One-On-One with Joy Bryant

Born with beauty and brains to boot, well-established actress Joy Bryant has been making a name for herself on the Hollywood scene for some time now.

The Bronx native attended Yale on a full academic scholarship, until she was discovered by a modeling agency and pursued a career as a fashion model in Paris.

Although she began acting in 2001, her big breakthrough role came in 2002 where she played Derek Luke's supportive love interest in the Denzel Washington-helmed tear-jerking drama 'Antwone Fisher'.

The Cover Girl cosmetics spokesmodel's latest role in the film 'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins' has her playing Martin Lawrence's high-maintenance and highly competitive girlfriend.

Here's what the burgeoning actress had to say when she spoke with Black Voices' very own Denver C. Louis on everything from trying not to be too funny to endorsing Senator Barack Obama.



How did it feel to be in a film with so many heavyweights?

It felt really, really great. At first, I was a little intimidated to have all these great comedians around. I just to focus on not being funny, because that's not my job (laughing), I'll leave that to them. Once I got there, it was just such a great camaraderie amongst everyone and everyone is so cool. These are people who I've admired, I mean I still get star struck when I work with people because you know, I'm human. It was one of those things where the stars are aligned and the material is great, the cast is great, the cast is great and you're saying to yourself, alright, how am I going to be great?

Are you a funny person or do you think you're a funny person?

Nah, I'm not even going to claim that I think I'm a funny person. People might say I'm funny but I don't know. I can't really just say, "I'm real funny."

Now your character, she had her funny moments but she was also a little...

She's a bitch you can say it (laughing).

I didn't want to say it, but I want to know how much of your character Bianca Kittles was Joy Bryant?

I think it was a combination of everything. It's funny because I made a list of similarities between the two of us and it's interesting that the person that you think is a bitch or whatever doesn't think they are. They have reasons for why they do what they do. So I made a list of things we have similar. She drives a hybrid and so do I but our reasons are different. She's a vegetarian and I'm a vegetarian, but our reasons are different as well. We're quite similar but we just have different motivations for things. There's definitely a little of me in there because anybody can be a bitch when they want to be given the right circumstances.

Who was the funniest person on the set?

Mike Epps (laughing). Basically everybody was funny on and off camera, but he was always performing. He would just walk up to you off camera and just make you laugh. He'll just walk across, say something funny and then walk away, leaving you laughing. He's a nut and he's very talented.

Would you say this film is the start of a long, Academy Award-winning career?

(laughing), Oh my God. I hope it's just a continuation of me being better and being more comfortable and more confident and secure and just growing as a person as an actor. I don't know about the other stuff, but I wouldn't be mad at that (laughing).

What was your favorite scene in the movie?

The softball scene. I actually went full on sliding to base in my outfit and they kept telling me a shouldn't do it. But I did it every time. The only thing I walked away with was a little injury but I didn't mind. I was hyped up, my character was supposed to always be like that.

What's your favorite reality show right now?

I know she found love, but it has to be 'I Love New York'. I like Project Runway and right now I'm watching Celebrity Rehab and that's a little bit hardcore. I definitely have to say 'I Love New York' and I'm looking forward to 'Flava of Love 3'. I always watch those things faithfully. I watch a lot of television, there's a lot.

What show can't you live without?

The Daily Show and I really like Real Time with Bill Maher.

So you're a little politically motivated?

Yeah, you could say that. I'm down with Barack (laughing).

So you endorse Barack... any particular reason why?

Well, without getting into policies and issues and stuff like that, I met Barack when he was running for Senate at a fundraiser in New York, and I was able to go up and meet him. I don't know, when I shook the man's hand, I said to myself, I just met the future president of the United States. And that was just based on a handshake, because it resonated with me. Years later when I was doing a press junket for the film 'Bobby' and someone asked if there was anyone that embodied the spirit of Bobby Kennedy, I said I really think Barack Obama did. He ended up running for president, so hey, I got to support him, do or die. I'm away of his policies, but what initially drew me to him was his speeches, they way he carries himself and his story.

Did you have a favorite show growing up?

I guess when 'The Cosby Show' and a 'Different World' was on because I'm a huge Lisa Bonet/Liliquoi Moon fan. She's the best and she's always been and so she's my idol.

Was there someone that you emulated growing up?

I would think that if I were to take someone from television or film, I would say Lisa. She was everybody's idol. In terms of giving credit to someone who raised me, I would have to give that credit to my grandmother; I wouldn't be here without her.

If you had super powers, what would they be and why?

I would want to fly. Only because I tend to have a lot of dreams where I tend to fly around and it feels really good. I have these dreams where I'm levitating not too high and not too low as I cruise over everything. I do all these flips and dips and this other stuff. That's pretty crazy right? I need to have those dreams analyzed.

Are you interested in doing television at all?

Oh yeah, if the right project comes along. It's a chance to work and grow so yeah, depending on what it is.

What type of roles are you interested in?

Well, having worked on this movie and having so much fun doing a comedy, I would love to do more. But I think in general, I just want to work with good material, whatever that genre. As long as it is good or there are some really great people involved, actors or directors that I can learn from and grow from. That's the best scenario right there.