How being a good student helped shape Retta's acting career

Marietta Sirleaf, who you might know better as Retta, played office manager Donna Meagle on seven seasons of the sitcom Parks and Recreation. These days, she has a lot more going on.

You can find Retta on TV shows like Good Girls and Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce, and she's just written a brand new book So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know — a collection of essays about how she became an actor, how she deals with doubt, and how she stuck it out to pursue her passions when it felt like her path was already set out for her.

In a conversation with q's Tom Power, Retta shares her opinions on everything from social media etiquette to Lin-Manuel Miranda to flying first-class versus coach. She also talks about her group text with her former Parks and Recreation co-stars, and how studying medicine was her "backup plan" if acting didn't work out. 

— Produced by Elaine Chau

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