Mar. 26, 2007

Daytime's Darling

Renee Elise Goldsberry just landed her second Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Supporting Actress category for her role on the hit ABC soap, 'One Life To Live.' "It couldn't be better! It feels wonderful! Affirmation is kind of everything. It's like fuel for the work you are doing. I'm really grateful to have it," she told me via cell phone while riding through Manhattan, New York in a taxi.

Goldsberry is proud that 'One Life To Live' has expanded her character Evangeline Williamson; a no-nonsense lawyer turned assistant district attorney in the fictitious Llanview, PA, and hasn't taken a stereotypical approach with developing her storyline. "This is the first time in my career where I've worked for people who don't treat my character like the Black character. They kind of handle her just as a character and let her interact in the world, as oppose to feeling like I am supporting the story of another character or being someone's best friend ... watching [someone else] falling in love and getting her heart broken. They let Evangeline do all of those things," she explained. "I want to see as many African Americans in lead roles as possible in every medium; from daytime to primetime, to films and plays and all across the board. I just want our stories told. I think the viewing audience for soap operas is so diverse, they should be doing on every show what ['One Life To Live'] is doing with Evangeline."

The 34-year-old talent appreciates the allegiance of daytime television fans and said that before her Daytime Emmy or the NAACP Image Award nominations, soap fans would celebrate her. "The fans for daytime are like no other fans anywhere. They are so loyal and so supportive. You kind of don't need to win Emmys and Image Awards to feel affirmation. Because the year I don't get nominated for an Image Award, they'll send me their own version of an Image Award," laughed Goldsberry, who also won a Soap Opera Digest Award in 2005 for Favorite Love Triangle with co-stars Michael Easton and Melissa Archer.

In November 2005, Goldsberry helped launch 'The Color Purple' on Broadway, playing the role of Nettie. The Oprah Winfrey-produced production had the actress balancing her time between the Great White Way and daytime TV. "There aren't two more compatible jobs than Broadway and daytime television. They go together so wonderfully. The Broadway schedule is designed around regular people's work schedule. So when regular people are off, which is nighttime, weekends and holidays; Broadway is on! Daytime is very much like a 9-to-5 job," she explained.

The experience of staring in 'The Color Purple' was very spiritual for Goldsberry. "It was the closest I've ever come to praising God onstage. It was a spirit-filled journey and it still is," she admitted. Because of the church-like encounter from the play based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Goldsberry wants the show to last forever. "I hope it has the longest life of any show because it really blesses people," she added.

Goldsberry hopes that 'American Idol' winner Fantasia (who starts on Broadway April 10) and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child (who joins the touring cast in Chicago this spring) is overcome with the emotion she felt during her stint in the show. "I am fans of those women and I'd love to see them play these roles. I think they'll do wonders for the show. The story itself is such a blessing, what happens more than anything is that you're blessed by being a part of the show. Embodying those characters really blesses you, so I am really excited for them," she said.

The actress, who has a bachelor's degree in theater and a master's degree in vocal jazz performance, is featured on the official cast CD from 'The Color Purple.' In addition, Goldsberry, who often gets to sing on 'One Life To Live,' has released a six-song EP called 'Beautiful' that's available on her website: www.ReneeEliseGoldsberry.com

During one of her many guest-hosting turns on 'The View' over the last year - - she was the first to fill-in following Star Jones Reynolds abrupt departure last June-Goldsberry shared that she and her husband, attorney Alexis Johnson, were dealing with the aftermath of a miscarriage. "We are still trying," shared Goldsberry. "And trying is always fun! We really very much want to have a family, a big family that will include hopefully birth children and adopted children. I did go through a very public miscarriage and it's always hard to go through any kind of grieving publicly."

Goldsberry hopes that her unusual openness about the tragedy - - "Because I am a very private person," she explained-will encourage other women who have or may suffer miscarriages during their pregnancy. "I think your biggest witness is when you go through trials! You're never really more valuable to people than when people know what they are going through in their homes, you've gone through too. My husband and I have come out of that even stronger and I know that some inspiration has come out of that," she closed.

Buzzworthy

The thrill is gone for actress Tamala Jones and Goodie Mob rapper Big Gipp. The actress, who's starred in 'Head of State' and 'Two Can Play That Game,' confirmed to me that she and the Atlanta-bred rap star have ended their relationship. The pair dated for almost two-years.

In other dating news, I am hearing that actress Meagan Good and supermodel-turned Hollywood producer Datari Turner have hooked up. (Those rumors about her dating football star Thomas Jones of the New York Jets aren't true I'm told!) The two attended and worked the red carpet together at the NAACP Image Awards. Apparently Good is also starring in a forthcoming movie called "The Video Girl" that is being produced by Turner for Warner Bros. Pictures. Many recall that Turner, who is also the producer of the upcoming TV One series 'I Married A Baller' and stars in the forthcoming Mike Jones film 'American Dream,' was also romantically linked to singer Fantasia after appearing in her 'Truth Is' music video. Good, who is featured in the new G-Unit clothing campaign ads, was last linked to rapper 50 Cent.

Singer Patti LaBelle has apparently made up with music executive Antonio "L.A." Reid and is supposedly in negotiations to resign with Def Soul Classics. LaBelle released two albums on Def Soul Classics - - Timeless Journey' and 'Classic Moments'-before she and Reid had a notorious falling out in mid-2005. LaBelle went on to release a gospel CD, 'The Gospel According to Patti,' on Jeryl Busby's Burgundy/Universal label. To date that CD has sold more than 120,000 units.

And while we're talking about folks who have reunited, apparently that's also the case with Jermaine Dupri and Jagged Edge. As the new president of Island Records Urban Music, Dupri has signed his former So So Def quartet, which has been in search of a label home since being dropped by Sony last fall. Jagged Edge remained on Columbia/Sony after Dupri lost his deal with the company, but the group's record sales had waned after Dupri's departure.

Las Vegas headlining comic George Wallace has booked the reclusive Sly Stone to perform at The Flamingo Las Vegas on March 31. Folks are betting whether or not Stone, who had a bizarre appearance at the Grammy's in 2006, will actually make the show. It took Wallace, who performs nightly at the hotel, and his manager, Christopher Pratt, six months to track the singer down. "We've gone through sister-agent-family, everyone, to make this happen," Wallace told the Las Vegas Sun.

Can't Say Names ...

I hear that a pregnant African-American employee at a news magazine show may be filing a lawsuit claiming "racial discrimination" and "unlawful termination." Bound to get messy!