For my entire adult life, LaLa Anthony has always been that girl.
From her early days as a radio personality to becoming a fixture in our homes on our favorite reality television and sitcoms (not to mention, our favorite basketball wife of all time), she has managed to stand out in an entertainment industry where flashy lifestyles seem like prerequisites for success. Yet throughout her journey, Anthony has operated on a different wavelength entirely.
The actress, producer and businesswoman has built a career spanning decades by following her passion rather than chasing paychecks, a refreshing approach that’s served her well. “I never, ever took a job because of the paycheck or what it paid,” Anthony shared during our recent conversation ahead of her appearance on the upcoming fourth season of Richer Lives, airing April 15th on SoFi’s YouTube channel. “I took jobs because I was passionate about them or they were things I wanted to do. And because of that, the money ended up coming.”
This philosophy wasn’t always easy to maintain, especially in her early acting days when financial stability wasn’t guaranteed. “I loved acting so much that in my beginning years I was willing to do it for free because it wasn’t like people were giving me acting jobs like that,” she explained. “I wanted the experience. I wanted to learn.”
Those humble beginnings eventually led to starring roles in hit series like Power, BMF, and The Chi, validating her approach of pursuing passion over payment.
Anthony’s career began in radio as a teenager before she transitioned to television as a VJ on MTV’s Total Request Live. This early exposure to fame provided valuable learning experiences about finance.
“I was buying things that had no value just to look the part,” Anthony said when asked about money mistakes she made starting out. “It was okay if I was living in an apartment with four of us in one bedroom, but as long as I had a great shirt or a great piece of jewelry, I felt good about it.”
One purchase stands out in her memory: a diamond pendant she bought alongside rapper Ludacris when they were both coming up in the industry.
“Ludacris and I went to the jewelry store and we wanted to buy these diamond pendants,” she recalled with a laugh. “I remember it was like I was paying on it every month or every couple weeks, and it took me a long time to pay it off, but that was what we wanted so bad.”
The pendant, which she still owns today, serves as a reminder of where she started and how far she’s come.
The financial wisdom Anthony now possesses wasn’t developed overnight. Much of her foundation came from her mother, who taught her the importance of saving from an early age. “When you don’t grow up with any money, then of course it’s going to be, ‘Save. Save. Save,’ because you don’t have a lot,” Anthony explained. “I never had conversations with my mom about investing. My mom even knew about dealing in a world with such little money that all you knew was hold on to the little bit that you have.”
That foundation has served her well as her wealth has grown. “It definitely helped me now as an adult and as an entrepreneur because I’m more conscious of how much money I spend.”
Motherhood further transformed Anthony’s relationship with money. As a mother to her son Kiyan, who is preparing to start college, she’s become even more intentional about financial planning.
“As a mom, you automatically know you have to take care of someone else, so that changes everything,” she said. “My son’s needs always come before mine. So it changes how you look at money, how you spend money, how you save, how you invest because you know there’s someone else that you have to look after.”
Anthony has made a point of teaching her son important money lessons as he navigates young adulthood, encouraging him to enjoy the fruits of his labor in moderation while focusing on long-term growth.
“Take a small amount of that and buy yourself something nice. You deserve that,” she says of the advice she gives to her son. “But then take the rest and put it in a savings account so it can grow and you can make more money in the future.”
“There’s so many ways now to make it look good without having to spend that money,” she offers for young women who might feel pressure to maintain a luxury appearance.” Her practical advice: “As long as you feel confident and look presentable, it’s not about buying the latest name brand, the most expensive thing.”
When it comes to building long-term wealth, Anthony emphasizes patience and consistency. “I think it’s about patience and pacing yourself. A lot of times we want the quick grab, the quick money scheme, the get rich fast scheme,” she noted. “When I look at my finances, my financial growth happened over a lot of years.”
As she navigates her son preparing for college, a transition she admits she’s “having a very tough time with,” Anthony continues to focus on her acting career while expanding into producing. And through those things, she remains grounded in her values by doing three things: following her passion, making smart financial choices, and finding peace in family connections.
