Actress Loretta Devine Talks New Show, Waiting To Exhale & Longevity - Page 2

ABC

There are a lot of Black television shows coming to network television. So do you think this is a true change or is this just what’s on trend?

Oh! You know, show business is so unpredictable. I’ve been doing this for over thirty years myself and I’ve had a real successful career compared to a lot of people who are equally, or even more, talented than me. What’s happening now, they’re calling it “the Empire Effect” because “Empire” was so successful. There were like 74 roles for Black actresses, leading and supporting roles. This has never been done before, in the history of show business. But it’s like throwing paint against the wall and seeing what sticks. For this season, I think people are working who haven’t worked in a long time. Black people got paid who haven’t been paid in a long time. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens in the next couple of seasons. But right now, some of the hit shows on tv have Black, female leads. And that is truly different. And I’m talking about four or five shows. Halle Berry has a show on. Viola Davis, Kerry Washington, Taraji Henson. And then if you go over to Tracee Ellis and then you’ve got “Being Mary Jane.” When ever has that ever been in the history of the world? So, I’m just glad to be alive today. It’s a phenomenon! All of a sudden, every White guy you see got a Black girlfriend. That’s what we’re doing now. The sistas, all of a sudden, are in. Now, it’s going to be interesting to see how they write the sistas because a lot of the writers are clueless as to how Black women even talk, think or whatever. But they’re trying to figure it out. So, thank God we have a future on the horizon. We have a whole flock of directors now. Regina King, Debbie Allen, Mario Van Peebles, DuVernay, Lee Daniels. We own tv stations now, Oprah Winfrey with her OWN. It’s amazing things that can come out of all of this.

Source: Ebony

Speaking of Lee Daniels, he has a new show coming out called “Star” and it’s based on the Dreamgirls model. Would you be interested in working with him on that?

Oh I don’t know what’s going to happen. I have to see what’s going on with some of the things that are going on with me now but of course everyone wants to work with Lee Daniels now, he’s the hottest ticket in town.

Are people still talking about the Waiting to Exhale sequel?

I’m not sure. The buzz on that has died way down. Terry moved to L.A. and said she was going to work on that. And it’s been really hard for her to find someone that could match the writing styles with. We haven’t heard any more rumors on that. One of my hopes is that they remake This Christmas. All of my little children are famous. So it would be great if they had another Christmas. I don’t whether they’re going to do another “Waiting to Exhale.”

My friend told me that I had to ask you about Gregory Hines. Can you tell us what it was like working with him?

Oh my God! When I did Waiting to Exhale, he was the absolute best leading man of all of the men that were there. I had two or three dozen roses in my room the first day of shoot and all of the women were jealous! They were so jealous because none of their guys did that. I have to say that I have worked with Gregory on Broadway too. My first show, Comin’ Uptown was with Gregory Hines. So it was like a reunion doing that movie with him. And our chemistry was poppin’. So that was great.

Yes, you guys had great chemistry. My friend said, they way they were tonguing each other down. 

Laughs. Oh yes, honey. That was something. He was really was an angel. He was so wonderful. The world lost a wonderful person when they lost him.

When For Colored Girls came out, you said that you feel a bit of anxiety when you go out for auditions. Do you still feel that way based on all that you’ve been able to do in the industry?

In a way yeah. Now, that I’m even older you go ‘Oh God, what possibly could I do next.’ But it’s all about what people create, the jobs, the energy and I have such a great relationship with God. He always hooks me up. So I need not worry about anything. It’s so stupid to do that. I know He’s like ‘How much do I have to prove to you?’ And so that’s how I feel. God’s got me. I don’t know about you. I’m just excited about everything that’s going on in my life right now and I hope it continues.

You can catch the premiere episode of “The Carmichael Show” tomorrow at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.