‘The Supremes At Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat’: Mekhi Phifer On Using His Character To Encourage Black Men To Place More Value On Their Emotions

While the new film The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat explores the beauty of female friendship through the lens of three lifelong friends, it also taps into the emotional depths of the Black man and the importance of allowing them the space to be vulnerable.

The film, which follows the lives of three characters, Barbara Jean ( Sanaa Lathan ), Clarice (Uzo Aduba) and Odette ( Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor ), showcases a world where three Black women are not only exploring life’s highs and lows but doing so alongside one another, emphasizing the fact that soulmates can also be found within platonic friendships.

On another note, the movie highlights the nuances of romantic relationships and what happens when it is time to activate the “in sickness and in health” clause that often appears in a couple’s wedding vows.

For James (Mekhi Phifer), the sentiment echoed through the storyline with his wife, Odette, and how he had to show up in their marriage, especially since she is the character who would be the epitome of what it means to be the “strong friend” among The Supremes.

Phifer explained how his character might ignite a larger conversation around Black men and their emotions, displaying the power of being in tune and comfortable with expressing them, especially within a culture where Black men aren’t always upfront or in tune with their feelings.

“I had to tap into an area,” Phifer recalled during an interview with Blavity’s Shadow and Act. “We all have different gamuts of emotions and different gamuts of ways to express oneself and things that you have learned throughout the course of the years. What I loved about James was his undying love and loyalty to his woman. He was very focused on the development of not just her but them as a unit, and I’ve had to learn that throughout the years.”

“As young men, being specific, Black men, we’re never taught to value ourselves as much as women are taught to value themselves in a lot of ways,” he continued. “So nobody’s teaching us that quality over quantity is really the structure and the focus that a man should be on. That’s basically what I wanted to bring to light as far as James is concerned.”

While James was the ideal husband, Clarice’s husband, Richmond (Russell Hornsby), might be an example of everything a partner shouldn’t be to his wife. Yet, despite his flaws, the friend who doesn’t take any mess, Odette, ultimately affirms that he still has great qualities lying inside.

“I believe that what Odette is asking Richmond to do is to find the goodness in himself, and I think that Odette is challenging Richmond and saying, ‘I know you have more to give than what you’ve been giving, and I know you’re a better person than what we’ve witnessed all these years,” Hornsby said. “And however you get to it, you need to get there. I think that was the significance, and for myself, you realize that everybody has some goodness in them, so it’s really just about taking the time to find the goodness that you have inside yourself.”

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat is now streaming on Hulu.