'Ghosts' Star Danielle Pinnock on Body Positivity, Racial Representation and Loving Lizzo

The star worked odd jobs—including packing Thin Mints Girl Scout cookies—to make ends meet for 17 years before her breakthrough with "Ghosts."

For 17 years, classically trained singer and actress Danielle Pinnock paid her dues working a “ton of side hustles,” including babysitting and packing Thin Mints for the Girl Scouts.

Despite the bumps along the road, she found joy in coaching, teaching, and creating social media content, and she never gave up her dreams of landing a major primetime gig.

“It was extremely difficult living paycheck-to-paycheck. Yet to any actor who is receiving a constant 'no,' I would say that the 'yes' may just be around the corner,” Pinnock exclusively tells Parade.com. “But while you are waiting for that big 'yes,' don’t be afraid to create your own legacy.”

Pinnock did just that with projects like her solo show Body/Courage, an exploration of body acceptance drawn from over 300 real-life interviews, as well as small TV roles including Sheldon’s algebra teacher Mrs. Ingram on Young Sheldon, in addition to roles in Scandal, This is Us and Get Shorty. She is developing a pilot called Hashtag Booked, (co-created with LaNisa Renee Frederick), which is a bittersweet look at being a Black actor in Hollywood.

Then one day she auditioned for Ghosts, and her life and career changed seemingly overnight.

The CBS series centers on married couple Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) and Samantha (Rose McIver), who inherit a beautiful but rundown estate in rural upstate New York. While the pair works diligently to turn the mansion into a B&B, they find out it is inhabited by ghosts with quirky personalities and intriguing backstories—but only Samantha can see and hear them.

Now in Season 2 of Ghosts, Pinnock understands portraying Prohibition-era lounge singer-turned-ghost Alberta Haynes on the hit CBS ensemble sitcom has been a life changer. Where ever she goes, she hears how much Alberta is loved and she is bombarded with questions: “Was Alberta murdered? Was it a heart attack? Tell us what happened!” But Pinnock says that mums the word.

Related: We Believe in Ghosts! Everything We Know About Ghosts Season 2

Read on to discover how the series has created great opportunities for Pinnock, why she is buying organic brown eggs, her deep affection for Rose McIver and her push to get Lizzo on the series.

What is it like to be a major part of Ghosts, which is such a big hit?

Danielle Pinnock: It feels surreal. We are so grateful and so excited that people love the show and have been showing us so much, love. We just got a text from our showrunner today saying that Ghosts is the No. 2 most-watched comedy on all of broadcast TV. It is sheer insanity. We are so excited. It is such an honor.

How is working with the cast and crew of Ghosts?

From the first day that we all came together to shoot the pilot it felt like summer camp. It was a place that you just wanted to be. The energy was there.

We make each other laugh all the time. I feel so grateful that this is just genuinely a group of people that like each other. We have so much fun on set. Whether it is Richie [Moriarty] surprising Brandon Scott Jones and scaring him or Brandon Scott Jones playing magic tricks on me. It is such a fun cast. We are having the time of our careers truly.

Related: Ghosts Star Román Zaragoza Shares His Two Favorite Episodes and How He Measures His Worth in Hollywood

How has Alberta evolved for you? Who is she now versus the early shows in the first season?

I feel like when we first meet Alberta in Season 1, she is really a truth-teller. She is a hot mess with a heart of gold. Out of all the characters, she has the best one-liners.

In Season 2 we’re diving into her vulnerability. We get to learn a little bit more about her past in these flashbacks into the Harlem Renaissance, which I have to say are my personal favorite shootings, because they look gorgeous and because I get a new costume, which is exciting.

We learn the difficulties that she faced as a black performer and as someone who was plus-sized. In this season, we get to learn a little bit more about if she was murdered or not. I like to say it is the biggest whodunit since Trevor’s pants. I’m really excited for audiences to find out about this mystery with her, as well.

How do you feel about you (and Alberta) being role models for body positivity?

I have to say that my mission is making sure that whoever and whatever I portray on TV or in film or online is that I can be a positive representation for the younger people that are looking up to me. I think a lot of times when I was growing up, I had Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott.

I really want to make sure that people feel comfortable in their bodies, I want them to love their bodies, and I want them to be confident in their bodies. These are things that I struggled with growing up.

I remember there weren’t many clothing options for us when I was younger. I remember constantly being in three-piece suits or heavy cardigans and never really feeling stylish or pretty. I just now think it’s important for me, not even with just Ghosts, but when I’m seen out in public on the red carpet: I want people to know yes, we may be bigger, but you can always look awesome. You can feel good, you can be confident in your body. This is important to me now.

It's wonderful to have people come up to me and say, “Thank you for your portrayal of Alberta. She is so confident and so gorgeous.” It is a great honor for people to see me on TV and say, “Wow, we can do this, too.”

Is it true you want to get Lizzo on Ghosts?

Oh my gosh, Lizzo. I’m still going to champion for Lizzo. I have been trying to get Lizzo on this show. I love her so much. I met her for the first time at the Grammys this year and almost passed out. I found out that her mother loves the series. I was like, “Y’all watch the show? I can’t even imagine.” I’m just still keeping my fingers crossed. I think she would just be incredible, whether she was somebody that Alberta toured with back in the 1920s to a great-great-great grandniece or granddaughter. Whatever she wants to do, we will make it happen.

Related: Lizzo and Myke Wright's Sweet Love Story

Are you taking dance lessons?

Well, I have to say that I am back in dance class because it is my favorite thing in the world. I am now doing salsa, which is not quite the Charleston, but I’ve always wanted to be a dancer. When I was younger, I shied away from it because I was a chubbier kid and I was nervous about being in a leotard and what people would think about me and my little, thick thighs and things like that. Now I’m like, "You know what? I’ve always wanted to do this, let me start dancing." It’s been amazing. I practice at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Sherman Oaks. Martin is my amazing dance instructor.

Related: Ghosts Star Román Zaragoza Shares His Two Favorite Episodes and How He Measures His Worth in Hollywood

What about singing lessons?

Yes, I’ve been singing for the last two seasons so that I can really embody Alberta, but also give justice to all those amazing 1920s performers that came before us. They were the original triple threats and the fact that all of them could dance extremely well, all of them can sing extremely well, and all of them were acting, as well, too, or playing an instrument. This is just me doing my part to make sure that I serve the character well.

Who are some of these amazing Black artists that you think about or that you go back and listen to?

Ma Rainey and Billie Holiday to start. I have quite a playlist for Alberta and it is amazing. I know my cast is probably annoyed. Specifically, Asher Grodman [who plays Trevor] because we share a trailer. So, every time I get on set, I’m like blasting the playlist to get into character. So, my trailer is very jazzy. I think those artists are just incredible and so, so, soulful. I probably would have been friends with Alberta back in the day, too.

Related: Rebecca Wisocky Teases a Big Change for Hetty in the Ghosts Christmas Special Episode

You have called Ghosts "the perfect comedy." Why do you feel that way?

I think the show is just good, clean fun. It’s fun for the whole family. And, also, just across generations. It is the first show that the elders in my family love and they watch it with their church groups. The young folks in my family, my little cousins, love it because they’re like, "Oh my gosh, there are so many sex jokes!"

My mom loves it, obviously, because her daughter is on it. But I think the fan base is so diverse. The people that come up to me and say, “Oh my gosh, we love this show,” range in age, range in religion, creed and race. It is hit that universal mark, which is so hard to hit on TV, specifically with a TV comedy.

We are so grateful that we are at this moment. We don’t take this moment for granted. It is not just us, it’s a whole group of people that make sure that this show is a hit. I want just to give them the credit that they deserve.

How has your success from Ghosts changed your life?

In a few different ways. I was a journeyman actor for over 17 years and was working a ton of side hustles. I was a Postmate, I worked at the Girl Scouts in their basement where I used to pack Thin Mints. I was a babysitter, I was a teaching artist, I coached actors; I had a lot of gigs. I also was creating content on social media. It was hard. I had a lot of joy doing, that but it was really difficult living check to check.

This show has not only increased our visibility as a cast, and my visibility personally as an actor, but it’s also garnered me so many opportunities, including being in the movie Candy Cane Lane with Eddie Murphy. It has allowed the doors to be opened that were closed for so long in my career. I feel like this is the first time that I’ve received a ton of yesses. It has changed my life in that way.

Related: Eddie Murphy's Net Worth Revealed

Have you indulged in anything since landing your part on Ghosts?

Oh yes, I am fancy now. I buy organic brown eggs at the market because I have a couple of coins. I’ve also been able to take care of my family, which has been the biggest thing that I’ve wanted my whole career. It’s offered me so many blessings; literally too many to count. The biggest thing that it’s changed is the visibility that I have now.

At the recent NAACP Awards and feeling the love and support that I’m receiving not only from all communities but the black community specifically fills me with so much joy. To know that my people are proud of me and they love the representation and to know that I am in a line of incredible plus-sized black women who came before me, is life-changing.

What kept you going when there were more "nos" than "yeses?"

I have the best artist community in the world, I have to say. I was doing theater at Temple University in Philadelphia where I met my best friends. In fact, a ton of the black artists that came out of there are just heavy hitters in the industry right now, including Quinta Brunson and Maurice Williams. My community is everything to me.

I remember right before Ghosts happened, I screen-tested for a role on HBO, I didn’t get it and I stopped auditioning for maybe half a year because I developed such bad audition anxiety after hearing "no" so many times. It did not seem like there was a "ye"s around the corner. It took my great manager, Frank Gonzales, who said, “Listen, you take the time that you need and when you’re ready to get back out there, let’s do it.”

Related: Quinta Brunson's Net Worth From Abbott Elementary and More

What's it like working with Rose McIver?

Rose is the most special leading actor that I have ever worked with in my entire career. She is our glue. She makes sure that we are good all the time. She is a mama bear to us all. She knows everything about everybody’s families, second cousins, aunties and uncles. She knows everybody by name. She is a master class in what it means to be a leading actor, but also what it means to be a caring, giving and respectful lead. I love Rose so much that if I ever have kids Rose will probably be the godmother to these kids.

She is incredibly nuanced, and she is so funny, but she has the hardest job on the show in the fact that she sees us ghosts—there are takes then when we have to move, and has to remember where we all are. I watch her in rapt amazement.

What was it like on the set when all of you found out the series was picked up for Season 3?

We couldn’t believe it. They said, “Hey, guys, we’re going to get you all together,” and we thought it was going to be some sort of fire drill or something, and then they told us. To know we can still work can give people joy during this tough time is a huge honor. Everybody was just screaming. I think there is probably a video somewhere of all of us, but we were so excited. It was truly amazing!

Season 2 of Ghosts airs on CBS on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET; Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Paramount Plus.

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