From the moment Jack Gee introduced himself to Bessie Smith in the film, Bessie, something just didn’t seem right. I thought the casting was perfect and Michael K. Williams did an excellent job of playing Jack. His facial expressions, body language, personality, and even the way he walked and talked were all very convincing. There was no doubt in my mind that he was Jack Gee.

Right off the bat, Bessie was impressed by this forward, overly-confident, smooth, and charming individual. On the other hand, I, as a viewer, could see right through him from the second he appeared on-screen. I knew Bessie was making a huge mistake when she not only decided to give this man a chance, but more so when she decided to marry him so quickly. Sure enough, my suspicions about his character came to fruition—he couldn’t be trusted and seemed more interested in Bessie’s money than in her. His conniving and crafty ways were most obvious when Bessie’s custom-built railroad car revealed his name in giant flashy letters, preceding hers—the actual star of the tour. As any pompous, selfish, controlling individual would do, Jack Gee seemed to take much more credit for Bessie’s success than he deserved. I don’t know what Jack Gee was like in real life, but I do know that Michael K. Williams did a fabulous job playing his role.

A Hollywood actor gets paid for his professional skills—to have an emotional connection and naturally embody the essence of the character and come across as believable to an audience. Unfortunately, there are also many people in this world who act this way every day. I’m referring to the sly, crooked, deceitful people in the world who use charm and charisma to take advantage of others and mislead people for their own personal gain.

Just as I was able to see through Jack Gee in the movie, I was able to see through the man that a good friend of mine introduced as her new boyfriend. There was something about him from the moment I met him that I knew wasn’t right. His facial expressions, body language, personality, and even the way he walked and talked—just like Jack Gee—told me that he was extremely calculated, self-absorbed, and dishonest. Just like Bessie, my friend wasn’t able to see through her man and didn’t want to believe that he was up to no good and was taking advantage of her. She was impressed by his fictitious personality and believed every lie he told.

It was one of those situations where I didn’t want to be right, but I was. Almost twenty years later, my friend finally bid that guy farewell, but it was already too late. By the time she figured out for herself that he was a total con artist, his cunning and devious ways had already gotten the best of her and stripped her of her self-confidence and bank account. When she finally had enough and opened up to me about some of the things that happened in their relationship, I was shocked and saddened that she had been put through so much by this villain—and that’s referring to him as mildly and kindly as I can. The things he said and did were straight out of a movie. He was a good actor playing a role and he did it well. Although I’m relieved and happy my friend is completely done with that guy, it’s unfortunate to know how quickly he moved on to pull the wool over the next girl’s eyes. Then again, that is what a professional actor does—on to the next role!

I get it—when you’re in love with someone, you only want to see and believe in all the wonderful things they tell you and focus on the great characteristics they work hard to assure you they possess. You might look through rose-colored glasses, totally convinced that they really are who they say they are. If friends or family members bring to light another side of that person, you may get angry and defensive. How dare anyone say anything other than marvelous things about this person you love so much. Why wouldn’t everyone put them on a pedestal the way you do?

I’m not trying to claim that I have this sixth sense or supernatural ability, but I’ve always had great intuition when it comes to reading people, seeing their true character, and getting a sense of who they really are. My point is simple—trust your gut and your own instincts, but also be willing to listen to those around you who have nothing but your best interest at heart. Sometimes a third party who is not directly invested in the relationship will be able to give you insight and a perspective that you shouldn’t ignore.

If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t, and if you ever have any doubt whatsoever about the character of someone you’re in a relationship with, you should probably explore your hunch. The worst that might happen is that you’re wrong and the person has been one-hundred percent authentic and honest with you, as you had hoped. That’s a lot better than having your friends or family members turn out to be right about the concerns they expressed to you when it’s too late and you’ve already lost a lot of money, time, and—worst of all—your happiness and self-worth. Remember that the best actors are not necessarily the ones in Hollywood!