LisaRaye McCoy: Back to Business
Interview by Shawn Michael Lukaszewicz and Nicole Holland
IFQ: You have your own comeback Reality TV show Lisa Raye: The Real McCoy. How did the concept and the show evolve?
LisaRaye: Well, it was actually a business decision. After the scandal of my divorce, and how many headlines it made in the tabloids and blogs everywhere online. With the negativity, I found it to be a chance for me to set the record straight, and tell my fans the real story from the horse’s mouth, and to show them how they can support me in just what I was actually going through. It was a means of survival, as well, because coming back as an actress, I can’t go out tomorrow and make a commercial, or movie, just like that. I watched TV, and I said, “My goodness! Reality TV is just totally taking over. If you can’t beat them, you join them!” It was quite amazing for the show to become the highest rated show in TV1’s history. To have those types of ratings, it was like, wow! I didn’t know there were that many people interested in my life. It showed how many people out there support, like, and were interested in me. I’m sure there were some “haters” intertwined in there too!
IFQ: Why did you decide to Executive Produce this show?
LisaRaye: I thought it was time. My little tagline for everything that I do is B2B which means “Back To Business.” B2B is my franchise/social networking organization that I started with my business partners Tom and Trev Murray. They were like, “You know what? We have to take this to the next level. You are back, but you never really went anywhere, so you’re back to business!” And I was like, right, because everybody needs to be back to something—back to themselves, back to branding, back to business, back to love, back to something. It all made sense. I was like yeah, B2B. So in branding yourself, you want to be able to step into another arena and elevate what you do as well. Not just being in front of the camera, but also being a boss—a real boss—and that’s what I am! Being able to empower myself to make decisions on what I do!
IFQ: How did you score a deal with TV1?
LisaRaye: I really can’t take credit for that. The creator of the show is like a brother to me. His name is Datari Turner. He and I sat down and had a meeting with TV1. TV1 was interested in my life. They took a chance on not just doing a pilot and testing it, but the whole series.
IFQ: Did you find reality TV’s invasion of privacy a challenge at first?
LisaRaye: No, not really, because I had another reality show through Lifetime when I was actually the First Lady of Turks and Caicos Island. It was about opening up my life as an actress, being a First Lady, being the first African American actress in history to be a First Lady, and opening up the doors to politicians. Then things started going sour on the Island as far as the accusations of corruption of governmental funds, and dishonesty, along with the rape case my husband had acquired. That kind of shut that down. So things had to go in another direction, because the country was totally devastated.
IFQ: While watching your new reality show, I noticed that your dog’s name is Diamond. Did you name her as a homage to your breakthrough character’s role in The Player’s Club?
LisaRaye: Yes, I did! Because, for so long, people would come up to me and say “Diamond” and I would go no, “LisaRaye!” I know that I will forever be “Diamond,” so I decided to have my own little personal diamond around here.
IFQ: I noticed that Jamie Foxx is in one of your episodes. He is also in this issue. Did you guys initially hit it off on the set of Ice Cube’s film back in the day? Can you talk about that?
LisaRaye: Oh My God! I was so thrilled to be doing a film with Jamie Foxx. To be able to be a new actress and tape with someone like Jamie Foxx, who came from Living Color. It was just like, wow! I was new and was just thankful for everything that happened. Jamie Foxx also kept it fun and light! He helped me not be so nervous! Being the lead of my first film, I was kind of not walking softly. I was being real stern and strict on myself, and not really allowing myself to have a good time. Jamie Foxx was like “Come on!” He made it look so fun and easy that I was like, “Right, right, right!” It blossomed into an incredible friendship that has lasted even this long!
IFQ: Do you guys have future plans of working together?
LisaRaye: I hope to work with anybody I can learn something from and who can help take me to the next level.
IFQ: How did you come on board the new film Single Ladies?
LisaRaye: That movie was written by one of the producers of my sitcom All of Us. Her name is Stacy A. Littlejohn. She is a brilliant writer. I happened to walk in on her writing something that she was selling and pitching to VH1. One day, I’m sitting in my chair, and I get a call from my agent. He says, “You have an audition tomorrow.” So he sends over the script and I liked what I read. So, I said, “Ok, I’m going to take this audition. I did not even put two and two together to know that it was Stacy’s movie. I went in for the audition; they totally loved me! When I came back, I called Stacy and said, “Guess where I just came from!?” and she said, “Where?” I said, “An audition for your movie!” She said, “Really? How did it go?” Then, she said, “The one day I don’t go to casting you come in!” When I went back to casting, I brought my dog “Diamond” with me because I had just got off the plane. I gave Diamond to Stacy, and VH1 looked and said, “That dog went to you pretty easy. Do you guys know each other?” I was like, “Yeah! We are best friends.” So we were totally thrilled that I got the part on my own. It was perfect! You want to be thankful for your talents, and what it can get you on your own merit, so I was very happy!
IFQ: Without giving too much away, can you tell us about the film and your role?
LisaRaye: It’s about three friends that live in Atlanta. They all embark on different careers. One is a store owner (Stacy Dash), one is a white girl and she is married to a black man and one is a video vixen, but is a little too old to be a video vixen, so she’s looking to capture a rich husband. That would be my part! I play the “Sex and the City” vixen, like Samantha. It’s a very positive story. It’s definitely issues that women go through with their significant others, with their friendships, and their careers. It’s really a lighthearted piece where there is no male bashing at all. I would definitely say it’s something men can go to so they can see how woman sit around and talk about them in a positive light! We’re really looking for our king. We really don’t want to wear the pants, and we really want you all to sweep us away. It’s really like a Sex and the City movie.
IFQ: You previously teamed up with Single Ladies creator Queen Latifah on Beauty Shop, which was nominated for a BET Comedy Award and Black Movie Award. Can you describe your rapport with Queen, over the years, both on and off set?
LisaRaye: Oh, yes! We’re friends. Actually, when I was given the part in Single Ladies, Queen was the one that called me to let me know and congratulate me. Queen is actually the executive producer and is co-producing with VH1. It’s always great to get back together with old friends to make money and history.
IFQ: In addition, you recently completed the film Video Girl. Can you tell us about this film?
LisaRaye: Video Girl is an independent film. Datari Turner, the executive producer on my reality show LisaRaye: The Real McCoy, asked me to make a cameo. Video Girl is actually Datari’s film, along with Meagan Good. It takes place in New Orleans. I play the role of a store owner who really sees something in Meagan Good’s character that reminds me of myself, someone that needs a little shining around her rough edges —a young go getter! I take her in, to work at my store, and my character becomes the one who gives her this inspirational push to get up and go.
IFQ: You had a starring role on the CW TV series All of Us, created by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, which was nominated for a BET Comedy Award and Image Award. Can you tell us about your experience working with the dynamic duo, Jada and Will?
LisaRaye: I was actually nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for an Image Award. It was totally awesome, because you’re working with the dynamic duo. We had been friends before the show, and developed a stronger relationship during the taping of All of Us. It started out with five to six characters, which eventually dwindled down to myself as the only female role in the sitcom. This showed me that I could pull it off, which definitely encouraged me to feel more confident as an actress, and made me realize that I needed to step up, because I had to. Every episode for me was exciting, because I’m really into physical comedy. It was an incredible opportunity!
IFQ: In 1998, you played the lead, which was your breakthrough role, in Ice Cube’s The Player’s Club. What was it like working with Ice Cube on his directorial debut?
LisaRaye: I didn’t know what to expect. I only knew Ice Cube from the rap group N.W.A. and his rap career. So when you think of a rapper and the words they use, I was like, “Oh my goodness!” But, I will tell you this, I didn’t see the “rapper” on set. I saw the business man, the father, the husband, and the executive producer of this movie. He was very professional. He knew what he wanted, and he was very supportive. I remember him coming to me and saying, “You’re going to be a star!” I was like, “Wow!” He said, “When I do the interviews I’m going to make sure everyone knows who you are!” And he did exactly that. Let’s face it; it’s because of Ice Cube that I had a breakthrough role, period! When I said that to him, he said, “No. It’s not because of me, it’s because of you! If you didn’t come in the room and put it down, I would’ve never chosen you to portray Diamond, period.” I would love to work with him again!
IFQ: You have been featured in a lot of music videos ranging from Tupac to Ludacris; to Lil Kim to Ginuwine; to Lil Jon and Ice Cube, to name a few. Of those, which artist excites you the most, and why?
LisaRaye: All of them! They are all friends of my mine! After Ice Cube’s movie The Players Club, we did the soundtrack for the film, and I did the video for the group Changing Faces.
IFQ: Are there any future projects you can let us know about?
LisaRaye: Oh, yes! I’m working on a jean line which is going to be inspired by LisaRaye. I have an annual “Mixdown” in San Juan, Puerto Rico during Memorial Day weekend. This represents my organization and social network that was actually started on Twitter. That’s the B2B “Back to Business!” Our first one was this past May, and it was great! We now have a lot of people on board wanting to help and sponsor. Now it’s blowing up into something bigger than we thought it would actually become.
IFQ: What do you mean by Mixdown?
LisaRaye: It’s getting together and understanding the power of networking! We have comedy shows, concerts, panel discussions, brunch, and tours. The point is to get everyone to collaborate, so when the weekend is over, you really know the people you’re involved with. I feel like my life is going in another direction. I feel like I’ve taken a humanitarian ambassador type of role. I’ve been doing a lot of motivational speaking—speaking with college kids, disadvantaged kids, speaking at prisons, and just really delivering a message of hope: “That we fall down, but we get up!” Just because my life had a light shined on it, doesn’t mean that I’m not human, and I don’t go through exactly what everyone else does. I actually became the global ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation, which is very personal to me. My mother is a colon cancer survivor, and I have two aunts that are breast cancer survivors. I did my first 5k marathon run in Chicago in September. I never ran before! My section of the Susan G. Komen Foundation is the “Circle of Promise,” which is the portion that educates African Americans about breast cancer.
Follow LisaRaye on Twitter@TheRealLRaye.