During a recent ABFF Pop-Up event in New York City, Power star and former 3LW singer Naturi Naughton-Lewis got real about something every artist carries: the opportunity that got away.
While sitting down with Ally’s Erica Hughes on the Money Wellness and the Creator panel, Naughton opened up about turning down a now-legendary filmmaker before he became a household name, Ryan Coogler.
And let’s be clear: it wasn’t because she didn’t believe in him.
Back when Coogler was just beginning to carve his space in Hollywood, he asked Naughton to star in his short film Fig. The pay was modest. The vision, however, was huge. Casting director Twinkie Byrd urged her to do it. John Singleton was mentoring him. All the signs were there.
“He was really talented, and the script was really good,” Naughton shared as reported by Black Girl Nerds. “They were paying me, like, a day rate — maybe a couple hundred dollars, real talk.”
But her team at the time saw things differently. She says they were “vehemently against it.”
“They told me if I did it, they’d drop me,” Naughton explained. “They said it wasn’t a good look because I was about to do a series called The Playboy Club. They said, ‘You have to maintain a certain prestige.’”
The irony wasn’t lost on her. What looked like a step down at the time was, in hindsight, a step toward legacy. Coogler would go on to direct Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther, Sinners, and become one of the most visionary voices in Hollywood.
“I just want to share with everyone, sometimes access and opportunity are more valuable than money,” she said. “Prestige is bigger than money. But so is relational currency. Write that down, y’all: relational currency.”
And she’s right. The relationships we nurture, especially in creative industries, can outlast and outweigh temporary checks or roles that feel “safe.”
“Sometimes you just have to go ahead and do stuff, even when the money or the prestige doesn’t make sense yet.”
Whether it’s fear, ego, or outdated ideas of what’s “worth it,” those closest to us can unintentionally block our blessings. That’s why it matters who you trust with your decisions.
Despite the missed moment, there’s no bad blood. “I see Ryan all the time,” she said. “I told him, ‘Forgive me for not doing your movie.’ And he was like, ‘No, I love you—I wanted you because I saw you in Notorious.’”
If you’re a creative, a founder, or anyone chasing legacy over likes, take note: Relational currency is real, and sometimes, that yes, you’re afraid to give is the one that changes everything.
