Pop Culturalist Chats with Young Sheldon’s Danielle Pinnock

In the past few years, Hollywood has taken a much-needed step forward in terms of representation and diversity, but it still has a long way to go. The lack of opportunities for women and minorities creates another challenge to the already difficult life of a working actor, which is filled with endless auditions, uncertainty, and rejection. Creators and writers like Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro are two advocates fighting for change by creating diverse characters from all walks of life in leading roles. It’s one of the many reasons why up-and-coming actress, Danielle Pinnock, was drawn to their new series, Young Sheldon. On the show, Danielle plays Ms. Ingram, a “hard-headed” educator who’s constantly tested by her genius student, Sheldon, played by Iain Armitage. We spoke with Danielle about how she prepared to step into her character’s shoes, the importance of films like Hidden Figures and Black Panther, and the people who inspire her.

PC: Tell us about Young Sheldon, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Danielle: Young Sheldon is a hilarious comedy about a child-genius, Sheldon Cooper (played by the incomparable Iain Armitage), and his small-town upbringing in East Texas. I play the tightly-wound Ms. Ingram, who is Sheldon’s math-teacher at Medford High School. Ms. Ingram is a proud graduate of Oral Roberts University and is constantly being corrected by Sheldon in class.

This show has been a blessing from the very beginning. When I auditioned for this project, it was a same-day audition and I had about three hours to prepare. The show was kept tightly under wraps and it was “Untitled,” so I had absolutely no idea what I was going in for. Last year, during pilot season, I had gone in for over twenty projects, and Young Sheldon was, I think, my 25th audition.

What drew me to this project was pure fate. Rarely on network television do you see plus-sized, African American women playing mathematicians. I thank God for films like Hidden Figures and Black Panther because Hollywood is beginning to see that African-American women can be scientists, mathematicians, and warriors. I come from a huge Jamaican family that consists of engineers, lawyers, teachers, doctors and those are JUST the women. Historically in the “industry,” women of a certain-size and hue are typically known to play the “best friend,” “nurse,” “housekeeper,” “assistant,” “drug-addict,” etc. I am so thankful to Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro because they were able to look out of the box and give me a job on this incredible show.

PC: How much of Danielle is in Ms. Ingram?
Danielle: I am horrible at math in real life. I actually had to re-take math in college over summer break. However, I do think Ms. Ingram and I share similar anxieties when we are being corrected. I come from a very headstrong family and have been told many times that I am “hard-headed.” I think Sheldon would say the same thing about Ms. Ingram.

Even though Ms. Ingram and I are from two different places, I do share similarities of being the only woman of color in the workplace.

Although, her classroom is diverse, Ms. Ingram is the only African-American female teacher in the school this season. As an actor of color, when I am doing character breakdowns, I always take note of the racial climate of the character’s world and how it may be similar to my own.

PC: The series is a prequel to The Big Bang Theory. Were you familiar with the show before you signed on for the project and how did you prepare to step into the shoes of Ms. Ingram?
Danielle: I was very familiar with The Big Bang Theory; it’s legendary. Fun Fact: Kunal Nayyar (who plays Rajesh on Big Bang) and I went to the same college—Temple University. Go Owls!

To prepare for Ms. Ingram, I have a music playlist of the songs that were happening in the ’80s. When I’m on set, I’m listening to a lot of Michael Jackson, Prince and Hall & Oates. I think Ms. Ingram is a bit of a hopeless romantic, so I also have songs like “A Groovy Kind of Love” by Phil Collins or “When It’s Love” by Van Halen.

Whilst at Temple University, I was in a documentary-play directed by Douglas C. Wager called In Conflict. The character I portrayed was from Tulsa, Oklahoma, which, ironically is the home base for Oral Roberts University. I re-listened to all of the recordings from that show as an “in” for Ms. Ingram’s dialect.

PC: If you choose another show to do a prequel to, what would it be and why?
Danielle: I would love to do a prequel of How To Get Away With Murder. This March, I was in the epic crossover episode of Scandal with the QUEENS Viola Davis and Kerry Washington. The character of Annalise Keating (played masterfully by Oscar-winner Viola Davis) is so complex and I just have to know how this woman came to be who she is now. From the show we know that Annalise’s mother, played by the legendary Cicely Tyson, burned down her childhood home. I want a whole prequel dedicated to Annalise Keating’s humble beginnings and how she became the murderer she is now. Whew, Shondaland knows how to write a complex female character of color honey! Every Thursday, I am at the edge of my seat watching Young Sheldon and then going straight into Shondaland’s TGIT.

PC: How does Sheldon challenge Ms. Ingram throughout the series?
Danielle: Sheldon is always the first to say the correct answer in class. He is always correcting Ms. Ingram’s complicated math equations and he is always right. I think all of the teachers are a little in over their heads, and had no idea how much of a genius he was until he showed up.

Photo Credit: CBS

PC: With this being a comedy, does the cast have the opportunity to improv or do you all generally stick with the script?
Danielle: We generally stick with the script, but there was one time an improv of mine made it into one of the episodes which was pretty awesome!

PC: What can you tease about the upcoming season finale and what do you look forward to exploring with your character in season two?
Danielle: My lips are sealed. In one of the earlier episodes, it was implied that Ms. Ingram had a romantic relationship with one of the other teachers and I would love to see those characters interact in season two. I also want to know a little backstory on some of these teachers, like how did they all get to teach at Medford High School in the first place? Where do they even live?

PC: You also starred on This Is Us; as an actor what is your process for choosing which projects you want to work on? Clearly you have a great track record!
Danielle: I have a really supportive team that truly has my back when selecting roles for me. This Is Us is so special to me because it was the first television project I ever booked and the booking came the day of my grandmother’s funeral. I was back home in New Jersey when my manager called me and said, “You have a fitting tomorrow for This Is Us, can you make it?” I truly believe my grandmother is my guardian angel and is looking out for me here in L.A. I’ve been in Los Angeles for eighteen months now and have experienced a lot of firsts in my career, and I am so excited for what else is in store.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Danielle: Shark Tank

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Danielle: Blackfish or Along Came Polly

PC: Favorite book?
Danielle: Letters to a Young Artist by Anna Devere Smith

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Danielle: Favorite musical is Annie! and favorite play is The Performers by David West Read.

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Danielle: Instagram

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Danielle: Florence + the Machine

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Danielle: Seven Seconds

PC: Last person you texted?
Danielle: My friend, York Walker, to tell him the movie Set It Off has been turned into a play and we should get tickets to see it.

PC: Hidden talent?
Danielle: I love to paint.

Make sure to follow Danielle on Twitter and Instagram, and catch the season finale of Young Sheldon this Thursday at 8:30/7:30c.