It sounds like the role Tracee Ellis Ross was born to play – a famous diva struggling to find her place in the music world.
As the daughter of legendary superstar Diana Ross, she would also seem the perfect choice to play a fictional version of her mother in the movie. But surprisingly, when the vivacious star gets on Zoom for a lively chat from her LA home’s living room, she’s quick to dismiss the suggestion she channelled her mother.
“And this is my little fig tree behind me,” she adds cheerfully, with a nod to the nearby plant. “I’ve been watering her and singing and talking to her every day and she’s thriving, too.” “I play this icon who’s had decades of hits, but she’s at the point when the industry and those around her feel she shouldn’t try anything new, that she should tour with her hits and rest on her laurels.
“My mom moved to Europe to do a movie, which didn’t happen, and then fell in love, got married and got pregnant, so in the course of two years that all happened,” Tracee explains, referring to her mother’s second marriage, to Norwegian shipping magnate Arne Naess from 1986 to 2000. “We moved around but I was always grateful that family was home base regardless of where I lived, and being in Europe really opened up my world view in an important way.
While waiting out the pandemic to film the show’s upcoming seventh season, she is happy to be talking aboutand her relief that she finally achieved her lifelong desire to make her professional singing debut. The film garnered great reviews but one mattered more than most. “I was nervous about my mom finally hearing me sing professionally. She watched it on the day it came out and called immediately to say she loved it, she loved the clothes, and when she heard me sing she said, ‘Finally!’ ” says Tracee, her voice thick with emotion.It’s not surprising that the former lead singer of the Supremes, famous for her legendary costumes, would appreciate a stunning wardrobe.
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