Kym Whitley is pulling back the curtain on a missed opportunity that could have redefined her career — and the hard truth about what it takes for Black women to break through in comedy.

Hailing from Cleveland, the comedian and actress got her start in stand-up, earning a reputation for delivering memorable punchlines across beloved shows and movies like “My Brother & Me,” “Martin,” “The Wayans Bros.,” and “Next Friday.” 

Whitley is now bringing her hilariously funny persona to the “Martin” spinoff, “The Varnell Hill Show,” opposite Tommy Davidson and Wendy Raquel Robinson. 

Actress Kym Whitfield caught in a scene on the set of “The Varnell Hill Show,” also starring Tommy Davidson. (Photo courtesy of Paramount+)

The actress spoke to Atlanta Black Star about her role, what could have been her big break in Hollywood, and a lingering regret involving veteran actress Marla Gibbs that might have changed her career.

In the series currently airing on Paramount+, Whitley plays Kim Jones, the long-suffering assistant of Davidson’s beloved character, Varnell Hill.

‘Jackée Did Not Like Me Looking Like Her’: Kym Whitley Opens About Meeting Jackée Harry and the Advice Marla Gibbs Gave Her Regarding Their Past Feud

“I’m nothing nice to him,” Whitley tells ABS about her scenes with Davidson. “I’m not soft and cuddly. I tell him like it is. And Kim Whitley tells him like he is.”

Having worked together for years in public broadcasting, the duo finally gets the chance to jump to a major network — eager to take that next step together and bring their show to a broader audience.

Working with the “Varnell Hill” character feels like a full-circle moment for Whitley, who once appeared in an episode of “Martin,” the show that created the Hill character.

But she wishes she had gotten an earlier chance to share the stage with Martin Lawrence when hosted HBO’s groundbreaking “Def Comedy Jam.”

Whitley believes performing on the influential comedy series could have changed her career. She said it would have helped audiences and industry executives to see her as a legitimate stand-up comedian.

Instead, she performed at other venues and shows because “I didn’t realize it was gonna be such a big deal.”

Whitley’s only regret is, “I should have gotten on the Def Jam stage.”

The “Next Friday” star spent years proving she was a legitimate stand-up because audiences and industry gatekeepers never saw her on the shows that established other comedians.

Not knowing how her Hollywood journey would play out, Whitley always maintained her teaching credentials as a backup plan.

Whitley’s path to Hollywood began in an unexpected place: the studio audience of “227.” After befriending security guards to get into events, she used her bold spirit and hustle mentality to push through the rest of the way.

That hustle part paid off when an audience member mistook Whitley for Jackée Harry’s sister. 

“227” star Marla Gibbs noticed her from the set and asked someone to bring her backstage. She told Whitley they had something coming up and would need her, eventually leading to an opportunity to double for Harry.

When that break finally materialized, Whitley viewed it as part of the path God had already laid out for her.

Looking back, Whitley wishes she had slowed down to take full advantage of working alongside Gibbs. She admits it never occurred to her at the time to sit with the veteran actress and seek her advice on navigating Hollywood.

“I wish I would have sat back and said, ‘Marla, can I pick your brain?’ How do I do this thing?’ I didn’t do that,” Whitley admitted. 

“I didn’t become friends with anyone on the set close enough,” she continued, later adding, “I was not wise enough to say, take this opportunity, slow down.”

She did, however, form a close friendship with Ken Whittingham, who started as a “227” stage manager before becoming a prominent television director.

While Whitley built her career on the hustle of the live stage, today’s comedians can easily leverage social media to skip that same grind.

She cautions, however, that online success doesn’t “always translate” when stepping in front of a live audience. For Whitley, there are no shortcuts.

“There is no going around doing the work, and that is writing material, practicing it, and putting it on stage,” she expressed. “So a lot of the comedians just go up [on stage] and they do their act or something from social media [but] they got to do work. Um, so I think sometimes that irritates me. I’m like, ‘nope, it’s not going to work. You got to do the work.”

Fans can watch Whitley bring her signature real-life hustle to screen as she drives “Varnell” toward success. “The Varnell Hill Show” is now streaming on Paramount+.

‘Have to Do the Work’: Comedian Kym Whitley Gets Candid About the Big Break She Wishes She Had, Her Marla Gibbs Regret and Why Going Viral Isn’t Enough