On the night before her big Hollywood premiere for Madea's Big Happy Family, which opened in theaters today, TheYBF.com sat down with Lauren London to chat about this whirlwind comeback. In a little over a year and a half, she's become a mom, landed a permanent spot on gossip blogs, and grabbed up more than a few acting roles.
We've got our one-on-one chit chat with the star of Madea's new movie, and our red carpet interviews with the rest of the cast, when you read on....
TheYBF.com's Kalia Silva was on the scene in Hollywood this week and caught up with YBF Chick Lauren London. Lauren's gorgeous, she's landing great tv and movie roles, and she's ready to expand into her own movie creations. Oh, and she's mastered how to keep her baby-daddy-son relationships as private as possible. Here's our chit-chat:
On easily landing the role as "Renee" in Madea's Big Happy Family & working with Bow Wow:
I got called into the audition last minute one day. I think the audition was at 4pm and I got called in at 3pm. I didn't even know my lines! I went in there and read what I had and the next week...I got the role.
And working with Bow Wow was cool. You know, I knew him before we had worked together. He was cool, like a younger brother, which was weird with our romantic scenes. He is a sweetheart and very professional and punctual. It was a very cool and laid back set.
On Lauren's fave "mommy moment" of the week, and keeping her son with rapper Lil Wayne private from media:
[My son] is the joy of my life, he's a year and a half now. That's my angel. What did he do this week? Lord, he's a mess every week. Oh my gosh! {Laughs} He drew me a little picture. Well...he scribbled on a little piece of paper all these colors and it was like, THE most beautiful picture I ever seen in my life. It’s just scribble-scrabble but it was beautiful to me.
I just want to keep him as sacred as I can. He’s an innocent baby and I like to keep him that way.
On how motherhood has changed the types of roles she will do:
I’ve never been into nudity or anything like that. So my son is going to know his mother as an artist. He’s going to understand what acting is and what the art of it means. I’ve always had the same values when taking roles--like nothing that tears down my character and who I am, nothing that I’m that uncomfortable with.
What changes is my time away from him,…how much time am I taking away from him… Which is probably why I’m not out there auditioning EVERYDAY because he’s my first priority. I think I’m more selective about what I’m spending my time ON.
On rumors of her dating certain men:
Nope, no dating! no time for that right now. Even though a blog said I was dating my brother today. My brother/stylist…they said he was my boyfriend because we were out shopping together. But he’s my brother! Just because I’m shopping with a guy? Like that’s my brother, come on, and my stylist on top of that!
Can they make up their mind on who I’m dating? One week it’s this guy, next week it’s that guy…come on now, I’m not pimping like that!
On expanding her acting and writing career:
I’m actually writing a project that I am going to be putting out independently and producing myself. I’m in the midst of writing right now. It’s in the very beginning process. I used to write a lot when I was in high school. There are so many short stories that I have that no one knows about because I was in high school. This is my first actual script that I am writing.
And you know what? I don’t really care to be out there and to be "crazy known." Obviously, there is a bit of it that you have to participate in, but I just want to be a great actress. I want my peers to respect what I do.
How is this character different from her past roles:
I had just come from having the baby and it was light, it was funny, and I needed that at the time. It was different from playing in ATL and This Christmas. Those were bigger roles and there was a lot of character research. This was fun. I always use the example of an "SNL" skit. They improve upon these crazy characters who are nothing like them. It’s different when Tina Fey does Sarah Palin than when she does "30 Rock," you know what I’m saying? That was my approach in it. It was fun and it was different and it was light!
Lauren's biggest blooper while filming Madea:
Oh my God…we were improv'ing, and Madea was cursing everyone out. I could not keep a straight face. I was laughing and he told me to be quiet. I’m a ‘Yellow Crayon’! That was funny! I was like “Oh my gosh, I’ve never been called a yellow crayon”! (Laughter)
YBF: How much improv were you allowed in the film?
A lot! It was all written, so my lines that I say were written in the script. But we did tons of facial expressions and reactions and that was all obviously improv'ing. [Tyler Perry] was so open to our creative input.
YBF: How about when you storm up the stairs during the intense scene with you and Bow Wow?
Oh that was improv! Cant you tell? {Laughs} I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I still don’t know which scenes made in the movie. I’m going to be so mad at myself. I’m going to have to play a Virgin Mary after this.
On the biggest lesson she learned from director/writer/producer Tyler Perry:
I was just inspired watching this man. Especially knowing where he comes from and knowing that in the beginning, no one believed in him. People doubted him. And now, he not only owns his own studio, he’s writing, directing, producing, and acting in his own films. It’s like, the sky is the limit! You can do anything that you put your mind to. As a woman in Hollywood, and a mother, I want to do more than just act myself.
And we can't wait to see more from Ms. London. Her new scripted tv show, "Single Ladies," which also stars LisaRaye and Stacy Dash, premieres May 30th on VH1.
Check out YBF L.A. Correspondent Kalia as The YBF hits the purple carpet for Tyler and Co.'s huge Madea premiere this week:
We chat with Tyler about the haters and the rest of the cast and YBF folks who came out to support. Fab times!
CREDITS: VIDEO CORRESPONDENT-KALIA SILVA/VIDEO EDITING-LEANDRE BELL
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