THE TALK WITH TIA MOWRY

ART DIRECTION AND STYLING: Juliet Belkin

MUA  Olga Pirmatova

HAIR  Nakia Esteen

 

Best known for her teen role as Tia Landry on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister, Sister (opposite her identical twin sister Tamera Mowry) and  starring in the television movie Twitches and its sequel Twitches Too , Tia Dashon Mowry joined me for conversation in West Hollywood. The actress and the model, fun, cool, down to earth young mom was a pleasure to chat with. Today she continues acting with and without her twin sister Tamara, celebrating the release of her new cookbook   Whole New You which puts a healthy spin on comfort food, runs her own show Tia Mowry's Quick Fix and creating beautiful memories with her six year old son Cree Taylor Hardrict.

JULIET: You are one half of the dynamic duo from our favorite 90’s sitcom “Sister, Sister”. What are some of the good memories you have from that experience?

TIA:  The best memory is the fact that my dreams came true at such a young age. Not a lot of actors get the opportunity to have their own TV show. But to be able to work at a young age with a family member, was definitely a dream come true. Every day for 6 years.

 JULIET: Fans know you as Tia &Tamera.  Would you say you and Tamera are similar or different? 

TIA: We were very much alike at a younger age, but now that we are older -- we are night and day.

JULIET: How?

TIA: Tamera is a bit more traditional, whereas I am a bit more spirited and spontaneous.

 JULIET: You are in post-production for Indivisible playing ‘Tonya Lewis’ right now. Tell us about your character and how   you've been able to get into that character.

‘Tonya’ is the wife of a soldier who is struggling with PTSD after returning home from war. She is also tasked with the job of telling families that they have lost their loved ones in the war – so she has a difficult job to do. I was able to easily relate to my character because although I have never had to deal with PTSD first-hand, both of my parents were in the Army. My mom was a drill sergeant and my dad trained troops in the Gulf War, so I had a lot of empathy reading the script. When you hear stories about soldiers with PTSD you don’t really hear about the wives or husbands and families – so this movie sheds light on what they go through as well.

How do you manage career and motherhood today?

I really take everything one day at a time and I try not to get too ahead of myself – because if I do, I will get overwhelmed. I prioritize and organize with a to-do list, but I don’t stress if I don’t get everything done on the list, I know it will get done eventually.

Do you see your son following in your footsteps with an acting career? What does he love to do today?

I definitely see Cree following in my footsteps. He is funny and charismatic and is not afraid of the camera. He loves to make people laugh, he’s playing basketball, reading, playing piano – just full of life.

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for me is busy! My son starts the day by bombarding me with kisses, then I make sure he is fed and has on matching socks before he heads out to school. Once he is at school, I have some “me time” – either yoga or a spin class. Then I will dive into my workload – right now I am busy creating content for my new show, “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix,” for my channel on YouTube in partnership with Kin Community. After, I usually have a fitting of some sort, so I play dress up with my stylist to find an outfit for an upcoming event or appearance. Then, I wrap up the day by cooking dinner for my family. My favorite time is when I tuck my son in to sleep and take a nice hot bath (with candles and Sade playing).

Looking at your Instagram feed, you are obviously a fashionista. Who are some of your favorite designers today?  Any emerging designers that have caught your attention?

I am a huge fan of Diane von Furstenberg! She works with such fun, bold prints. And it is like her pieces were made for me, they are a perfect fit. Marc Jacobs is another designer I love – his pieces are very timeless, yet fun. I also love One Teaspoon, who makes amazing jeans - and jean dresses, shorts, skirts, shirts, and more – they go beyond jeans and their style is super innovative. I am also always coveting anything Givenchy – no explanation necessary.

Juliet: What is your red carpet style like?

Tia: My style is classic, chic with a little bit of edge.

Have you thought about having your own fashion line?

I have, of course! I mean, it is every girl’s dream, right?

Who are your fashion and beauty inspirations?

Beyoncé. I am drawn to women who are mothers who don’t sacrifice their style because of it. Beyoncé is still sexy and edgy, but she still has this comfort to her style. She may be hot, but I still believe that she is running after her three kids.

What are you looking forward to in the coming months? My son is beginning first grade, so I am excited about that! Watching him grow into a young little boy has been so much fun. I am also excited to be working on my YouTube show, "Tia Mowry's Quick Fix."