Garcelle Beauvais Opens Up About Her New Lifetime Movie, Finding Balance and Holding Out for True Love (EXCLUSIVE)
Garcelle Beauvais isn’t easily defeated. The actress, model and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, who was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti, was taught at an early age about the importance of maintaining a positive outlook, which she says is the secret to longevity and overcoming disappointment.
Making her acting debut as an unnamed waitress in Miami Vice, she’s risen to the top following a string of high-profile roles when she joined the cast of NYPD Blue and The Jamie Foxx Show. Beauvais is now celebrating major success as executive producer for the Lifetime movies Black Girl Missing and Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie. Her latest Lifetime movie, Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted By Love, which she executive produced and stars in, premieres on August 17 at 8/7C and streams the next day.
Outside of the Hollywood spotlight, Beauvais is a busy mom and grandma, and despite going through two divorces (from Daniel Saunders in 2000 and Michael Nilon in 2011), she remains optimistic about finding “the one.”
Beauvais spoke to FIRST for Women about her exciting Lifetime projects and how she’s overcome challenges in her personal life.
FIRST for Women (FFW): How did your partnership with Lifetime start?
Garcelle Beauvais: It started when I was doing a movie about cyberbullying, Caught In His Web, with the channel. We received a great reception after the movie premiered. Then I was pitched the story Black Girl Missing. My first thought was ‘Let’s take it to Lifetime.’ They wasted no time jumping on board because they understood the message of the film.
The movie was critically acclaimed, and we won a few awards including the ASTRA award. Soon after, Lifetime came back and said they wanted to do more, and that was when we decided to do Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie.
FFW: What do you love about working with Lifetime?
Garcelle Beauvais: It’s thrilling. I’m a storyteller, and it makes sense for me to be able to tell many different stories with the Black Girl Missing franchise or do romance films like Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted By Love, which gives older women hope at finding love.
I’ve also developed a full understanding of the entire scope of a production, such as going over notes, reading scripts and understanding the director and the director of photography’s locations. It has been a fascinating experience, and I have become obsessed with this new role. Breaking out of my comfort zone has inspired me to keep doing this.
Vinnie Zuffante / Stringer/Getty
FFW: Has becoming an Executive Producer made you more creative?
Garcelle Beauvais: Oh my gosh, yes. 1,000%. I get to switch up the stories. They’re known for thrillers and murder mysteries and now I get to do romance and stories that tackle issues older women are going through, such as arthritis and menopause. I love that I can work in a space where we can spread the message that you can have love and intimacy at an older age.
FFW: Aside from your work onscreen, you are also a popular children’s author and becoming a mom inspired you to write books for kids.
Garcelle Beauvais: What’s interesting is I always wanted to write, but I was scared to do it.
FFW: What motivated you to take that risk?
Garcelle Beauvais: When I was going through my divorce, I got a therapist and she said to me, “Do something that scares you, so your mind is focused on that and not the negativity of what is going on in your life.”
I had two 3-year-olds, so it was important not to be bitter and upset, and understand that they love their dad. I had to figure it all out. One day I was at the park with the kids and I struck up a conversation with a dad who proceeded to tell me he was a publisher of children’s books. I laughed to myself because I said it was a sign.
Two weeks later, when I was taking my kids to the library, I could not find one book that talked about coming from two different backgrounds or what happens if you look different. It was then I came up with the “I Am” series. The first book was titled I Am Mixed, because I did not want my boys to have to pick if they were Black or if they were white, because they represent both me and their father.
While I was going through a divorce and the boys were going back and forth between both of our homes, I penned I Am Living In Two Homes. This was our second book, because I wanted organically to send a message that no matter what house we are in, we are still a family. This book was important for me because when my parents got divorced, I really never saw my dad until I was 14. Again, it was important for my children to know they have us both and feel like a family even though we were not living in the same house anymore.
Ray Tamarra / Contributor/Getty
FFW: Can you speak a little about how Halle Berry got involved with the book?
Garcelle Beauvais: As I was writing the book, I was thinking about who should write the foreword, so I sent it to Halle Berry. She was like, “I wish there was a book like this when I was growing up,” so she wrote it.
FFW: Divorce is tough and emotional. How did you get through your divorce as a public figure?
Garcelle Beauvais: It was not easy, especially when the kids were around. People would come up to me and say things like, “How are you?” and it wasn’t what they said but the tone in their voice that made me feel so pitiful. My eyes would well up and I wanted to cry.
I didn’t want my boys to have to suffer. It wasn’t their problem. It wasn’t their drama and that was where my focus was. For me, I controlled the narrative and that was important.
FFW: So many parents don’t know how to explain divorce to their children, and with the success of your book, you created a safe place to start and open the conversation.
Garcelle Beauvais: Selfishly it started with us, but I am happy I was able to help other people, and I hope people still rely on it when kids are having a hard time. Divorce is tough and “adulting” is tough too.
I have always talked to my kids about things. I have always given them as much as they can handle. The hardest part for me was when I was putting one of my boys to bed and he said to me, “When I am with you, I miss dad and when I am with dad, I miss you.” What do you say when you hear that? I was like, “I understand, I wish it was different, we both love you.”
No one is prepared for what these tiny voices say, but as parents, we just want them to be happy. Co-parenting for some people can be tough, but Mike and I did a really good job. The kids know they are loved and that is all you can do.
FFW: How did you fight the fears and “what-ifs” during that time?
Garcelle Beauvais: It’s about going for what you want without hesitation. Was I scared of being in my late 40s and going through a divorce with two 3-year-olds? Yeah. I mean, who signs up for that? I didn’t.
What I did was take the attitude of here I am, I have these two small children — my other son was grown — and I said I can either sink or swim. It was a matter of saying to myself, I must keep going. I remember people saying to me, “How are you going to raise them by yourself?” and I was like, “I am not raising them completely by myself, because their dad is always in their life.”
I admit I was scared, but I didn’t let fear stop me. I never have. I would not be where I am now if I let fear stop me.
FFW: Never?
Garcelle Beauvais: I would not have never gone to New York City at 17 if I let fear stop me. I didn’t know a soul when I got there to start my career. In fact, I didn’t know what modeling was, but I am one of those people who jumps in and asks questions later.
I’m just living my life. I tend to hop from one thing to another, so I have very little downtime. When I do take it all in, I go, “WOW, here was this little girl who was in Haiti and didn’t know anything about this world.” My mom was brave enough to take us to America to give us a better life.
FFW: What was the best lesson you ever learned and how do you apply it to your everyday life?
Garcelle Beauvais: The greatest lesson I ever learned was never seeing my mom complain. I tend to be positive most of the time. Yes, I am human and can get down some of the time, but I am so grateful for the life I get to live, plus my children are healthy. Some of the greatest lessons come from how you take things and your attitude. Life is about ups and downs, but you must get up the next day and keep going. That is the number-one lesson you need to remember.
FFW: Did you ever receive any memorable advice from your costars?
Garcelle Beauvais: I was going through a heartache while shooting The Jamie Foxx Show. I was just down, and Jamie could see it in my face. He said to me, “As hard as you love, always save a little bit for yourself.” He was telling me don’t give it all away so you can’t pick yourself back up if you have to. I’ve always remembered that.
FFW: What are your favorite ways to unwind?
Garcelle Beauvais: I like going for walks on the beach, giving myself a bubble bath and listening to R&B music, because I am a big music lover. And hanging out with my girlfriends and laughing. It doesn't need to be extravagant, just simple. Usually I have a better time getting ready to go out than I do when I go out. I love to listen to music while I am getting dressed and putting on makeup, and yes, I dance around.
FFW: You’ve achieved so much both personally and professionally. Is there anything left on your to-do list you still want to accomplish?
Garcelle Beauvais: Finding love and finding my partner. I also want to continue doing what I love. My kids ask me if I ever think about retiring and I say no, but I wouldn’t mind slowing down. The catch is, I’m doing the things that I love, and if that is not a reason to keep going, I don’t know what is!
For more FIRST interviews, keep scrolling!
Carrie Underwood Reveals Her Favorite Ways To Treat Herself (EXCLUSIVE)
Blake Lively + ‘It Ends with Us’ Cast Spill on the Movie Ahead Release
