Exclusive: Dancer Kylie Jefferson Says Being Cast in 'The Six Triple Eight' Was an 'Opportunity' for Her to Learn From Kerry Washington, Tyler Perry and More

Kylie Jefferson had to pinch herself when she started working on Netflix's film The Six Triple Eight, which debuts on the streaming platform on Friday, December 20.

"It's a masterclass just being there! I was on set and I remember looking around being like, 'There's Dean Norris, there's Kerry Washington, there's Tyler Perry, there's Susan Sarandon.' I watch these people on TV, and it really was amazing," the star, 30, exclusively tells Morning Honey about the movie, which was directed by Perry and tells the true story of an African American female battalion in World War II. "The cast all had admiration for each other, but to have legends on set as well ... we were all geeking out. I definitely know I was, but it was an opportunity to learn more than anything else."

Jefferson, who was the youngest student accepted at the academy level to the prestigious Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) in Culver City, Calif., at 6 years old, soaked up being around such talented individuals. "There's a lot I observed about Kerry, with the number one thing being the way she shows up on set, and the way she took time with each of the girls to teach them something. It was always at the most appropriate time. She had so many moments of encouragement. She's so aware of herself and committed to the process. It was such a beautiful thing to be able to observe," she gushes over Washington, 47. "I've always loved the way she's navigated her career. She is so perfect to me."

One moment the dancer won't forget is when they had to pause one scene because of a storm. "We had to be held for about two or three hours, and Kerry said, 'Come on, girls. Let's go downstairs, we're going to have a chat.' She grabbed Ms. [Debbie] Allen as well, and we sat downstairs and asked questions regarding marriage, kids, how to balance it all. Ms. Allen had great insight as well, and I think that was probably one of my most favorite moments on set with Kerry and Ms. Allen," she shares.

Jefferson, who plays Bernice Baker in the film, recalls getting the call about the opportunity around Christmas time. "I put my leftovers down right away!" she quips, referring to eating around the holiday season. "I started scheduling Pilates classes and getting back into a regimen of moving my body in order to train. I knew I would be swing dancing, so I needed to get my body prepared. I had to get straight to business!"

Since The Six Triple Eight is a period piece, she had to portray different mannerisms, as it takes place during World War II. "I started doing research and watching a lot of movies from that time period so that I could observe women in my own life that are older and I could pick up on the diction in their voice and things of that sort. I wanted to make Bernice as authentic as possible," she says, adding that once she saw the wardrobe, it helped her get into character even more.

"They put so much detail and care into the outfits — even down to the undergarments, so it really allowed me to see my character. It helped me come into her a lot," she states. "That's pretty different than what my usual process would be like because I only had a certain amount of time to prepare."

Throughout her career, Jefferson has felt connected to her characters, including in this movie. "It's taught me a lot about myself, and I think that's the gift that acting has given me," she notes. "Bernice used to be a dancer before joining the military, and you can see the way she's disciplined when it comes to the training aspect, and I've very similar to that. I'm very quiet and observant, and when you see her dancing scene, that's when her personality really comes out. It's funny because my castmates said the same thing to me, and I could feel it as well."

Prior to taking on roles, Jefferson was "always dancing," which is why her mom had no choice but to put her in dance class. "I remember going into audition for Debbie Allen, and I was supposed to be 8 years old, but I was six at the time. They almost wouldn't let me audition until someone went to Ms. Allen and she said, 'Let her audition!' From that moment on, she wrapped me up and took me on," she says of the dancing legend, 74.

She later trained at Boston Conservatory, and upon graduation joined Complexions Contemporary in New York and embarked upon a national tour.

Jefferson recently tried something new by appearing in Tiny Pretty Things, a show about a star student at an elite ballet school, which "threw" her into the acting world.

"I remember thinking to myself, 'We're here, so let's learn how to do the process.' That was my process during Tiny Pretty Things, and I think in that, I began to learn different things about myself. It's such a precious gift that I've loved and that was my primary reason for continuing on in the acting world," she shares. "I've learned about my emotional self and how to support myself better with my emotions. I've developed a better relationship with myself. Being able to be mindful of how I'm feeling, of how something works for me or doesn't, and to be able to make adjustments for myself based on that has the most powerful thing I've been able to do since I started acting."

Over the past few years, Jefferson's life has changed drastically — but she wouldn't have it any other way and is excited to dive into the next thing. "There's definitely those times where I'm like, 'What's going to happen or what are we going to do?' But a few years ago, I wouldn't have thought my second acting job would be this. I'm very grateful that the projects I've been a part of so far have so much quality and so much voice to them that is so inspiring to people and touch people's hearts in the way its doing. Tiny Pretty Things had so much impact."

"There are so many experiences I've had growing up as a kid that have shown me the possibilities of life," she continues. "Now that I am experiencing those possibilities, I'm also seeing even more possibilities. I want to continue to show up for that."

As for what's next, Jefferson hopes to become more of a "fashion girlie!"

"One thing I'm learning is that it's so fun to get dressed for events. I want to figure out how I can catapult into the fashion world a little bit," she shares.

For now, Jefferson is just seeing where the wind blows.

"At a young age, I was always put in a certain type of room where I didn't have as much experience as everybody else in that particular field, and I just had to figure it out," she adds. "I think that's what you have to do. When there's a blessing that comes your way, you have to show up for it — even if you're going to fall flat on your face while doing it. You never know where that can take you next. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but once you come out on the other side of it, you can take a moment and say to yourself, 'Well, at least I did it.'"

The Six Triple Eight is set to be released in theaters on December 6 and hit Netflix on December 20.