Yolonda Ross, who may be best known for her role as Jada on “The Chi,” continues to inspire with a fearless devotion to her craft, bringing to life characters that challenge, illuminate, and give voice to stories too often overlooked. Her journey, both in front of the camera and behind it, reveals how passion, resilience, and authenticity can transform a career into a beacon of purpose. She approaches each role like a fresh canvas, exploring the depths of human experience with curiosity and care.
For those who watch and follow, her path is a reminder that staying true to your vision can ignite change, open doors, and leave an enduring mark on the world.
You have three films coming up, including Samo Lives. What interested you most about telling a story connected with Jean-Michel Basquiat?
Jean-Michel himself. That alone was enough to make me want to do the film. I get to play his mother and explore a part of his life that we really haven’t seen before. There’s only been one biopic about him, from the 1990s, and that was told from a different perspective. This film is much more personal and in-depth. It focuses on his family and how he became who he was and how his art developed. As someone who is both a collector and an artist myself, that’s very interesting to me. Being able to be part of telling that story — and part of his legacy — means a lot.
I’m definitely looking forward to that. In Don’t Ever Wonder, you appear alongside Nia Long and Larenz Tate. What can audiences expect from you in that film?
What can they expect from me? I’m one of many supporting performances helping round out the world of the story. The film has a really strong group of actors, and I’m excited to be part of that ensemble. For me, being able to work with Eugene Ash, as I was a huge fan of “Sylvie’s Love,” and alongside Nia and Larenz in another film that will go down as a classic was enough for me to do the role. I love being able to “show and tell” what we adults go through in life while being fabulous and “lifing.”
You also star in the bilingual comedy Flowers Para Los Muertos with Amy Hill. What was it like filming in Mexico and working in two languages?
It was such a wonderful experience. Our Mexican crew was incredible. For me, it felt like working with family because a lot of the people involved were connected to my first film, Stranger Inside. One of our directors, P. David Ebersole worked on that film, and this time he directed alongside Todd Hughes. Our costume designer, Frank Helmer, was also part of that earlier project. Even one of our producers—Candy, who is also a production designer—had worked with me before.
So it felt like a reunion. It was honestly one of the best experiences. Amy Hill and I had wanted to work together for a long time, so this project became the perfect opportunity. It’s an independent film—very much a passion project—and it’s a black comedy. It also pays homage to an older style of filmmaking from a particular director in the 1940s. That influence is mentioned in some of our press materials. Overall, it was just a really great experience.
You recently directed an episode of “The Chi.” What did that experience teach you?
I hadn’t directed television before, so the biggest thing I learned was how that production process works. Directing a show that you didn’t create — and that already has an established rhythm — is very different. Television really is a machine, and I got to see how that machine operates from the directing side. I loved learning that. I also loved working with actors I’ve known for years but had never actually worked with on screen.
Getting to observe their process — how they approach scenes, how their characters have evolved — was such a gift. Watching actors grow over the years and understanding how they build their performances was amazing.
I told you earlier that when Jada passed away on the show, I was done. I said, I don’t know if I’m coming back next season.
Well, please come back for my TV directorial debut. You know what’s funny? So many people told me the same thing this summer. Our final episode premiered at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. Luke James, Lynn Whitfield, and I were there meeting people, talking with the audience, and doing interviews before the episode aired. I can’t tell you how many people came up to talk about the show and how emotional they felt about Jada’s death.
It meant a lot. Being able to bring that character to life for eight years and touch people in that way — that’s special. “The Chi” has been the gift that keeps giving. As an actor, you never know where a project will go. But with this one, friends really became family.
After portraying a character for so many seasons and becoming part of people’s lives through the show, what is it like moving on to the next thing?
It’s a mixed bag of emotions. Every year, you finish filming and then go off for several months and do other projects. But in the back of your mind, you expect to come back to your regular job. This time, we know that the chapter is over. For me personally, last year was my final season as an actor on the show. So there’s definitely some sadness about not finishing that journey with everyone, not closing it out together with the whole family. At the same time, I’m grateful I was able to say goodbye and share that moment with them. But moving forward will feel strange. Actors already live a little in a bubble. We spend five or six months together filming, then we go our separate ways, trying to find the next job. The reality of it will probably hit all of us when the final episodes air. That’s when you realize it really is over.
Did directing give you a new perspective on the cast and their process?
Completely. There were many actors I had only ever watched on television. I hadn’t worked with them directly before. I’d shared scenes with Emmett, Darnell, Tracy, and Nina, but with many others I had never acted alongside. Directing gave me the chance to see how they work, how they prepare, and what their sets look like.
It was fascinating. When you direct, you can plan a lot, but things always happen that you didn’t expect. I enjoy solving problems, so that part was fun. Our crew is amazing, and the cast was incredibly supportive. I was overwhelmed by the support I received. I came in just planning to do the work, but people were genuinely happy for me and wanted me to succeed. That doesn’t happen everywhere.
This fall, you’ll be speaking for Girls Inc. in Omaha. Why was it important for you to support that organization?
The group in Omaha is actually pretty small, but the work they do is powerful. They support young women — especially young women of color — who may be dealing with difficult situations at home or who feel overlooked by the systems that are supposed to support them.
Programs like that are incredibly important, especially at a time when resources for communities like ours are constantly being cut. Anything we can do to help keep young people moving forward matters. They need to know someone sees them and hears them. They need to know where they come from and that success is possible for them, too.
You’ve portrayed a wide range of characters throughout your career. How do you decide whether a role is right for you?
I try not to repeat myself in projects. I need to feel like I’m learning something from the character or the situation. As long as there’s something new to discover, I’m interested.
With acting, directing, and filmmaking, what do you enjoy most about moving between those roles?
I love all of it. As long as I’m creating, that’s what matters. I also work in fine arts. I paint and design pieces that I sell—including tote bags that feature my artwork. Some of those are sold through the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I’m dropping a new floral line of totes for Mother’s Day next month. So, folks should look out for those on Shopify, and my website creations are important because they mean you’re growing.
What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps in the acting business?
That’s a hard question because my career wasn’t planned. But I would say, “Listen to your instincts.” Learn as much as you can about the business and about the people in it. If you have a phone, you can research almost anyone or any company. Ask questions. A lot of questions. Go down that rabbit hole and gather information because knowledge is key.
You need to understand who you’re presenting yourself to and what you bring to the table. When I say “what you’re selling,” I mean what you uniquely offer to a project. What do you have that no one else has? Don’t try to be like someone else. Figure out what makes you different — that’s what will make someone want to hire you.
That’s a great answer. You’re doing the voice of Alberta Turner in an animated short film, The Turners. How does the preparation differ from your live-action roles?
Alberta is the calm, calculated sharpshooter in a husband-and-wife outlaw duo. She believes in standing on the right side of history and correcting wrongs that came her way. But threaten her family, and another side appears. My preparation for animation differs from live action in one key way: caring for my instrument—my voice. In both, I study the role, learn the story, and dig into the character. On screen, the focus shifts to what I can show the audience to help them connect.
The voice plays a major role. As a singer and musician, I have long used it as a tool to reach and hold emotion. When you know how a tone feels or how music affects you, that knowledge becomes part of your repertoire and helps translate emotion to an audience. With animation or audiobook work, the focus tightens. The goal is to amplify what the writer wants to convey. Every inflection counts. It becomes about using my instrument — my voice — to make the listener feel exactly what the story intends.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. It’s always a pleasure, and I’m grateful to have you on the cover of this Women’s Issue. You’ve played one of the best mothers on television.
I appreciate being in that lane. Thank you very much.
Be’n Original
