Elise Neal is in a term, down-to-earth. TheGrio had the chance to speak with the gorgeous forty-something actress, and much to our delight, we found that she was warm, extremely funny, candid, bright, entrepreneurial, and insightful about life.
Her Journey
Elise is analogous to the proverbial tortoise in Aesop’s famed fable about a hurried hare who runs ahead of his much slower, purpose driven, and steadfast opponent, the tortoise. Arrogant and determined, the hare tries to win the race quickly. Yet, much to the hare’s chagrin, he awakens from a sleep to find that the tortoise has won the race ahead of him.
Elise Neal may not be one of Hollywood’s biggest marquee names — yet — and her acting roles to date have been mostly in the supporting role category, but give her time. Just like the steady tortoise, we may not notice, but she is already winning the race.
She is a native of Tennessee, born in the jazz rich city of Memphis, and hails from humble roots. Her mom was a nurse, her dad a blue-collar construction worker. She attended the historic University of the Arts College in Philadelphia for two years prior to moving to New York City where she began her acting career. Neal climbed her way up steadily and carefully, landing her first role on the soap opera Loving. She then moved to into prime time on SeaQuest2032 on which she played Lt. JJ Fredricks. In 1997, Elise made her major motion picture debut in John Singleton’s controversial film Rosewood starring as Scrappy.
Fast forward to 2012. Neal has a new TV One sitcom Belles, and is unveiling a new hair weave line in conjunction with California Lace Wigs & Weaves. She also has a starring role in the award-winning, forthcoming film The Undershepard starring Isaiah Washington and Malinda Williams.
We had a chance to speak with her about the controversial film, which was produced by radio personality Russ Parr, and her role in it as a church “bad girl” — a switch for her because she always plays the good one.
Here is a candid look into the mind and heart of one of Hollywood’s brightest shinning sister stars:
theGrio: Tell us about your new movie that has caused quite a stir, as it examines black megachurches, celebrity black pastors, first ladies of the church, and the wealth that some of these churches have generated — some say at the expense of teaching the gospel of Christ.
Neal: I play a character named Sister Roberts. She is married to one of the head deacons in the church. I don’t want to give too much of the movie away, but suffice it to say all of the issues you raise are addressed in the movie in detail. And I think that the way Russ addresses them through our characters is very accurate.
Do I think it will cause some discussion and some reflection: Yes. Do I think some in the church will be upset by it? Yes. I applaud Russ for being brave enough to tackle this subject and all of the backlash and conversation that will go along with it.
We really focus on the issue of tithing and money, and where it goes once it leaves your family and goes to the pulpit. The movie is art imitating life. Anyone who has ever given money at church and has question marks, this movie goes there. And we explore a variety of topics from adultery in the church, pastors cheating, money being taken for personal gain or spent illegally, and more.
Some people will be offended by the truth of this movie. That is to be expected. But that is what is awesome about this film, because it goes there. This movie is about faith issues, not just the black churches, or in white churches. This movie is about people in positions of power that usurp that power in a wrong way; from the molestation of boys in the Catholic church, to scandal in our own churches.
Tell us about your newest movie project with actor Hill Harper 1982, which is a project about the influence of crack in the black community and how it infiltrated us as a people.
This is going to be a powerful movie, because it details how this drug, crack, destroys a family. It chronicles one woman’s journey from having a good life to having a diminished life from using this drug. I play a character that is the good girl that Hill’s character should have married, but he does not. His wife is the one that has the crack addiction and he ultimately comes back to lean on me for support.
What’s the word on your new sitcom Belles?
I am very excited about this pilot. It is about a family that owns a restaurant. It’s kind of like the popular 1980s show Cheers with a little more heart to it. We are kind of like counselors in the restaurant for the various kinds of challenges our customers face each day. It is a great show about a close-knit family that works through their own challenges as they help others.
Also, your new hair line sounds very exciting.
California Lace Wigs & Weaves has tapped me to be their spokeswoman, and I was able to create my own first product line, which I am very excited about. We launch this September. I am real — [but,] I wear weaves. (Laughs.) I like to work out real hard, and as a black woman we often use our hair as an excuse not to work out because of fear of losing our [hairstyle] from sweating it out. I have to be on set sometimes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., so having a weave allows for greater versatility. We have a full line called Hollywood Belles by Elise Neal. It’s very exciting.
Elise, let’s close this interview by helping our readers to truly connect with who Elise Neal is beyond the actress we see, or the entrepreneur with a hair line. Share with us how you want people to see you as a human being when all is said and done.
Who I am is a whole lot of things. I am a woman who is a singer, dancer, and performer, who was blessed with [an additional] talent of being an actress. I say this humbly: I am able to connect with black and white fans alike throughout [the] varied roles I have been blessed to play. This is key because when you can transcend various boxes, [then] they can place you in as an artist in Hollywood. That is when your career truly takes off.
People often say “where have you been?” I have been working. (Chuckles.) I need my people to expand their minds (laughs), meaning I may not be on a so-called “black network” or show one season, but that does not mean I have left acting, or that I am not acting. It means I am doing something on the big screen, or for another network that may have varied demographics.
I have been very blessed in my career to date. But who I am beyond my career is a fun person, a loving person. I date, I laugh, I care about my family and friends. I am a pretty happy, fulfilled person. I am a work in progress like us all, but overall I am blessed to be doing what I love. Very few people get to do that in life. I understand that and I don’t take it for granted.
For me this business — acting — is silly. I never take it as seriously as I do my friends, my family or my [charity] work with say Saint Jude’s hospital. Now that is serious. That is something to be passionate about. I am constantly building and working on new projects in my life.
For example, I am working with the powers that be in Memphis, Tennessee to create arts programs, and a school, that will empower young girls and teens to express themselves through the arts. In the end, I want to teach these girls about the power of the human spirit to be able to follow your dreams, as I did, and make them come true.
As for me, I want people to know my work, and to be empowered by my work as an artist. I like making people feel special about themselves. If I can do that when all is said and done, I will have done my craft well.
Sophia A. Nelson is a journalist, award winning author and entrepreneur. Her book, “Black Woman Redefined,” has been discussed on various media outlets. Follow Sophia A. Nelson on Twitter at@SophiaRedefined.