MARCH COVER STORY: VIVICA FOX
COVER STORY: VIVICA FOX
By Teryl Warren
When I first saw Vivica Fox in the classic crime drama Set It Off – I was inspired. It was the first time since the days of Cleopatra Jones and Foxy Brown that I had seen an image of a tough, brash, beautiful Black woman who was equal parts feminine and fierce.
When I saw her in Why Do Fools Fall in Love – I was intrigued. Sharing the screen with stars like Larenz Tate and future Academy Award®-winner Halle Berry, it was Vivica – whose performance ranged from hilarious to heart-breaking – who impressed me most.
From a deadly assassin in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2, to a devoted sister, wife and mother in the family dramedy Soul Food, Vivica Fox has set a new standard for versatility – portraying a myriad of multi-faceted characters that illustrate nearly every aspect of womanhood.
When I heard her reflect on her life’s work in the documentary series Unsung…when I heard her speak of things like “sacrifice” and “resilience”…and when I heard how highly her peers spoke of her – as both an actress and as a friend – I knew I had to speak with her, as well.
“I think it surprises people that the African-American community of actors really is a community – even in this very competitive business,” she told me. “We really are friends, and have been for years. We’ve supported each other through work, marriages, divorce, kids…Everything we’ve been through, we’ve gone through together.”
As any actor – veteran or neophyte – can attest, Hollywood can sometimes be an extremely uninspiring town. Dealing with the rigors and stress of work is one thing. Coping with an insatiable and sometimes, hostile, media is another.
In a career that has spanned more than 25 years and amassed more than 150 acting and producing credits, Vivica Fox has pretty much seen it all. Yet, she greets each new challenge and opportunity with fresh energy and enthusiasm. 
Growing up in her native Indiana, she was inspired by legends like Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. As an adult, she was so inspired by Pam Grier that she named her production company Foxy Brown Productions after her. But as a veteran actress and icon, herself, she now draws inspiration from a somewhat surprising source.
“When people come up to me and say ‘Wow, that part you played in that movie or the way you came across in that interview you did, you seemed so real,’ – that inspires me,” she said. “Those moments inspire me a lot because they let me know I’m on the right path and that I’m being true to myself as a woman.”
Vivica is also quick to credit her family for helping keep her grounded and encouraged.
“I have godchildren and a wonderful support base and family,” she said. “When they tell me that I make them proud, it encourages me, because it lets me know that I’m doing the right thing.”
When I asked her to describe herself in just a few words, Vivica said “honest, reliable, hard-working, trustworthy and tough.”
“Hard-working?” That’s a bit of an understatement.
I caught up with Vivica on a typically, insanely busy day, and she was taking it all in stride. Her stint on NBC’s reality show “Celebrity Apprentice” had just ended, but she was still juggling a million balls in the air.
In addition to her highly anticipated film Chocolate City – “the African-American version of Magic Mike” – and her work on the small screen alongside Bill Bellamy, John Lovitz and Essence Atkins in the sitcom “Mr. Box Office,” she’d just completed hosting the Mob Wives Reunion, she’d recorded radio spots raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and she was shifting gears to focus on her beauty brand – the Vivica Fox Hair Collection – and her Curvy Couture by Vivica Fox lingerie line.
She was also preparing for her upcoming hosting gig at the 16th Annual Allstate Gospel Superfest television extravaganza on Saturday, March 21.
This year’s Allstate Gospel Superfest will boast an incredible lineup including performances by Kelly Price, Dorinda Clark-Cole, J. Moss, The Rance Allen Group, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and many others. The legendary Richard Smallwood and Bishop Marvin Winans will also receive Lifetime Achievement Honors at the event.
“Hosting this event is such a good fit for me,” she shared. “I grew up in church and sang in the church choir. I love my co-hosts Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game) who I worked with in Two Can Play That Game, and Fonzworth Bentley (Making the Band) who was in Lift Every Voice with me. I’m looking forward to it because we’re gonna have one good old time!”
The 16th Annual Allstate Gospel Superfest “Live in Chicago” will take place Saturday, March 21, 2015 from 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM CST at The House of Hope Arena located at 752 E 114th Street, Chicago, IL 60628. Tickets for the event can be purchased on-line at www.ticketweb.com or by phone at 866-468-7619.
25 years…more than150 credits…fashion and beauty brands, hosting gigs, acting, producing and philanthropy…
As I looked over my notes and I sat down to write this feature, something suddenly occurred to me: with so many stars in our eyes, we, in the media, and moviegoers, alike, have taken Vivica Fox for granted.
Not only has she demonstrated a diversity in her body of work that is virtually unmatched by any of her peers, but she is also one of the warmest, kindest and most authentic people that most of us will ever encounter.
Now that I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with her, taking her for granted is a mistake I will not repeat in the future.
To keep up with the latest Vivica Fox news, please visit: vivicafox.com
Check her out on Instagram at: @MsVFox
and Follow her on Twitter at: @MsVivicaFox
PHOTO CREDITS:
Hair by @kimblehair
Styled by: @Styling4LA
Makeup and photography by: @dandremichael
