Teyana Taylor is getting more candid about how she was able to portray an Oscar-worthy role in A Thousand and One.

Earlier today (April 19), “The Shop” on Uninterrupted revealed that Taylor and other celebrities would appear on an all-new episode on Thursday (April 20). In a teaser clip, one of the talk show hosts, Maverick Carter, asked Taylor how she was able to convey pain and prepare for the role of Inez.

The Harlem-born actress replied, “I mean, I just went back to what I was literally dealing with at that moment. I was six months postpartum, so I was dealing with postpartum depression.” Taylor welcomed her second child, Rue Rose Shumpert, with her husband, Iman Shumpert, in 2020. The pair also share 7-year-old Iman Tayla “Junie” Shumpert Jr.

During the discussion, the 32-year-old artist said experiencing postpartum and returning to her birthplace were all put into Inez. She also disclosed the difficulty of turning her character off when needed. “The hardest part was going home and flipping a switch and just being [a] super mom… Because I had an outlet,” she continued. When asked if it was therapeutic, Taylor replied, “Yeah, in a way.”

By channeling her real-life experiences during filming, the R&B star was able to morph into a role that has already generated buzz for a 2024 Academy Awards nomination. Before premiering in theaters, A Thousand and One was released at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. The story, which follows the lives of Inez and her son in Harlem, New York, took home the Grand Jury Prize.

But, Taylor’s 2023 acting journey is just getting started. On April 1, she confirmed a biopic project starring her as Dionne Warwick was in the works. An upcoming release date for the film has not been announced.