Late last week, I had the utmost pleasure of speaking to Jessie Reyez, who we first interviewed in 2020 — and who we automatically clicked with. She is an artist, through and through, and that’s why I knew I wanted to talk to her about movies. Was I expecting we’d touch on Pocahontas, Tony Montana, Whoppers, OCD and a need to cancel Eric? No. But life always has a way of surprising you! Anyway, here’s Jessie:
What is a movie character you think you really understand?
Tony Montana.
…Jessie.
(laughs)
Does he exist that much within you?
…yea. But wait! (laughs in guilt) I have to preface it: in terms of wanting to dominate and take over the world, that rags-to-riches story. The reason I see it and, I guess, understand it from an objective point of view is because when you have that thirst, that hunger, that ambition — which a lot of people have — if you don’t have balance for that and keep that in check, you fly too close to the sun and you burn and then you get fucking shot up on the second floor of a nice-sized house.
Not to parallel myself so much to Tony Montana, but there’s a lot that I thought I wanted in this life and this industry but I’ve been able to stop at a point that feels healthy. If I’d kept going, I’d be liable to get shot up and give up much more of myself than I want to. I think the idea of fame is very similar to Tony’s story. Fame kills people, and it might not kill people in the bloody way, but your soul. There’s just so much at stake.
That’s so real. It’s interesting. When I asked Phonte that question, he said “Thanos.” Because he was like, “Sometimes it’s just like, fuck em.”
Sometimes, it’s just like, fuck em! Hell yeah!
What’s an animated movie you enjoy, or have enjoyed?
Uh…Pocahontas, even though it’s problematic.
Oh noooooo! (laughs in guilt) What do you like about it?
There’s elements I like, and — like I said — obviously there’s parts that are problematic. You only realize and become attuned to that the more you grow up, the more education you have — as you see how much history got convoluted and fucked up. All of those things aside, one of the positive things you have is of a really beautiful, symbiotic relationship with nature. The willow tree being the grandmother, that just really got ingrained in me. I connect to trees to this day.
Is that your favorite Disney soundtrack?
I loooooove “Colors of the Wind.” I feel like it could heal the world if people actually let it into their hearts. Like, if you really read the lyrics, they’re so beautiful.
I don’t think I’ve spent enough time with it. Maybe I’m the problem.
I think there are bigger problems. But it’s beautiful. One of the lines is, “You think you own whatever land you land on / The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim / But I know every rock and tree and creature / Has a life, has a spirit, has a name.” Like, oh my god. It’s so beautiful.
What’s a complicated movie that’s easy to follow when you’re high?
I was already on a break from weed when I watched this — and I was already blown away. I’ve gotta preface it with this: I’m already into this kind of shit: it’s a subgenre of sci-fi, and I remember watching it with people and them being confused. I was like, “No, you have to relax and just let it seep into you and then you’ll get it.” It was Annihilation.
I’ve honestly never even heard of it.
Really? It’s so good!!! Some people hated it, but to me, it felt like poetry. And the final scene was so cool. It’s a mindfuck. You could argue that it’s a distant cousin of Requiem for a Dream. Kind-of.
I just looked it up. It’s written and directed by the guy who did Ex Machina, which I loved. So maybe I’ll watch.
One of the scenes I love is when one of the characters turns into a tree.
Oh, so that’s like, a whole thing for you. Got it. I’m learning a lot today.
What’s your go-to comedy?
Oh my fucking god, I love Bridesmaids so much. It is so funny.
It’s in theatres for the 15th anniversary this week, and Eric and I just saw it. He’d never seen it before.
No way!
I know! Cancel him, right?
Oh my god. It’s so good! The shitting in the street scene is just…art! It’s just art. It’s just great.
ERIC: Jessie, guess what?
Tell me.
ERIC: So this is Jeff’s newsletter, so he gets to ask all the questions and I just do my own thing. So first of all, hi.
What’s up!
ERIC: So, yes, it was my first time seeing Bridesmaids but because of the Internet, I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen — but it exceeded my expectations, still, in 2026.
ERIC: While I’m here, Jessie, I have a question: you’re an artist, you don’t like being put in a box, however you express yourself. Would you ever want to express yourself in the form of a movie?
Yea. Funny enough, my first book…I was inspired, during the writing of the first chapter, and I sat back and thought about what it would look like in full fruition. And I thought, it’d be beautiful to see it as a movie! But then I thought, am I gonna risk it and do double the work: like write a book and then have to change it into a script — so why not just start the script off rip? (I haven’t written a script since high school, when I was in the drama program.) I didn’t want to do it if I wasn’t proficiently prepared — and then I was on tour, and I just didn’t come around to it.
Okay, so I had that idea and then I had the poetry book, too. Poetry for me is like a crocodile in water. Those motherfuckers just go, right? When you see a crocodile on land, yea, it can go fast but it just doesn’t look as fluid. I feel like that’s me writing scripts: yea, I can do it, I can run fast, I can catch a motherfucker, but it’s just not as fluid. So because the poetry was so much easier and so effortless, I was like, “Fuck it. This is what the universe wants me to make first.” I’m just gonna set aside the book until I’m more read and better researched.
ERIC: That’s fire and count us in for when your movie eventually comes out.
What’s your ideal movie snack?
I love going to the movies by myself, and I go ham. Nachos, Whoppers, a Sprite and some popcorn — but you know the seasoning packets that come with the popcorn? I love to get ketchup and a bag of salt and vinegar (which is rare) and I love to get some hot sauce and I put them all in one bag and that shit is crack.
Oh my god, Jessie, I feel like I need to call your GI. Truly what the fuck.
What’s a movie you don’t like?
I truly can’t think of any. I think I just walk out.
I’ve recently been accepting the fact that you don’t actually have to finish the books you start — that it’s okay to dump them.
Oh my god, have I told you this? I have OCD from when I was a kid and I’ve obviously done things to curb it, but — my OCD is completion OCD and…that’s so funny! Cause it applies to me for books, but not for movies.
Maybe because it’s so intimate? You’re doing this thing, night after night or whenever, and it’s just you and the book. I was trying to get into Wuthering Heights ahead of the movie but I just couldn’t do it. Had to stop. And that’s okay! The world keeps spinning.
Oh. I thought of a movie I didn’t like: 28 Days. I got peer pressured into seeing it with friends and then got out. I can’t watch horror movies because I have vivid dreams every night. If I do that, I’m giving up two weeks of calm sleep. It happened to me too with Keanu Reeves’ Constantine. It’s not scary but it started with demons and I was like, yeah, no, I can’t do this.
If you were to be on 2J3BD, what movie would you want to sit with us about?
Goodfellas! Love Goodfellas, I could go on and on about Goodfellas. My first album, the title track is a quote from that movie, when Karen’s on top of him and she goes, “DO YOU LOVE HER?”
Jessie’s the best! Make sure to follow her on Instagram for more of her freestyles and adventures.
As for us: we’re back, baby! Check out our long-awaited live episode reviewing the Breakfast Club, premiering at 10am on YouTube and wherever you get your 2J3BD!