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During her two years at “Extra,” Cheslie Kryst interviewed some of the biggest names, including Taylor Swift, Zendaya, Oprah Winfrey, and Denzel Washington.
In one of her final interviews, Cheslie and Denzel shared some laughs while discussing his dream hero superpower, which was the “power to heal.”
In December, Cheslie connected with Mariah Carey about their shared race. When Mariah brought up “feeling weird about being biracial,” Cheslie commented, “My dad is white and my mom is Black, so I relate to exactly what you’re talking about.”
The month before, Cheslie bonded with Taylor over cats after she told the hitmaker that she was thinking about adopting a Bengal.
In one of her earlier interviews for “Extra,” Cheslie had the opportunity to chat with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at the premiere of his 2019 movie “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Cheslie recorded a video on her phone, saying, “I just talked to Tom Hanks. This is not a real job, this is crazy.”
Kryst, a mental health advocate, also interviewed celebrities like Gabrielle Union and Taraji P. Henson about their struggles with mental health ahead of her own passing.
In her interview with Gabrielle, she asked what advice the actress would have for anyone who was feeling hopeless. Gabrielle responded, “Take a lot more joy in the journey, but also therapy. Get it and have no shame about it.”
Kryst also asked Taraji how she managed to stay positive after experiencing her own suicidal thoughts. Taraji said, “You take each moment. It’s not like I wake up every day and I’m happy, but thank God I’m in therapy.”
Earlier this week, Cheslie’s death was ruled a suicide. Kryst, 30, took her own life, jumping from her New York City apartment building on January 30. Her final Instagram post was a beautiful picture with the haunting message, “May this day bring you rest and peace.”
Following the ruling, Cheslie’s mom April Simpkins revealed that she was “dealing with high-functioning depression,” which she kept hidden from everyone “until very shortly before her death.”