Vivica A. Fox is ready for the next act in her career. The Empire actress and Every Day I’m Hustling author is exploring storytelling from new angles as a producer and aspiring director.
She’s also has aspirations to use her popularity to accurately portray Black people’s stories on the screen.
“I love helping African-American filmmakers get their films made,”she told ESSENCE recently at the inaugural stop of this year’s Sistahs in Business Expo tour in Newark, New Jersey.
“I want to make sure that I’m very proud of the product; that it’s a true representation of my community and the script and the project,” she added. “I want to make sure that the images of African-Americans are as positive and as true as they can possibly be.”
Fox said she believes her focus on the “finished product” has greatly contributed to her longevity in what can be an extremely fickle industry for Black actors.
I turned it down three times because it just wasn’t a good representation of African-Americans, so I fought them on everything.
“I think the reason why—no I know the reason why—I’ve been doing this for such a long time is that I fight,” she said. “When we did Two Can Play That Game, I fought for the way we talked, walked, the way we loved each other.”
“Because the script, when I first got it, I turned it down three times because it just wasn’t a good representation of African-Americans, so I fought them on everything,” Fox admitted.
Fox, who credits her mother for raising her to consider others’ feelings, was careful to keep her attitude in check while raising her voice to support her vision.
“I use that voice constructively because you get a lot more with sugar than with vinegar. That’s an old saying that a lot of people need to know is still true today,” she explained.
We can’t wait to see what she achieves behind the camera next.
