Story by DeWayne Rogers
Images by Hiltron Bailey for Steed Media Service
Angela Bassett and Rick Fox. Both are solidly anchored in the business of Hollywood, but their paths to this point have been extremely divergent. Fox made his living basking in the glow of NBA superstardom as a standout for both the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Upon retirement, the allure of the big screen was too strong for him to ignore. America has long been in love with the fire and dynamism that Angela Bassett brings to each and every role. Having built a successful career on her ability to portray strong women ranging from Tina Turner to Betty Shabazz, Bassett has certainly earned the Hollywood star that she’s finally set to receive.
So why are the two of them gracing this week’s cover of rolling out together? Well, that can be attributed to the genius of Tyler Perry, who made the unlikely pairing for his fifth theatrical release, Meet The Browns. Though our conversation with Fox and Bassett was to be centered around the film, we quickly found ourselves entrenched in a serious discussion on the plight of single black mothers and the responsibility of parents in general.
rolling out: Angela, as an accomplished actress, obviously a lot of care goes into selecting your roles. Why was this project so compelling?
Angela Bassett: My mother and I actually sat together and watched Madea Goes To Jail and Madea’s Family Reunion. We bought the entire DVD set, and watched them back to back. We really enjoyed our time together, and enjoyed what we were seeing. Then I had the opportunity to see Madea Goes to Jail live on stage, and my admiration grew even more for Tyler. So when Diary of A Mad Black Woman came to the big screen, I can remember feeling slightly jealous of Kimberly Elise. I’m just kidding, but I really did want to work with Tyler at that point. We were finally able to meet backstage at one of his shows, and he told me that he wanted to work with me one day. I can remember thinking to myself, ‘I hope he really means that.’ And he did. The rest is history.
ro: What about you Rick? What initially drew you to the role?
Rick Fox: Let’s be real here for a moment. It’s Tyler Perry and Angela Bassett. I’m just honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as these two extremely talented people. I learned so much [by] just being around them and the rest of the talented cast. I believe they helped me to elevate my performance. Surrounding myself with this level of talent prompted me to focus even more on coming with it and providing a performance that was worthy of being on the screen with them.
ro: As with all of Tyler Perry’s movies, there is a social issue within the black community being addressed. With Daddy’s Little Girls it was fatherhood, and with Why Did I Get Married?, it was, of course, marriage. In Meet the Browns, Perry focuses on single mothers. What are your thoughts on the prevalence of single parenthood in the black community?
AB: Well I grew up in a single parent household, and my mother did the best that she could. But sometimes her eyes were off me for an extended part of the day, so it fell upon the extended family and the community to pick up the slack. It was OK for the assistant principal, a teacher, or the choir director at church to look after me, because that’s just what everyone did. I remember one time being caught hitchhiking across town … that was just a part of the responsibility that was shared by everyone, to make sure that the kids of the community were being raised properly. I think it’s that kind of support that you see from my character’s family in this film, and it’s one that I wish would happen more often as today’s single mother struggles to keep her household intact.
RF: I’d like to add something to that. From experience, I know it isn’t easy being raised in a home headed by a single mother … especially [for] a boy. And I think that’s the brilliance of Tyler Perry. This issue is one that seems to be more of a common occurrence today, and as a man that loves his kids, I wish that more of our men would step up and take responsibility for the rearing of our children. That’s the only way that we can reverse an issue that seems to be getting worse. I really applaud our black women who work hard to hold it down by themselves, while some of our men are still out here dropping the ball.
ro: The two of you were a romantic couple in the movie. What are your thoughts on the need to develop a proper balance between raising kids, and nurturing a relationship?
AB: Well my character always put her kids first, which is what a lot more men and women need to be doing. Our children really need us, and they require more time than any relationship does. Far too many times, we see mothers who aren’t as concerned as they should be about the welfare of their children. They are too busy searching for a man, which leaves the child essentially parentless. That’s what drew me to this character. No matter what was going on, or who was trying to enter her life, her children always came first.
RF: It takes a lot of time and patience to raise children the right way. For me, it’s important for my kids to be able to look me in my face and know that I am doing all that I can to be a good father. Whether you’re single or married, it definitely takes a lot of work to be there for your children, while also taking care of your own needs. We’re all human, and we all desire to be loved. But you should never pursue that at the expense of your children. Of all the themes that are addressed in this film, I hope that one really resonates within our community. The mothers and fathers of all races, but particularly our black mothers and fathers, should never lose sight of our children. Never.
Tyler Perry In His Own Words
As we continue to focus on the plight of single mothers across the country, it’s important that we hear from the man who prompted this week’s discussion in the first place. Always focused on speaking to the real concerns of the people through his work, Tyler Perry took aim at single motherhood in his latest release, Meet the Browns. Here’s what Perry had to say.
“For anyone who knows me, it’s no secret how important women have been in my life. Black women have been supporting me since Day One, and there is absolutely nothing like a black woman. When I wrote this film, I wanted to give hope to all of the single mothers out there, just to let them know that they are not alone, and certainly not forgotten.” –Tyler Perry
