This week we welcome Tony winner Nikki M. James! We discuss the beautiful breadth of Black women she has played in her career—from The Book of Mormon’s Nabulungi (which earned her a 2011 Tony Award) to The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin’s Viveca to real-life investigative journalist Ida B. Wells in Suffs, her current role that earned her a 2024 Tony nomination. It feels like we only scratch the surface of James’ long and varied career, but we dive deep into what she learned from these characters and examine how the political landscape impacted their resonance with audiences.