
I've learned that everyone
may not get it.
And that's okay.
I come from a family full of musicians.
They were singing since well
before I was even thought of.
I think I was the first one in my family
to go to college to get a BFA.
I went on to get an MFA.
It was something that was very different
from who they were
and what they wanted to do.
But I think that while it may be
somewhat of a lonely road
forging your own path,
lonely in the sense that you...
everyone isn't saying,
oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, you should do that.
Because they may not see it.
But God is with you.
And I think that's what I have
learned throughout my life
and I think that's what
Charity ultimately learns is
that whether anybody else
is with her, God is with her.
And so she's got to find
the right way to do it.
But she can absolutely walk her path
knowing that God is with her
and he'll meet her on the other side.
Now, I want to ask you a question.
Yes.
Will Charity you know,
get back with the family
on the final season?
Will she say, "hey, y'all, I'm back."
- Well...
- You don't have to tell me.
I think that
Charity always figures it out.
She always... even when
she does make a mistake,
she always kind of centers
herself back to,
okay, was this right?
And if it's not,
I think she finds a way to make it right.
And so, I think that going
into season five,
Charity's in a bad way.
She's just been broken up with
by the man who said he was gonna
give her all these things.
Make her AP, he loves her, he proposed,
and now they're no longer
getting married.
She is gonna take that pain
and I think she's gonna figure it out.
She's gonna find out whatever
that right way is
and I think she's gonna make
her way there.
So don't lose hope for Charity yet.
Don't lose hope.
No. Never.
She's like a good girl.
Oh, gosh. You're great, girl. Period.
We're gonna take a quick break.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo
Keith, do you have something
to say to the fans?
Keep watching.
As with any... any really good story,
when you see yourself
reflected, don't ignore it.
Pay attention.
Follow your path. Follow your heart.
Look for it. Yearn for it.
And don't be afraid of it.
That's for sure.
So, Lynn, fans are waiting to
hear what you want to say.
Well...
It's been an amazing ride with them.
Your journey with us
has been the most meaningful thing to me.
To sit with my "Greenleaf" fan family
for five seasons.
That's like almost five years.
Really, that's longer than I was
ever married to anybody,
really, ever in my life.
- [LAUGHTER]
- You're special, girl.
I just have to say thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart
for how you've received us
and supported us.
And any of the good lessons that
you got, take it with you
and use them like a good mercenary would.
Just use everything that
you received from us.
And I love you all so, so much.
You better talk, Lynn.
Lamman, my darling person,
what would you say to the fans?
I love you, darling, I do.
Yeah, I think what I would say
to the fans is...
is also really just thank you.
I think their gratitude
for what we gave to them
couldn't be any greater
than our gratitude
for what they gave to us.
I took this role and this opportunity
really as a chance to speak up
for... for our fans.
To speak up for our community.
To speak up for our young
black men and boys.
You know, to really kind of show
and speak to the resilience
and the... and the fight
and the determination
and the love and pride and...
and vigor and, like, you know,
the visceral kind of conviction
that really lives in every
single one of us.
But to try to show what that
journey looks like.
So I think this show has really become
kind of a-a catalyst
for the kind of unity
that we all are longing for
and needing for
and searching for in the world right now.
- Wow.
- So I think that's where we are.
That's what we need.
I mean, the real pandemic is racism.
You said it, my dear.
Miss Deborah, you have something
for the fans? I know you do.
Yes.
Just... just a true thank you.
You know, without you,
we don't have a show.
What I love about the Greenleaf family
is that they're all so flawed.
And I remember my husband
telling me early...
early on in our marriage,
I would always try to present
like I knew what I was doing.
I knew what he needed.
And I'm this perfect little wife.
And I'm this and I'm that.
And I remember him telling me,
Joy, you're not perfect.
You're flawed, but it's okay.
Because only once you see
the flaw, you see the beauty.
And looking at this Greenleaf
family, at how flawed they are,
they are so beautiful.
So I would tell fans thank you
and to embrace your flaws.
And grow and see the beauty
in all that you are
and all that God has created you to be.
So let's do that together as a family.
As a human family. And thank you.
Oh, wow. Thank you.
Merle, it's your turn.
I know you have thoughts
and all beautiful stuff to say
to the fans.
They're waiting for you.
Thank you seems
underwhelming a sentiment.
This has been a profound time in my life.
And I've seen every comment.
I've seen every kind word.
I've enjoyed the conversations
on the street.
I've enjoyed being part of this family.
The intention that
Oprah Winfrey, Craig Wright,
and Clement Virgo,
our executive producing team
along with many, many others
that you don't get to hear
the names of have created something that
has put a spotlight
on our experience
and made so many people feel
seen and understood.
And it has stretched just...
beyond just the experience
of the black church.
It is universal the things
that we have covered.
Right now, I'm thinking of
the power of those
cameras that we hold up
and how much being seen
and visibility can do.
And...
What that has done for
making certain things that
we have lived through come to
the light, I ask if you have
gained something,
pay it forward and make sure that you are
paying attention where things
are not being seen.
And we love you.
We love you that you held
our hand through this.
We have loved walking alongside
you with this.
And I want to say a special
thank you to my family here
and also to Oprah.
Girl, you answered that call.
- We're all blessed by you.
- Amen.
Thank you so much for being
a part of that.
PATTI: More with the Greenleafs
in just a moment.
Whoa, oh, oh, oh
whoa, oh, oh, oh
We're gonna just leave you soon.
But Deborah, she's going to bless us
with her beautiful voice with
the song that I love.
I love "The Master's Call."
When I met her, I told her that
that song I'll have to play
every day at least three or four
times because it's a phenomenal
song and her voice is...
they'll never say no to you,
girl, again for anything because
you're talented in so many ways.
So let's take it away, Deborah. Hit it.
I love you.
Thank you, I love you,
I love you, family.
♪ Listen while you still can hear ♪
♪ listen while you still can hear ♪
♪ the master's call ♪
♪ the master's calling ♪
♪ Bow down while your knees still bend ♪
♪ bow down while your knees still bend ♪
♪ the master's calling ♪
♪ the master's calling ♪
♪ ♪
♪ I don't wanna walk away ♪
♪ walk away from him ♪
♪ oh, no ♪
♪ I need to walk beside ♪
♪ bind us to your side ♪
Thank you so much.
Thank you, family. I love you all.
- Wonderful.
- Hug.
- Thanks, sis.
- Virtual hug.
- I know.
- Virtual hug.
Oh. Mwah.