Things got off to a flirty start on Wednesday’s (Feb. 1) episode of “The Jason Lee Show,” as executive producer and host Lee sat down with the multitalented La La Anthony and her castmate and onscreen love interest, Da’Vinchi. The two have been heating up television with their performances as Markisha Taylor and Terry Flenory, respectively, on Starz’s hit crime drama “BMF.” During their time on Lee’s show, they addressed several topics, including dating rumors, filming nude scenes, embracing fame, and more.
La La and the rising actor, born Abraham D. Juste, sparked dating rumors last year after being spotted holding hands while out together at an undisclosed location. However, the veejay-turned-actress confirmed, “I am single” when asked if she would date a co-star before jokingly calling on Da’Vinchi for help to dispel rumors.
“No, I wouldn’t date a co-star,” she continued. “I think it gets complicated when you work with somebody and you’re in a relationship with them… It’s very hard to separate the two.”
Da’Vinchi was put in the hot seat next. He explained how he avoids the pitfalls of what the entertainment industry brings, including romantic hopefuls that may be lurking in his social media DMs. He told Lee, “I try not to really pay attention to it, honestly. I delete social media a lot… ’cause it’s too much.”
Da’Vinchi admitted that while he doesn’t “super indulge,” he’s looked at a few messages and even responded to some. Still, he stated, “It’s a space you don’t want to get trapped in.” He continued, “And I’m watching what’s constantly happening to young Black men. It’s that we’re the most sought-after creature on the streets by the police — when you make it out — by women, by society… So, you know, I’m like, let me just chill out, just relax, and I just be staying in my corner.”
Lee later backtracked to the pair’s May 2022 sighting, unwilling to accept that their chemistry was limited to their onscreen characters. “Were you falling?” Da’Vinchi asked as he tried to recall where the photo may have been taken. This prompted La La to put an end to the rumblings once and for all. “No, I wasn’t,” she interjected. “But I will say this: We were walking through a crowd of people. We were at a concert, and he did grab my hand to make sure I could get through. And I did appreciate that, and we did not expect for it to be a whole thing.”
Elsewhere, La La and Da’Vinchi spoke about their process of getting ready to film risqué scenes for “BMF” and other gigs. La La, who has appeared in a few projects from rapper-turned-television boss Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson did not mince her words when it came to airing out her frustrations with that “very awkward” part of her profession.
“It’s ‘Stop,’ it’s ‘Go.’ It’s ‘Put your hand here, do this.’ It’s not just a ‘Oh, action, just do whatever you want.’ It doesn’t work like that. You also meet with the intimacy coordinator; you kind of walk through all the steps, like, ‘OK, I’m gonna put my hand here. Are you OK with that? I’m going to do this…’ It’s not how great people think it is.”
Meanwhile, Da’Vinchi admitted, “I actually don’t like doing those scenes at all” before adding that he is, in fact, “highly uncomfortable” when he has to perform an intimate scene. “I think, at heart, I’m conservative… It doesn’t mirror me in real life,” he shared. “I’m conservative. I hold myself to a certain standard. I’m not just out here wildin’ out,” he added. La La co-signed his statement, noting that he was initially against doing a certain sex scene but ultimately agreed because of his commitment to being a successful thespian.
Like always, if you liked what you heard, be sure to stay tuned every week for new episodes of “The Jason Lee Show.” Also, don’t forget to watch the latest installment here.