Let Zuri Hall take you on a ride as she spins you all over the Hollywood scene across the red carpet through Access Hollywood to keynote speeches as if she is one of the athletes in the show American Ninja Warrior she co-hosts. In all reality Zuri is a truly inspiring women who is just bubbling over with charm and beautiful energy. As one of the first Black women in local news she has more than made a name for herself interviewing all the celebrities, but so much more. Zuri is far from a fluffy Hollywood socialite, in fact she is very proud of her midwest up bringing. She likes to use her platforms to talk about the hard issues including cases of missing people of color, mental health, and voting rights, to just name a few. She recently started a new podcast, Hot Happy Mess, that helps make her topics even more limitless. Please read on to learn more about this incredible out spoken women, her work in Hollywood, and her many ways of giving back, including a new partnership with Global Fund for Children as a Global Ambassador.

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Foreword by Kira Bucca, Editor in Chief of Jejune Magazine.

Where are you based?
I'm based in Los Angeles, California.

Take us through your journey in the entertainment industry. Was it always something you wanted to do?
My journey has been a pretty winding one. I started in Toledo, Ohio, where I was born and raised. I went to Ohio State University on a full academic scholarship. Not long before graduating, I won a competition to be the face of a local TV station.

I first started at the CBS affiliate in Indianapolis and then became co-anchor and co-producer of a local lifestyle show in Dayton, Ohio, for the NBC affiliate. Then I was anchoring the evening news in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 24 for the CW affiliate.

My goal was always to be national by 25, and I reached that when I was asked to move to New York City to host "Trending 10," which was a music countdown show for the cable music channel Fuse. Not long after that, I ended up at MTV and then landed at E! News, where I spent about four or five years before deciding I was ready for a broadcast network. I moved over to NBC, and now I'm at "Access Hollywood" and "American Ninja Warrior."

Can you tell us a bit about being a correspondent for Access Hollywood?
It's so much fun! No two days are the same. It keeps me on my toes. I have the opportunity to interview and engage with people whose artistry I really admire. Sometimes I get to do sit-down interviews and cover movie junkets. Sometimes I'm traveling for premieres. We also cover international junkets and premieres on rare but exciting occasions, which is really cool. But the day-to-day of being a correspondent and hosting Access Hollywood is covering what's latest and breaking in Hollywood.

One night I am covering a red carpet, and the next day, I will be in studio, along with my co-hosts, tossing to that story and saying, "Hey, check this out. We spoke with Oprah Winfrey last night, and this is what she had to say about her new project" Or, "Oh my goodness, you never gonna believe what Reese Witherspoon did in third grade. She's only telling me. Check it out." Every day is truly different, but always a lot of fun, and I really enjoy it.

Your interviews are always candid and fun. How do you manage to make people comfortable around you?
I think a lot of it is probably my upbringing. My family, my friends, and the people I grew up around believe in kindness, good manners, and integrity; no one is any better than anyone else, and we all deserve equal treatment, respect, and common decency. I've certainly heard from other people that my vibe is very Midwestern. I will always take that as a compliment. I'm very proud to be from Ohio when someone tells me that.

Even though I love my job and enjoy being a part of Hollywood, I like to think of myself as in it, not of it. So there's still a part of me that very much feels like, this is cool, but this is also not normal. This life that we're living in, this world that we're in, is not "real" life. It's not everyday life, at least not for most people. And so that, I think, gives me a continued state of awe, gratitude, and appreciation for what I do while also allowing me to approach it with a level of chill.

But yeah, making people comfortable around me, I think it's just about how I treat people, whether I'm on camera with them or not. I want you to feel welcomed. I want you to feel comfortable. I want you to feel like talking with me is a safe opportunity to say whatever it is you have to say. That's how I am with people in my personal life. It's how I am in my professional life. It's just how I am, so maybe that's how I managed to do it.

How fun is working the red carpets?
The red carpets are a lot of fun, particularly award season.

The weeknight red carpets throughout the year can be a little stressful sometimes and a bit more hectic and chaotic to navigate (especially with the notorious LA traffic). You're running, driving through rush hour traffic from West Side to Beverly Hills or from Studio City to Brentwood to cover a movie premiere on a Tuesday evening or Wednesday late afternoon.

The award shows, those red carpets are definitely the most demanding, but also, in my opinion, the most rewarding because it's a season of celebration. Actors, musicians, producers, directors, writers, and the industry works their butts off all year to create incredible art, movies, TV shows, and songs. Starting with the Emmys in September, all the way to the Oscars in late February, or early March, these months are the opportunity for that hard work to be rewarded, acknowledged, and celebrated. It's a really cool time of year in Hollywood, and it's so much fun. I get to play dress up for the day and feel like a princess. Whether it's the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, the Grammys, or the Academy Awards, who doesn't want to get all dolled up and wear these incredible jewels, celebrate, interview, and have really interesting conversations with people whose work you admire. So, I love award season, and those red carpets in particular are my favorites.

You always look so glamorous as well. What inspires your fashion?
For me, that Midwestern sensibility always kicks in. I love fashion. I love to make a statement, but it has to be easy. I'm a no-fuss fancy kind of girl. I love easy, effortless elegance with a little bit of edge. So for me, function is just as important as fashion. I want to be able to move, whether I'm in my gowns, dresses, pantsuits, or denim. I want to feel like myself.

I like to mix high and low pieces. I love, love, love Chanel. We might do a little Gucci moment or a pop of a high-end designer piece. Still, I also like to infuse accessible items into my everyday looks, especially when I'm in the studio or doing those weeknight red carpets. I love pulling stuff from Zara and Aritzia. They're tried and true staples that get the job done and are comfortable and affordable. I also love them because I like what I buy to be budget-friendly. When my stylist is putting together looks for the show, I get a lot of people who DM me or tweet me and want to know, "Oh, where'd you buy this?" or "Can I wear this?" So I love integrating affordable pieces so that everyone can have an opportunity, or anyone interested at least, can have a chance to buy and wear some of the pieces that I'm wearing.

I love warm neutrals. I'm actually way lazier when it comes to dressing than I think a lot of people realize. I have an incredible stylist who does so much of my red carpet work with me, Roberto Cardenaz. He helps me create the most incredible high fashion couture moments on those award shows red carpets.

And the in-house wardrobe team at Access Hollywood is amazing too. Michelle Kendrick, Bryanne Compas, and the rest of that crew really hold me down when it comes to creating fun, fashionable looks for the daily Access Hollywood show.

As the typical interviewer, how does it feel to be on the other side?
It's nice. I don't mind it at all. You get so used to asking people questions that, I'll be honest, it's refreshing when people ask you questions. It's a change of pace, for sure, and a good reminder of what being on the other side feels like when I'm interviewing someone.

Every now and then, particularly in my personal life, it's really easy for me to unintentionally transition into interview mode. My friends, or if I'm on a date, have stopped me and said, "Whoa, am I being interviewed right now?" And I'm like, "I promise it's not on purpose. It's just how I am. I have a penchant for asking questions. I can't help it."

You are also a co-host on NBC's American Ninja Warrior. What is your favorite part about being a part of that show? Do you ever get to try the course?
My favorite part of being on the show is being able to tell these Ninjas' stories. They're all incredible athletes performing in a stressful situation with a million-dollar prize on the line. Still, at the end of the day, they've overcome so much in their lives. There's been so much triumph over tragedy. Whether it's beating a disease, running the course in honor of a loved one they lost to a terminal illness, a new mom who just gave birth, or someone who was told they'd never walk again, not only have they overcome that challenge they are about to run this epic course and compete for a million dollars!

They are so inspirational, and my job on the sideline is not just to talk about what we see from a technical aspect. It's to ask why are they here? Why did this run mean so much? What are you feeling right now? I am invested emotionally in their runs and stories. I've cried happy and sad tears alongside Ninjas while interviewing them, and I feel very grateful to be a part of sharing their stories with the rest of the country.

Have I ever tried the course? No. It is an option, but I like to learn from other people's mistakes. Both of my co-hosts, Matt and Akbar, have run it. Akbar successfully hit a buzzer. Matt might have gotten a little bruised and banged up, but you'll have to ask him for the details. Let's just say it didn't end so well. So, even though I'm tempted, I'd much prefer to be in one piece, safely on the sidelines. I do think at some point in my life, and in my Ninja career, I will have to attempt to run this course. Maybe we'll give it another season before I try. But, I don't know, that's probably the day I lose the last of my pride.

As an Emmy-winning TV host, what kind of expectations do you feel going into work every day?
I think the reason that I've gone as far as I have in my career, that my work is as valued as it is, and why leadership, bosses, and executive producers over the years have really made me a go-to person is that they know what I expect of myself so they don't have to demand it or make it overly clear or overstate it. The expectation is just to deliver and to do the job. That's what I expect of myself. I've always felt that (and that's not necessarily from anyone else). I expect to show up and give the best of my ability every day. I expect to be engaged, to ask intelligent questions. To pivot when necessary, be prepared, do my research, and know as much about the movie, the TV show, the actor, or the performer as I can so that once I'm engaging in a conversation with them, it feels organic, natural, fun, and light. It's hard to make a thing look and feel that way while you're on camera and have specific points you need to get. Many people underestimate the work it takes us reporters as TV hosts and moderators to do our jobs. We make it look and seem easy, but it's not always easy. It can be really demanding, and it can be really challenging, but that's part of why I love it.

Your cultural impact goes far beyond your work on TV. What are some issues that you've felt aren't talked about enough? How can we talk about them more?
I'm very passionate about two things outside of my obvious work in television. One aligns with it, and that's my work with the Black and Missing Foundation. I'm the face of their partnership with Access Hollywood. This partnership is one small way that I'm able to help raise awareness about an issue that's very important to me. I go on the road with my incredible Access Hollywood production team, which consists of one of our co-executive producers Jen Antonelli and the producers who work under her. We help highlight stories of missing people of color, specifically black men, women, and children. We know that statistically, our cases are cases that go underreported and certainly unsolved at a much higher rate than our white counterparts. I really appreciate the opportunity to highlight these cases with the assistance and support of the Black and Missing Foundation because it's important that our stories are out there. Not just the happy, positive, creative artistic ones that I love sharing at Access Hollywood, but also the really sad, disturbing, and sometimes painful, traumatic, or scary ones. Because not only do our stories deserve to be told, they need to be told. There are lives on the line.

Another issue that I think is starting to really catch steam in the public discourse (that I love) is mental health. I've been a big advocate for therapy and being open and transparent about mental health issues from things as simple as burnout to depression and anxiety. I try to create fun (sometimes funny) content on my social media that documents the highs and lows of taking care of one's mental health and protecting one's peace of mind. I've been talking about it on my podcast "Hot Happy Mess" for the last two seasons, and I think that that's something we should all be discussing more.

How can we talk about it more? I think it's as simple as just doing it. That's easier said than done, particularly in communities with the stigma around mental health and therapy. I think it starts at home with your friends, your family. It doesn't have to be some grandstand or massive public announcement on social media. It can be as simple as checking in, texting your friend, and saying, "Hey, I know you had a tough week. How are you feeling emotionally? Where's your headspace right now? Is there anything that I can do to support you?" It's that easy. It might feel a little bit weird or awkward to shoot off a text like that if you don't normally do it. Still, I gotta tell you, I've been so relieved to get those text messages from people before, and I felt relief and joy sending them, and who cares what the answer is. Maybe they say, "I'm good," or they don't respond or dismiss it. But just knowing that you reached out to someone you care about and allowed them to be open and honest about their mental health is a small but significant step in the right direction.

You've been a regular keynote speaker at various notable events. What does it mean for you to have this platform as a Black influencer?
I'm really grateful for the opportunities that have been provided and for the platform that I've been given. As we push for more inclusivity and representation in these spaces, I don't take it lightly that I've been able to represent black women for more than a decade in this industry.

When I first started in local news, there weren't many women who looked like me. There weren't many black women at the highest levels in national entertainment news who I could emulate. There were a few that were incredible, and I so admired and still admire them. Still, it's been awesome these last few years to look up and see that we're not alone and that more black and brown people, especially women, are coming into positions of power to our television screens, anchor desks, and stages. That's encouraging because I've always said I don't want to be the only one. You want to look up and see others like you, so I'm grateful to be a part of that representation. I'm also very excited to see it continue to expand.

I also think it's important to note that black people are not a monolith. So it's even more important to have a varied group of black voices and influencers in these various spaces. Because how I feel, think, do, and what I want for myself or my perspective and experience is radically different from the next black woman you might meet. I think that's the beauty of us. That's the beauty of humanity, just how different we are and how multifaceted we are. The more of us there are, the more we have the opportunity to show just how diverse we are.

Your podcast, Hot Happy Mess, tackles so many topics from a variety of points of view. As someone who is out there interviewing, working in journalism, speaking at events, why did you decide having a podcast would be important? What can you cover in Hot Happy Mess that the other sources don't give you?
I decided a podcast would be important because I have more creative control as the executive producer. I get to determine what does or doesn't make air. This podcast was a labor of love. It was something that I was developing and working on for easily a year or two before I was able to start recording and bring it to the market.

I think it's essential to have a space where I can be a little more personal, honest, and open. Not to mention that the podcast allows me to discuss mental health more in-depth. I can cover therapy, attachment theory, and relationship dynamics like navigating engagement, marriage, or divorce. I can talk about black mental health, the stigma around it, and how we can change or remove it. These are all things that I've talked about and covered. You can do more with a 45-minute or hour-and-a-half-long sit-down interview than with a two or three-minute interview package that will air in a really short 30-minute television program. There's just more freedom and flexibility.

What are some of your favorite topics you like to cover in Hot Happy Mess? Can you tell our readers what they can expect from the podcast?
My favorite topics to discuss are mental health, relationships, and dating. I love love, and I'm fascinated by the psychology of it. Why and how we fall in love with the people we fall in love with. Is there a rhyme and reason for why we approach love the way we do?

Your readers can expect conversations about how to live your best life minus the burnout. In my 20s, I worked my butt off and reached a point where my life didn't feel as good as it looked (and it looked incredible from the outside). I felt miserable. I was tired. I was burned out and unhappy. I was not in the most healthy place mentally. It was through therapy, prioritizing what mattered to me, establishing my core values, creating a core group of community, strengthening my bonds with my family and friends, and doing a lot of inner work and self-discovery that I got to this place of joy and more peace. And so this podcast is really just me sharing those gems with the audience. I bring on experts, my best friends, and other people (particularly women and especially women of color) to share their stories and wisdom to empower myself and my listeners who are primarily millennial women trying to figure it all out.

You have recently joined the Global Fund for Children as a Global Ambassador. What does this opportunity mean to you? What inspired this partnership?
This opportunity is everything. I have been waiting for and dreaming of a chance like this for years. You know, something I value dearly is service and the opportunity to serve. I try to do it however I can through my day-to-day work. But to be able to do it in the nonprofit sector is really exciting for me. Particularly because I'm so keen to support an organization whose sole mission is to help children. I love kids. I used to mentor youth when I was younger. I am a proud product of some incredible youth organizations in Toledo, Ohio. Global Fund for Children does incredible work helping children and youth worldwide by investing in community-based organizations so that kids can reach their full potential and advance their rights. So to be able to partner up with them, to raise awareness about their work and help encourage donations, this is a cause that I will always get behind.

You also gave the NAACP keynote speech on the power of voting and personal economic empowerment at your hometown chapter's 2018 Freedom Fund banquet. Can you tell us a bit about that? Are you still active when it comes to encouraging others to vote?
It was an incredible and really special moment for me. I was so nervous. I'd never given a keynote speech. Talking up on a stage by yourself for 30 seconds or two minutes can be intimidating, mortifying, and really scary, let alone for 20 minutes, and that's how long this keynote speech was. But I was asked to do it and decided to challenge myself. I did it despite being scared. It was fulfilling, and I had an incredible time.

I talked about the importance of personal economic empowerment and my own financial literacy journey. I feel very passionately that we, particularly those who have grown up in underserved communities and many inner cities nationwide, should have more access to educational resources and tools to empower ourselves financially. Especially when it comes to economics because a lot of this stuff they're not teaching in schools. It's important to know social studies, English, history, and humanities (I was a humanities geek). Still, nobody taught me how to balance a checkbook, navigate or build my credit score, or tell me that having a bad credit score was like having a terrible report card for life.

While I really value higher education, and I'm a proud graduate of The Ohio State University (higher education is essential in my family and something that was instilled in me from a very young age), I've got to say it's also important, arguably more important, to educate people on the day-to-day of living and navigating life, particularly from a financial standpoint.

We have to get honest, open, and transparent about the numbers in black and white. What makes a credit score go down? What can make it go up? How much should you be paying for rent? At what point should you just be trying to save for a down payment on a house? Because your mortgage will essentially be the same as your rent. Right now, you're just paying someone else's mortgage while you borrow their home. That's not to minimize how hard it is to get on that road to homeownership because it's incredibly difficult. I became a first-time homeowner two years ago, and it was tough. I am in a very privileged position at this point in my life because of my career, hard work, and savings. But it was a really, really long journey to get here, and I had to make so many mistakes on my own because nobody told me differently. Nobody told me otherwise. Nobody told me what to do. I feel passionate that we should be more open about those conversations I spoke about at the Freedom Fund banquet.

Why do you think voting is so important?
I think voting is important because it allows our voices to be heard. It's a way to engage in civic duty. Again, there's a part of me that, on principle, votes because from a very early age, my grandfather, my mother's father, instilled in me the importance of voting and what it means, particularly as a black person in America. So many people have fought for it, sacrificed for it, even been killed... died for that right. That right is something I have, appreciate, and utilize because that wasn't always the case for a Black woman in America. So I vote for personal reasons, on principle, but also because it is a small way to engage in this nation that we're a part of.

You are someone who's living the Hollywood dream. What advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own Hollywood journey?
I would tell them to start today, start now. Time waits for no man or woman; a year from now, you will wish you had just begun. There are things I still dream about and want to do, some of which I get to, and some things I put off. One week turns to a month, turns to a year, turns to five years, and you look back and think, god, where did the time go? So I would tell them to begin today with one small step. Whether you're in the middle of America or on a coast or packed up with $1 and a dream, start today.

In this climate, the age of the internet can be exhausting for a lot of reasons. I think how connected we are has also led to a lot of disconnection. But one good thing about the world we live in right now is that there are so many resources at your fingertips. Yes, it's an oversaturated market. But at the end of the day, people still have to break through. Stars will still be born. Shows will still get made. So sitting in your house and saying there are already too many people out there doing it isn't going to bring you any closer to fulfilling your dream. So you might as well be one of those many people out there trying to do it, and who knows, you may be one of the lucky ones.

Technology is so affordable these days. With a little bit of tech and a wi-fi connection, you can start your own web series or podcast from your home, in the office, or in your bedroom closet, whatever it may be. All it takes is a couple of successful pieces of content to break out and get the attention of other people in the space you want to be a part of. I think so many people get caught up in trying to go viral and be famous and popular that if it doesn't happen overnight, it's never gonna happen. We get distracted and forget there are ways to make a living doing what we love. Even if we're not the biggest star in this space, even if we're not making the most money, there's still money to be made and stars still shine. I would encourage people to begin today and not be intimidated or overwhelmed by how far the journey will likely be. Begin by just putting one foot in front of the other, see where it takes you, and try to stay mindful, be present, and enjoy the ride because the journey is just as important as the destination.

You literally seem to do at least one million different things. How do you have the time for everything?
LOL, I do not. I get burnt out just like everyone else, and it never fails to shake me with overwhelming irony because that's my goal with the podcast and how I live my life now is to avoid burnout. But it happens, and that's okay. You know, it's the same way our body gives us warning signs. When we walk into a space and something doesn't feel right. A person gives you the ick, chill, or tingle down your spine, or you meet someone and your heart says this is it, the one. Listen to those things. It's just information, right? So burnout in and of itself is not the bad guy. If anything, I've learned to hear it, understand it, and know when I'm feeling it, and then I can be like, 'Thank you, body, for telling me that you're over me right now. That you're tired and that you need a nap. You need to clear your schedule this weekend, and you can't make that brunch. Or you might not be able to pick up that extra shift even though you really want to.' Because your body or mind needs some love and tending to, I just use burnout as information to get back on track.

So all that's a long-winded way of saying I don't have time for everything. I prioritize what's most important to me. I do as much of it as possible as long as it excites me. If it's not a hell yes, at this point in my life, it's a hell no. I would rather be sitting on my couch doing nothing than doing something I'm only 50% interested in doing. Then when I decide that I don't have time for everything once the burnout begins, I look at my list of priorities and work my way from the bottom to the top. Things at the bottom get postponed or canceled, and I try to keep time for the stuff at the top. More than anything, the things that will always be at the top of my list, that I always want time for are my family, my friends, my loved ones, and meaningful connections with the important people in my life.

Life has been crazy these past few years. How have you stayed positive and inspired?
I think, more than anything, gratitude helps. Being in a state of gratitude for everything that I have and everything that I've accomplished. Sometimes I try to take a minute not to think about where I am, (even though it's incredible). I'm very excited about where I want to go. But just looking back at where I was is a humbling reminder of just how far I've come. Because I have those days when I'm like, well, what am I doing with my life? I'm going nowhere. What is it all for? What's the meaning of life? We all have those mini existential crisis moments that come and go. They're fleeting, rare, and far and few between, and I think it's important to acknowledge those because you can't have the good without the bad. You can't have the sun without the rain. All those cliches are true. So, I've stayed positive and inspired by remembering that there's a lot to be grateful for because there's a lot that could go wrong that hasn't. Yeah, some bad stuff has happened, but I'm so grateful for the things that have gone the way I hoped.

Hope is the other thing. My Papa always told me, "There is always hope. As long as there's life, there's hope," and that keeps me going. So even in my darkest days and darkest chapters when I can't look up and find much to be grateful for because I'm just overwhelmed by the pain, darkness, or the question marks of my life. I cling to hope. Because as long as I'm alive, as long as there's breath in my lungs, as long as there's breath in your lungs, we're the lucky ones, and that's something to be grateful for.

What is your motto in life?
My motto in life is "carpe diem." I kind of steal Nike's vibe, "Just do it." I'm such a person who just does it. I think about it, but I take risks, calculated risks. I'm not just jumping off of cliffs to jump off of them. I believe that you have got to go out and get the things that you want. Why put off for tomorrow, what you can do today? Now granted, I am a procrastinator, so sometimes I'm not so great in the moment. I think big picture about my life, about the things I want to do. Just do it. If I can do it, if it's within my means to do it, I do whatever version of it I'm capable of doing at that time.

To learn more about Zuri Hall, please follow her via the links below:
Instagram: @zurihall
TikTok: @heyzurihall
Twitter: @zurihall
Podcast: www.hothappymess.com
Website: www.zurihall.com

Creative Team Credits:
Photographer: Vince Trupsin
Stylist: Quentin Fears
Make-up: Christopher Miles using Ami Colé and Bakeup Beauty
Hair: Mika Fowler
Stylist Assistant: Shivon Ganther

Cover - Hot Happy Zuri Hall