Phoebe Robinson On "Everything's Trash" And Michael B. Jordan

If you haven’t started watching Phoebe Robinson’s Freeform series “Everything’s Trash,” yet, we’d highly advise you to catch up — QUICK.

Source: Giovanni Rufino / Freeform

Robinson’s new scripted series finds her in the role of Phoebe Hill, a carefree Brooklynite, happy to disregard serious romantic relationships and her mountain of credit card debt, but devoted to her popular podcast and her beloved brother, whose political aspirations are nearly toppled by Hill’s lack of boundaries in the very first episode. Phoebe’s charm is undeniable, as is the chemistry between Robinson and her co-stars; Jordan Carlos, who plays her brother Jayden Hill, Brandon Jay McClaren, Phoebe’s smokin’ hot smash buddy Hamilton, Toccarra Cash in the role of her friend and podcast producer Malika, and Moses Storm who plays Phoebe’s friend and roommate Michael.

BOSSIP’s Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden caught up with Robinson via Zoom last week about “Everything’s Trash,” why Michael B. Jordan actually misses the mark for her dating preferences, and Jordan Carlos’ surprising new sex symbol status.

Check out their Q&A below:

What’s the MOST trash thing to happen in 2022?

“It’s a tie for a lot. There are a lot of horrible things. Roe v. Wade, everything happening with Russia and Ukraine. It’s been a rough year, it’s been a rough few years, that’s why I look to a show like mine and others that are fun and buoyant and joyful to lift us up out of the doldrums because I think it’s really easy to get sort of stuck in feeling like everything is awful and you have to remind yourself it’s okay to laugh and it’s good to feel good and to be inspired and all that kind of stuff.

Was it your intention for “Everything’s Trash” to break the scripted formula of 30-something Black woman looking for Mr. Right?

For me, the key relationship of the series is the one between Phoebe and her older brother Jayden, it’s based on my relationship with my older brother Phillip. I just don’t think sibling love is shown enough and it’s obviously one of the key relationships of my life. I’m going to know him longer than almost anyone else so I really wanted to celebrate that and Phoebe’s dating adventures are fun B stories. I just found it liberating to play a character who wasn’t like “Where is my husband at? When am I going to have kids?” She really enjoys her friendships and her career and running around the city and having fun, I just really found it refreshing to play a character like that.

Phoebe clearly has some boundary issues, considering who she hooks up with the opps on the first episode, how are you different or like your character in that regard?

I’m definitely not doing that, but I think my brother and I, much like Phoebe and Jayden are pretty different people. We just like, our sense of humor is different, he’s a little more reserved and I’m not. We’re both pretty bookish, but he’s REALLY bookish in a way that’s like so impressive. We still love each other so much and lift each other so much and are so inspired by each other. It’s really cool to have that relationship with him. I’m definitely not out here hooking up with people in his rival’s campaign.

While we’re talking about boundaries, what kind of rules for dating do you have? Would you date other actors or people who work in the industry?

I don’t think I would want to date another actor, that does not particularly appeal to me. I’m not opposed to dating someone in the industry. Or like a producer, or like a director of photography, or if they were like a showrunner. That feels fine to me. I just feel like acting is like so close to what I do, that it would be nice to have different stuff to talk about when you come home, as opposed to like, “Yeah we both had auditions today.” It’s like “Great, who cares.”

Wait, so no actors? That means Michael B. Jordan is out of the question, even after Whoopi gave you that great referral on “The View” ? [ed. note, Phoebe’s book “Everything’s Trash” is dedicated to Jordan]

I think it got out of hand. I do think he’s very handsome and talented, but I’m not actually trying to date him. A glowing review from Whoopi I will always take and put in my pocket. But I guess that Michael and I will never be — because he’s an actor!

Source: Jabari Jacobs / Freeform

What has been the wildest reaction you’ve gotten about the show since it premiered (July 13)?

People have been really fun. A couple of people – and I knew this was going to happen — but Jordan Carlos plays my brother Jayden on the show. Jordan and I met 13 years ago and I told him Jordan I just feel like you’re going to be the secret crush of the show and Jordan was like, “No that’s not me!” A girlfriend of mine texted me when she was starting to watch the show and was like ‘Oh my God the guy that plays your brother is so hot, what are his abs like, is he like jacked?’ I was like, ‘ He’s like a brother to me, I don’t know what his abs are like!’ But people are definitely being like ‘Oh Jordan Carlos is hot, he’s cute,’ and that makes me so happy because he’s definitely not the guy that thinks he’s hot and he’s so lovable and amazing so I love that people are like thirsting over him. People are like, ‘Can you do a Thirsty Thursday about him?’ and I’m like considering he feels like a brother to me, I will not do that.

You’re an aunt in real life and on “Everything’s Trash,” what does it take to be a cool aunt?

What it takes to be a cool aunt is you have to just allow your niece and nephew to think they’re cooler than you and that they know everything, which is fun. And take an interest in what they want to do and do it with them and be silly. Kids don’t have any sense of shame and embarrassment which is a good reminder to me that I don’t have to act a certain way. Just be a cool aunt, have some fun snacks, make them laugh, and laugh at their jokes and that’s it.

Tune in to Freeform Wednesday, August 3 at 10:30pm EST for a brand new episode of “Everything’s Trash”.