Lisa Raye gets past her divorce and becomes a Reality TV Star.
By: Amanda Anderson
Lisa Raye may be fresh from divorce, but she isn’t allowing a failed marriage to put a damper on her career. While the gossip blogs may have put their own spins on why the actress has given up her glamorous lifestyle as the First Lady of Turks & Caicos, she is setting her sights on reviving her career and getting back to the one thing she loves most: Acting.
She recently had an interview with Gapers Block, and she gets real on her recent divorce and her new life as a Reality TV star.
Here are some of the highlights of the interview…
On her new reality show “The Real McCoy”:
“The reaction has been totally phenomenal, awesome and exciting! “LisaRaye: The Real McCoy” is the highest-rated TV show in TV One’s history, with over a million viewers. I’m riding high right now and looking forward to riding this momentum.
Many feel that the “real” is missing from most “reality” shows. There are so many reality shows out now that have the fights, outrageousness, and all that. I’ve got a grown reality show; I’ve got a message to get out there to all the women that want to be married, and I don’t want them to go through the same thing I went through. I want to be able to share my story of learning how to bridge that gap and empower each other. I hope the show allows people to understand my journey and really know how to accept it and encourage me to move forward and to see the newfound strength I have. It’s refreshing to have TV One on my team because they really believe in me and my story.”
On how she deals with the age of the internet and gossip blogs:
“You know, Jamie Foxx once asked me, “Do you look at the internet?” I said, “Sometimes.” Then he said, “Turn it off! You don’t know those people and they don’t know you, so why do you care about what they say?” I answered, “Well, I look… to counter what they’re saying, maybe?” Jamie then said, “Do you. This is your journey — you’re an actress, you entertain, that’s what you do.” And he was right. Sometimes, some of the things hurt you, but when you’re in the business, you know what you got yourself into — you know there’s the build-up to tear you down. So you just have to brush it off, shake it off, and keep it moving.”
On the scarcity of roles for black actors:
“…there are less roles and opportunities for black actors. When I came back, there were no black sitcoms on the air, except for Tyler Perry’s shows. Even all the black films that come out are his; I mean, we can’t all fit into his stories. But they say when you get older, the acting jobs are few and far between. I haven’t really felt that, though — I don’t feel older. I don’t look older.”
On life as a single mother:
“Kai — that is my baby, my love “thang.” But for single parents, we have that “no-nonsense” thing about us, because we have someone’s life we’re responsible for: We’re the mom, dad and everything. It’s also that sense of urgency and hustle in us that makes us go out and do what we have to do. It’s always been just the two of us. She’s my friend, my family, my daughter, my everything, and she gives me that drive to do what I’ve got to do.”
On her next film:
“I just booked a part in a movie with Flava Unit, Queen Latifah’s production company. I start filming in Atlanta on May 10. Well, it’s still unnamed, but I can tell you it’s about three friends — sort of like “Sex and the City.” Of course, my character is most like Samantha!”
It’s great to see Lisa Raye moving on from her divorce and getting back to her passion. She seems like she is really happy these days.
For more of the interview, click here.
