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“I would have never let all that weird sh*t happen to me or her,” SZA says.
SZA and Keke Palmer's new movie One of Them Days is categorized as a buddy comedy, but the two women are pulling off action flick-level stunts during ridiculously elaborate hijinks — some “weird sh*t” does go down, but it's all worth it for the plot and the punchlines. The comedy, which releases exclusively in theaters today, January 17, has already received high praise and critical acclaim.
“When we jumped out the back of that car—” Palmer says of one hilarious scene in particular.
“My titties!” SZA interrupts emphatically.
“—The out of breath wasn't acting,” Palmer tells Teen Vogue. “That was natural.”
The relatable and gut-busting back-and-forth between the film’s lead duo during our interview alone is a sneak peek of the witty banter they exchange on-screen as they portray besties and roommates Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), who live in the Baldwin Village neighborhood of South Los Angeles known as The Jungles.
The pair race to beat the eviction clock when Dreux learns that Alyssa gave the entirety of their rent money to her freeloading boyfriend Sean, played by social media star Joshua Neal, who blew the cash on bootleg t-shirts.
The film follows the friends as they attempt every get-(hood)rich-quick scheme under the sun to try to recoup the funds before their unsympathetic landlord puts them and their belongings on the curb. And that’s where the laughs start rolling in. One of Them Days is written by former Rap Sh!t showrunner Syreeta Singleton and is the feature film debut of director Lawrence Lamont.
After their viral Saturday Night Live matchup in December 2022, pairing Keke Palmer and SZA together for the film was somewhat of a no-brainer for producer Issa Rae.
“Keke can have chemistry with anybody,” Rae says. “Watching her work, I could talk about Keke for 7,000 hours because it is really a privilege. But SZA is a diamond in the rough. She's so freaking funny and the two of them together, they just instantly bond. The first scene that we had them shoot together wasn't until [we were a week into filming]. When we saw them in that particular car scene, we all exhaled a sigh of relief. We were like, ‘Oh, we have a movie.’”
SZA, on the other hand, wasn’t quite so sure about making a foray into acting. “I don't know why [Issa] would book me for a feature film, but we’re here,” the singer says teasingly. SZA tells Teen Vogue she wasn’t necessarily looking to take on Hollywood when the opportunity to co-star in the film was placed in front of her.
“I was thinking about farming,” jokes the “30 For 30” singer who recently released the aesthetically woodland-themed SOS Deluxe: Lana. “But I keep saying how much [my] desire to be involved in something so important was because of who these women are to me and the world.” As for her experience as a first-timer on a film set, SZA admits she was “just hoping to get through it.”
“When I got on camera it was spooky, but Keke literally ushered me through,” she says. "I would do a take and I'd be like, ‘That's it, we're moving on,’ in my mind, but the learning experience and the growth that it gave me, I'm super grateful for that.”
It's no secret that SZA's industry veteran co-star is unofficially known as Keke “Keep a Job” Palmer — and the many hats she wears makes her somewhat of a kindred spirit to her character in the film, a waitress working to land a managerial position that will put both her and Alyssa in a better financial position.
“I actually do feel like I'm like Dreaux,” says Palmer, who’s also an executive producer of the movie. “I'm very ambitious. I want to try to figure it all out and feel like if I do everything right, it should turn out the right way, which, obviously, we know it won't. But then you get back up and you try again,” she adds. “I really do relate to her type-A personality.”
SZA also sees herself in her character, to a certain degree. “I definitely feel like I'm Alyssa-coded, but I'm way more bossed up in real life,” she says proudly. “But at the same token, all the nonsense and the Calamity Jane aspect of it is super, super accurate to me.”
One of Them Days is a subtle nod to the ‘90s cult classic Friday, and was shot in just 20 days. The cast is rounded out by a host of familiar faces who cross paths with Alyssa and Dreaux as they race to keep a roof over their heads, like Abbott Elementary’s Janelle James, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Snowfall’s Amin Joseph, and comedians Lil Rel Howery and Katt Williams.
“When I saw Katt Williams, I thought it was a joke,” SZA confesses of the comedian’s character who (much like him), is a bit of a truth-teller who tries to warn the besties of the frivolity of their money-making pursuits.
Alongside SZA, other stars like Aziza Scott, Patrick Cage II, and Joshua Neal, are also making their big screen debuts in One of Them Days. “I love watching veterans, but there's also something great about discovery, of seeing someone where you're like, ‘Oh my god, I've never heard of them before and they made this particular scene or they made this moment for me,’” says Rae of the intentionality behind the movie's casting. “I love the actor who plays Maniac, Patrick Cage, and Joshua Neal, who plays Keshawn, is phenomenal. Those are actors that I feel will continue to work for a long time.”
If One of Them Days follows in the footsteps of the Ice Cube and Chris Tucker buddy comedy from which it draws inspiration, a sequel — or two — could soon follow. Issa Rae, however, is most looking forward to SZA and Palmer carrying their on-screen chemistry over into their real lives. “They share a sense of humor, they share a woo-woo-ness,” says Rae of the lead actresses. “I hope they're lifelong friends after this.”
One of Them Days is now playing exclusively in theaters.
