Today I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Janora McDuffie who is a VO Artist, an Actress, a Speaker, and most recently the Announcer for the 94th Academy Awards.

We discuss her role as “Aunt Liz” in the upcoming film Praise This. Janora plays alongside five-time Grammy nominee Chloe Bailey, star of Grown-ish and half of the sibling musical duo Chlöe x Halle, in this new cinematic musical event set in the world of Atlanta's competitive gospel youth choir praise teams. It’s directed by Tina Gordon and produced by Will Packer and Shayla Cowan.

"Praise This" follows aspiring musical superstar Sam (Chloe Bailey), a young woman driven to break into the music business. So, when her father (Philip Fornah; Richard Jewel), worried that Sam is associating with a dangerous crowd, moves them from Los Angeles to Atlanta to live with Sam's Aunt Liz (Janora McDuffie; 94th Oscars, Gray's Anatomy), Uncle Larry (Kendrick Cross), and sunny cousin, Jess (Anjelika Washington; Stargirl, Tall Girl franchise), Sam is not happy.

Sam is forced to join her cousin's struggling, underdog praise team in the lead-up to a national championship competition. She sees an opening to make her dreams come true finally. She discovers that ambition can have consequences and praise is not about glory but gratitude.