This month, while sitting pretty inside of UnLeash’d Magazine’s “Mad About MOD” issue, ViVica Fox reveals reveals how she has been able to keep up with the ever-changing industry for so long, as well as her ability to adapt to what’s current so that she continues to get work. She also dishes on her favorite movie role, her personal life and being a sexy cougar.
Catch the highlights and spread below:
On adapting in her career so that she wouldn’t be pigeon-holed
Early on in my career, I decided I wouldn’t pigeon hole myself. I wanted to make sure that I was able to be free to do what I want and to expand into different areas. I wanted to produce, act, and sing. I didn’t limit myself. I learned to adapt. Wherever this ever-changing industry went, I adapted. For instance, reality TV is a big thing so I adapted my career to incorporate that.
On being typecast
The only time you are typecast is if you go ahead and allow people to do that to you. If you allow yourself to be pigeon holed, then you won’t break out. You have to go out and do new things. If there is a part that should be played by a man, there’s nothing that says a woman can’t play it. Black, white, whatever, just something different.
I think that you can’t let yourself be put in a box. You always have to be outside the box because if you are labeled a certain way or put into that box, then that’s how they’ll see you.
On her favorite roles
I would have to say that one of my favorite, and one of the most fun, was my role in “Independence Day.” I got to come out there singing and dancing and showing I could also rock a pole [laughs]. People were talking and saying, ‘Who is that? She is beautiful and she can act and dance and all that!’ It was great to have people react like that. I also loved playing Frankie in “Set It Off.” I got to get gangsta with it so that was a lot of fun! But my favorite role has been Shante in “Two Can Play That Game.” That movie meant a lot to me. It was great to show that not all African-American relationships were about beating each other or stuff like that. It was real and it was fun to make. I got to put a lot of myself in that movie. I had a say in the clothes I wore, the cars I drove, the way I talked and walked. I had a lot of input and it made it that much better.
On keeping her business to herself
Come on now. We both know I haven’t been flying under the radar. Let’s be real [laughs]. You know it seems that everyone was always interested in my love life. When I was younger I was real quick to say, ‘Hey I’m in love or we’re going over here. But I learned to not kiss and tell. And currently I am happily single.
On what she’s currently working on
Well, we just signed on for 90 episodes of Mr. Box Office! I play Cassandra Washington, a sexy cougar teacher.[…]Honestly I’m flattered. I mean I’m playing a sexy cougar.
